Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II — David Hume — John Shaqi
Philosophumena; or, The refutation of all heresies, Volume II
David Hume · en
And that, he says, the beginning of the generation of things begotten
is from fire, he understands in some such fashion as this: In all
things whatever which have birth, the beginning of the desire of
generation comes from fire. As, for instance, the desire for mutable
generation[55] is called “being inflamed” [with love]. But the fire
from being one, turns into two. For in the man, he says, the blood
which is hot and yellow as fire is depicted, turns into seed; but in
the woman the selfsame blood (turns) into milk. [Sidenote: p. 260.]
And from the turning in the male comes generation and from that in
the female the nourishment of that which is generated.[56] This, he
says, is the flaming sword turning about to guard the path to the Tree
of Life. For the blood is turned to seed and milk and the same power
becomes father and mother of those which are born and the increase of
those which are nourished, itself lacking nothing and being sufficient
unto itself. But the Tree of Life is guarded he says, through the
turning of the flaming sword, as we have said, which (sword) is the
Seventh Power which is from itself, which contains all things (and)
which lies stored up in the six powers. For if the flaming sword did
not turn about, that fair tree would perish and be destroyed. But if
the Logos which is lying stored up potentially therein, is turned into
seed and milk, being lord of its proper place wherein is begotten a
Logos of souls,--then from the smallest spark it will become great and
increase in every sense and will be a boundless power unchangeable in
the aeon which changes not until it is in the Boundless Aeon.[57]
18. By this argument, then, Simon avowedly became a god to those
of no understanding, like that Apsethus the [Sidenote: p. 261.]
Libyan, being (said to be) begotten and subject to suffering when he
existed potentially, but (becoming) impassible (from passible, and
unbegotten)[58] from begotten when he was made in perfect semblance and
becoming perfect came forth from the first two powers, that is Heaven
and Earth. For Simon speaks explicitly of this in the _Announcement_,
thus:--