Hippolytus, Refutatio Omnium Haeresium (= Philosophumena)

. . λαβὼν καὶ γράψαι τὸν πυνθανόμενον ἀξιοῖ τί ἂν πυθέσθαι τῶν δαιμόνων θέλῃ [ὕδατι] μόνον. Εἶτα συμπτύξας τὸν χάρτην τῷ παιδὶ δοὺς ἀποπέμπει καυθησόμενον, ἵν᾿ οἴχ[ηται φέρ]ων ὁ καπνὸς τοῖς δαίμοσι τὰ γράμματα· τοῦ δὲ τὸ κελευσθὲν πράξοντος πρῶτα μὲν ἀφαιρεῖ τοῦ χάρτου μοίρας ἴσας· πλείονας δέ τινας σκήπτεται ἐγγράφειν ἑβραϊκοῖς γράμμασι δαίμονας, εἶτα μάγων Αἰγυπτίων θύσας τὸ καλούμενον κῦφι θυμίαμα ταῦτα μὲν ἐπαιωρήσας κατὰ τοῦ θυμιάματος φέρει· ὅ δ᾿ ἔτυχε γράψας ὁ πυνθανόμενος θεὶς κατὰ τῶν ἀνθράκων ἔκαυ[σεν], εἶτα θεοφορεῖσθαι δοκῶν, εἰσπεσὼν τῷ μυχῷ μέγα καὶ ἀπηχὲς κέκραγε καὶ πᾶσιν ἀσύνετον· . . . [π]ολὺ δὲ πάντας τοὺς παρόντας . . . καὶ τὸν φρῦν [χάρ]τῃ ἐγγρα[φέντα] ἐπικαλοῦντες δαίμονα ἐπειδὰν εἰσελθόντες παραστῶσιν οἱ παρόντες ἐπὶ . . . βαλὼν τὸν παῖδα πολλὰ ἐπιλέγει αὐτῷ, τοῦτο μὲν ἑλλάδι φωνῇ τοῦτο δὲ ὡς ἑβραΐδι, τὰς συνήθεις τοῖς μάγοις ἐπαοιδάς· ὁ δὲ ἐνάρχεται προσπευσόμενος. Καὶ ἔνδον φιάλη ὕδατος πλήρης, ᾗ ἐμβαλὼν χάλκανθον καὶ τήξας τὸ φάρμακον τὸ δῆθεν ἐξαλειφθὲν χαρτίον δι᾿ αὐτοῦ καταρράνας τὰ φωλεύοντα καὶ κεκρυμμένα γράμματα πάλιν εἰς φῶς ἐλθεῖν ἀναγκάζει, δι᾿ ὧν μανθάνει ἅπερ ὁ πυθόμενος ἔγραψε. Καὶ διὰ τοῦ χαλκάνθου δέ τις εἰ γράψειε καὶ τῆς κηκῖδος ὑποθυμιάσειε λελειωμένης, φανερὰ γένοιτ᾿ ἂν τὰ κεκρυμμένα γράμματα. Καὶ γάλακτι δὲ εἰ γράψειέ τις, εἶτα χάρτην καύσας καὶ λειώσας ἐπιπάσας τρίψειεν ἐπὶ τοῖς τῷ γάλακτι γεγραμμένοις γράμμασιν, ἔσται πρόδηλα. Καὶ οὖρον δὲ καὶ γάρον καὶ τιθυμάλου ὀπὸς καὶ συκῆς ποιεῖ τὸ ὅμοιον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔμαθε τὴν ἐρώτησιν οὕτως, τίνα χρὴ τρόπον ἀποκρίνεσθαι προὐνόησε. Καὶ λοιπὸν εἴσω παρελθεῖν κελεύει τοὺς παρόντας δάφνας ἔχοντας καὶ σείοντας καὶ κεκραγότας καὶ τὸν φρῆν ἐπικαλοῦντας δαίμονα· καὶ γὰρ ἐπικαλεῖν τούτοις πρέπει καὶ τοῦτο αἰτεῖν παρὰ δαιμόνων ἄξιον, ὃ δι᾿ αὑτῶν παρέχειν οὐ θέλουσιν ἀπολέσαντες τὰς φρένας. Τὸ δὲ ἄκοσμον τῆς βοῆς καὶ ὁ ψόφος οἷς ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ πεποιηκέναι νομίζεται παρακολουθεῖν ἐκώλυσε. Τίνα δὲ ταῦτα ἐστί, καιρὸς λοιπὸν λέγειν. Πολὺ μὲν οὖν τυγχάνει τὸ σκότος. Λέγει γὰρ ἀδύνατον τὰ θεῖα ὁρᾷν θνητὴν φύσιν, ἱκανὸν γὰρ τὸ ὁμιλεῖν. Κατακλίνας δὲ τὸν παῖδα πρηνῆ καὶ δύο τῶν γραμματιδίων ἐκείνων, ἅπερ ἠν ἐγγεγραμμένα ἑβραϊκοῖς δῆθεν γράμμασιν ὡς δαιμόνων ὀνόματα, πλευρᾷ παραθεὶς ἑκατέρᾳ τὰ λοιπὰ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἐνθήσειν λέγει. Ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο αὐτὸ ἀναγκαῖον, ἴνα τι παραθῇ τοῖς ὠσὶ τοῦ παιδὸς ὄργανον, δι᾿ οὗ πᾶν ἔστι σημᾶναι θέλοντα· ἠχεῖ δὲ τὸ πρῶτον ἵνα φοβηθῇ ὁ παῖς, καὶ δεύτερον ἐπιβομβεῖ, ἔπειτα τὸ τρίτον λαλεῖ διὰ τοῦ ὀργάνου, ἃ λέγειν τὸν παῖδα βούλεται, καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ πράγματος ὡς δοκεῖ, εἶτα τοὺς μὲν παρόντας ἡσυχάζειν ποιεῖ, τὸν δὲ ἃ παρὰ τῶν δαιμόνων ἤκουσε σημαίνειν ἀξιοῖ. Τὸ δὲ τοῖς ὠσὶ παρατεθὲν ὄργανον ἐστὶ φυσικὸν ὄργανον, τῶν μακροτραχήλων γεράνων ἢ πελαργῶν ἢ κύκνων ἀρτηρία· ὧν εἰ μηδέτερον παρῇ, ἐστὶ καὶ ἕτερα τέχνης ὄργανα· αὐλίσκοι γάρ τινες χάλκεοι τὸν ἀριθμὸν δέκα εἰς ἀλλήλους χωροῦντες, εἰς στενὸν ἀπολήγοντες εὐάρμοστοι γίνονται, δι᾿ ὧν πρὸς τὸ οὗς ὅσα θέλει φθέγγεται. Καὶ ταῦτα ὁ παῖς κατακούων ἐμφόβως ὡς ὑπὸ δαιμόνων λαλούμενα κελευσθεὶς ἀποφθέγγεται. Εἰ δὲ καὶ σκύτος τις ῥάβδῳ περιθεὶς ὑγρὸν ξηράνας καὶ συναγαγὼν προσαρμόσῃ καὶ ἀποσπάσας τὴν ῥάβδον αὐλίσκου δίκην τὸ σκύτος ἐργάσηται, τὸ ὅμοιον ποιεῖ. Εἰ δέ τι τούτων μὴ παρῇ, βίβλον λαβὼν ἐπισπασάμενος ἔνδοθεν ὅσον χρῄζει ἐπὶ μῆκος ἐκτείνας, τὰ ὅμοια ἐνεργεῖ. Εἰ δὲ προειδείη ὅστις πάρεστι πευσόμενος, ἑτοιμότερος πρὸς πάντα γίνεται. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν πεῦσιν προμάθῃ, γράφει τῷ φαρμάκῳ· καὶ ὡς ἐμπαράσκευος ἱκανώτερος νομίζεται σαφῶς γράψας τὸ ἐρωτώμενον. Εἰ δὲ ἀγνοεῖ, ὑποτοπάζει καὶ ἀμφίβολον καὶ ποικίλην ἀποφαίνεταί τι δεχόμενον μετάφρασιν, ἵνα τὴν μὲν ἀρχὴν ἄσημος οὖσα ἡ χρησμοδοσία εἰς πολλὰ ἔσται, ἐπὶ δὲ τῇ ἐκβάσει τῶν συμβησομένων πρὸς τὸ συμβὰν πρόρρησις νομίζηται. Εἶτα λεκάνην πληρώσας ὕδατος ὡς ἄγραφον τὸν χάρτην καθίησι συνεμβαλὼν χάλκανθον. οὕτως γὰρ ἀνατέλλει τὴν ἀπόκρισιν φέρων ὁ γραφεὶς χάρτης. Τῷ μὲν δὴ παιδίῳ καὶ φαντασίαι φοβεραὶ γίνονται πολλάκις· καὶ γὰρ πληγὰς ἐμβάλλει εὐπόρως ἐκφοβῶν. Λίβανον γὰρ εἰς πῦρ ἐμβαλὼν πάλιν ποιεῖ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον. Βῶλον τῶν λεγομένων ὀρυκτῶν ἁλῶν κηρῷ Τυρρηνικῷ περισκεπάσας καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ λιβάνου βῶλον διχοτομήσας ἐντίθησι τοῦ ἅλατος χόνδρον, καὶ πάλιν συγκολλήσας ἐπὶ ἀνθράκων καιομένων τιθεὶς ἐᾷ. Τοῦ δὲ συγκαέντος οἱ ἅλες ἀναπηδῶντες φαντασίαν ἀπεργάζονται ὥσπερ ξένου θεάματος γινομένου· αἱματώδη δὲ φλόγα ποιεῖ τὸ ἰνδικὸν μέλαν ἐντεθὲν τῷ λιβανωτῷ καθὼς προείπαμεν. Αἱματώδη δὲ ὑγρασίαν ποιεῖ κηρὸν ἀγχούσῃ ἀναμίξας καὶ ὡς ἔφην τῷ λιβανωτῷ τὸν κηρὸν ἐνθέμενος· ἄνθρακας δὲ κινεῖσθαι ποιεῖ σχιστὴν ὑποθεὶς στυπτηρίαν, ἧς λυομένης καὶ δίκην πομφολύγων διοιδούσης κινοῦνται οἱ ἄνθρακες.

[...] Taking [a sheet], he bids the inquirer write what he wishes to learn from the daimones [spirits], [with water] only. Then, folding the sheet, he gives it to the boy and sends him off to burn it, so that the smoke may [go off carry]ing the letters to the daimones. While the boy is about to do as he was told, he first removes equal portions of the sheet; and on a number of [other pieces] he makes a show of writing [the names of] daimones in Hebrew letters; then, burning the incense of the Egyptian magicians called kyphi [a compound incense], he holds these [pieces] up over the incense and carries them [off]. What the inquirer had happened to write he placed on the coals and burn[ed]. Then, seeming to be possessed by a god, he rushes into the inner chamber and lets out a loud, harsh cry, unintelligible to all. [...] all those present much [...], also calling on the daimōn [spirit] Phryn, writ[ten] on the [she]et. When those present have come in and stand by, [...] placing the boy on [...], he pronounces many things over him, some in Greek, some as if in Hebrew, the incantations customary among magicians; and he begins, as one about to put the question. Inside there is a bowl full of water: throwing vitriol into it and dissolving the drug, he sprinkles the supposedly blotted-out sheet with it and forces the lurking, hidden letters to come back into the light, and through them he learns what the inquirer wrote. And if one writes with vitriol and fumigates [the writing] from below with powdered oak-gall, the hidden letters will become visible. And if one writes with milk, and then burns paper, grinds it, sprinkles it on and rubs it over the letters written in milk, they will be plain to see. Urine, too, and fish sauce, and the juice of spurge and of the fig do the same. When he has learned the question in this way, he works out in advance in what manner he ought to answer. And then he bids those present come inside holding laurel branches, shaking them and crying out and calling on the daimōn Phren; and indeed it is fitting for them to call on him, and right for them to ask from daimones what they are unwilling to provide by their own means, having lost their phrenes [wits]. The disorder of the shouting and the din kept [them] from following what he is supposed to have done in secret. What these things are, it is now time to say. Now the darkness is deep. For he says that mortal nature cannot see divine things; it is enough to converse [with them]. Laying the boy face down, and placing two of those little slips, which had been inscribed in supposedly Hebrew letters as names of daimones, beside either side of him, he says that he will put the rest in his ears. This very thing is necessary, so that he may set by the boy's ears an instrument through which he can signal everything he wishes. First he makes a noise so that the boy is frightened, second he makes a booming over him, then third he speaks through the instrument what he wants the boy to say, and the outcome of the matter as he sees fit; then he makes those present keep quiet, and bids the boy declare what he heard from the daimones. The instrument set by the ears is a natural instrument, the windpipe of long-necked cranes or storks or swans; if none of these is to hand, there are other instruments made by art: for certain small bronze pipes, ten in number, fitting into one another and tapering to a narrow end, are joined together well, and through them he utters into the ear whatever he wishes. And the boy, hearing these things in fear as spoken by daimones, pronounces them when bidden. And if one wraps wet leather around a rod, dries it, draws it together and fits it, then pulls out the rod and makes the leather into a kind of pipe, it does the same. If none of these is to hand, he takes a book-roll, draws it out from the inside, extending it to whatever length he needs, and achieves the same effect. If he knows beforehand who is present to inquire, he is readier for everything. And if he also learns the question in advance, he writes with the drug; and, being well prepared, he is thought the more capable, having written out clearly what was asked. If he does not know, he guesses and declares something ambiguous and varied, admitting of different interpretations, so that the oracle, being obscure at the outset, may apply to many things, and at the outcome of events may be thought a prediction of what happened. Then, filling a basin with water, he lets down into it the sheet as if it were unwritten, throwing in vitriol with it; for in this way the written sheet comes up bearing the answer. Frightening apparitions, too, often appear to the boy; for he readily deals blows to terrify him. For, throwing frankincense into the fire, he again does it in this way: covering a lump of what is called rock salt with Tyrrhenian wax, and splitting a lump of the frankincense itself in two, he puts the grain of salt inside, glues it together again, sets it on burning coals and leaves it. When it has burned through, the salt grains leap up and produce an apparition, as though some strange sight were taking place. Indian black placed in the frankincense, as we said before, makes a blood-red flame. He makes a blood-like liquid by mixing wax with alkanet and, as I said, putting the wax into the frankincense. And he makes the coals move by putting split alum under them; as it melts and swells up like bubbles, the coals move.

Δοκεῖ οὖν παρατάξαι μίαν τινὰ τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς δοξαζομένων βίβλων, ἐν ᾗ λέγει· Ἐγὼ φωνὴ ἐξυπνισμοῦ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τῆς νυκτός· λοιπὸν ἄρχομαι γυμνοῦν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ χάους δύναμιν. Ἡ δύναμις τοῦ ἀβυσσικοῦ θολοῦ, ἡ τὸν πηλὸν ἀναβαστάζουσα τοῦ ἀφθάρτου ἀχανοῦς διΰγρου, ἡ τοῦ σπάσματος ὅλη δύναμις ὑδατόχρους ἀεικίνητος, φέρουσα τὰ μένοντα, κατέχουσατὰ τρέμοντα, ἀπολύουσα τὰ ἐρχόμενα, κουφίζουσα τὰ μένοντα, καθαιροῦσα τὰ αὔξοντα, πιστὴ οἰκονόμος τοῦ ἴχνους τῶν ἀέρων, ἡ τὰ ἀνερευγόμενα ἀπὸ τῶν δώδεκα ὀφθαλμῶν ἐντολῆς ἀπολαύουσα, σφραγῖδα δηλοῦσα πρὸς τὴν μετ᾿ αὐτῶν οἰκονομοῦσαν τῶν ἐπιφερομένων ἀοράτων ὑδάτων δύναμιν, ἐκλήθη Θάλασσα. ,Ταύτην τὴν δύναμιν ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐκάλεσε Κρόνον, δεσμοῖς φρουρούμενον, ἐπεὶ ἔσφιγγε τὸ σύμπλεγμα τοῦ πυκνοῦ καὶ ὁμιχλώδους ἀδήλου σκοτεινοῦ ταρτάρου. Ταύτης ἐγένοντο κατ᾿ εἰκόνα Κηφεύς, Προμηθεύς, Ἰαπετός. Δύναμις πεπιστευμένη τὴν Θάλασσαν ἀρρενόθηλυς, ἣ τὸν ἀνατρέχοντα συριγμὸν ἀπὸ τῶν δώδεκα στομάτων τοῖς δώδεκα αὐλίσκοις ἁρμόζουσα διαχύνει λεπτὴ οὖσα καὶ καθαιροῦσα τὴν κατέχουσαν λάβρον ἀναφοράν, καὶ σφραγίζει ἀτραπῶν ὁ δοὺς αὐτῆς, πρὸς τὸ μὴ πολεμῆσαι ἢ ἐναλλάξαι τὸ μὴ δι᾿ αὐτῆς θυγάτηρ τυφωνικὴ πιστὴ φύλαξ ὑδάτων παντοίων. Ὄνομα αὐτῇ Χορζάρ· ταύτην ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐκάλεσε Ποσειδῶνα, οὗ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένετο Γλαῦκος, Μελικέρτης, Ἰνώ, Νεβρόη. Περιεσφαιρωκὼς τὴν δωδεκαγώνιον πυραμίδα, πύλην εἰς πυραμίδα σκοτίζων ποικίλαις χρόαις καὶ ἀπαρτίζων πᾶσαν τὴν νυκτόχρουν. Τοῦτον ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐκάλεσε Κόρην, οὖ λειτουργοὶ πέντε· πρῶτος Οὔ, δεύτερος Ἀοαί, τρίτος Οὐώ, τέταρτος Οὐωάβ, πέμπτος . . . ἄλλοι πιστοὶ οἰκονόμοι αὐτοῦ τῆς τοπαρχίας ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς οἱ ἀναπαυόμενοι ἐν τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ αὐτῶν. Τούτους ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐκάλεσε τοὺς πλανήτας ἀστέρας, ἐφ᾿ ὧν ἡ φθαρτὴ γένεσις ἑώρηται. Ἀέρος ἀνατολῆς οἰκονόμος, Καρφακασηεοχείρ, Ἐκκαββάκαρα· τούτους ἐκάλεσεν ἡ ἀγνωσία Κουρῆτας· ἄρχων ἀνέμων τρίτος Ἀριήλ, οὗ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένετο Αἴολος, Βριάρης. Καὶ ἄρχων δωδεκαώρου νυκτερινῆς Σοκλάν, ὃν ἐκάλεσεν ἡ ἀγνωσία Ὄσιριν· τούτου κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένετο Ἄδμητος, Μήδεια, Ἕλλην, Αἴθουσα. Ἄρχων ἡμερινῆς δωδεκαώρου Εὐνώ· οὗτος οἰκονόμος τῆς πρωτοκαμάρου ἀνατολῆς καὶ αἰθερίου, ὃν ἐκάλεσεν ἡ ἀγνωσία Ἶσιν. Τούτου σημεῖον τὸ κυνὸς ἄστρον, οὗ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένοντο Πτολεμαῖος ὁ Ἀρσινόης, Διδύμη, Κλεοπάτρα, Ὀλυμπιάς. Δύναμις θεοῦ δεξιά, ἣν ἐκάλεσεν ἡ ἀγνωσία Ῥέαν, οὗ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένοντο Ἄττις, Μύγδων, Οἰνώνη. Δύναμις ἀριστερὰ τροφῆς ἐξουσιάζει, ἣν ἐκάλεσεν ἡ ἀγνωσία Δήμητραν, ὄνομα αὐτῇ Βένα· τούτου κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένοντο Κελεός, Τριπτόλεμος, Μίσυρ, Ἀπραξία. Δύναμις δεξιὰ ἐξουσιάζει καρπῶν· τοῦτον ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐκάλεσε Μῆνα, οὗ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένοντο Βουμέγας, Ὀστάνης, Ἑρμῆς τρισμέγιστος, Κουρίτης, Πετόσιρις, Ζωδάριον, Βηρωσός, Ἀστράμψουχος, Ζωρόαστρις. Δύναμις πυρὸς εὐώνυμος· τοῦτον ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐκάλεσεν Ἥφαιστον, οὗ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένοντο Ἐριχθόνιος, Ἀχιλλεύς, Καπανεύς, Φλέγων, Μελέαγρος, τὰ δύηκεν, Κέλαδος, Ῥαφαήλ, Σουριήλ, Ὀμφάλη. Δυνάμεις τρεῖς μέσαι τοῦ ἀέρος κρεμάμεναι, αἰτίαι γενέσεως. Ταύτας ἡ ἀγνωσία ἐκάλεσε Μοίρας, ὧν κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένοντο οἶκος Πριάμου, οἶκος Λαΐου, Ἰνώ, Αὐτονόη, Ἀγαυή, Ἀθάμας, Πρόκνη, Δαναΐδες, Πελιάδες. Δύναμις ἀρσενόθηλυς ἀεὶ νηπιάζουσα, ἀγήρατος, αἰτία κάλλους, ἡδονῆς, ἀκμῆς, ὀρέξεως, ἐπιθυμίας, ὃν ἐκάλεσεν ἡ ἀγνωσία Ἔρωτα, οὗ κατ᾿ εἰκόνα ἐγένοντο Πάρις, Νάρκισσος, Γανυμήδης, Ἐνδυμίων, Τιθωνός, Ἰκάριος, Λήδα, Ἀμυμώνη, Θέτις, Ἑσπερίδες, Ἰασίων, Λέανδρος, Ἡρώ. Οὗτοι εἰσὶν οἱ προάστειοι ἕως αἰθέρος· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐπιγράφει τὸ βιβλίον.

It seems good, then, to set out one of the books held in esteem among them, in which it says: I am the voice of awakening in the aeon of night; henceforth I begin to lay bare the power that comes from Chaos. The power of the abyssal murk, which bears up the mud of the incorruptible, gaping, watery [deep], the whole power of the convulsion, water-coloured, ever-moving, bearing what stays, holding fast what trembles, releasing what comes, lightening what stays, cutting back what grows, faithful steward of the track of the airs, which enjoys command of what wells up from the twelve eyes, showing a seal to the power that, together with them, administers the invisible waters borne above, was called Sea. This power ignorance called Cronus, guarded in bonds, since he bound tight the tangle of dense, misty, obscure, dark Tartarus. In its image came to be Cepheus, Prometheus, Iapetus. A male-female power entrusted with the Sea, which, fitting the hissing that runs up from the twelve mouths to the twelve little pipes, pours it out, being subtle, and subdues the violent upsurge that holds sway; and it seals the ways of its paths, so that [nothing] may make war or alter what is not through it: a Typhonic daughter, faithful guardian of waters of every kind. Her name is Chorzar; ignorance called her Poseidon, in whose image came to be Glaucus, Melicertes, Ino, Nebroe. He who has rounded the twelve-cornered pyramid into a sphere, darkening the gate into the pyramid with many colours and completing the whole night-coloured [realm]: him ignorance called Kore, whose ministers are five: first Ou, second Aoai, third Ouo, fourth Ouoab, fifth [...]; others, faithful stewards of his toparchy of day and night, who rest in their own authority: these ignorance called the planets, on which perishable generation hangs. Steward of the air of the east, Karphakasēeocheir, Ekkabbakara: these ignorance called the Curetes. Ruler of the winds, the third, Ariel, in whose image came to be Aeolus, Briareus. And ruler of the twelve hours of the night, Soklan, whom ignorance called Osiris; in his image came to be Admetus, Medea, Hellen, Aethusa. Ruler of the twelve hours of the day, Euno: he is steward of the rising of the first vault and of the ethereal [region], whom ignorance called Isis. His sign is the Dog Star, in whose image came to be Ptolemy son of Arsinoe, Didyme, Cleopatra, Olympias. The right-hand power of God, which ignorance called Rhea, in whose image came to be Attis, Mygdon, Oenone. A left-hand power has authority over food, which ignorance called Demeter; her name is Bena; in its image came to be Celeus, Triptolemus, Misyr, Apraxia. A right-hand power has authority over fruits: him ignorance called Mēn, in whose image came to be Bumegas, Ostanes, Hermes Trismegistus, Kurites, Petosiris, Zodarion, Berossus, Astrampsuchus, Zoroaster. A left-hand power of fire: him ignorance called Hephaestus, in whose image came to be Erichthonius, Achilles, Capaneus, Phlegon, Meleager, ta dyēken, Celadus, Raphael, Suriel, Omphale. Three powers hanging in the middle of the air, causes of generation: these ignorance called the Fates, in whose image came to be the house of Priam, the house of Laius, Ino, Autonoe, Agave, Athamas, Procne, the Danaids, the Peliads. A male-female power, ever a child, ageless, cause of beauty, pleasure, bloom, appetite, desire, whom ignorance called Eros, in whose image came to be Paris, Narcissus, Ganymede, Endymion, Tithonus, Icarius, Leda, Amymone, Thetis, the Hesperides, Iasion, Leander, Hero. These are the Proasteioi [those of the outskirts] as far as the ether; for so too the book is titled.