17.  He again was succeeded by another, Basilides, of evil name, and dangerous character, a preacher of impurities Basilides was earlier than Marcion, being the founder of a Gnostic sect at Alexandria in the reign of Hadrian (a.d. 117–138).  His doctrines are described by Irenæus (I. xxvii. 3–7), and very fully by Hippolytus (Refut. omn. Hær. VII. 2–15).  The charge of teaching licentiousness attaches rather to the later followers of Basilides than to himself or his son Isidorus (Clem. Alex. Stromat. III. cap. 1).  Basilides wrote a Commentary on the Gospel in 24 books (Exegetica), of which the 23rd is quoted by Clement of Alexandria (Stromat. IV. cap. 12), and against which Agrippa Castor wrote a refutation.  Origen (Hom. I. in Lucam.) says that Basilides wrote a Gospel bearing his own name.  See Routh, Rell. Sacr. I. p. 85; V. p. 106:  Westcott, History of Canon of N.T. iv. § 3..  The contest of wickedness was aided also by Valentinus “The doctrines of Valentinus are described fully by Irenæus (I. cap. i.) from whom S. Cyril takes this account.  Valentinus, and Basilides, and Bardesanes, and Harmonious, and those of their company admit Christ’s conception and birth of the Virgin, but say that God the Word received no addition from the Virgin, but made a sort of passage through her, as through a tube, and made use of a phantom in appearing to men.”  (Theodoret, Epist. 145.), a preacher of thirty gods.  The Greeks tell of but few:  and the man who was called—but more truly was not—a Christian extended the delusion to full thirty.  He says, too, that Bythus the Abyss (for it became him as being an abyss of wickedness to begin his teaching from the Abyss) begat Silence, and of Silence begat the Word.  This Bythus was worse than the Zeus of the Greeks, who was united to his sister:  for Silence was said to be the child of Bythus.  Dost thou see the absurdity invested with a show of Christianity?  Wait a little, and thou wilt be shocked at his impiety; for he asserts that of this Bythus were begotten eight Æons; and of them, ten; and of them, other twelve, male and female.  But whence is the proof of these things?  See their silliness from their fabrications.  Whence hast thou the proof of the thirty Æons?  Because, saith he, it is written, that Jesus was baptized, being thirty years old Luke iii. 23..  But even if He was baptized when thirty years old, what sort of demonstration is this from the thirty years?  Are there then five gods, because He brake five loaves among five thousand?  Or because he had twelve Disciples, must there also be twelve gods?