Against Heresies: Book I

SIMON THE SAMARITAN WAS THE MAGICIAN WHOM LUKE: the disciple and follower of the apostles, mentions: "But there was a certain man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in that city and misled the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, and everyone listened to him, from the smallest to the greatest, saying, 'This man is the great power of God.' They paid attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with his sorceries." Simon then pretended to believe, assuming that the apostles performed their healings through magic and not by God's power.

Regarding their ability to fill believers with the Holy Spirit through laying on of hands, which was preached by them in Christ Jesus, he suspected this was done through a greater knowledge of magic. He offered money to the apostles, thinking he might also receive the power to give the Holy Spirit to anyone he chose. Peter said to him, "May your money perish with you, because you thought the gift of God could be bought with money. You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God; for I see that you are full of bitterness and a captive to sin." He did not place any more faith in God and eagerly tried to oppose the apostles so that he might appear to be someone marvelous himself.

He dedicated himself even more to studying magic, hoping to better confuse and control large crowds. He acted this way during the reign of Claudius Caesar, who is said to have honored him with a statue because of his magical power. Many glorified this man as if he were a god, and he taught that he was the one who appeared to the Jews as the Son, descended in Samaria as the Father, and came to other nations as the Holy Spirit.

In short, he portrayed himself as the greatest of all powers, being the Father over all, and allowed people to call him by any title they wished.

SIMON OF SAMARIA: from whom various heresies originate, created his sect from the following elements: After freeing a woman named Helena from slavery in Tyre, a city in Phoenicia, he would travel with her, claiming she was the first thought of his mind, the mother of all. He said that in the beginning, he conceived the idea of creating angels and archangels through her. This Ennoea, emerging from him and understanding her father's will, descended to the lower regions and generated angels and powers, which he claimed formed the world. However, after she created them, these beings detained her out of jealousy because they did not want to be seen as the offspring of anyone else. They had no knowledge of Simon, but his Ennoea was held captive by the powers and angels she had produced. She endured all kinds of insults from them, preventing her from returning to her father. She was trapped in a human body and, over the ages, passed from one female body to another, like moving from one vessel to another. For example, she was in the Helen for whom the Trojan War was fought, and Stesichorus was struck blind because he insulted her in his verses. However, after repenting and writing palinodes praising her, his sight was restored. Thus, she moved from body to body, suffering insults in each, and eventually became a common prostitute; she was the lost sheep.

FOR THIS PURPOSE: he had come to win her first and free her from slavery, while bringing salvation to men by revealing himself to them. Since the angels had ruled the world poorly because each one sought the highest power for himself, he came to rectify the situation. He descended, transformed and made similar to powers, principalities, and angels, so he might appear among men as a man, even though he was not one. In this way, he was believed to have suffered in Judea, even though he had not. Additionally, the prophets spoke under the influence of the angels who formed the world; for this reason, those who trust in him and Helena no longer regard the prophets but live freely as they choose. Men are saved through his grace, not because of their own righteous actions. Such deeds are not inherently righteous but only seem so because of how the angels who made the world have designed them, aiming to bring men into bondage through such rules. Because of this, he promised that the world would be dissolved and that those who belong to him would be freed from the rule of those who created the world.

THUS: the mystic priests of this sect lead profligate lives and practice magical arts, each according to his ability. They use exorcisms and incantations. They also employ love-potions, charms, and beings called "Paredri" (familiars) and "Oniropompi" (dream-senders), as well as any other curious arts that can be used, eagerly incorporating them into their practices. They have an image of Simon made in the likeness of Jupiter and another of Helena shaped like Minerva; they worship these images. In short, they are named after Simon, the author of these most impious doctrines, calling themselves Simonians; and from them, "knowledge falsely so-called" began, as can be learned even from their own claims.

MENANDER: who succeeded this man, was also a Samaritan by birth and was highly skilled in magic. He claims that the primary Power remains unknown to everyone, but that he himself is the one sent by the invisible beings as a savior for the deliverance of people. He teaches, like Simon, that angels created the world and that they were produced by Ennœa. He also claims that through the magic he teaches, he imparts the knowledge that allows one to overcome the very angels that made the world. His followers receive resurrection by being baptized into him and can no longer die, remaining in possession of immortal youth.