Chapter XIII.—His Doctrine of Emanation Further
Expanded.
Therefore, according to this reasoning, Simon became
confessedly a god to his silly followers, as that Libyan, namely,
Apsethus—begotten, no doubt, and subject to passion, when he may
exist potentially, but devoid of propensions. (And this too,
though born from one having propensions, and uncreated though born)
from one that is begotten, when He may be fashioned into a figure, and,
becoming perfect, may come forth from two of the primary powers, that
is, Heaven and Earth. For Simon expressly speaks of this in the
“Revelation” after this manner: “To you, then,
I address the things which I speak, and (to you) I write what I
write. The writing is this: there are two offshoots from
all the Æons, having neither beginning nor end, from one
root. And this is a power, viz., Sige, (who is) invisible (and)
incomprehensible. And one of these (offshoots) appears from
above, which constitutes a great power, (the creative) Mind of the
universe, which manages all things, (and is) a male. The other
(offshoot), however, is from below, (and constitutes) a great
Intelligence, and is a female which produces all things. From
whence, ranged in pairs opposite each other, they undergo conjugal
union, and manifest an intermediate interval, namely, an
incomprehensible air, which has neither beginning nor end. But in
this is a father who sustains all things, and nourishes things that
have beginning and end. This is he who stood, stands, and will
stand, being an hermaphrodite power according to the pre-existent
indefinite power, which has neither beginning nor end. Now this
(power) exists in isolation. For Intelligence, (that subsists) in
unity, proceeded forth from this (power), (and) became two. And
that (father) was one, for having in himself this (power) he was
isolated, and, however, He was not primal though pre-existent; but
being rendered manifest to himself from himself, he passed into a state
of duality. But neither was he denominated father before this
(power) would style him father. As, therefore, he himself,
bringing forward himself by means of himself, manifested unto himself
his own peculiar intelligence, so also the intelligence, when it was
manifested, did not exercise the function of creation. But
beholding him, she concealed the Father within herself, that is, the
power; and it is an hermaphrodite power, and an intelligence. And
hence it is that they are ranged in pairs, one opposite the other; for
power is in no wise different from intelligence, inasmuch as they are
one. For from those things that are above is discovered power;
and from those below, intelligence. So it is, therefore, that
likewise what is manifested from these, being unity, is discovered (to
be) duality, an hermaphrodite having the female in itself. This,
(therefore,) is Mind (subsisting) in Intelligence; and these are
separable one from the other, (though both taken together) are one,
(and) are discovered in a state of duality.”