V. " I would therefore have you think of Oonus

(Kpc»o9) as Time (XpAw^l and of Bhea CPea) as the flowing (to piov) of the Moist Essence ; for the whde of Matter being moved in Time brought fortii, as it were, an Egg, the whole surrounding sphere-like Heaven COupavat), which in the beginning was full id the pro- ductive marrow,* so that it might be able to bring forth elements and colours of all kinds ; and yet the
^ This probably means the Spirit that ttsouled Matter ; or to use a more familiar ezpreenon, the Spirit ol God which ^ brooded over the Deep."
* fie. out of the Depth of Hatter or Darknen» on to the smlMe of it| where was the Light
* Cf. C.H^LU: " bent hie &k» downwarde'* (mwfin^m\ aad note thereon.
* According to Basilides the ^ wings" of the Sonahip are the Hoi J Spirit This symbolism is presumably to be onwnected with the Egyptian '*Win^Qlobe." See #*. ^. J^ p. la
* A very ancient word-play.
* Sometimes used for brain. Cy. CJT., x. (xL) 11, and the JewUi Commentator in the Naaasene Doeoment This i^ the \ Essence of the LqgosL
CONCERNING THE JBON-DOCTRINE 391
manifold appearances which it was ever presenting, all came from One Essence and One Colour.
" For just as in the product of the peacock, although the colour of the egg seems to be one, it has neverthe- less potentially in it the countless colours of the bird that is to be brought to perfection, so also the Ensouled Egg conceived from Infinite Matter, when it is set in motion from the perpetually flowing Matter below it,^ exhibits changes of all kinds.
'* For from within the circumference a certain male- female Living Creature is imaged out by the Fore- knowledge of the Divine Spirit that indwells in it, whom * Orpheus doth call Manifestor {Hi^ — Phanes), because when he is manifest ( aimi) the universe shines forth from him, through the lustre of Fire, most glorious of elements, perfected in the Moist [Element].
** Nor is this incredible, for in the case of glow-worms, for example. Nature allows us to see a ' moist light.'