The Refutation Of All Heresies

1 Preface. 2 Introductory Notice to Hippolytus. 3 Translated by the Rev. J. H. MacMahon, M.A.] 4 Contents. 5 The Prooemium.--Motives for Undertaking the Refutation; Exposure of the Ancient Mysteries; Plan of the Work; Completeness of the Refutation; Value of the Treatise to Future Ages. 6 Chapter I.--Thales; His Physics and Theology; Founder of Greek Astronomy. 7 Chapter II.--Pythagoras; His Cosmogony; Rules of His Sect; Discoverer of Physiognomy; His Philosophy of Numbers; His System of the Transmigration of Souls; Zaratas on Demons; Why Pythagoras Forbade the Eating of Beans; The Mode of Living Adopted by His Di 8 Chapter III.--Empedocles; His Twofold Cause; Tenet of Transmigration. 9 Chapter IV.--Heraclitus; His Universal Dogmatism; His Theory of Flux; Other Systems. 10 Chapter V.--Anaximander; His Theory of the Infinite; His Astronomic Opinions; His Physics. 11 Chapter VI.--Anaximenes; His System of |An Infinite Air;| His Views of Astronomy and Natural Phenomena. 12 Chapter VII.--Anaxagoras; His Theory of Mind; Recognises an Efficient Cause; His Cosmogony and Astronomy. 13 Chapter VIII.--Archelaus; System Akin to that of Anaxagoras; His Origin of the Earth and of Animals; Other Systems. 14 Chapter IX.--Parmenides; His Theory of |Unity;| His Eschatology. 15 Chapter X.--Leucippus; His Atomic Theory. 16 Chapter XI.--Democritus; His Duality of Principles; His Cosmogony. 17 Chapter XII.--Xenophanes; His Scepticism; His Notions of God and Nature; Believes in a Flood. 18 Chapter XIII.--Ecphantus; His Scepticism; Tenet of Infinity. 19 Chapter XIV.--Hippo; His Duality of Principles; His Psychology. 20 Chapter XV.--Socrates; His Philosophy Reproduced by Plato. 21 Chapter XVI.--Plato; Threefold Classification of Principles; His Idea of God; Different Opinions Regarding His Theology and Psychology; His Eschatology and System of Metempsychosis; His Ethical Doctrines; Notions on the Free-Will Question. 22 Chapter XVII.--Aristotle; Duality of Principles; His Categories; His Psychology; His Ethical Doctrines; Origin of the Epithet |Peripatetic.| 23 Chapter XVIII.--The Stoics; Their Superiority in Logic; Fatalists; Their Doctrine of Conflagrations. 24 Chapter XIX.--Epicurus; Adopts the Democritic Atomism; Denial of Divine Providence; The Principle of His Ethical System. 25 Chapter XX.--The Academics; Difference of Opinion Among Them. 26 Chapter XXI.--The Brachmans; Their Mode of Life; Ideas of Deity; Different Sorts Of; Their Ethical Notions. 27 Chapter XXII.--The Druids; Progenitors of Their System. 28 Chapter XXIII.--Hesiod; The Nine Muses; The Hesiodic Cosmogony; The Ancient Speculators, Materialists; Derivative Character of the Heresies from Heathen Philosophy. 29 Books II. And III. Are Awanting. 30 Chapter I.--System of the Astrologers; Sidereal Influence; 31 Chapter II.--Doctrines Concerning Æons; The Chaldean Astrology; Heresy Derivable from It. 32 Chapter III.--The Horoscope the Foundation of Astrology; Indiscoverability of the Horoscope; Therefore the Futility of the Chaldean Art. 33 Chapter IV.--Impossibility of Fixing the Horoscope; Failure of an Attempt to Do This at the Period of Birth. 34 Chapter V.--Another Method of Fixing the Horoscope at Birth; Equally Futile; Use of the Clepsydra in Astrology; The Predictions of the Chaldeans Not Verified. 35 Chapter VI.--Zodiacal Influence; Origin of Sidereal Names. 36 Chapter VII.--Practical Absurdity of the Chaldaic Art; Development of the Art. 37 Chapter VIII.--Prodigies of the Astrologers; System of the Astronomers; Chaldean Doctrine of Circles; Distances of the Heavenly Bodies. 38 Chapter IX.--Further Astronomic Calculations. 39 Chapter X.--Theory of Stellar Motion and Distance in Accordance with Harmony. 40 Chapter XI.--Theory of the Size of the Heavenly Bodies in Accordance with Numerical Harmonies. 41 Chapter XII.--Waste of Mental Energy in the Systems of the Astrologers. 42 Chapter XIII.--Mention of the Heretic Colarbasus; Alliance Between Heresy and the Pythagorean Philosophy. 43 Chapter XIV.--System of the Arithmeticians; Predictions Through Calculations; Numerical Roots; Transference of These Doctrines to Letters; Examples in Particular Names; Different Methods of Calculation; Prescience Possible by These. 44 Chapter XV.--Quibbles of the Numerical Theorists; The Art of the Frontispicists (Physiognomy); Connection of This Art with Astrology; Type of Those Born Under Aries. 45 Chapter XVI.--Type of Those Born Under Taurus. 46 Chapter XVII.--Type of Those Born Under Gemini. 47 Chapter XVIII.--Type of Those Born Under Cancer. 48 Chapter XIX.--Type of Those Born Under Leo. 49 Chapter XX.--Type of Those Born Under Virgo. 50 Chapter XXI.--Type of Those Born Under Libra. 51 Chapter XXII.--Type of Those Born Under Scorpio. 52 Chapter XXIII.--Type of Those Born Under Sagittarius. 53 Chapter XXIV.--Type of Those Born Under Capricorn. 54 Chapter XXV.--Type of Those Born Under Aquarius. 55 Chapter XXVI.--Type of Those Born Under Pisces. 56 Chapter XXVII.--Futility of This Theory of Stellar Influence. 57 Chapter XXVIII. --System of the Magicians; Incantations of Demons; Secret Magical Rites. 58 Chapter XXIX.--Display of Different Eggs. 59 Chapter XXX.--Self-Slaughter of Sheep. 60 Chapter XXXI.--Method of Poisoning Goats. 61 Chapter XXXII.--Imitations of Thunder, and Other Illusions. 62 Chapter XXXIII.--The Burning Æsculapius; Tricks with Fire. 63 Chapter XXXIV.--The Illusion of the Sealed Letters; Object in Detailing These Juggleries. 64 Chapter XXXV.--The Divination by a Cauldron; Illusion of Fiery Demons; Specimen of a Magical Invocation. 65 Chapter XXXVI.--Mode of Managing an Apparition. 66 Chapter XXXVII.--Illusive Appearance of the Moon. 67 Chapter XXXVIII.--Illusive Appearance of the Stars. 68 Chapter XXXIX.--Imitation of an Earthquake. 69 Chapter XL.--Trick with the Liver. 70 Chapter XLI.--Making a Skull Speak. 71 Chapter XLII.--The Fraud of the Foregoing Practices; Their Connection with Heresy. 72 Chapter XLIII.--Recapitulation of Theologies and Cosmogonies; System of the Persians; Of the Babylonians; The Egyptian Notion of Deity; Their Theology Based on a Theory of Numbers; Their System of Cosmogony. 73 Chapter XLIV.--Egyptian Theory of Nature; Their Amulets. 74 Chapter XLV.--Use of the Foregoing Discussions. 75 Chapter XLVI.--The Astrotheosophists; Aratus Imitated by the Heresiarchs; His System of the Disposition of the Stars. 76 Chapter XLVII.--Opinions of the Heretics Borrowed from Aratus. 77 Chapter XLVIII.--Invention of the Lyre; Allegorizing the Appearance and Position of the Stars; Origin of the Phoenicians; The Logos Identified by Aratus with the Constellation Canis; Influence of Canis on Fertility and Life Generally. 78 Chapter XLIX.--Symbol of the Creature; And of Spirit; And of the Different Orders of Animals. 79 Chapter L.--Folly of Astrology. 80 Chapter LI.--The Hebdomadarii; System of the Arithmeticians; Pressed into the Service of Heresy; Instances Of, in Simon and Valentinus; The Nature of the Universe Deducible from the Physiology of the Brain. 81 Note. 82 Contents. 83 Chapter I.--Recapitulation; Characteristics of Heresy; Origin of the Name Naasseni; The System of the Naasseni. 84 Chapter II.--Naasseni Ascribe Their System, Through Mariamne, to James the Lord's Brother; Really Traceable to the Ancient Mysteries; Their Psychology as Given in the |Gospel According to Thomas;| Assyrian Theory of the Soul; The Systems of the Naasseni a 85 Chapter III.--Further Exposition of the Heresy of the Naasseni; Profess to Follow Homer; Acknowledge a Triad of Principles; Their Technical Names of the Triad; Support These on the Authority of Greek Poets; Allegorize Our Saviour's Miracles; The Mystery o 86 Chapter IV.--Further Use Made of the System of the Phrygians; Mode of Celebrating the Mysteries; The Mystery of the |Great Mother;| These Mysteries Have a Joint Object of Worship with the Naasseni; The Naasseni Allegorize the Scriptural Account of the Gar 87 Chapter V.--Explanation of the System of the Naasseni Taken from One of Their Hymns. 88 Chapter VI.--The Ophites the Grand Source of Heresy. 89 Chapter VII.--The System of the Peratæ; Their Tritheism; Explanation of the Incarnation. 90 Chapter VIII.--The Peratæ Derive Their System from the Astrologers; This Proved by a Statement of the Astrological Theories of the Zodiac; Hence the Terminology of the Peratic Heretics. 91 Chapter IX.--System of the Peratæ Explained Out of One of Their Own Books. 92 Chapter X.--The Peratic Heresy Nominally Different from Astrology, But Really the Same System Allegorized. 93 Chapter XI.--Why They Call Themselves Peratæ; Their Theory of Generation Supported by an Appeal to Antiquity; Their Interpretation of the Exodus of Israel; Their System of |The Serpent;| Deduced by Them from Scripture; This the Real Import of the Do 94 Chapter XII.--Compendious Statement of the Doctrines of the Peratæ. 95 Chapter XIII.--The Peratic Heresy Not Generally Known. 96 Chapter XIV.--The System of the Sethians; Their Triad of Infinite Principles; Their Heresy Explained; Their Interpretation of the Incarnation. 97 Chapter XV.--The Sethians Support Their Doctrines by an Allegorical Interpretation of Scripture; Their System Really Derived from Natural Philosophers and from the Orphic Rites; Adopt the Homeric Cosmogony. 98 Chapter XVI.--The Sethian Theory Concerning |Mixture| And |Composition;| Application of It to Christ; Illustration from the Well of Ampa. 99 Chapter XVII.--The Sethian Doctrines to Be Learned from the |Paraphrase of Seth.| 100 Chapter XVIII.--The System of Justinus Antiscriptural and Essentially Pagan. 101 Chapter XIX.--The Justinian Heresy Unfolded in the |Book of Baruch.| 102 Chapter XX.--The Cosmogony of Justinus an Allegorical Explanation of Herodotus' Legend of Hercules. 103 Chapter XXI.--Justinus' Triad of Principles; His Angelography Founded on This Triad; His Explanation of the Birth, Life, and Death of Our Lord. 104 Chapter XXII.--Oath Used by the Justinian Heretics; The Book of Baruch; The Repertory of Their System. 105 Chapter XXIII.--Subsequent Heresies Deducible from the System of Justinus. 106 Contents. 107 Chapter I. --The Ophites the Progenitors of Subsequent Heresies. 108 Chapter II.--Simon Magus. 109 Chapter III.--Story of Apsethus the Libyan. 110 Chapter IV.--Simon's Forced Interpretation of Scripture; Plagiarizes from Heraclitus and Aristotle; Simon's System of Sensible and Intelligible Existences. 111 Chapter V.--Simon Appeals to Scripture in Support of His System. 112 Chapter VI.--Simon's System Expounded in the Work, Great Announcement; Follows Empedocles. 113 Chapter VII.--Simon's System of a Threefold Emanation by Pairs. 114 Chapter VIII.--Further Progression of This Threefold Emanation; Co-Existence with the Double Triad of a Seventh Existence. 115 Chapter IX.--Simon's Interpretation of the Mosaic Hexaëmeron; His Allegorical Representation of Paradise. 116 Chapter X.--Simon's Explanation of the First Two Books of Moses. 117 Chapter XI.--Simon's Explanation of the Three Last Books of the Pentateuch. 118 Chapter XII.--Fire a Primal Principle, According to Simon. 119 Chapter XIII.--His Doctrine of Emanation Further Expanded. 120 Chapter XIV.--Simon Interprets His System by the Mythological Representation of Helen of Troy; Gives an Account of Himself in Connection with the Trojan Heroine; Immorality of His Followers; Simon's View of Christ; The Simonists' Apology for Their Vice. 121 Chapter XV.--Simon's Disciples Adopt the Mysteries; Simon Meets St. Peter at Rome; Account of Simon's Closing Years. 122 Chapter XVI.--Heresy of Valentinus; Derived from Plato and Pythagoras. 123 Chapter XVII.--Origin of the Greek Philosophy. 124 Chapter XVIII.--Pythagoras' System of Numbers. 125 Chapter XIX.--Pythagoras' Duality of Substances; His |Categories.| 126 Chapter XX.--Pythagoras' Cosmogony; Similar to that of Empedocles. 127 Chapter XXI.--Other Opinions of Pythagoras. 128 Chapter XXII.--The |Sayings| Of Pythagoras. 129 Chapter XXIII.--Pythagoras' Astronomic System. 130 Chapter XXIV.--Valentinus Convicted of Plagiarisms from the Platonic and Pythagoric Philosophy; The Valentinian Theory of Emanation by Duads. 131 Chapter XXV.--The Tenet of the Duad Made the Foundation of Valentinus' System of the Emanation of Æons. 132 Chapter XXVI.--Valentinus' Explanation of the Existence of Christ and the Spirit. 133 Chapter XXVII.--Valentinus' Explanation of the Existence of Jesus; Power of Jesus Over Humanity. 134 Chapter XXVIII.--The Valentinian Origin of the Creation. 135 Chapter XXIX.--The Other Valentinian Emanations in Conformity with the Pythagorean System of Numbers. 136 Chapter XXX.--Valentinus' Explanation of the Birth of Jesus; Twofold Doctrine on the Nature of Jesus' Body; Opinion of the Italians, that Is, Heracleon and Ptolemæus; Opinion of the Orientals, that Is, Axionicus and Bardesanes. 137 Chapter XXXI.--Further Doctrines of Valentinus Respecting the Æons; Reasons for the Incarnation. 138 Chapter XXXII.--Valentinus Convicted of Plagiarisms from Plato. 139 Chapter XXXIII.--Secundus' System of Æons; Epiphanes; Ptolemæus. 140 Chapter XXXIV.--System of Marcus; A Mere Impostor; His Wicked Devices Upon the Eucharistic Cup. 141 Chapter XXXV.--Further Acts of Jugglery on the Part of Marcus. 142 Chapter XXXVI.--The Heretical Practices of the Marcites in Regard of Baptism. 143 Chapter XXXVII.--Marcus' System Explained by Irenæus; Marcus' Vision; The Vision of Valentinus Revealing to Him His System. 144 Chapter XXXVIII.--Marcus' System of Letters. 145 Chapter XXXIX.--The Quaternion Exhibits |Truth.| 146 Chapter XL.--The Name of Christ Jesus. 147 Chapter XLI.--Marcus' Mystic Interpretation of the Alphabet. 148 Chapter XLII.--His System Applied to Explain Our Lord's Life and Death. 149 Chapter XLIII--Letters, Symbols of the Heavens. 150 Chapter XLIV.--Respecting the Generation of the Twenty-Four Letters. 151 Chapter XLV.--Why Jesus is Called Alpha. 152 Chapter XLVI.--Marcus' Account of the Birth and Life of Our Lord. 153 Chapter XLVII.--The System of Marcus Shown to Be that of Pythagoras, by Quotations from the Writings of Marcus' Followers. 154 Chapter XLVIII.--Their Cosmogony Framed According to These Mystic Doctrines of Letters. 155 Chapter XLIX.--The Work of the Demiurge Perishable. 156 Chapter L.--Marcus and Colarbasus Refuted by Irenæus. 157 Contents. 158 Chapter I.--Heresy Compared to (1) the Stormy Ocean, (2) the Rocks of the Sirens; Moral from Ulysses and the Sirens. 159 Chapter II.--The System of Basilides Derived from Aristotle. 160 Chapter III.--Sketch of Aristotle's Philosophy. 161 Chapter IV.--Aristotle's General Idea. 162 Chapter V.--Nonentity as a Cause. 163 Chapter VI.--Substance, According to Aristotle; The Predicates. 164 Chapter VII.--Aristotle's Cosmogony; His |Psychology;| His |Entelecheia;| His Theology; His Ethics; Basilides Follows Aristotle. 165 Chapter VIII.--Basilides and Isidorus Allege Apostolic Sanction for Their Systems; They Really Follow Aristotle. 166 Chapter IX.--Basilides Adopts the Aristotelian Doctrine of |Nonentity.| 167 Chapter X.--Origin of the World; Basilides' Account of the |Sonship.| 168 Chapter XI.--The |Great Archon| Of Basilides. 169 Chapter XII.--Basilides Adopts the |Entelecheia| Of Aristotle. 170 Chapter XIII.--Further Explanation of the |Sonship.| 171 Chapter XIV.--Whence Came the Gospel; The Number of Heavens According to Basilides; Explanation of Christ's Miraculous Conception. 172 Chapter XV.--God's Dealings with the Creature; Basilides' Notion of (1) the Inner Man, (2) the Gospel; His Interpretation of the Life and Sufferings of Our Lord. 173 Chapter XVI.--The System of Saturnilus. 174 Chapter XVII.--Marcion; His Dualism; Derives His System from Empedocles; Sketch of the Doctrine of Empedocles. 175 Chapter XVIII.--Source of Marcionism; Empedocles Reasserted as the Suggester of the Heresy. 176 Chapter XIX.--The Heresy of Prepon; Follows Empedocles; Marcion Rejects the Generation of the Saviour. 177 Chapter XX.--The Heresy of Carpocrates; Wicked Doctrines Concerning Jesus Christ; Practise Magical Arts; Adopt a Metempsychosis. 178 Chapter XXI.--The System of Cerinthus Concerning Christ. 179 Chapter XXII.--Doctrine of the Ebionæans. 180 Chapter XXIII.--The Heresy of Theodotus. 181 Chapter XXIV.--The Melchisedecians; The Nicolaitans. 182 Chapter XXV.--The Heresy of Cerdon. 183 Chapter XXVI.--The Doctrines of Apelles; Philumene, His Prophetess. 184 Contents. 185 Chapter I.--Heresies Hitherto Refuted; Opinions of the Docetæ. 186 Chapter II.--Docetic Notion of the Incarnation; Their Doctrines of Æons; Their Account of Creation; Their Notion of a Fiery God. 187 Chapter III.--Christ Undoes the Work of the Demiurge; Docetic Account of the Baptism and Death of Jesus; Why He Lived for Thirty Years on Earth. 188 Chapter IV.--Docetic Doctrine Derived from the Greek Sophists. 189 Chapter V.--Monoïmus; Man the Universe, According to Monoïmus; His System of the Monad. 190 Chapter VI.--Monoïmus' |Iota;| His Notion of the |Son of Man.| 191 Chapter VII.--Monoïmus on the Sabbath; Allegorizes the Rod of Moses; Notion Concerning the Decalogue. 192 Chapter VIII.--Monoïmus Explains His Opinions in a Letter to Theophrastus; Where to Find God; His System Derived from Pythagoras. 193 Chapter IX.--Tatian. 194 Chapter X.--Hermogenes; Adopts the Socratic Philosophy; His Notion Concerning the Birth and Body of Our Lord. 195 Chapter XI.--The Quartodecimans. 196 Chapter XII.--The Montanists; Priscilla and Maximilla Their Prophetesses; Some of Them Noetians. 197 Chapter XIII.--The Doctrines of the Encratites. 198 Contents. 199 Chapter I.--An Account of Contemporaneous Heresy. 200 Chapter II.--Source of the Heresy of Noetus; Cleomenes His Disciple; Its Appearance at Rome During the Episcopates of Zephyrinus and Callistus; Noetianism Opposed at Rome by Hippolytus. 201 Chapter III.--Noetianism an Offshoot from the Heraclitic Philosophy. 202 Chapter IV.--An Account of the System of Heraclitus. 203 Chapter V.--Heraclitus' Estimate of Hesiod; Paradoxes of Heraclitus; His Eschatology; The Heresy of Noetus of Heraclitean Origin; Noetus' View of the Birth and Passion of Our Lord. 204 Chapter VI.--Conduct of Callistus and Zephyrinus in the Matter of Noetianism; Avowed Opinion of Zephyrinus Concerning Jesus Christ; Disapproval of Hippolytus; As a Contemporaneous Event, Hippolytus Competent to Explain It. 205 Chapter VII.--The Personal History of Callistus; His Occupation as a Banker; Fraud on Carpophorus; Callistus Absconds; Attempted Suicide; Condemned to the Treadmill; Re-Condemnation by Order of the Prefect Fuscianus; Banished to Sardinia; Release of Calli 206 Chapter VIII.--Sect of the Elchasaites; Hippolytus' Opposition to It. 207 Chapter IX.--Elchasai Derived His System from Pythagoras; Practised Incantations. 208 Chapter X.--Elchasai's Mode of Administering Baptism; Formularies. 209 Chapter XI.--Precepts of Elchasai. 210 Chapter XII.--The Heresy of the Elchasaites a Derivative One. 211 Chapter XIII.--The Jewish Sects. 212 Chapter XIV.--The Tenets of the Esseni. 213 Chapter XV.--The Tenets of the Esseni Continued. 214 Chapter XVI.--The Tenets of the Esseni Continued. 215 Chapter XVII.--The Tenets of the Esseni Continued. 216 Chapter XVIII.--The Tenets of the Esseni Continued. 217 Chapter XIX.--The Tenets of the Esseni Continued. 218 Chapter XX.--The Tenets of the Esseni Concluded. 219 Chapter XXI.--Different Sects of the Esseni. 220 Chapter XXII.--Belief of the Esseni in the Resurrection; Their System a Suggestive One. 221 Chapter XXIII.--Another Sect of the Esseni: the Pharisees. 222 Chapter XXIV.--The Sadducees. 223 Chapter XXV.--The Jewish Religion. 224 Chapter XXVI.--Conclusion to the Work Explained. 225 Contents. 226 Chapter I.--Recapitulation. 227 Chapter II.--Summary of the Opinions of Philosophers. 228 Chapter III.--Summary of the Opinions of Philosophers Continued. 229 Chapter IV.--Summary of the Opinions of Philosophers Continued. 230 Chapter V.--The Naasseni. 231 Chapter VI.--The Peratæ. 232 Chapter VII.--The Sethians. 233 Chapter VIII.--Simon Magus. 234 Chapter IX.--Valentinus. 235 Chapter X.--Basilides. 236 Chapter XI.--Justinus. 237 Chapter XII.--The Docetæ. 238 Chapter XIII.--Monoïmus. 239 Chapter XIV.--Tatian. 240 Chapter XV.--Marcion and Cerdo. 241 Chapter XVI.--Apelles. 242 Chapter XVII.--Cerinthus. 243 Chapter XVIII.--The Ebionæans. 244 Chapter XIX.--Theodotus. 245 Chapter XX.--Melchisedecians. 246 Chapter XXI.--The Phrygians or Montanists. 247 Chapter XXII.--The Phrygians or Montanists Continued. 248 Chapter XXIII.--Noetus and Callistus. 249 Chapter XXIV.--Hermogenes. 250 Chapter XXV.--The Elchasaites. 251 Chapter XXVI.--Jewish Chronology. 252 Chapter XXVII.--Jewish Chronology Continued. 253 Chapter XXVIII.--The Doctrine of the Truth. 254 Chapter XXIX.--The Doctrine of the Truth Continued. 255 Chapter XXX.--The Author's Concluding Address. 256 Elucidations. 257 General Note.