[2066] Artifex.
[2067] Phil. ii. 7.
[2068] Hominem.
[2069] Hominem eum tantummodo ex Maria.
[2070] Or, effect, per profectum.
[2071] Effect. [i.e., progressively.]
[2072] Routh puts this interrogatively = Is it then your position that He really is a man, that is to say, one who is flesh and blood? Well, but if so, then it will follow, etc.
[2073] Or, as.
[2074] Reading "sicut homo, hac opinione," for the "sicut homo ac opinione" of the Codex Casinensis.
[2075] The Codex Casinensis reads, "hanc quæstionem diffigenter aptare tam manifestarem atque manifeste dissolverem." We follow the emendation, "hanc quæstionem diligenter aptatam manifestarem," etc.
[2076] [A signum verecundiæ which rebukes the awful inquisitiveness concerning the conception of Mary which disgraced the late pontiff, Pius IX. To what blasphemous pruriency of thought and expression has not such an invasion of decency given rise! See St. Bernard, Opp. tom. i. p. 392. He rebukes the heresy as profane.]
[2077] The text gives tempus recusat. Routh proposes tempus requirit = which the occasion requires.
[2078] This is a purely conjectural reading, "ut dicam silex," etc. The Codex Casinensis gives, "ut dicam dilere non homo." But Routh, in reference to ch. xv., throws out the idea that we should read delire = thou dotard, or, lunatic. [P. 190, supra, as if Manes = manikos.]
[2079] Columbarium furem.
[2080] The text gives suæ. Routh suggests tuæ.
[2081] The text is, "non solum autem, sed adventus nomen delebitur." It may perhaps be = and not the foundation, but the name, of an advent would be done away.
[2082] Phil. ii. 7.
[2083] The text gives "quo magnum," etc., for which we adopt "quod magnum," etc.
[2084] Matt. iv. 3.
[2085] Or perhaps, = which was also, quod erat tabernaculum, etc.
[2086] The Codex Casinensis gives "Ignorabat autem propter qui genuisset Filium Dei prædicabat regnum coelorum, qui erat," etc. We follow generally the emendations adopted in Migne: "Ignorabat autem propter quid genuisset Filium Dei, qui prædicabat regnum coelorum, quod erat habitaculum magnum," etc. Routh would read "genitus esset Filius Dei," etc.
[2087] John xix. 37.
[2088] Matt. iii. 17.
[2089] Pugillum plenum solis mihi affer aut modium plenum.
[2090] 2 Cor. v. 21.
[2091] Partis.
51. When Archelaus had finished this speech, the crowds of people marvelled at the truth of his doctrine, and expressed their vehement commendations of the man with loud outcries, so that they exerted themselves most energetically, and would have kept him from his return. [2092] Thereafter, however, they withdrew. After some time, again, when they were gathered together, Archelaus persuaded them to accede to his desire, and listen quietly to the word. And among his auditors were not only those who were with Diodorus, but also all who were present from his province and from the neighbouring districts. When silence, then, was secured, Archelaus proceeded to speak to them of Manes in the following manner: You have heard, indeed, what is the character of the doctrine which we teach, and you have got some proof of our faith; for I have expounded the Scriptures before you all, precisely in accordance with the views which I myself have been able to reach in studying them. But I entreat you now to listen to me in all silence, while I speak with the utmost possible brevity, with the view of giving you to understand who this person is who has made his appearance among us, and whence he comes, and what character he has, exactly as a certain man of the name of Sisinius, one [2093] of his comrades, has indicated the facts to me; which individual [2094] I am also prepared, if it please you, to summon in evidence of the statements I am about to make. And, in truth, this person did not decline to affirm the very same facts which we now adduce, [2095] even when Manes was present; for the above-mentioned individual became a believer of our doctrine, as did also another person who was with me, named Turbo. Accordingly, all that these parties have conveyed in their testimony to me, and also all that we ourselves have discovered in the man, I shall not suffer to be kept back from your cognizance.
Then, indeed, the multitudes became all the more excited, and crowded together to listen to Archelaus; for, in good sooth, the statements which were made by him offered them the greatest enjoyment. Accordingly, they earnestly urged him to tell them all that he pleased, and all that he had on his mind; and they declared themselves ready to listen to him there and then, and engaged to stay on even to the evening, and until the lights should be lit.
Stimulated therefore by their heartiness, Archelaus began his address with all confidence in the following terms:--My brethren, you have heard, indeed, the primary causes [2096] relating to my Lord Jesus,--I mean those which are decided out of the law and the prophets; and of the subsidiary causes also relating to my Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, you are not ignorant. And why should I say more? From the loving desire for the Saviour we have been called Christians, as the whole world itself attests, and as the apostles also plainly declare. Yea, further, that best master-builder of His, Paul himself, [2097] has laid our foundation, [2098] that is, the foundation of the Church and has put us in trust of the law, ordaining ministers, and presbyters, [2099] and bishops in the same, and describing in the places severally assigned to that purpose, in what manner and with what character the ministers of God ought to conduct themselves, of what repute the presbyters ought to be possessed, and how they should be constituted, and what manner of persons those also ought to be who desire the office of bishop. [2100] And all these institutions, which were once settled well and rightly for us, preserve their proper standing and order with us to this day, and the regular administration of these rules abides amongst us still. But as to this fellow, Manes by name, who has at present burst boastfully forth upon us from the province of Persia, and between whom and me disputation has now for the second time been stirred, I shall tell you about his lineage, and that, too, in all fulness; and I shall also show you most lucidly the source from which his doctrine has descended. This man is neither the first nor the only originator of this type of doctrine. But a certain person belonging to Scythia, bearing the name Scythianus, [2101] and living in the time of the apostles, was the founder and leader of this sect, just as many other apostates have constituted themselves founders and leaders, who from time to time, through the ambitious desire of arrogating positions of superior importance to themselves, have given out falsehoods for the truth, and have perverted the simpler class of people to their own lustful appetencies, on whose names and treacheries, however, time does not permit us at present to descant. This Scythianus, then, was the person who introduced this self-contradictory dualism; and for that, too, he was himself indebted to Pythagoras, as also all the other followers of this dogma have been, who all uphold the notion of a dualism, and turn aside from the direct course of Scripture: but they shall not gain any further success therein.
[2092] The text is, "et ultra ei non sinerent ad propria remeare." Routh suggests ultro for ultra.
[2093] Reading unus, instead of "vos, comitibus," etc.
[2094] Reading "quem etiam" instead of "quæ etiam."
[2095] The Codex Casinensis gives, "ipse quidem me dicere recusavit," etc. We adopt the correction in Migne, "sed ne ipse quidem dicere recusavit," etc.
[2096] Superiores quidem causas Domini, etc.
[2097] Reading "sed et optimus architectus ejus, fundamentum," etc. The Codex Casinensis has the corrupt lection, "sed et optimos architectos ei fundamentum," etc. [Had this been said of Peter?]
[2098] Cf. 1 Cor. iii. 10. [Had this been said of Peter, what then?]
[2099] Cf. Acts xiv. 23.
[2100] Cf. 1 Tim. iii. 1. [Clement cap. xliv., vol. i. p. 17, this series.]
[2101] Various other forms are found for this name Scythianus. Thus we find Scutianus and Excutianus,--forms which may have arisen through mere clerical errors. The Codex Reg. Alex. Vat. gives Stutianus. [But see Routh, R. S., vol. v. p. 186.]
52. No one, however, has ever made such an unblushing advance in the promulgation of these tenets as this Scythianus. For he introduced the notion of a feud between the two unbegottens, and all those other fancies which are the consequences of a position of that kind. This Scythianus himself belonged to the stock of the Saracens, and took as his wife a certain captive from the Upper Thebaid, who persuaded him to dwell in Egypt rather than in the deserts. And would that he had never been received by that province, in which, as he dwelt in it for a period, he found the opportunity for learning the wisdom of the Egyptians! [2102] for, to speak truth, he was a person of very decided talent, and also of very liberal means, as those who knew him have likewise testified in accounts transmitted to us. Moreover, he had a certain disciple named Terebinthus, [2103] who wrote four books for him. To the first of these books he gave the title of the Mysteries, to the second that of the Heads, [2104] to the third that of the Gospel, and to the last of all that of the Treasury. [2105] He had these four books, and this one disciple whose name was Terebinthus. As, then, these two persons had determined to reside alone by themselves for a considerable period, Scythianus thought of making an excursion into Judea, with the purpose of meeting with all those who had a reputation there as teachers; but it came to pass that he suddenly departed this life soon after that, without having been able to accomplish anything. That disciple, moreover, who had sojourned with him had to flee, [2106] and made his way toward Babylonia, a province which at present is held [2107] by the Persians, and which is distant now a journey of about six days and nights from our parts. On arriving there, Terebinthus succeeded in giving currency to a wonderful account of himself, declaring that he was replete with all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and that he was really named now, not Terebinthus, but another Buddas, [2108] and that this designation had been put upon him. He asserted further that he was the son of a certain virgin, and that he had been brought up by an angel [2109] on the mountains. A certain prophet, however, of the name of Parcus, and Labdacus the son of Mithras, [2110] charged [2111] him with falsehood, and day after day unceasingly they had keen and elevated contentions [2112] on this subject. But why should I speak of that at length? Although he was often reproved, he continued, nevertheless, to make declarations to them on matters which were antecedent to the world, [2113] and on the sphere, and the two luminaries; and also on the question whither and in what manner the souls depart, and in what mode they return again into the bodies; and he made many other assertions of this nature, and others even worse than these,--as, for instance, that war was raised with God among the elements, [2114] that the prophet himself might be believed. However, as he was hard pressed for assertions like these, he betook himself to a certain widow, along with his four books: for he had attached to himself no disciple in that same locality, with the single exception of an old woman who became an intimate of his. [2115] Then, [2116] on a subsequent occasion, at the earliest dawn one morning, he went up to the top [2117] of a certain house, and there began to invoke certain names, which Turbo has told us only the seven elect have learned. He ascended to the housetop, then, with the purpose of engaging in some religious ceremony, or some art of his own; and he went up alone, so as not to be detected by any one: [2118] for he considered that, if he was convicted of playing false with, or holding of little account, the religious beliefs of the people, he would be liable to be punished by the real princes of the country. And as he was revolving these things then in his mind, God in His perfect justice decreed that he should be thrust beneath earth by a spirit; [2119] and forthwith he was cast down from the roof of the house; and his body, being precipitated lifeless to the ground, was taken up in pity by the old woman mentioned above, and was buried in the wonted place of sepulture.
[2102] This seems the general idea meant to be conveyed. The text, which is evidently corrupt, runs thus: "in qua cum eum habitaret cum Ægyptiorum sapientiam didicisset." The Codex Reg. Alex. Vat. reads, "in qua cum habitaret, et Ægyptiorum," etc. In Migne it is proposed to fill up the lacunæ thus: "in qua cum diu habitaret, depravatus est, cum Ægyptiorum sapientiam didicisset." Routh suggests, "in qua cum ea habitaret," etc.