Prudence in Dealing with Opponents.
554.
But for other reasons also it is of importance that I should have some knowledge of this man.
555.
For if I know that in those things concerning which it cannot be doubted that they are good,
he is faultless and irreproachable,
556.
— that is to say, if he is sober, merciful, upright, gentle, and humane,
which no one doubts to be good qualities,—
557.
then it will seem to be fitting, that upon him who possesses these good virtues,
that which is lacking of faith and knowledge should be conferred;
and so his life, which is in other respects worthy of approbation,
should be amended in those points in which it shall appear to be imperfect.
558.
But if he remains wrapped up and polluted in those sins which are manifestly such, it does not become me to speak to him at all of the more secret and sacred things of divine knowledge,
but rather to protest and confront him, that he cease from sin, and cleanse his actions from vice.
559.
But if he insinuate himself, and lead us on to speak what he, while he acts improperly, ought not to hear, it will be our part to parry him cautiously.
560.
For not to answer him at all does not seem proper, for the sake of the hearers,
lest haply they may think that we decline the contest through want of ability to answer him,
and so their faith may be injured through their misunderstanding of our purpose.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER TWENTY
Divisions 561-590
RECOGNITIONS 2
Simon Magus, a Formidable Antagonist.
561.
When Peter had thus spoken to us, Niceta asks permission to say something to him;
and Peter having granted permission, he says:
562.
With your pardon, I beseech you, my lord Peter, to hear me, who am very anxious for you,
and who am afraid lest, in the contest which you have in hand with Simon,
you should seem to be over matched.
563.
For it very frequently happens that he who defends the truth does not gain the victory, since the hearers are either prejudiced, or have no great interest in the better cause.
564.
But over and above all this, Simon himself is a most vehement orator, trained in the dialectic art, and in the meshes of syllogisms; and what is worse than all, he is greatly skilled in the magic art.
565.
And therefore I fear, lest haply, being so strongly fortified on every side,
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he shall be thought to be defending the truth,
while he is alleging falsehoods, in the presence of those who do not know him.
566.
For neither should we ourselves have been able to escape from him, and to be converted to the Lord, had it not been that, while we were his assistants, and the sharers of his errors,
we had ascertained that he was a deceiver and a magician.
Simon Magus: His Wickedness.
567.
When Niceta had thus spoken, Aquila also, asking that he might be permitted to speak, proceeded in manner following:
568.
Receive, I entreat you, most excellent Peter, the assurance of my love towards you;
for indeed I also am extremely anxious on your account.
569.
And do not blame us in this, for indeed to be concerned for any one comes of affection;
whereas to be indifferent is no less than hatred.
570.
But I call God to witness that I feel for you, not as knowing you to be weaker in debate,
— for indeed I was never present at any dispute in which you were engaged,—
571.
but because I well know the impieties of this man, I think of your reputation, and at the same time the souls of the hearers, and above all, the interests of the truth itself.
572.
For this magician is vehement towards all things that he wishes, and wicked above measure.
573.
For in all things we know him well,
since from boyhood we have been assistants and ministers of his wickedness;
and had not the love of God rescued us from him,
we should even now be engaged in the same evil deeds with him.
574.
But a certain in born love towards God rendered his wickedness hateful to us,
and the worship of God attractive to us.
575.
Whence I think also that it was the work of Divine Providence,
that we, being first made his associates, should take knowledge in what manner or by what art he effects the prodigies which he seems to work.
576.
For who is there that would not be astonished at the wonderful things which he does?
577.
Who would not think that he was a god come down from heaven for the salvation of men?
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578.
For myself, I confess, if I had not known him intimately, and had taken part in his doings,
I would easily have been carried away with him.
579.
Whence it was no great thing for us to be separated from his society,
knowing as we did that he depends upon magic arts and wicked devices.
580.
But if you also yourself wish to know all about him— who, what, and whence he is, and how he contrives what he does— then listen.
Si mon Magus: His History.
581.
This Simon's father was Antonius, and his mother Rachel.
582.
By nation he is a Samaritan, from a village of the Gettones;
by profession a magician yet exceedingly well trained in the Greek literature;
583.
desirous of glory, and boasting above all the human race, so that he wishes himself to be believed to be an exalted power, which is above God the Creator, and to be thought to be the Christ, and to be called the Standing One.
584.
And he uses this name as implying that he can never be dissolved,
asserting that his flesh is so compacted by the power of his divinity, that it can endure to eternity.
585.
Hence, therefore, he is called the Standing One, as though he cannot fall by any corruption.
Simon Magus: His History.
586.
For after that John the Baptist was killed, as you yourself also know, when Dositheus had broached his heresy, with thirty other chief disciples, and one woman, who was called Luna
587.
— whence also these thirty appear to have been appointed with reference to the number of the days, according to the course of the moon—
588.
this Simon ambitious of evil glory, as we have said, goes to Dositheus, and pretending friendship, entreats him, that if any one of those thirty should die, he should straightway substitute him in room of the dead:
for it was contrary to their rule either to exceed the fixed number,
or to admit any one who was unknown, or not yet proved;
589.
whence also the rest, desiring to become worthy of the place and number, are eager in every way to please, according to the institutions of their sect each one of those who aspire after admittance into the number,
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hoping that he may be deemed worthy to be put into the place of the deceased, when, as we have said, any one dies.
590.
Therefore Dositheus, being greatly urged by this man, introduced Simon when a vacancy occurred among the number.
The Book of Recognitions CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
Divisions 591-620
RECOGNITIONS 2
Simon Magus: His Profession.
591.
But not long after he fell in love with that woman whom they call Luna; and he confided all things to us as his friends: how he was a magician, and how he loved Luna,
592.
and how, being desirous of glory, he was unwilling to enjoy her ingloriously, but that he was waiting patiently till he could enjoy her honourably; yet so if we also would conspire with him towards the accomplishment of his desires.
593.
And he promised that, as a reward of this service, he would cause us to be invested with the highest honours, and we should be believed by men to be gods;
594.
'Only, however, on condition,' says he, 'that you confer the chief place upon me, Simon, who by magic art am able to show many signs and prodigies, by means of which either my glory or our sect may be established.
595.
For I am able to render myself invisible to those who wish to lay hold of me, and again to be visible when I am willing to be seen.
596.
If I wish to flee, I can dig through the mountains, and pass through rocks as if they were clay.
597.
If I should throw myself headlong from a lofty mountain, I should be borne unhurt to the earth,
as if I were held up;
598.
when bound, I can loose myself, and bind those who had bound me;
being shut up in prison, I can make the barriers open of their own accord;
I can render statues animated, so that those who see suppose that they are men.
599.
I can make new trees suddenly spring up, and produce sprouts at once.
600.
I can throw myself into the fire, and not be burnt; I can change my appearance, so that I cannot be recognised; but I can show people that I have two faces.
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601.
I shall change myself into a sheep or a goat;
I shall make a beard to grow upon little boys;
602.
I shall ascend by flight into the air;
I shall exhibit abundance of gold, and shall make and unmake kings.
603.
I shall be worshipped as God; I shall have divine honours publicly assigned to me,
so that an image of me shall be set up, and I shall be worshipped and adored as God.
604.
And what need of more words?
605.
Whatever I wish, that I shall be able to do.
For already I have achieved many things by way of experiment.
606.
In short,' says he, 'once when my mother Rachel ordered me to go to the field to reap, and I saw a sickle lying, I ordered it to go and reap; and it reaped ten times more than the others.
607.
Lately, I produced many new sprouts from the earth, and made them bear leaves and produce fruit in a moment; and the nearest mountain I successfully bored through.'
Simon Magus: His Deception.
608.
But when he spoke thus of the production of sprouts and the perforation of the mountain,
I was confounded on this account, because he wished to deceive even us, in whom he seemed to place confidence; for we knew that those things had been from the days of our fathers, which he represented as having been done by himself lately.
609.
We then, although we heard these atrocities from him, and worse than these, yet we followed up his crimes, and suffered others to be deceived by him, telling also many lies on his behalf;
and this before he did any of the things which he had promised, so that while as yet he had done nothing, he was by some thought to be God.
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