2. The Simonian legend. — There are two chief sources of this legend, {a) The Clementine Homilies and Recognitions. These are two forms of an early Christian romance, the Homilies in Greek, the Recognitions in Latin. They relate the story of Clement's search for truth until bis reunion with the long-lost members of his family. According to the Homilies, in the course of his wanderings Clement met Peter at Ca;sarea in Palestine. The Apostle was to dispute next day with Simon of Gitta. The story of Simon is then related by two of his pupils : that his father's name was Antonius, his mother's Rachel ; that he was a Samaritan of the village of Gitta, six miles from Samaria ; that he was educated at Alexandria, and was skilled in the wisdom of the Greeks and in magic. Peter disputed with him for three days, after wliich Simon fled by night to Tyre. Peter followed him to Tyre and to Sidon and to Tripolis, whence Simon escaped to Syria. They met again in Lao- dicea, where the disputes were renewed. Simon managed to escape by changing the face of Faustus, Clement's father, and making it like his own. This device, however, led to Faustus exposing Simon's impostures. Meanwhile Simon reached Judsea.
In the Recognitions only one dispute is described — in C;Esarea. But there is reference to a visit of Simon to Korae, where he is to be honoured with statues. It is probable that these versions are independent re-castings of a common original. The question in doubt is whether the original story told only of a conflict between Simon and Peter in Syria, or whether it related an earlier conflict in Syria and a later one in Rome.
(b) The legendary Acts of Peter and Paul. These tell the story of contests between Simon and Peter ; but they place the scene in Rome. There are two forms of the story, (a) The Gnostic Acts (Actus Petri cum Simone) tell that after Paul left Rome, a stir arose in the city about a Simon who
worked miracles and called himself the Great Power of God. He came to the city flying in smoke, and created a great sensation. Therefore Peter was bidden by Christ to go to Rome. The Apostle fouiul Simon installed in the house of a Ronum senator, and he attacked the Magian as a ravening wolf. When Simon refused him ad- mittance, Peter sent a message by a dog, whose speech brought the traitor to the Apostle's feet. I!y the aid of further miracles Peter silenced Simon till a public controversy was arranged be- fore all Rome. I'eter raised the dead, and ex- posed Simon's attempts to work similar miracles. Simon then promised to fly to God. But in answer to Peter's prayers he fell, broke his thigh, and was taken to T(;rracina, where he died.
(/3) The Acta Petri et Pauli gives another form of the story. Paul is the companion of Peter in Rome. The success of their preaching made the .Jews stir up Simon against Peter. He convinced Nero of his claims, and Peter and Paul were sum- moned to appear before the Emperor. After long discussion, Simon undertook to fly from a high tower. Paul was distressed, and prayed. But Peter adjured the angels of Satan not to help Simon, who fell to the ground and died.
The Apostolic Constitutions contains the whole story of a conflict in Syria and a conflict iu Rome. Probably this is a piecing together of two stories, originally independent. It does not settle the question whether the Clementines and the Pctrine Acts depend upon independent documents, as G. Salmon thinks (DCB, art. 'Simon Magus'), or whether they severally elaborate two parts of one common history — an 'EAAonite Acts of Peter — which is Lipsius' theory.
The substance of the story as it concerns Simon is that lie travelled in Syria and as far as Rome, deceiving people by his magic and winning wide- spread adherence for his claims to Divine power ; that he was opposed by Simon Peter, who exposed his deceit and brought to naught his efforts to impose on the peojile.
3. The Simonian system. — In addition to these legendary accounts of the contest between Simon Magus and Simon Peter, there are references to Simon in Patristic literature which give more trustwortliy accounts of his life and teaching, (rt) The earliest reference is in Justin Martyr's Apology (i. 26, 50). He says : ' After Christ's a.scen- sion into heaven the devils put forward certain men who said that they themselves were gods ; and they were not only not persecuted by you, but even deemed worthy of honours. There was a Samaritan, Simon, a native of the village called Gitta, who in the reign of Claudius Caesar, and in your royal city of Rome, did mighty acts of magic, by virtue of the art of the devils operating in him. He was considered a god, and as a god was honoured by you with a statue, which statue was erected on the river Tiber, between the two bridges, and bore this inscription, in the language of Rome: " Simoni Deo Sancto," "To Simon the holy God." And almost all the Samaritans, and a few even of other nations, wor- ship him, and acknowledge him as the first god ; and a woman, Helena, who went about with him at that time, and had formerly been a prostitute, they say is the first idea generated by him. And a man, Menander, also a Samaritan, of the town Capparetsea, a disciple of Simon, and inspired by devils, we know to have deceived many while he was in Antioch by his magical art' (26). In 56 is another reference : ' But the evil spirits were not satislied with saying, before Christ's appearance, that those who were said to be sons of Jupiter were born of him ; but after He had appeared and been born among men, and when they learned