BOOK I1

THE PHILOSOPHERS
These are the contents 2 of the First Part 3 of the Refu- P- i, tation of all Heresies ; Craice.
What were the tenets of the natural philosophers and who these were ; and what those of the ethicists and who these were; and what those of the dialecticians and who the dialecticians were.
1 As has been said in the Introduction (p. I supra) four early codices of the First Book exist, the texts being known from the libraries where they are to be found as the Medicean, the Turin, the Ottobonian and the Barberine respectively. That published by Miller was a copy of the Medicean codex already put into print by Fabricius, but was carefully worked over by Roeper, Scott and others who like Gronovius, Wolf and Delarue, collated it with the other three codices. The different readings are, I think, all noted by Cruice in his edition of i860, but are not of great importance, and I have only noticed them here when they make any serious change in the meaning of the passage. Hermann Diels has again revised the text in his Doxographi Grctci, Berlin, 1879, with a result that Salmon {D.C.B. s.v. "Hippolytus Romanus") declares to be "thoroughly satisfac- tory," and the reading of this part of our text may now, perhaps, be regarded as settled. Only the opening and concluding paragraphs are of much value for our present purpose, the account of philosophic opinions which lies between being, as has been already said, a compilation of compilations, and not distinguished by any special insight into the ideas of the authors summarized, with the works of most of whom Hippolytus had probably but slight acquaintance. An excep- tion should perhaps be made in the case of Aristotle, as it is probable that Hippolytus, like other students of his time, was trained in Aristotle's dialectic and analytic system for the purpose of disputation. But this will be better discussed in connection with Book VII.
■ rdSe evecTTiv £v rf} irpuiTT} rod Kara iraawv alp4aewv i\4yxov. This formula is repeated at the head of Books V-X with the alteration of the number only.
3 The word missing after irpxTT] was probably /j.epib'i, the only likely word which would agree with the feminine adjective. It would be appropriate enough if the theory of the -division of the work into spoken lectures be correct. The French and German editors alike translate in libro primo.
31
32 PHILOSOPHUMENA
Now the natural philosophers mentioned are Thales, Pythagoras, Empedocles, Heraclitus, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Archelaus, Parmenides, Leucippus, Democritus, Xenophanes, Ecphantus, and p. 2. Hippo. The ethicists are Socrates, pupil of Archelaus the physicist and Plato, pupil of Socrates. These mingled together the three kinds of philosophy. The dialecticians are Aristotle, pupil of Plato and the founder of dialectics, and the Stoics Chrysippus and Zeno.
Epicurus, however, maintained an opinion almost exactly contrary to all these. So did Pyrrho the Academic x who asserts the incomprehensibility of all things. There are also the Brachmans 2 among the Indians, the Druids among the Celts, and Hesiod.
(PRCLEMIUM)
No fable made famous by the Greeks is to be neglected. For even those opinions of theirs which lack consistency are believed through the extravagant madness of the heretics, who, from hiding in silence their own unspeakable mysteries, are supposed by many to worship God. Whose opinions also we aforetime set forth within measure, not displaying them in detail but refuting them in the rough,3 as we did not hold it fit to bring their unspeakable deeds to light. This we did that, as we set forth their tenets by hints only, they, becoming ashamed lest by telling outright their secrets we should prove them to be godless, might abate somewhat from their unreasoned purpose and unlawful enterprise.4 But since I see that they have not been put to shame by our clemency, and have not con- sidered God's long-suffering under their blasphemies, I am
1 There seems no reason for numbering Pyrrho of Elis among the members of the Academy, Old or New. Diogenes Laertius, from whose account of his doctrines Hippolytus seems to have derived the dogma of incomprehensibility which he here attributes to Pyrrho, makes him the founder of the Sceptics. He was a contemporary of Alexander the Great, and probably died before Arcesilaus founded the New Academy in 280 B.C.
2 Mr. Macmahon here reads "Brahmins." Their habits appear more like those of Yogis or Sanya
3 aSpofiepws : in contradistinction to Kara Xenrhv just above.
4 aXoyiarov yj>w/j.r)s Ka\ adefiirov i-mx^^P'ho'^^s. The Turin MS. transposes the adjectives.
THE PHILOSOPHERS 33
forced, in order that they may either be shamed into repentance, or remaining as they are may be rightly judged, to proceed to show their ineffable mysteries which they impart to those candidates for initiation who are thoroughly trustworthy. Yet they do not previously avow them, unless they have enslaved such a one by keeping him long in suspense and preparing him by blasphemy against the true God,1 and they see him longing for the jugglery of the disclosure. And then, when they have proved him to be bound fast by iniquity,2 they initiate him and impart to him the perfection of evil things,3 first binding him by oath neither to tell nor to impart them to any one unless he too has been enslaved in the same way. Yet from him to whom they have been only communicated, no oath is longer necessary. For whoso has submitted to learn and to p. 4. receive their final mysteries will by the act itself and by his own conscience be bound not to utter them to others. For were he to declare to any man such an offence, he would neither be reckoned longer among men, nor thought worthy any more to behold the light. Which things also are such an offence that even the dumb animals do not attempt them, as we shall say in its place.4 But since the argument compels us to enter into tlje case very deeply, we do not think fit to hold our peace, but setting forth in detail the. opinions of all, we shall keep silence on none. And it seems good to us to spare no labour even if thereby the tale be lengthened. For we shall leave behind us no small help to the life of men against further error, when all see clearly the hidden and unspeakable orgies of which
1 irpbs rdv uutccs @ebv. The phrase is used frequently hereafter, particularly in Book X.
2 Cf. the "bond of iniquity" in St. Peter's speech to Simon Magus, Acts viii. 23.
3 rb rf\eiov twv Kanuv. reXeiov being a mystic word for final or complete initiation.
4 a /cat Ta a\oya k. t. A.. Schneidewin and Cruice both read tl ko.1, Roeper et simply, others el on. The first seems the best reading ; but none of the suggestions is quite satisfactory. The promise to say what it was that even the dumb animals would not have done is unfulfilled. It cannot have involved any theological question, but probably refers to the obscene sacrament of the Pistis Sophia, the Bruce Papyrus and Huysmans' La-Bas. Yet Hippolytus does not again refer to it, and of all the heretics in our text, the Simonians are the only ones accused of celebrating it, even by Epiphanius.
34 PHILOSOPHUMENA
the heretics are the stewards and which they impart only to the initiated. But none other will refute these things than the Holy Spirit handed down in the Church which the Apostles having first received did distribute to those who rightly believed. Whose successors we chance to be and partakers of the same grace of high priesthood 1 and of p. 5. teaching and accounted guardians of the Church. Where- fore we close not our eyes nor abstain from straight speech ; but neither do we tire in working with our whole soul and body worthily to return worthy service to the beneficent God. Nor do we make full return save that we slacken not in that which is entrusted to us ; but we fill full the measures of our opportunity and without envy communicate to all whatsoever the Holy Spirit shall provide. Thus we not only bring into the open by refutation the affairs of the enemy ; 2 but also whatever the truth has received by the Father's grace and ministered to men. These things we preach 3 as one who is not ashamed, both interpreting them by discourse and making them to bear witness by writings.
In order then, as we have said by anticipation, that we may show these men to be godless alike in purpose, character and deed, and from what source their schemes have come — and because they have in their attempts taken nothing from the Holy Scriptures, nor is it from guarding the succession of any saint that they have been hurried into p. 6. these things, but their theories 4 take their origin from the wisdom of the Greeks, from philosophizing opinions,5 from would-be mysteries and from wandering astrologers — it seems then proper that we first set forth the tenets of the philosophers of the Greeks and point out to our readers 6 which of them are the oldest and most reverent towards
1 'Apxteparela- A neologism. This is the passage relied upon to show that our author was a bishop.
2 aWorpta = foreign. Cruice has aliena. But it is here evidently contrasted with the " things of the truth " in the next sentence.
3 KypvaaojAsv.
4 ra do^aC6fieva, lit., u matters of opinion."
8 lit Soy/j.a.TU}v (pt\o probably elsewhere in the book, the phrase is used contemptuously.
6 tois ivTvyx&vovaiv. As in Polybius, the word can be translated in this sense throughout. Yet as meaning " those who fall in with this " it is as applicable to spoken as to written words.
THE PHILOSOPHERS 35
the Divinity.1 Then, that we should match 2 each heresy with a particular opinion so as to show how the protagonist of the heresy, meeting with these schemes, gained advantage by seizing their principles and being driven on from them to worse things constructed his own system.3 Now the undertaking is full of toil and requires much research. But we shall not be found wanting. For at the last it will give us much joy, as with the athlete who has won the crown with much labour, or the merchant who has gained profit after great tossing of the sea, or the husbandman who gets the benefit of his crops from the sweat of his brow, or the prophet who after reproaches and insults sees his predictions come to pass.4 We will therefore begin by declaring which of the Greeks first made demonstration of natural philosophy. For of them especially have the protagonists of the heretics become the plagiarists, as we shall afterwards show by setting them side by side. And p. when we have restored to each of these pioneers his own, we shall put the heresiarchs beside them naked and unseemly.5
1 . Thales.
It is said that Thales the Milesian, one of the seven sages, was the first to take in hand natural philosophy.6 He said that the beginning and end of the universe was water ; 7 for that from its solidification and redissolution all things have been constructed and that all are borne about by it. And that from it also come earthquakes and the turnings about
1 rb Oelov. Both here and in Book X our author shows a preference for this phrase instead of the more usual 6 ®eos.
2 (Tvfx&dWu}.
3 86y/xa.
4 to. kaAr)0evTa airo,8aivovra. Note the piling up of similes natural in a spoken peroration.
5 yvfxvovs kcu aaxVfJ-ovas, nudos et turpes, Cr. Stripped of originality seems to be the threat intended.
6
7 rb Trap is the phrase here and elsewhere used for the universe or "whole" of Nature, and includes Chaos or unformed Matter. The k6(T[xos or ordered world is only part of the universe. Diog. Laert, I, vit. Thales, c. 6, says merely that Thales thought water to be the apxh or beginning of all things. As this is confirmed by all other Greek writers who have quoted him, we may take the further statement here attributed to him as the mistake of Hippolytus or of the compiler he is copying.
36 PHILOSOPHUMENA
of the stars and the motions of the winds.1 And that all things are formed and flow in accordance with the nature of the first cause of generation ; but that the Divinity is that which has neither beginning nor end.2 Thales, having devoted himself to the system of the stars and to an enquiry into them, became for the Greeks the first who was responsible for this branch of learning. And he, gazing upon the heavens and saying that he was apprehending p. 8. with care the things above, fell into a well ; whereupon a certain servant maid of the name of Thratta 3 laughed at him and said : "While intent on beholding things in heaven, he does not see what is at his feet." And he lived about the time of Croesus.
2. Pythagoras.
And not far from this time there flourished another philosophy founded by Pythagoras, who some say was a Samian. They call it the Italic because Pythagoras, fleeing from Polycrates, the tyrant of Samos, took up his abode in a city of Italy and there spent his life. Whose successors in the school did not differ much from him in judgment. And he, after having enquired into physics, combined with it astronomy, geometry and music.4 And thus he showed that unity is God,5 and after curiously studying the nature of number, he said that the cosmos makes melody and was put together by harmony, and he first reduced the move- ment of the seven stars 6 to rhythm and melody. Wonder- ing, however, at the arrangement of the universals,7 he
1 alpwv in text. Roeper suggests &
2 So Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis, V, c. 14, and Diog. Laert., I. vit. cit., c. 9.
3 Diog. Laert., I, vit. cit., c. 8, makes his derider an old woman. Qparra is not a proper name, but means a Thracian woman, as Hippo- lytus should have known.
4 Roeper adds ko\ apid/xeroc^p, apparently in view of the speculations about the monad.
6 Aristotle in his Metaphysica, Bk. I, c. 5, attributes the first use of this dogma to Xenophanes.
6 By these are meant the planets, including therein the Sun and Moon. Cf. Sextus Empiricus, Adversus Astrologos, p. 343 (Cod.) passim.
7 ra o\a = entities which must needs differ from one another in kind. The phrase is thus used by Plato, Aristotle and all the neo- Platonic writers.
THE PHILOSOPHERS 37
expected his disciples to keep silence as to the first things p. 9- learned by them, as if they were mystae of the universe coming into the cosmos. Thereafter when it seemed that they had partaken sufficiently of the schooling of the dis- courses, and could themselves philosophize about stars and Nature, he, having judged them purified, bade them speak. He divided the disciples into two classes, and called these Esoterics and those Exoterics. To the first-named he en- trusted the more complete teaching, to the others the more restricted. He applied himself1 to magic 2 also, as they say, and himself invented a philosophy of the origin of Nature,3 based upon certain numbers and measures, saying that the origin of the arithmetical philosophy comprised this method by synthesis. The first number became a principle which is one, illimitable, incomprehensible, and contains within itself all the numbers that can come to infinity by multiplication.4 But the first unit was by hypothesis the origin of numbers, the which is a male monad begetting like a father all the other numbers. In the second place is the dyad, a female number, and the same is called even by the arithmeticians. In the third place is the triad, a male p. 10. number, and it has been called odd by the arithmeticians' decree. After all these is the tetrad, a female number, and this is also called even, because it is female. There- fore all the numbers derived from the genus 5 (now the illimitable genus is "number") are four, from which was constructed, according to them, the perfect number, the decad. For the 1, 2, 3, 4 become 10 if for each number its appropriate name be substantially kept.6 This decad
1 icp-q^/aro, attigit, Cr. Frequent in Pindar.
2 So Timon in the Silli, as quoted by Diog. Laert., VIII, vii. Pyth., c. 20.
3 (pvaioyoviK^v. The Barberine MS. has (pvatoyvw/xouiK^v, evidently inserted by some scribe who connected it with the absurd system of metoposcopy described in Book IV.
4 Kara rb -TrArjdos, wniltitudine, Cr.
5 For definitions and examples of this term see Aristot., Metaphys.,