Lucifer April 1890

INTRODUCTION.

IN the present translation and annotation of the Gnostic Gospel Pistis-Sophia, it is proposed to treat this most mystical and interesting treatise in the simplest manner possible. As the text contains much verbiage and many repetitions which are wearisome and of no importance to the main narrative, such passages will be condensed or omitted. As yet, no translation of Pistis-Sophia exists in English, with the exception of some passages which will be found in The Gnostics and their Remains by the late C. W . King. In France a translation has been attempted in the Encyclopédie Thèologique of the Abbé Migne, vol. xxiii. As a reliable version, however, it is worthless, for some of the most important passages, sometimes as many as thirty pages of the original Coptic text, are bodily omitted, and in other respects scant justice is done to the “heretics” by the pious translators, who, at the end of their introduction, discredit their own labours by declaring: "Le but qui nous a guidés dans cette tentative pénible et ingrate, a été de montrer ce qu'étaient les incompréhensibles et stériles aberrations ou s'égaraient aux premiers siècles de I'ère chrétienne les penseurs qui s'écartaient des routes de la véritè." [The goal that guided us in this arduous and thankless endeavor was to show what the incomprehensible and sterile aberrations were, or into which the thinkers who strayed from the paths of truth went astray in the early centuries of the Christian era. — e-Ed.]

The simplest and fairest account of the text, from an exoteric standpoint, is to be found in the interesting and learned work of the late C. W. King, in which he speaks of Pistis-Sophia with the greatest enthusiasm, as the most precious and perfect relic of the followers of the Gnosis. Throughout his work he continually refers to it as the highest authority of Gnosticism still extant. On page 14 of the Second Edition we read:—

"This treatise, ascribed to Valentinus (I know not on what authority), was discovered by Schwartze in a Coptic MS. preserved in the British Museum(1). He transcribed the Coptic text and translated it into Latin; both texts and version were published by Petermann in the year 1853(2). The original is copiously interspersed with Greek words and phrases; in fact, the Coptic was evidently so poor a language as to have no terms of its own to express any but the most materialistic ideas. . . . The authorship of this record is assigned by itself in several places to Philip the Apostle, whom the Saviour bids to sit down and write these things! This circumstance made me at first conclude it to be the lost gospel of Philip quoted by Epiphanius, but the particular anecdote adduced by him from that gospel is not to be discovered anywhere in this. But as the original is full of wide lacunae, which often fall in very interesting places, as if purposely defaced to escape the eyes of the profane, such an omission is not altogether conclusive against the identity of the two."

As to the date of the text, there is no certainty, and we must conclude with M. Matter in his Histoire du Gnosticisme, that it is "difficult to make any precise statement," even so far as to place it, as he does, "between the ends of the second and fifth centuries".

The present translation is made from the Latin and Greek version of the shortlived German orientalist Maurice G. Schwartze, which was edited and copiously emendated by Petermann. Whenever these scholars disagree,

the rendering most in keeping with the spirit of this mystical allegory of Initiation is preferred. Coptic scholars are a rarity even outside the T. S.; in fact, as we are informed by one of them, in Europe they may be counted on the fingers of one hand. Therefore, we must take things as we find them, and though we cannot hope to give the exact translation of the original, still, we may promise ourselves a rendering of Pistis-Sophia which will sufficiently inform us of the main ideas of the Gnostic scheme, especially as the original is innocent of elaborate constructions and meta-physical dissertations.

It will greatly add to the clear understanding of the mystic narrative if the reader bears in mind that the term "Jesus" stands for Christos, the glorified Initiate; and that Christos is the typical term for its prototype—the Higher Ego or Manas merged in Atma-Buddhi, and thus becomes one in three. Those unacquainted with the theosophical terminology may be informed that the word Atma means Universal Spirit; Buddhi, "Universal Spiritual Soul"; and Manas, the "Universal Mind"—of which only the latter two are individualised in man (1).

Pistis-Sophia (2).

[1] (3) It came to pass when Jesus had risen (4) from the dead and passed eleven years speaking with his Disciples, and teaching them only up to the

Regions (1) of the First Precepts (2) and of the First Mystery, the Mystery within the Veil, within the First Precept, to wit, the Four-and-Twentieth Mystery, and below those (Precepts) which are in the Second Space of the First Mystery, which is before all Mysteries, the Father in the likeness of a Dove (3), that Jesus said to his Disciples: "I am come from that First Mystery, which also is the Last (4), the Four-and-Twentieth Mystery". Now the Disciples knew not this Mystery, nor did they understand it, because (as they supposed) there was not anything within that Mystery (5); but they thought that it, indeed, was the Sum of the Universe and the Head of all things which are, and verily the End of all Ends. For Jesus told them that it comprehends the First Precept [2] and the Five Impressions, and the Great Light, and the Five Supporters, and also all the Treasure of Light.

Moreover, Jesus had not told his Disciples the whole emanation of all the Regions of the Great Invisible and of the Three Triple-Powers, and of the Four-and-Twentieth Invisibles (6), and of all their Regions, Æons and Orders, (that is to say) the manner in which the latter, which are also the Projections of the Great Invisible, are distributed.

Nor (had he spoken of) their Ungenerated, Self-generated, and Generated (7), their Light-givers and UUnpaired (8), their Rulers and Powers, their Lords and Archangels, their Angels and Decans, their Ministers

and all the Houses of their Spheres, and all the Orders of each one of them.

Nor had Jesus told his Disciples the whole emanation of the Projections of the Treasure, and their Orders; nor of their (1) Saviours and their Orders; nor what is the Guardian beside each (Projection) of the Treasure of Light; nor the Region of the Saviour of the Twins, [3] who is the Child of the Child (2); nor in what Regions the Three Amens emanate; nor yet the Region of the Five Trees and Seven Amens, which are also the Seven Voices (3), according to the manner of their emanation.

Nor had Jesus told his Disciples of what type are the Five Supporters and the Region of their emanation; nor of the Five Impressions and the First Precept, in what type they are evolved (4); but in his teaching he merely stated that such things exist, and had not spoken of the emanation and Order of their Regions. This is the reason why they did not know that there were other Regions within that Mystery.

Moreover, he had not told his Disciples through what Region he passed while he was entering into that Mystery and while he was coming out therefrom; but teaching them he said (simply): "I am come from that Mystery". Therefore they thought that it was the End of all Ends [4] and the Sum of the Universe and the whole Plerôma (5).

It came to pass, therefore, when the Disciples were sitting by themselves on the Mount of Olives, speaking these words and rejoicing with great joy and being exceeding glad, saying one to another, "Blessed are we before all men who are on the earth, for the Saviour has revealed these things to us and we have received all fullness (6) and perfection," that Jesus sat a little removed from them.

It was on the fifteenth day of the moon of the month Tobe (7), the day of the full moon, when the sun had risen in its going, that there came forth after it a great flood of most brilliant light (8) of immeasurable brightness. For it came forth from the Light (8) of Lights from the Last Mystery, [5] to wit, the Four-and-Twentieth Mystery, from the Interiors to the Exteriors, which

are in the Orders of the Second Space of the First Mystery. Such a flood of Light came upon Jesus and surrounded him entirely. And the Disciples saw not Jesus because of the great Light with which he was surrounded, or which proceeded from him. For their eyes were darkened because of it. But they gazed upon the Light only, shooting forth great rays of light. Nor were the rays equal to one another, and the Light was of divers modes and various aspect, from the lower to the higher part thereof, each ray more admirable than its fellow in infinite manner, in the great radiance of the immeasurable Light. It stretched from the earth to the heavens. And the Disciples seeing the Light were in great fear and confusion. [6] It came to pass, therefore, when the flood of Light came upon Jesus, that it gradually surrounded him. Then Jesus was carried or soared into the Height, shining greatly with the immeasurable Light. And the Disciples gazed after him, none of them speaking, as long as Jesus was ascending into Heaven. But they remained all in deep silence. These things, then, were done on the fifteenth of the month Tobe, the day of the full moon (1).

It came to pass, therefore, when Jesus ascended into Heaven after the third hour that all the Powers of the Heavens were confused and shaken one with another, they and all their Æons, and Regions, and Orders, and the earth was disturbed, and all the inhabitants thereof. And confusion was upon all men in the World, and also among the Disciples, and all feared that the World was being destroyed. Nor did all the Powers which are in the Heaven cease to be in confusion one with another, even from the third hour of the fifteenth day to the ninth hour of the following day.

And all the Angels and their Archangels and all the Powers of the Height [7] sang hymns (2) in the Interior of Interiors, so that the whole World heard their voice, for they ceased not until the ninth hour of the next day. But the Disciples sat together in fear and were in the greatest possible distress. They feared because of the great confusion, and wept together, saying, What will be? Surely the Saviour will not destroy all the Regions? But on the ninth hour of the morrow, the Heavens were opened, and they saw Jesus descending, shining most exceedingly, with immeasurable rays. Nor was the light constant, but of divers modes and various aspects, some rays being more admirable than others in infinite manner. Yet it was light in every part. It was of three degrees, one surpassing the other in infinite manner. The second, which was in the midst, excelled the first which was below it, and the third, the most admirable of all, surpassed the other two.

The first radiance was placed below all like to the light which came upon Jesus [8] before he ascended into the Heavens, and was very regular as to its own peculiar Light. And the three degrees of the Light were of various light and aspect, excelling one another in infinite manner (3). Now it came to pass, when the Disciples had seen these things, that they feared exceedingly and were troubled. Jesus, therefore, being compassionate and merciful-minded, when he saw his Disciples thus troubled spoke with them saying: "Have courage; it is I, be not a fraid". And when the Disciples heard these words, they said, "Master! if thou drawest to thyself the radiant light, we shall be able to stand; but if not, our eyes

become blinded, and we are troubled, and the whole World is also troubled because of thy great Light". Then Jesus drew to himself the radiance of his Light; and all the Disciples taking heart came to him and bowed themselves together, beseeching him, and rejoicing with great joy, said unto him, "Rabbi, whither wentest thou? Or on what ministry didst thou go? Or wherefore are all these confusions and shakings? Then Jesus, in compassion, said unto them: "Rejoice and be glad from this hour, for I am come to the Regions from which I came out. [9] Wherefore, from this day forth, I will speak with you openly, from the beginning of Truth to th eend thereof, and I will speak to you face to face, without a parable. From this hour I will hide nothing from you of the things which pertain to the Height and to the Region of Truth. For authority has been given me by the Ineffable, the First Mystery of all Mysteries, to speak with you from the Beginning (1) to the Completion (2), both from the Interiors to the Exteriors, and from the Exteriors to the Interiors. Hearken, therefore, that I may tell you all things.

It came to pass when I was sitting a little removed from you on the Mount of Olives, reflecting on the Orders (duties?) of my Ministry, for which I was sent, how that it was fulfilled and the last Mystery had not yet sent me my Vesture which I placed in it, until its time should be completed; as the sun rose, the First Mystery, which was from the beginning, on account of which the universe was created and from which also now am I come out [1O] (now only, not when they had not yet crucified me),— caused my Vesture of light to be sent me by him who gave it to me from the very beginning; which, indeed, I laid up with that Mystery until I should begin to speak with the human race, and should reveal to them all things from the beginning of the Truth to the end thereof. Rejoice, therefore, in that this has been given you.

Moreover, also, I have chosen you from the beginning through the First Mystery. Rejoice, therefore, and be glad, [11] for that after I came forth into the World I brought with me twelve Powers, as I told you from the beginning. I took them from the Twelve Saviours of the Treasure of Light according to the command of the First Mystery. These, therefore, when I came into the world, I cast into the womb of your mothers, which are in your body (3) to-day. For these Powers have been given to you before all the World, in that ye are to save the whole World, and in order that ye may be able to bear the threat of the Rulers of the World and the calamities thereof; and, moreover, all the dangers and persecutions that must be brought upon you by the Rulers of the Height. Many times have I said that I have brought the Power which is in you from the Twelve Saviours who are in the Treasure of Light, and that ye are not of the World . I also am not of it. For all men who are in the World, have taken their Soul from the Rulers of the Æons (4). But

the Power, which is in you, is from me. Of a truth your soul pertains to the Height (1). I brought twelve Powers from the Saviours of the Treasure of Light, which I took from a portion of the Power which I first received. [12] And when I had entered into the World, I came into the midst of the Rulers of the Sphere, like unto Gabriel the angel of the Æons, nor did the Rulers of the Æons know me, but thought that I was the angel Gabriel (2).

It came to pass, when I had come into the midst of the Rulers of the Æons, having looked from above into the World of men, I found Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptist, before she had conceived him. I planted the Power in her, which I had received from the Little iaô, the Good, who is in the Midst (3), that he should preach before me, and prepare my way, and baptize with water the remission of sins. This Power then is (4) in the body of John. Moreover, in the place of the Soul of the Rulers, appointed to receive it, I found the Soul of the prophet Elias in the Æons of the Sphere (5), and I took him, and receiving his Soul also, brought it to the Virgin of light, and she gave it to her Receivers, who led it to the Sphere of the Rulers and carried it into the womb of Elizabeth. So the Power of the Little iaô (6), the Good, who is in the Midst, and the Soul of the prophet Elias, are bound together in the body of John the Baptist.

[13] "For which cause, therefore, did ye doubt at that time, when I said unto you; John said, 'I am not the Christ': and ye said unto me: 'it is written in the Scriptures, if the Christ come, Elias comes before him, and will prepare his way'. And I replied: 'Elias, indeed, is come, and has prepared all things according as it was written; and they have done unto him whatsoever they would'. And when I perceived that you did not understand those things which I spake to you concerning the Soul of Elias, as bound in John the Baptist; I then answered openly and face to face: 'If ye will receive it, John the Baptist is that Elias who', I said, 'was coming'."

Lucifer May 1890

Pistis-Sophia.

AS perhaps many of our readers are unfamiliar with the general scheme of the Gnosis, and as the Pistis-Sophia presupposes a thorough knowledge of the outlines of this scheme, we are compelled to depart somewhat from our original plan and insert a résumé of this sublime system. It is somewhat invidious to select any particular school, but perhaps that of Valentinus who flourished at the beginning of the second century a.d., will best serve our purpose.

The following is translated from the Refutation of All Heresies (1) attributed to Hippolytus, Bishop of Ostia (Portus), who was put to death a.d. 222. There is, however, doubt as to the identification and date of this writer; but, be that as it may, he is the fairest and most accurate of all the Church Fathers and his Refutation is one of the most reliable chronicles of the Gnostic period that we possess. (2)

After a most interesting review of the Pythagorean and Platonic systems of numbers and a comparison between these systems and that of Valentinus, in order to prove that the teaching of the latter was from the former philosophers and not of Christ, our author continues:—

For them, the beginning of all things is the Monad, (3) ingenerable, imperishable, incomprehensible, inconceptible, the creator and cause of the generation of all things that are generated. (4) This Monad is called by them the Father. Now as to its nature there is a difference of opinion among them; for some declare that the Father is devoid of femininity and without a syzygy (consort, pair, or sakti) and solitary; whereas others think that it is impossible that from a single male principle, the generation of all things should be, and so they are compelled to add to the Father of All, in order that it (5) may be a Father, the syzygy Silence (Sigê). But as to whether Silence is a syzygy or not, let them settle this dispute among themselves. (6)

In the Deginning, says (Valentinus), naught was that was generated. The Father alone was, ungenerated, without space (or region), time, counsellor, or any other essence (or attribute) capable of being conceived by any means. It was alone, solitary, and at rest, itself in itself, alone. But since it had the power of creating (emanating rather), it seemed good to it

at length to generate and produce that which was most beautiful and most perfect in itself, for it loved not solitude. For Love, said (Valentinus), was all, but Love is not Love if there is nothing to be loved.

"Therefore, the Father, solitary as it was, emanated and generated Mind and Truth, the Duad, which is the Lady and Beginning and Mother of all the Æons which they reckon in the Plerôma. And Mind and Truth having emanated from the Father, possessing the power of generation like their parent, in imitation of the Father, emanated themselves also the Logos and Life. (1) And the Logos and Life emanate Man and the Assembly (ekklesia, Church). But Mind and Truth, when they saw that their own generations had become generators in their turn, gave thanks to the Father of All and offered it Ten Æons, the perfect number. For, said he, Mind and Truth could not offer the Father a more perfect number than this. For it was necessary that the Father which was perfect, should be worshipped with a perfect number, and the Ten is perfect because it is the first number of the plurality of digits. But the Father was more perfect still, because being itself ingenerable, alone through one and the first syzygy, Mind and Truth, it was able to emanate all the roots of all things which are."

[30] And when the Logos and Life also saw that Mind and Truth had celebrated the Father of All (All-Father) with a perfect number. The Logos together with Life wished to worship their own father and mother, Mind and Truth. But since Mind and Truth were generable and had not their own fatherhood perfect, viz., the quality of being themselves parentless, the Logos and Life do not worship their own father Mind with a perfect, but with an imperfect number, and offer their parents Twelve Æons.

"Now the following are the first roots of the Æons according to Valentinus: Mind and Truth, the Logos and Life, Man and the Assembly; Ten from Mind and Truth, and Twelve from the Logos and Life; eight-and-twenty in all. (2) These are called by the following names: Bythius and Mixis, Agêratus and Henôsis, Autophyês and Hêdonê, Akinêtus and Synkrásis, Monogenês and Makaria. These are the Ten Æons, which some derive from Mind and Truth, and others from the Logos and Life. Some again derive the Twelve of which we have been speaking from Man and the Assembly, and others from the Logos and Life; and the names they give these Twelve are—Paraklêtus and Pistis, Patrikus and Elpis, Mêtrikus and Agapê, Aênûs (Aeinous) and Synesis, Ekklesiastikus and Makariotes, Thelêtus and Sophia. (3)

Now, the twelfth of these Twelve, and the youngest of the eight-and-

(1) The verbs in this passage are singular, Mind and Truth being regarded as one duad.

(2) That is four sevens, three being still unmanifested even in the Divine Mind.

(3)

DECAD.		DODECAD.
Bythius (Bythus-like)	Mixis (Mingling)	Paraklêtus (Advocate or Comforter)	PISTIS (Faith or Confidence)
Agêratus (Unaging)	Henôsis (Union or Oneness)	Patrikus (Father-like)	Elpis (Hope)
Autophyês (Self-existent)	Hêdonê (Bliss)	Mêtrikus (Mother-like)	Agapê (Love or Charity)
Akinêtus (Immovable)	Synkrásis (Mixing)	Aênûs (Everlasting or Everflowing)	Synesis (Understanding)
Monogenês (Only-begotten)	Makaria (Blessedness)	Ekklesiastikus (Ecclesia-like)	Makariotes (Happiness)
		Thelêtus (The Longed-for or Desired)	SOPHIA (Wisdom)

twenty Æons, Sophia by name, a female Æon, beholding the multitude and power of the Æons which had generated, returned to the depth of the Father and perceived that all the rest of the Æons, being in their nature generated, generated through a syzygy. But the Father alone generated without a syzygy. She, therefore, desired to imitate the Father and generate by herself without her syzygy, in order that she might perform a work not inferior to that of the Father, being ignorant that the ungenerable, as it is fundamentally the beginning and root, and the deep and depth of all, could generate alone, whereas Sophia being generated and produced after many, could not possess the power of the ungenerated. For in the ungenerated, he said, are all things together, whereas in the generated the feminine has the power of emanating the essence, while the masculine has the power of informing the essence emanated by the feminine. Sophia, therefore, emanated the only thing which she could, viz., a formless and uninformed (unwrought) essence. This is what, he said, Moses said: 'The earth was invisible and unformed.' (1) This is, he said, the good and Celestial Jerusalem, into which God promised to lead the sons of Israel, saying: 'I will lead you into a land flowing with milk and honey.' (2)

"[31] And so ignorance having been produced through Sophia, within, in the Plerôma, and formlessness also by the generation (production) of Sophia, tumult arose in the Plerôma lest the generations (progeny) of the Æons should in like manner become formless and imperfect, and destruction in no long time seize on the Æons. All the Æons, therefore, betook themselves to praying to the Father to stop the sorrowing Sophia. For she was bewailing and groaning because of the Abortion generated by herself; for thus they call it. Therefore, the Father taking pity on the tears of Sophia and giving ear to the prayers of the Æons, ordered an additional emanation. For it was not himself that emanated, but Mind and Truth which (emanated) the Christos and Holy Spirit for the informing and differentiation of the Abortion and for the consolation and appeasing of the complaints of Sophia. So that together with the Christos and the Holy Spirit there are thirty Æons. (3) Now some of them think that she (the Holy Spirit) is the thirtieth Æon, while others maintain that Sigê co-exists with the Father, and that the Æons should be reckoned together with them. The Christos and Holy Spirit then, being after-emanated by Mind and Truth, immediately separated this formless Abortion of Sophia, which was generated by her alone without her syzygy, from the universal Æons, lest the perfect Æons seeing it should be thrown into confusion by its formlessness. In order then that the Abortion should not appear to the perfect Æons in all its formlessness, the Father again emanated additionally one Æon, the Staurus (Cross or Stock), which having become great, in as much as it was from the great and perfect Father, having been projected into the custody and stockade of the Æons, became the Hǒrus (Boundary) of the Plerôma (Completion) having within itself all

the Thirty Æons together. (1) Now it is called the Boundary, because it bounds the Hysterêma (Incompletion, Inferiority) without, from the Plerôma; again, it is called the Participator, because it partakes of the Hysterêma, and the Stake (or Stock), because it is fixed, without inclination and incapable of change ( lit: without repentance) (2), so that nothing of the Hysterêma should approach the Æons within the Plerôma.

"Without, then, this Boundary, Stake or Participator, is what they call the Ogdoad, (3) which is the Sophia-Without the Plerôma, which the Christos, who was an after-emanation of Mind and Truth, formed and fashioned into a perfect Æon, by no means inferior to those within the Plerôma. When then Sophia-Without had been fashioned, the Christos and Holy Spirit, emanated from Mind and Truth, as they could not in like manner remain outside the Plerôma, ascended from her whom they had informed, to Mind and Truth within the Boundary, glorifying the Father together with the rest of the Æons.

[32] When, then, there was, so to speak, a unity of peace and concord among all the Æons within the Plerôma, it seemed good to them, not only that they should have magnified the Father by their syzygies, but also that they should magnify him by the offering of fit fruits. All the Thirty Æons accordingly agreed to emanate one Æon as the common fruit of the Plerôma, as the sign of their unity, unanimity and peace. Now the only common emanation of all the Æons for the Father is that which they call the Common Fruit of the Plerôma. (4) Thus it was done within the Plerôma.

"So the Common Fruit of the Plerôma was emanated, viz., Jesus (for this was its name), the great High Priest (or Pontifex). (5) Now the Sophia without the Plerôma, missing the Christos who had informed her, and the Holy Spirit, was thrown into great alarm lest she should perish, now that he who had informed and strengthened her, was removed. So she mourned and was in great distress, pondering who was her informer (fashioner); what the Holy Spirit; whither they had departed; who prevented them from being with her; and who envied the beautiful and blessed spectacle thereof. In these sufferings she betook herself to prayer and beseeching him who had abandoned her. (6) And as she prayed the Christos within the Plerôma and all the other Æons took pity on her, and

sent out from the Pleroma the Common Fruit of the Pleroma, the syzygy of Sophia-Without and the corrector of her sufferings which she suffered, seeking for the Christos. So the Fruit becoming without the Pleroma and finding her in the first four afflictions, viz., fear, grief, helplessness and need (entreaty or prayer), set right her sufferings; but in doing so he perceived that it was not meet that those affections (or afflictions) which were of the Æons (or eternal) and peculiar to Sophia, should be destroyed, nor on the other hand that Sophia should be in such afflictions as fear, grief, supplications and distress. Accordingly, as he was so great an Æon and the progeny of the whole Pleroma, he made her afflictions depart from her, and transformed them into substantial essences. And fear he made a soulish (animal) essence; grief, a material; distress, a daemonial; and conversion (i.e. a turning to any one for help) and prayer and supplication he made the path of return (way up), (1) and repentance and the power of the soulish essence which is called 'right'. The Demiurge was made of fear. And this is the meaning of the scripture, he said, 'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (Sophia)'. (2) For this (fear) was the beginning of Sophia's woes. For she was first in fear, then in thus betook herself to prayer and supplication. Now the soulish (animal) essence, he said, was fiery and was called the Middle (or Mean), and the Hebdomad (3) and the Ancient of Days; of this essence was the Demiurge.

Now the power of fire, he said, was twofold. For there is a fire which is all-devouring and which cannot be quenched and . . . . [a lacuna occurs here unfortunately]. From this kind of fire then, the soul is a mortal thing, being a sort of mean; for it is the Hebdomad and Pause. It is, however, below the Ogdoad, (4) where is Sophia . . . . and the Common Fruit of the Pleroma, but it is above the Hyle (Matter) of which is the Demiurge. (5) If, therefore, it (the soul) is assimilated with the above, viz., the Ogdoad, it becomes immortal and passes to the Ogdoad, which is, according to Valentinus, the Celestial Jerusalem but if it is assimilated with Hyle, that is with material qualities, it will be destroyed and perish. (6)

"[33] As, therefore, the first and greatest power arose from the soulish essence . . . . [a lacuna occurs here] the image Diabolus, the ruler of this world: whereas Beelzebub is of the essence of the Daemons which are bred of doubt (incapacity or distress), Sophia energizing from above, from the Ogdoad unto the Hebdomad. The Demiurge, they said, knows nothing at all, but is mindless and foolish, according to them, and he knows not what he does or operates. And as he knows not what he does, Sophia operates and strengthens all, and when she does so, he imagines that he is making the foundation of the world of himself: wherefore he began to say: 'I am God and besides me there is no other'. (7)

[34] "The Valentinian Tetractys ,(8) then, is the 'Source containing the roots of sempiternal (lit. ever-flow ing) nature', and Sophia that from which the soulish and material foundation (creation) was constituted. And Sophia is called Spirit; the Demiurge, Soul; Diabolus, the Ruler of this world; and Beelzebul, the (Ruler) of Daemons. Such are their teachings.

“Moreover, there is a mathematical side to their doctrines; and they make the Thirty Æons in the Pleroma emanate again other Æons by

analogy, so that the Pleroma should be collected in a perfect number. For like as the Pythagoreans divided into twelve, and thirty, and sixty; (1) so also they sub-divide the contents of the Pleroma. The numbers of the Ogdoad also are sub-divided; and Sophia who, according to them is the Mother of All Living, and the Common Fruit of the Pleroma, emanated Seventy Logoi, (2) which are celestial Messengers (angels), dwelling in Jerusalem, which is above in the Heavens. For this (mundane) Jerusalem is the Sophia without, and the Common Fruit of the Pleroma is her spouse. Moreover, it was the Demiurge who is the emanator of souls; for he is the essence of souls. According to them, the former is Abraham and the latter the children of Abraham (3). The Demiurge then, made bodies for the souls from the material (hylic) and diabolical essence. This is as it was said: 'And God shaped man, taking dirt from the earth, and breathed into his face (or appearance) the breath of life; and man becam e a living soul.' (4) This is, according to them the inner man, the soulish (principle), dwelling in the material body, which is material, perishable, imperfect, fashioned from the diabolical essence. The latter is the material man, according to them, as it were an inn or habitation, at one time of the soul alone, at another of the soul and Daemons, at another of the soul and Logoi, which are the Logoi from above scattered from the Common Fruit of the Pleroma and Sophia into this world, dwelling in a Choïc body (i.e. the body of "dirt" or "slime" above mentioned), whenever the Daemons do not cohabit with the soul. This, he said, was what was written in the scripture: 'For this cause I bow my knees unto the God and Father and Lord of our Lord Jesus Christ, in order that God may grant you that the Christos may dwell in your inner man', (5) that is the soulish and not the corporeal (man), 'that ye may be strong to know what is the depth', that is to say, the Father of All, 'and the breadth', which is the Stake, the Boundary of the Pleroma, 'or length', (or height), which means the Pleroma of the Æons. Therefore, he said: 'the soulish (animal) man does not perceive those things which are of the Spirit of God; for he is foolish'. (6) Now foolishness, he said, is the power of the Demiurge: for he was foolish and mindless and thought that he himself was fabricating the world, being ignorant that it was Sophia, the Mother, the Ogdoad, (7) who operated all for the constitution of the world for him not knowing.

"[35] All the prophets, therefore, and law babbled (8) under the

inspiration of the Demiurge, foolish know-nothings (inspired by) a foolish God, according to him. For which cause, said he, the Saviour said: 'All who came before me are thieves and robbers', (1) and the Apostle: 'the mystery which was not known to former generations (2) For none of the prophets, he said, spake about these things of which we speak; for they were not known: all things [a lacuna occurs here], inasmuch indeed as they were babbled forth under the inspiration of the Demiurge alone. When, therefore, the creation (or constitution) came to an end, and the manifestation of the Sons of God, that is of the Demiurge, had thereafter to take place—the manifestation that had been hidden and in which, he said, the soulish man had been concealed, having a veil over his heart—when, therefore, the veil had to be raised and these mysteries were to be perceived, Jesus was born through Mary the Virgin, according to what was written: 'the Holy Spirit (Ghost) shall come upon thee', the Spirit is Sophia, 'and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee', the Highest is the Demiurge, 'for that which shall be born from thee shall be called holy'. (3) For he was not born from the Highest alone, as those who were constituted according to Adam were constituted from the highest alone, that is the Demiurge. But Jesus the new man was born of the Holy Spirit, that is of Sophia and the Demiurge, in order that the Demiurge might make up the moulding and arrangement of his body, but the Holy Spirit provide the essence thereof, and he might be the celestial Logos from the Ogdoad, born through Mary.

Now concerning this tenet there is a great questioning among them and it is the cause of schisms and dissension. Hence their doctrine is divided into two schools, of which one is called the Eastern and the other the Italian. Now the Italian school maintains that the body of Jesus was soulish (animal), and it was because of this that the Spirit descended as a dove at his baptism, that is, the Logos of his Mother the Sophia-Above, and approached his soulish principle and awoke him from the dead. (4) This is that which was spoken, he said : 'he who aroused Christos from the dead, will vivify also your mortal bodies', (5) that is to say, your soulish (bodies). For it is the 'slime' that came under the curse, 'for earth thou art, and unto earth thou shalt return'. (6) The Eastern school, on the other hand, declares that the body of the Saviour was spiritual: for the Holy Spirit, that is to say, Sophia and the power of the Highest, the demiurgic art, came upon Mary, in order that that which had been given by the Spirit to Mary, might be fashioned.

[36] Moreover, he goes on to say, as the failures which pertain to the Æons which are within, had been rectified, and also those that pertain to the Ogdoad, viz., the Sophia-Without, so also those which pertained to the Hebdomad. (For the Demiurge was taught by Sophia, that he was not the one only God, as he imagined, and that there were no others besides himself, as he supposed; and so being instructed by Sophia, he understood that there was a higher. For he was instructed, and initiated, and taught by her the great mystery of the Father of the Æons, and he told it to no one; this is, he said, what he (the Demiurge) spoke to Moses: I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and the name of God I have not declared unto them', (7) that is I have not spoken nor revealed the mystery, 'Who is God', but I have kept in secret with myself the mystery which I heard from Sophia). Since, therefore, the higher (mis-deeds or failures) had been corrected, by the same sequence it was necessary that those of our lower plane should also be set right. For this cause was born Jesus the Saviour, through Mary, in order that the failures (or mistakes) here should be set right; just as the Christos, who was after-emanated by

Mind and Truth, set right the sufferings of Sophia-Without, that is of the Abortion. And so again the Saviour, born through Mary, came to set right the sufferings of the soul. There are, therefore, thee Christs, viz., he who was after-emanated by Mind and Truth together with the Holy Spirit; and the Common Fruit of the Pleroma, the syzygy of the Sophia-Without, who is also called the Holy Spirit inferior to the first; and the third, he who was bom through Mary for the correction of our human constitution."

Our author was right in comparing the Valentinian system with those of Pythagoras and Plato and in declaring that it had a mathematical basis. The Gnosis at all times and in all countries has been based on natural laws, and the different branches of mathematical science are simply the methods of expressing these laws. To vindicate these sublime systems of antiquity, and to prove that they were based on something more than "supertitious imagination", some figures will now be given, and some hints to their explanation attempted. It must, however, be remembered that as such figures are infinite, and that the permutations and combinations of their properties, correspondences and qualities are equally infinite, no more than the roughest possible outline can be given in a short paper. As, however, in the sequel, reference will often be made to these figures, it is necessary for the reader to be put into possession of their general scheme at the beginning of our undertaking. It is hoped that by these figures students will be given the clearest possible proof that, as Plato said, "The Deity geometrizes".

First the • (Point), the Monad, Bythus (the Deep), the unknown and unknowable Father. Then the (Triangle), Bythus and the first emanated pair or Duad,

Nous (Mind) and its syzygy Aletheia (Truth). Then the (Square), the dual Duad, Tetractys or Quaternary, two males ‖, the Logos (Word) and Anthrôpos (Man), two females, their syzygies, ＝ Zoê (Life) and Ekklesia (the Church or Assembly), Seven in all. The Triangle the Potentiality of Spirit, the Square the Potentiality of Matter; the Vertical Straight Line the Potency of Spirit, and the Horizontal the Potency of Matter. Next comes the Pentagram the Pentad, the mysterious symbol of the Manasáputras or Sons of Wisdom, which together with their syzygies make 10, or the Decad; and last of all, the Hexalpha or interlaced Triangles the Hexad, which with their syzygies make 12, or the Dodecad. Such are the Contents of the Pleroma or Completion, the Ideas in the Divine Mind, 28 in all, for Bythus or the Father is not reckoned, as it is the Root of all. The two small circles within the Pleroma are the syzygy Christos-Pneuma (Christ and the Holy Spirit); these are after-emanations, and, as such, from one aspect, typify the descent of Spirit to inform and evolve Matter, which essentially proceeds from the same source; and from another, the descent or incarnation of the Kumâras or the Higher Egos of Humanity.

The Circle of the Pleroma is bounded by a circumference emanated from Bythus (the Point), this is called the Horus (Boundary), Staurus (Stock, Stake, or Cross) and Metæcheus (Participator); it shuts off the Pleroma (or Completion) from the Hysterêma (the Inferiority or Incompletion), the larger from the smaller Circle, the Unmanifested from the Manifested. Within the Circle of the Hvsterêma is the Square of primordial Matter, or Chaos, emanated by Sophia, called the Ektrôma (or Abortion). Above this is a Triangle, primordial Spirit, called the Common Fruit of the Pleroma, or Jesus, for to all below the Pleroma it appears as a unity. Notice how the Triangle and Square of the Hysterêma are a reflection of the Triangle and Square of the Pleroma. Finally, the plane of the paper, enclosing and penetrating all, is Sigê (Silence) (1).

Some General Hints towards an Explanation of the Figures

In all the figures except Fig. 8 the great Hermetic axiom, "As above, so below" is triumphantly shown forth, as also the idea of the Syzygy, pair or opposite. Let us begin with Fig. 8, remembering that the Point produces the Line; the Line the Superficies; and the Superficies the Solid.

In this figure we have a symbol of Fire or Spirit. The vertical line, in the centre of the figure, is the subtlest Fire; this gradually falls into the shape of triangles, their vertical angles growing less and less acute, as their bases expand and at the same time rise to higher planes. Six planes or bases in all, and six triangles, with the point the seventh. The seventh figure generated from the point is the right-angled triangle, the most perfect. The more acute the angle the subtler the Fire, until it finally reaches the right angle, the balance or turning-point of all angles.

Now let us take the central point of the whole figure and join it with the extremities of the bases of the triangles; we shall then find that with the point again we have a second series of Seven, viz., the point, two acute-angled, one right-angled, two obtuse-angled triangles, and the horizontal diameter of the Figure. These are the Rupa Planes, the first septenary being the seven fiery Logoi, the second septenary the seven Globes on the four lower planes of the great septenate, &c., &c. Notice again the series of quadrilaterals formed by the intersection of the bases and sides of the triangles, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10, the perfect number. Therefore starting from our perpendicular, or Spirit, we arrive by a series of angles through every variety of acuteness to the right-angled triangle, and pass from it through every variety of obtuseness to the horizontal diameter, Matter.

This great fact may be more plainly seen in Figs. 11–18, where the same series is traced in rectangular quadrilaterals, of which the balance or turning-point is the Square. Of course it must be remembered that only the perfect types are given, the intermediate types being infinite. For instance, to get from Fig. 11 to Fig. 12 an infinity of points are required; from Fig. 12 to Fig. 13 an infinity of lines; from

(1) It is hardly necessary to point out the wonderful concordance of this system with that of the Secret Doctrine. The mysteries of the Higher and Lower Ego are presented, perhaps, almost too clearly.

Fig. 13 to Fig. 14 an infinity of intermediate figures, &c., seven infinities and seven eternities in all.

In these figures also it should be noticed that the Vertical has expanded and again decreased into the Horizontal, but in doing so has changed its direction, in other words the wheel has turned. In one of the following papers it is hoped to show the generation of the Svastica and its connection with these figures.

Having now obtained our most perfect triangular figure, viz., the right-angled Triangle, let us proceed to trace the operations of a pair of these. In the series of figures 1–8, we notice the triangle of Spirit with its apex upward and the triangle of Matter with its apex downward. Let those who wish to understand the two Circles surrounding these triangles and gradually involving into one another until finally they became one (Fig. 7), remember the Caduceus, and think over what is said in the Secret Doctrine (vol. pp. 550 et seqq.), about the "lemniscate" and also about the development of a germ-cell (vol. ii, pp. 117 et seqq.).

These Triangles produce Squares by their intersection, and we get the following series of Points generated, 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36 and 49, which is 1², 2², 3², 4², 5², 6², 7².

Thus are the Forty nine Fires generated.

At the fourth stage the primal type of the spindle () is repeated, but as a duality; in the two succeeding figures this duality is repeated but on a smaller and smaller scale until in Fig. 8, it disappears entirely.

Let us now combine our previous figures and we obtain Fig. 9. All is generated from the Point (the First Logos). Thus from it we have six descending triangles six spheres of matter, which together with the point make seven. So also with the fainter triangles and circles of spirit which ascend. And yet the two points of departure are essentially one in nature. The horizontal diameter is neither dark nor light, neither spirit nor matter, as is also the greatest circumscribing circle.

Fig. 10 is an amplification of Fig. 7. It is the Pyramid unfolded, and the "Four-faced Brahm", the "four Maharahjas," etc., and all the quaternaries; it is also the expansion of the Tetractys. Notice the two series of three Squares each and the Point in the centre, seven in all. Notice also that the Square of Twelve Fires is bounded by Triangles of Ten. The representation of the Pythagorean Tetractys was a triangle containing ten Yods.

Our figure being a perfect type, if the comers are folded to the central point, the Fires, or syzygies, coincide, and this process can be repeated until the whole figure disappears in the Point. But in nature the type is imperfect, and the Fires are at unequal distances, so that in folding over the four corners, the Solid Pyramid is formed, its spiritual axis and its material basal diameters varying with the proportion of spirit and matter in any manifestation.

Fig. 7 will give us all our pairs, and initiate us into the mystery of Reflection. Thus we have 2 ones, 2 twos, 2 threes, 2 fours, 2 fives, 2 sixes, but only one seven. Here then we have all the mysterious gnostic numbers; from 1 to 7, then 8, or the Ogdoad, 10 or the Decad, and 12 or the Dodecad.

Much more, indeed, might be written; but, perhaps, enough has already been said to direct the attention of students to the mystery of the Forty-nine Fires, and give them a key to the comprehension of the hitherto hopeless obscurity of the Gnostic writers in the eyes of the moderns.

Lucifer June 1890

Pistis-Sophia.

[It is thought that it will greatly aid the reader and a key be given to students of Esoteric Philosophy by anticipating the following passage:

[247]. . . . And when Andrew had said these words, the Spirit of the Saviour was moved in him, and he cried out and said: "How long shall I bear with you, how long shall I suffer you! Do ye still not know and are ye ignorant? Knew ye not, and do ye not understand, that ye are all Angels, and all Archangels, and Gods and Lords, and all Rulers, and all the great Invisibles [248], and all those who pertain to the Midst and to the Region of the Light, and all the great Projections of the Right, and all their Glory. That ye are from all, of your selves and in your selves in turn, from one Mass, and one Matter and one Essence. And that ye are all from one Mixture; and by the command of the First Mystery, the Mixture is a necessity, until all the great Projections of Light and all their Glory have cleansed it. And they have been cleansing it not of themselves, but of necessity, according to the dispensation of one and the same Ineffable. Neither have they at all undergone sufferings, nor changes in the Regions, nor have they stript them selves at all, nor poured themselves (1) into various bodies, nor have they been in any tribulation.]

Commentary.

"AFTER these things, moreover, I looked down into the World of Men, and found Mary who is called my Mother after the body of Matter (Hyle); I spoke to her, moreover, in the form of Gabriel, (1) and when she had turned herself into the Height (sc. Pleroma) towards me, I implanted in her the first Power which I received from Barbêlô, (2) the Body which I

wore in the Height. And instead of a Soul, I implanted in her the Power [14], which I received from the Great Sabbaoth, the Good, (3) who is in the Region of the Right. (4) And the twelve Powers of the Twelve Saviours (5) of the Treasure of Light, which I received from the twelve Deacons (Ministers), who are in the Midst, (6) I brought into the Sphere of the Rulers, and the Decans (7) of the Rulers and their Ministers thought them the souls of the Rulers : and the Ministers conducted them. 1 bound them in the body of your mothers. And when your time was full, they brought you forth into the World, no Soul of the Rulers being in you. And ye have received your portion of the Power which the last Supporter breathed into the Mixture (Kerosmos, see Table I.), which blended with all the Invisibles, and Rulers, and Æons; once only was it blended with the W'orld of Destruction, which is the Mixture : this (Power) I brought out from Myself, (sc. the Four-and-Twentieth Mystery) from the beginning, and infused it into the First Precept; and the First Precept infused a portion thereof into the Great Light; and the Great Light infused a portion of that which it received, into the Five Supporters; and the last Supporter received that portion and infused it into the Mixture. (8) [15] Such is the manner of all things which are in this Mixture, as I have told you.

Commentary.

they also call the Left, must of necessity perish, in as much as it has in it no breath of incorruptibility; but the Psychic, which they designate the Right, being in the middle of the Spiritual and Hylic, goes in whatsoever direction it may incline itself; whereas the Spiritual (Manas) has been sent forth, in order that, by being united with the Psychic here (i.e., emanating Kama-Manas), it might take Form and be instructed together with it (the Psychic or Kama-Rupa) by sharing in its existence or by conversion with it [anastrophê]."

In the Pistis-Sophia the plane immediately below or inferior to the Treasure of Light is divided into three main Lokas or Sub-planes, the Right, the Left and the Middle.

The duty of the Rulers of the Right is the forming, fashioning or building of all lower Spheres or Planes of existence, by bringing down the Light out of its Treasury and causing it to return thither again, thus in another sense, accomplishing the salvation of such souls as are fit to ascend to a higher plane. The Rulers of the Midst have the Guardianship of Human Souls. The Left called also the Region of Righteousness, is the Loka or condition towards which all penitent souls tend, for it is here that the conflict between the principles of Light and Hyle, (i.e., differentiation) first commences. From the words in italics in the preceding paragraph, we can see the type of Brahmâ, Vishnu and Shiva, the Hindu Trimurti or Trinity, revealing itself; the ideas of Creation, Preservation, and Destruction or Regeneration being very clearly shown forth.

In the System of Valentinus (Lucifer, vi. 234), we read of "the power of the psychic or soulish essence which is called 'Right'". Sabaoth also who dwells in the Right is an aspect of the Demiurge and the Creator of Souls.

Before proceeding further, it is necessary to give a provisionary table of the Planes and Lokas according to the Pistis-Sophia.

Table I.

TRIAD	The Mystery of the Ineffable					ARUPA
TETRAD	Pneumatic or Spiritual	Treasure of Light or Pleroma			Lumen or Light	RUPA
	Psychic	Right Midst Left (The Loka of the thirteenth Æon)			Kerasmos or Mixture (sc. of Lumen and Hyle)
	Hylic or Sidereal	The Twelve Æons Fate (Heimarmenê) Sphere			Hyle or Subtle Matter
	Choic or Material	Firmament World (Kosmos) of men			Kosmos of Choos (Gross Matter)
		Underworld		Orcus Chaos Outer Darkness (Caligo External)
	Planes	Names			Substances (Prakritis)

Vide S. D. I., 200.

(5) The Twelve Saviours are part of the contents of the Treasure of Light and are identical with the Dodecad of the Valentinian Pleroma (Lucifer, vi, 231. 237). The twelve Deacons are of course a manifestation of the primordial type of the Dodecad of the Pleroma on a Loka of another plane.

(6) In the Valentinian System the Mesǒtês, or Middle Region, is above the highest Heaven but below the Pleroma. It is especially the the place of the Psychics,

"Rejoice, therefore, in that the time is come that I should put on my Vesture (1).

"Lo! I have put on my vesture and all power has been given me by the First Mystery. Yet a little while and I will tell you every Mystery and every Completion; henceforth from this hour I will conceal naught from you, but in Perfectness will I perfect you in all Completion, and all Perfectioning and every Mystery [16], which indeed are the End of all Ends, and the Completion of all Completions, and the Wisdom (gnosis) of all Wisdoms, which are in my Vesture. Hearken! I will tell you all things which have befallen me.

"It came to pass, when the sun had risen in the places of the East, a great flood of light descended, in which was my Vesture, which I placed in the Four-and-Twentieth Mystery. And I found the Mystery on my Vesture, written in Five Words, which pertain to the Height. ZAMA ZAMA ÔZZA RACHAMA ÔZAI (2). And this is the interpretation thereof: 'The Mystery which is without in the World, because of which the Universe was made, is all Evolution and all Progress; it projected all emanations and all things therein. Because of it every Mystery exists and the Regions thereof. Come to us (3), for we are thy fellow members. We are all one with thee. We are one and the same, and thou art one and the same. That is the First Mystery [17], which was from the beginning in the Ineffable before it came forth therefrom; and its Name is all of us.

"Now, therefore, we all live together for thee at the last Limit (4), which also is the last Mystery from the Interiors. That also is a part of us. Now, therefore, we have sent thee thy Vesture, which indeed is thine from the beginning, which thou didst place in the last Limit, which also is the last Mystery from the Interiors, until its time should be fulfilled according to the command of the First Mystery. Lo! its time being now completed, I will give it thee. Come to us! For we (5) all stand by thee to clothe thee with the First Mystery, and all its glory by command of the same, because that the First Mystery, coming into manifestation, gave us two Vestures to clothe thee, besides the one, which we have sent thee, since thou art worthy of them and art prior to us and came into being before us. For this cause, therefore, the First Mystery sent for thee through us the Mystery of all its Glory, two Vestures. The first thereof is the whole glory of all the Names of the Mysteries and all the Projections of the

Orders of the Spaces of the Ineffable. [18] And the second Vesture therein is the whole Glory of the Name of all the Mysteries and all the Projections, which are in the Orders of the two Spaces of the First Mystery. And in this Vesture, which we have now sent thee, is the Glory of the name of the Mystery, the Revealer, which is the First Precept, and the Mystery of the five Marks, and the Mystery of the great Legate of the Ineffable, which Mystery is the Great Light; and also the Mystery of the five Leaders, who are also the five Supporters. There is also in that Vesture the Glory of the Name of the Mystery of all the Orders of the Projections of the Treasure of Light, and also their Saviours, and also the Orders of (their) Orders, which are the seven Amens and the seven Voices, and also the five Trees, and also the three Amens, and also the Saviour of the Twins, which are the Child of the Child, and also the Mystery of the nine Keepers of the Three Gates of the Treasure of Light. There is also therein all the Glory of the Name, which is on the Right, and of those who are in the Midst; Moreover there is therein all the Glory of the Name of the great Invisible [19], who is the great Forefather, and also the Mystery of the three Triple Powers (6), and also the Mystery of the whole Region of them, and also the Mystery of all their Invisibles and of all that turn (7) in the Thirteenth of the Æons, and the Name of the twelve Æons, and of all their Archons, Archangels, Angels and all that turn therein; and every Mystery of the Name of all that turn in the Fate, and all in the Heavens, and in the Sphere, and also of their Firmaments and of all that are in them, and of all their Regions. (8)

"'Behold, therefore, we have sent thee this Vesture, which no one has known from the First Precept downwards, because the radiance of its Light had been hidden therein, nor did the Spheres and all the Regions downward form the First Precept (know it). Make haste, therefore, clothe thyself with this Vesture. Come to us; for ever, until the time appointed by the Ineffable was fulfilled, we have been in need of thee, to clothe thee with the two Vestures by the command of the First Mystery. Lo, then, that time is fulfilled. Come, therefore, to us quickly that we may put them on thee, until thou fulfillest every Ministry of the Perfections of the First Mystery, appointed by the Ineffable. Come to us quickly, we will put them upon thee according to the command of the First Mystery; for the time that yet remains is very short. Thou art coming to us and wilt leave the World. Come, therefore; quickly shalt thou receive all thy glory, the glory of the First Mystery.'"

Commentary.

N.B.—With regard to the figures published in the last paper, it should be clearly understood that there is no up nor down, no top nor bottom, in reality. It has, however, been suggested that Fig. 8 would be preferable if reversed, so that the Point should be at the top.

Lucifer July 1890

Pistis-Sophia.

"IT came to pass, therefore, when I saw the Mystery of all these Words in my Vesture, that, in that very hour, I clothed myself therewith. And I became the brightest possible Light, and soared towards the Height, and came to the Gate of the Firmament. And all the Gates of the Firmament were shaken, one above the other, in turn, and all were thrown open together. And all the Rulers, Authorities, and Angels therein were disturbed together, on account of my great Light. And gazing on the Vesture of Light, with which I was clothed, they saw the Mystery, above which were their names, and feared exceedingly; [21] and all their Chains, with which they were bound, were loosed; and each one ceased in his Order; and all, bowing themselves before me, worshipped me, saying: 'How has the Lord of the Universe changed us without our knowing'? And they all sang Hymns together in the Interior of Interiors. Yet they did not see myself, but only saw the Light.

"And having left that Region, I ascended into the First Sphere, shining

with the greatest possible Light, forty and nine* times exceeding the splendour, with which I shone in the Firmament.

"And when I had come to the Gate of the First Sphere, its Gates were shaken and opened together of their own accord. So I entered into the Houses of the Sphere, and all its Rulers and all that turn therein, saw the great Light. And gazing on my Vesture, they saw the Mystery of their own Name therein, and were the more confused—[and did even as they of the Firmament].†

"[22] And having left that Region, I came to the Gate of the Second Sphere, which is the Fate.‡ [And its Gates were opened, and its Rulers and they which turn therein, did even as they before them, my Light being forty and nine times greater than in the Sphere.]

"[23] Thence, ascending to the great Æons of the Rulers, I came to their Veils and Gates, clad in the most resplendent Light. These also were thrown into confusion, one above the other, in turn. And I entered to the Æons, clad in the greatest possible Light, forty and nine times greater than that, with which I shone in the House of the Fate. And all their Angels, Æons, Archangels, Rulers, Gods, Lords, Authorities, Tyrants, Powers, Sparks, Light-givers, Unpaired, Invisibles, Forefathers, and Triple Powers,§ saw me, being the most radiant, limitless Light. And they were thrown into confusion, one above the other, in turn. And great fear fell upon them, when they saw my great Light. [24] And their great confusion and fear reached to the Region of the Great, Invisible Forefather (1) also, and of the three great Triple-Powers. And because of the great fear of their confusion, the Great Forefather himself, and the three Triple-Powers, ceased not to run hither and thither, in their Regions, because of the great fear in which they were, and, at the same time, they threw into confusion all their Æons, and all their Spheres and Orderings, fearing and being greatly troubled, because of my great Light, far different from the Light I had when living (lit. turning) on the Earth of Men, when the shining Vesture came upon me. For (the Earth) could not bear the Light, such as it is in its reality, else would the World be resolved and all, who dwell therein, together. But, in the Twelve Æons, my Light was greater than in the World among you, eight thousand and seven hundred times (2).

"It came to pass, when all who turn in the Twelve Æons, saw the great Light, that they were confused, one above the other, in turn, and ran hither and thither in the Æons; and all the Æons, and Heavens, and their whole Ordering, were shaken, because of the great fear, which was in them [25] because they knew not the mystery, which was done (3).

"And Adamas, the Great Tyrant (4), and all the Tyrants, which are in all the Æons, began to fight vainly againt the Light. And they knew not, with what they fought, because they saw no one but only the most exceeding Light. But when they began to fight against the Light, they all lost courage, one with the other, in turn, and falling down in the Æons, became dead like the dwellers in the Earth, who are bereft of all breath. And I took a third part from the Power of all of them, lest they should prevail in their evil doings; and lest—if perchance the men who are in the World, should invoke them in their Mysteries, which the transgressing angels brought down from above, for these magical rites are from those angels—(such evil practices) should be accomplished. And I changed both the Fate and Sphere, which are their Lords, and made them turned for six months towards the left, and for six months aspecting the right, accomplishing their influences [26] for, by the command of the First Precept and of the First Mystery (5), ieu (6), the Watcher (or Overseer) of the Light, had placed them, facing the left, for all time, accomplishing their Influences and Actions."

And when he had said these things to his disciples, he added: "He that has ears to hear let him hear".

Now when Mary (7) had heard these words, which the Saviour said, having gazed into the sky with amazement,* for the space of one hour, she said: "Master, give commandment to me to speak openly". And Jesus answered with compassion, and said to her: "Speak openly, Mary, thou blessed one, whom I will perfect in all Mysteries, which pertain to the Height, thou, whose Heart is set on the Kingdom of the Heavens, more than the Hearts of all thy Brethren".

Then said Mary to the Saviour: [27] "Thou sayest the words, 'He that has ears to hear, let him hear', in order that we may understand thy conversation. Hear, therefore, my Master, I will speak the words openly, which thou saidest, to wit: 'I have taken away a third part in the Power of the Rulers of all the Æons, and have changed the Fate and Sphere, for thou didst deprive them of their power, and of their Ordainers of the Hour,† and Diviners, and those who show the men of the World all future things, so that they should not be able from this hour to foretell what should come to pass'. Concerning these words, my Master, the Power, which was in Esaias, the Prophet, spake as follows, and set it forth in a spiritual Parable, at the time, when he spake concerning the vision of Egypt: [28] 'Where, then, O Egypt, where are thy Diviners and Ordainers of the Hour; where those whom they summon from the earth, and those whom they call from themselves? Let them, then, show thee the deeds, which the Lord Sabaoth will accomplish!' Thus, then, before

thou camest, was the Power of the Prophet Esaias prophesying for thee, that thou shouldest take away the Power of the Rulers of the Æons, and shouldest change their Sphere and Fate, that they should not know anything thenceforth, from that hour. Of this very thing he said: 'Ye shall not, therefore, know what the Lord Sabaoth shall do': that is, no Ruler shall know the things, which thou wilt do henceforth, from this hour; which Rulers indeed are Egypt, (8) since they are the ineffectual Hyle, of which (the Power) in Esaias at that time prophesied, saying: 'Ye shall not, therefore, know henceforth, from this hour, what the Lord Sabaoth will do (to wit) concerning the power of Light, which thou didst take from Sabaoth, the Good, who is in the Region of the Right, which (Power) is in thy hylic body to-day.* For this cause, therefore, O Jesus, my Master, thou didst say to us: He that has ears to hear, let him hear!' For thou wouldest known whose Heart is earnestly set on the Kingdom of the Heavens."

And when Mary had ceased he said: "Well done, Mary, since thou art blessed before all women [29] who are on the Earth, for thou shalt be the Completion (Pleroma) of all Completions, and Limit of all Limits."

Now when Mary heard the Saviour say these words, she rejoiced greatly, and came to Jesus, and bowed herself before him, and adored his feet, saying: "Master, hear me, and I will ask thee this word, for thou hast not yet spoken with us concerning the Regions into which thou didst go."

And Jesus answered and said unto Mary: "Speak openly, and fear not; all things, which thou seekest, I will reveal to thee". And she said: "Master, will all those, who know the Mystery of the Magic of the Rulers of all the Æons, and of those of the Fate and of the Sphere, as the Transgressing Angels taught them (if they invoke them in their Mysteries, which are evil Magic Rites for the hindering of good deeds), will they accomplish their ends now at the present time, or not?"

And Jesus answered, and said to Mary: "They will not accomplish them, like as they accomplished them from the beginning, because I have taken the third part of their Power. But they will be in error (9) in the eyes of those, who know the Mysteries of the Magic of the Thirteenth Æon. (For the latter) will accomplish them finely, and exactly, [30] because I have not taken away their Power in that Region, according to the command of the First Mystery."

And Mary said: "Master, surely the Ordainers of the Hour, and Diviners, will not show to men what will come to pass, henceforth, from this time?" And Jesus answered, and said unto her: "If the Ordainers of the Hour chance upon the Fate, and the Sphere, turned towards the left, according to their first emanation, their words come to pass, and they will say what ought to be done; but if they meet with the Fate, or Sphere, turned towards the right, they will not obtain any truth, since I

* See Lucifer, No, 34, p. 316. pag. 14.

have changed their Influences, their Four and Three Angles, and their Eight Configurations (10); for these had remained turned to the left from the beginning. But now I have turned them six months to the left and six right. Whosoever, therefore, shall chance upon their Number, since the time when I changed them, so that for six months they aspect their left hand Parts, and for six their right hand Paths, [31]—he shall know their Influences whosoever shall observe them in this way, exactly, and shall announce all things, which they shall do. Likewise, also, the Diviners, if they invoke the Name of the Rulers, so that they light upon them when looking towards the left. All things, concerning they shall ask their Decans, shall be told them exactly. But if the Diviners invoke their Names, looking towards the right, they will not hear them, as aspecting a different Configuration from their first position, in which ieu placed them, for some of their Names are turned to the left, and some to the right. If, then, they thus invoke them, they will receive no truth, but they (the Decans) will throw them into confusion, and threaten them with threatening, because they know not that they are turned to the right."

[32] Now when Jesus had finished speaking, Philip sat and wrote all which he said (11).

And Philip having asked, and received, permission to speak, said unto Jesus: "Master, on account of what Mystery, has thou changed them, and didst thou this unto them for the Salvation of the World, or not?"

And Jesus answered: [33] "I have changed their Path for the Salvation of all souls. Amên, Amên, I say unto you, had I not changed their Path, they would have destroyed the host of Souls; the Rulers also of the Æons, and of the Fate, and Sphere, and all their Regions, and Heavens, and Æons, would have spent much time, without being resolved (or set free); moreover also, the Souls would have continued a long time without this Region (the Kosmos), and the Number of perfected Souls, which will be recorded in the Inheritance of the Height by the Mystery, and will be in the Treasure of Light, would have been delayed in its completion. For this cause, therefore, I changed their Path, that they might be disturbed, and, in their confusion, lose the power, which is in the Hyle of their World, which they make into Souls, in order that both themselves, and the whole of their Power, might be quickly purified, and conveyed to (or evolved into) those, who are to be saved, and that those who are not to be saved, might be quickly resolved."

And Mary said unto Jesus: [34] "Master, how is it that the Souls would have delayed outside this (the Æons, &c.,) quickly?"

And Jesus answered, and said to Mary: "Before I had revealed (my) Message to all the Rulers of the Æons, and of the Fate, and Sphere, they had been all bound by their own Chains, Spheres, and Seals, in the way, in which ieu', the Overseer of the Light, bound them from the beginning:

each of them was remaining in his own Order, and each walked in his own Course. And when the time of the Number of Melchisedec, the great Receiver of Light (12), had arrived [35], he kept coming into the midst of the Æeons, the Rulers bound in the Sphere, and Fate, and took away their pure Light, for he took it from them, by throwing them into confusion. And he urged on their Partisan (Spoudastén), who is over them, to turn their Circles quickly, and took away their Power, both the Breath of their Mouth, and Tears of their Eyes, and also the Sweat of their Bodies. And Melchisedec, the Receiver of Light, purified those that he might carry their Light into the Ministers (Leitourgoi) of all the Rulers (of the Æons) collected the Hyle of the rest of them, and the Ministers of all the Rulers of the Fate, and of the Sphere, which are below the Æons, received it, that they might make thence the Soul of men, and cattle, and reptiles, and beasts, and birds, and send it into the world of men. The Receivers of the Sun, and of the Moon, also,—when they had observed the Heavens, so that they might see the Figures of the Paths of the Æons, and the Figures of the Fate, and the Sphere, and that he (Melchisedec) had taken away the Power of their Light from them (the Æons),—also prepared themselves to scatter it (the Light), until they should give it to the Receivers of Melchisedec. [36] (So) they carried the pure Light and their (the Æons') hylic Evacuation (faecem) into the Sphere, which is below the Æons (13), that they might make thence the Soul of men, reptiles, cattle, beasts, and birds, according to the Circle of the Rulers of that Sphere, and according to all the Figures of their revolution, and cast them into the World of Men, and that the Souls might be made in that Region, according to the manner, which I have already told you. These things, therefore, they were accomplishing constantly, before their Power began to lessen, and weaken, in them and they became languid, and powerless. But when they became powerless, so that their Light began to cease, and their Kingdom to be resolved, and the Universe to quickly continue (or complete) its evolution (eveheretur); then, when they knew this by the circumstances, and the Number of his Reckoning (Pséphou) was accomplished, Melchisedec, the Receiver, began to come again, that he might enter into the midst of all the Rulers of the Æons, and of the Fate and Sphere, and disturbed them in order to requicken their Circles. [37] Forthwith, they are compressed, that they may cast out their Power from themselves, from the Breath of their Mouth, from the Tears of their Eyes, and from the Sweat of their Bodies, and Melchisedec, the Receiver of Light, purified them (ea? the Bodies!) perserveringly, and bore their Light into the Treasure of Light; and all the Rulers of the Æons, and the Rulers of the Fate and Sphere, surrounded the Hyle of their Evacuation (or error), that they might devour it, and not allow it to go so that Souls might be made in the World. They, therefore, devoured their Hyle, in order that they might not become powerless, and languid, and their Power cease in them and their Kingdom be dissolved;

but that they might linger, so as to delay the completion of the Number of perfected Souls, which will be in the Treasure of Light. Such things, then, they continued doing for two Circles."

([38–42] Pagg. 23-26 are repeated with some slight variations, the most interesting being: "For this cause, therefore, I said unto you: "I have shortened their Times, because of my Elect' (Cf. Matth. xxiv, 22; Markxiii, 20). Otherwise, no Soul could have been saved. But I have shortened their Times and Periods, because of the perfect number of Souls, which will receive the Mystery, which indeed are the Elect; for had I not done so, no hylic Soul could have been saved, but they would have perished in the Fire, which is in the Flesh of the Rulers") (14.)

Commentary.

Lucifer August 1890

Pistis-Sophia.

"AFTER this, I came into the Height, to the Veils of the Thirteenth Æon.* And its Veils were drawn together of their own accord, and opened for me. And having entered the Thirteenth of the /Eons, I found Pistis-Sophia (1) below the Thirteenth Æon, alone, none of them turning near her. But she was sitting in that Region grieving mourning, because they had not brought her to the Thirteenth Æon, her proper Region in the Height. She was grieving also because of the vexations, which the Self-willed One caused her, which is one of those Three Triple-Powers,† [43] whose Mystery I will tell you, if I shall come to speak of their Emanation.‡

"And when Pistis-Sophia saw me, changed into the most brilliant Light, she was in great perturbation; and gazing into the Light of my Vesture, she saw the Mystery of her own Name (2) therein, and the whole Splendour of her Mystery, in as much as she had been in the Beginning in the Region of the Height, in the Thirteenth Æon. So she began to sing to the Light, which is in the Height, which she saw in the Veil of the Treasure of Light. And it came to pass that, when she continued singing to the Light, which is in the Height, that all the Rulers looked on, being in the presence of the Two Great Triple-Powers and of her Invisible, paired with her, and of the Two-and-Twenty Invisible Projections,§ since Pistis-Sophia and her Syzygy, and the Two-and-Twenty other Projections made up the Four-and-Twenty Projections which the Great Invisible Forefather,‖ and the Two Great Triple-Powers emanated."

And when Jesus had said these things to his Disciples, Mary came forward and said: "Master, I have heard thee say that Pistis-Sophia also was among the Four-and-Twenty Projections. How then was she not in their Region? For thou hast said: [44] 'I found her below the Thirteenth Æon'."

And Jesus answered, and said unto his Disciples: "When Pistis-Sophia was in the Thirteenth of the Æons, in the Region of all her Sisters, the

Invisibles, which are themselves the Four-and-Twenty Projections of the Great Invisible—by the command of the First Mystery, she looked into the Height and saw the Light of the Veil of the Treasure of Light. And she desired to go into that Region, but could not come into it. (Nevertheless) she ceased doing the Mystery of the Thirteenth Æon, and began to sing to the Light of the Height, which she saw in the Light of the Veil of the Treasure of Light. And when she began to sing, the Rulers, which are in the Twelve Æons, to wit, all those which are in the lower part, held her in detestation, because she ceased in their Mysteries, and wished to go into the Height, to be above them. And the Great Triple Power, the Self-willed One, which is the third Triple-Power, and turns itself in the Thirteenth Æon, the disobedient one, which refused to project the whole Purity of its Power, and to present a pure Light, at the time when the Rulers gave their Purity, [45] wishing to be Lord over all the Thirteenth Æon, and the Æons below it—this Great Self-willed Triple-Power followed the Twelve Æons in their rage and hate, and projected from itself a great Power with the appearance of a Lion,* and emitted also from its Hyle another multitude of Hylic Projections, very violent, and sent them into the Lower Regions, to the Parts of Chaos, that they might lay in wait for Pistis-Sophia there, and take away her Power, for that owing to her desire to go to the Height, she was held in detestation by the Rulers, which stand, or remain, in their Mystery, which they do, and also by all the Guardians who are at the Gate of the Æons.

"After this, by the Statute of the First Statute,† the Great Self-willed Triple Power kept persecuting Pistis-Sophia in the Thirteenth Æon, that she might gaze upon the Lower Parts, and so see its Power of Light in that Region, which has the appearance of a Lion, and desire it, and come into that Region, so that they might take away her Light. So it came to pass that, after this, she looked from above, and saw the Power of Light in the Lower Parts, and knew not that it pertained to the Triple-Power, the Self-willed One, but imagined that it was from the Light, which she saw in the Beginning in the Height, which is from the Veil of the Treasure of Light; and she thought within herself: 'I will come into that Region without my Syzygy,‡ to take the Light, which the Æons of Light§ have procreated for me, that I may come to the Light of Lights, which is in the Height of Heights.'

"Thus pondering, she went forth from her own Region of the

Thirteenth Æon, and entered* into the Twelve Æons. And the Rulers of the Æons kept pursuing her, and were enraged against her, for that she thought to enter into the Greatness. And issuing from the Twelve Æons, she came into the Regions of Chaos, and drew near to the Power of Light with the appearance of a Lion, in order that it might devour her. [47] And all the Hylic Projections of the Self-willed One surrounded her. And the great Power of Light with the appearance of a Lion devoured the Powers of Light in Sophia; and (also) purified (or expelled) her Light and Hyle and devoured them. (Thus then) they cast her forth into Chaos. And in Chaos was the Ruler with the appearance of a Lion, of which the one-half is Flame, and the other half Mist, which is Ialdabaoth (3), of which I have spoken to you many times. Now when this was done Sophia was most exceedingly weakened. And the Power of Light with the appearance of a Lion endeavoured further to remove utterly the remaining Powers of Light in Sophia as well. And all the Hylic Powers of the Self-willed One surrounded her at the same time, and cast her down. But she, crying out exceedingly, called to the Light of Lights, which she saw in the Beginning, trusting in it, and recited this Repentance! as follows:—

"Preserve me, O Light, for evil thoughts have come upon me. I have gazed, O Light, into the Lower Parts. I have seen the Light in that Region, [48] thinking that I should come thither to take that Light. And having issued forth, I am turned about in the Mist‡ of the Lower Chaos. Nor have I been able to soar forth, to come into my own Region, because that I am cast down in all the Projections of the Self-willed One, and the Power with the appearance of a Lion has taken away my Light. I have cried for help, but my voice has not ascended in the Mist. And I have looked into the Height, that the Light, in which I have trusted, might aid me. And when I had looked into the Height, I saw all the Rulers of the many Æons. And gazing on me, they rejoice over me, although I do them no ill. But they hated me without a cause. And the Projections of the Self-willed One, which were afflicting me unjustly, when they saw the Rulers of the Æons rejoicing over me, understood that they would not bring me any help, and had confidence. And the Light, which I had not received from them, they took from me. Now, therefore, O Light of Truth,§ thou knowest that I did these things in my Foolishness,‖ thinking that the Light with the appearance of a Lion pertained to thee. The sin which I have committed is clear before thee. Let me no more be

in want, for I have trusted in thy Light, even from the Beginning. Suffer me no more, O Lord, Light of Powers, to lack my Light. For it is because of thy inducement and Light, that I am thus cast down. And shame has covered me. [49] And because of thy Light, I am a stranger to my Brethren,* the Invisibles, and also to the Great Projections of Barbelo.† These things have happened to me, O Light, because I have envied thy Dwelling. And the wrath of the Self-willed One, which did not listen to thy command, to cast its own Power out of its Projection, has come upon me, because I was in its Æon, not doing its Mystery. And all the Rulers of the Æons were making sport at me. And I am in that Region, lamenting, seeking thy Light, which I saw in the Height. And all the Guardians of the Gate of the Æons, which hold to their (the Æons') Mystery, kept seeking me and mocking at me. But I kept gazing into the Height, upwards, to thee, O Light, and trusted in thee. Now, therefore, O Light of Lights, Thou art cast down‡ in the Mist of Chaos. If, therefore, thou wilt come to preserve me, great is thy mercy; hear me in truth, and preserve me. Free me from the Hyle of this Mist, that I may not be immersed therein, that I may be freed from the Projections of the Self-willed Deity, which cast me down, and from their evils; let not this Mist devour me, nor this Power with the appearance of a Lion. Let it not devour the whole of my Power entirely, nor let this Chaos hide it. [50] Hear me, O Light, for thy mercy is good, and look upon me, according to the abundance of the mercy of thy Light. Turn not now thy face from me, for I am exceedingly tormented. Haste thee, hear me, and preserve my Power. Preserve me because of the Rulers, which hate me; for thou knowest my affliction, and my torment, and my broken Power, which they have taken away from me. They who have set me in all these evils, are in thy presence. Deal with them according to thy will. My Power looks forth from the midst of Chaos and Darkness. I have waited for my Syzygy, that it might come and fight for me, and it came not. And I had waited that it might come and give me strength, and I found it not. And when I sought for Light, they gave me Mist: and when I sought for my Power, they gave me Hyle. Now, therefore, Light of Lights, the Projections of the Self-willed One have brought Mist and Hyle upon me. Let snares be set for them, and let them be ensnared. Recompense them, and let them stumble,§ that they may not come into the Region of their own Self-willed One. Let them remain in Darkness, so that they may not see the Light. Let them behold Chaos for all time, and look not into the Height. Bring upon them their punishment, and let thy judgment seize upon them. [51] Let them not come into their own Region, to their Self-willed Deity henceforth from this

hour. For their Deity is impious, and thought that it had done these evils itself, not knowing that had I had not been humbled by thy Statute, it would not have prevailed against me; but when thou hadst humbled me, it pursued me the more and its Projections added grief to my humiliation, and took away the Power of my Light, and began again to be hostile to me and afflicted me exceedingly to take away all my Light. On account of these things, therefore, in which they have set me, let them not ascend into the Thirteenth Æon, the Region of Righteousness. And let them not be counted in the Lot of those, who purify themselves and their Light, nor of those who will repent quickly, that they may quickly receive the Mystery in the Light. Now, therefore, O Light, that which is in thee, is with me; I sing thy name in glory. May my Hymn please thee, even as the excellent Mystery, which pertains to the Gates of Light,* which they, who have repented, will tell of, and will purify its Light. Now, therefore, let all Hyle (pl.) rejoice. [52] Seek ye all the Light. The Power of your Soul shall live, for the Light has heard the Hyle (pl.), nor will it leave any, without purging them. Let all Souls and Hyle (pl.), the Æons and Hyle (pl.) of all therein, praise the Lord, for the Deity will free their Soul from all Hyle, and they shall prepare a City in the Light. And all Souls, which it shall free, shall dwell in that City, that they may have a Lot therein. And the Souls of them, who shall undertake the Mystery, shall be in that Region. And they, who have undertaken the Mystery in his Name, shall be in the City."

"And when Jesus had spoken these words, he said: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." And Mary coming forward again, said: "Master, my Dweller in the Light† hath ears, and I hear in my Power of Light, and thy Spirit, which is with me, is sober (or free from passion) for me. [53] Hear, therefore, I will speak concerning the Repentance, which Pistis-Sophia made, and all that befell her, which thy Power of Light prophesied concerning her, at that time, through the Prophet David, in the sixty-ninth Psalm, 'Save me, O God, for the waters are come in unto my soul.' [54, 55] This is the solution of the Mystery of the Repentance of Pistis-Sophia. [56, 57] [And Jesus commended M ary for her interpretation, and narrates the Second Repentance of Sophia.] [58] And Peter starting forward, cried out:] "Master, we will not suffer this woman to thus take our place from us, and allow none of us to speak." And Jesus answered and said to his Disciples: Let him, in whom the Power of his Spirit is inebullition, to understand what I say, come forward to speak. (Speak), then, Peter: I see thy Power in thee, understanding the solution of the Mystery of the Repentance, which Pistis-Sophia uttered". [And Peter gave the interpretation thereof by reciting the seventy-first Psalm of

David, (v.v. 1–13), 'O God, my God, I have trusted in thee; let me not be afflicted with shame for ever.' [59,60] And Jesus commended Peter and said:] "Amên, Amên, I say unto you, I will perfect you in all Completion, from the Mysteries of the Exterior to the Mysteres of the Interior, and I will fill you with the Spirit: for they shall call you Pneunatics,* perfected in all Completion. Amên, Amên, I say unto you, I will give you all the Mysteries of all the Regions of my Father,† and of all the Regions of the First Mystery, that what you receive on Earth, may be taken to the Light of the Height, and what ye reject on Earth, may be rejected in Heavens."

[61, 62] [Jesus then declares the Third Repentance of Sophia, which is explained by Martha, who is of a "perceptive Spirit", from the seventieth Psalm. And Jesus commended Martha, and said:] "Moreover Pistis-Sophia proceeded to utter her Fourth Repentance, before the Power with the appearance of a Lion, and all the Hylic Projections, which the Self-willed One sent into Chaos, compressed her again. [63] She recited, therefore, this Repentance as follows: 'O Light, in whom I have trusted, hear my Repentance, and let my voice bome into thy Dwelling-place. Turn not they Image of Light from me, but regard me for they are oppressing me. Haste thee, preserve me, at the time, when I shall cry to thee, for my time vanishes as vapour, and I am become as Hyle. They have taken away my Light, and my Power is dried up. I have forgotten my Mystery, which I performed in the Beginning. Because of the uproar of the fear and power of the Self-willed One, my Power has failed me. I am become as like a separated Dæmon (idios daimôn) dwelling in Hyle, in which there is no Light, and I am become like the Counterfeit of the Spirit, (5) which is in the Hylic Body, in which there is no Power of Light; and I am become like as a Decan alone in the Air. (6) The Projections of the Self-willed One compressed me mightily. And my syzagy said to itself: "Instead of the Light, which was in her, they have filled her with Chaos". I have devoured the Sweat of my own Hyle, and the Anguish of the Tears of the Hyle of my Eyes (7), that they, who afflict me, might not take what remains. [64] All these things, O Light, have been done to me by thy Statute and Order; and it is thy Statute that I am therein. Thy Statute brought me to the Lower Region, and I am come thither, like as a Power of Chaos. And my Power has waxed cold in me. But thou, O Lord, thou art Light for ever, and thou dost visit the afflicted at all times. Now, therefore, O Light, arise, seek my Power and Soul. Thy Statute is accomplished, which thou didst decree for me in my afflictions. My Time is such that thou mayest seek my Power and Soul. This is the Time, which thou didst decree for seeking me, in that thy Preservers‡ have sought

the Power in my Soul, because my Number is perfected, and that they may keep its Hyle also. Then, indeed, shall all the Rulers of the Hylic Æons fear the Mystery of thy Light, so that others shall put on the Purity of their own Light, because the Lord shall seek the Power of your* Soul. He has revealed his own Mystery, because he is about to regard the Repentance of those, who turn in the Lower Regions, nor has he disregarded their Repentance. This, then, is that Mystery, which is made the Type of the Race, which has to be generated, and the Race, which has to be generated, will hymn to the Height, because the Light has gazed upon it, from the Height of its Light: [65] it will gaze into every Hyle, that it may hear the groaning of the bound, and free the Power of the Souls, whose Power they have bound, and place its Name in the Soul, and its Mystery in the Power."

[66] And John came forward and having adored the Breast† of Jesus, asked and received permission to speak; and explained the Repentance by the one hundred and first Psalm.

Commentary.