Chapter XVII.—Marcion; His Dualism; Derives His System from Empedocles; Sketch of the Doctrine of Empedocles.

But Marcion,841    See [vol. i. p. 352, this series]; Irenæus i. 27; [vol. iii., this series especially p. 257], Tertullian, Adv. Marc., and Præscript., xxx.; Epiphanius, Hær., xlii.; Theodoret, Hær. Fab., i. 24; Eusebius., Hist. Ecclesiast., v. 13, 16; and St. Augustine, Hær., xxii. a native of Pontus, far more frantic than these (heretics), omitting the majority of the tenets of the greater number (of speculators), (and) advancing into a doctrine still more unabashed, supposed (the existence of) two originating causes of the universe, alleging one of them to be a certain good (principle), but the other an evil one. And himself imagining that he was introducing some novel (opinion), founded a school full of folly, and attended by men of a sensual mode of life, inasmuch as he himself was one of lustful propensities.842    Or, “quarrelsome,” or, “frantic.” This (heretic) having thought that the multitude would forget that he did not happen to be a disciple of Christ, but of Empedocles,843    Hippolytus’ discussion respecting the heresy of Marcion is chiefly interesting from the light which it throws on the philosophy of Empedocles. who was far anterior to himself, framed and formed the same opinions,—namely, that there are two causes of the universe, discord and friendship. For what does Empedocles say respecting the plan of the world? Even though we have previously spoken (on this subject), yet even now also, for the purpose, at all events, of comparing the heresy of this plagiarist (with its source), we shall not be silent.

This (philosopher) affirms that all the elements out of which the world consists and derives its being, are six: two of them material, (viz.,) earth and water; and two of them instruments by which material objects are arranged and altered, (viz.,) fire and air; and two of them, by means of the instruments, operating upon matter and fashioning it, viz., discord and friendship. (Empedocles) expresses himself somehow thus:—

“The four roots of all things hear thou first:

Brilliant Jove, and life-giving Juno and Aidoneus,

And Nestis, who with tears bedews the mortal font.”844    These are lines 55–57 in Karsten’s edition of a collection of the Empedoclean verses.

Jupiter is fire, and life-giving Juno earth, which produces fruits for the support of existence; and Aidoneus air, because although through him we behold all things, yet himself alone we do not see. But Nestis is water, for this is a sole vehicle of (food), and thus becomes a cause of sustenance to all those that are being nourished; (but) this of itself is not able to afford nutriment to those that are being nourished. For if it did possess the power of affording nutriment, animal life, he says, could never be destroyed by famine, inasmuch as water is always superabundant in the world. For this reason he denominates Nestis water, because, (though indirectly) being a cause of nutriment, it is not (of itself) competent to afford nutriment to those things that are being nourished. These, therefore—to delineate them as by way of outline—are the principles that comprise (Empedocles’) entire theory of the world: (viz.,) water and earth, out of which (proceed) generated entities; fire and spirit, (which are) instruments and efficient (causes), but discord and friendship, which are (principles) artistically fabricating (the universe). And friendship is a certain peace, and unanimity, and love, whose entire effort is, that there should be one finished and complete world.  Discord, however, invariably separates that one (world), and subdivides it, or makes many things out of one. Therefore discord is of the entire creation a cause which he styles “oulomenon,” that is, destructive.  For it is the concern of this (discord), that throughout every age the creation itself should continue to preserve its existing condition. And ruinous discord has been (thus) a fabricator and an efficient cause of the production of all generated entities; whereas friendship (is the cause) of the eduction, and alteration, and restoration of existing things into one system. And in regard of these (causes), Empedocles asserts that they are two immortal and unbegotten principles, and such as have not as yet received an originating cause of existence. (Empedocles) somewhere or other (expresses himself) in the following manner:—

“For if both once it was, and will be; never, I think,

Will be the age eternal void of both of these.”845    These are lines 110, 111, in Stein’s edition of Empedocles.

(But) what are these (two)? Discord and Friendship; for they did not begin to come into being, but pre-existed and always will exist, because, from the fact of their being unbegotten, they are not able to undergo corruption. But fire, (and water,) and earth, and air, are (entities) that perish and revive. For when these generated (bodies), by reason of Discord, cease to exist, Friendship, laying hold on them, brings them forward, and attaches and associates them herself with the universe. (And this takes place) in order that the Universe may continue one, being always ordered by Friendship in a manner one and the same, and with (uninterrupted) uniformity.

When, however, Friendship makes unity out of plurality, and associates with unity separated entities, Discord, again, forcibly severs them from unity, and makes them many, that is, fire, water, earth, air, (as well as) the animals and plants produced from these, and whatever portions of the world we observe. And in regard of the form of the world, what sort it is, (as) arranged by Friendship, (Empedocles) expresses himself in the following terms:—

“For not from back two arms arise,

Not feet, not nimble knees, not genital groin,

But a globe it was, and equal to itself it is.”846    Lines 360–362 (ed. Karst.).

An operation of this description Friendship maintains, and makes (one) most beautiful form of the world out of plurality. Discord, however, the cause of the arrangement of each of the parts (of the universe), forcibly severs and makes many things out of that one (form). And this is what Empedocles affirms respecting his own generation:—

“Of these I also am from God a wandering exile.”847    Line 7 (Karsten), 381 (Stein).

That is, (Empedocles) denominates as God the unity and unification of that (one form) in which (the world) existed antecedent to the separation and production (introduced) by Discord among the majority of those things (that subsisted) in accordance with the disposition (effected) by Discord. For Empedocles affirms Discord to be a furious, and perturbed, and unstable Demiurge, (thus) denominating Discord the creator of the world. For this constitutes the condemnation and necessity of souls which Discord forcibly severs from unity, and (which it) fashions and operates upon, (according to Empedocles,) who expresses himself after some such mode as, the following:—

“Who perjury piles on sin,

While demons gain a life prolonged;”848    Line 4 (Karsten), 372, 373 (Stein).

meaning by demons long-lived souls, because they are immortal, and live for lengthened ages:—

“For thrice ten thousand years banished from bliss;”849    Line 5 (Karsten), 374 (Stein).

denominating as blissful, those that have been collected by Friendship from the majority of entities into the process of unification (arising out) of the intelligible world.  He asserts that those are exiles, and that

“In lapse of time all sorts of mortal men are born,

Changing the irksome ways of life.”850    Line 6 (Karsten), 375, 376 (Stein).

He asserts the irksome ways to be the alterations and transfigurations of souls into (successive) bodies. This is what he says:—

“Changing the irksome ways of life.”

For souls “change,” body after body being altered, and punished by Discord, and not permitted to continue in the one (frame), but that the souls are involved in all descriptions of punishment by Discord being changed from body to body. He says:—

“Æthereal force to ocean drives the souls,

And ocean spurts them forth on earth’s expanse,

And earth on beams of blazing sun, who flings

(The souls) on æther’s depths, and each from each

(A spirit) takes, and all with hatred burn.”851    Lines 16–19 (Karsten), 377–380(Stein).

This is the punishment which the Demiurge inflicts, just as some brazier moulding (a piece of) iron, and dipping it successively from fire into water. For fire is the æther whence the Demiurge transfers the souls into the sea; and land is the earth: whence he uses the words, from water into earth, and from earth into air. This is what (Empedocles) says:—

“And earth on beams

Of blazing sun, who flings (the souls)

On æther’s depths, and each from each

A (spirit) takes, and all with hatred burn.”

The souls, then, thus detested, and tormented, and punished in this world, are, according to Empedocles, collected by Friendship as being a certain good (power), and (one) that pities the groaning of these, and the disorderly and wicked device of furious Discord. And (likewise Friendship is) eager, and toils to lead forth little by little the souls from the world, and to domesticate them with unity, in order that all things, being conducted by herself, may attain unto unification. Therefore on account of such an arrangement on the part of destructive Discord of this divided world, Empedocles admonishes his disciples to abstain from all sorts of animal food. For he asserts that the bodies of animals are such as feed on the habitations of punished souls. And he teaches those who are hearers of such doctrines (as his), to refrain from intercourse with women. (And he issues this precept) in order that (his disciples) may not co-operate with and assist those works which Discord fabricates, always dissolving and forcibly severing the work of Friendship. Empedocles asserts that this is the greatest law of the management of the universe, expressing himself somehow thus:—

“There’s something swayed by Fate, the ancient,

Endless law of gods, and sealed by potent oaths.”852    Lines 1, 2 (Karsten), 369, 370 (Stein).

He thus calls Fate the alteration from unity into plurality, according to Discord, and from plurality into unity, according to Friendship. And, as I stated, (Empedocles asserts) that there are four perishable gods, (viz.,) fire, water, earth, (and) air. (He maintains,) however, that there are two (gods) which are immortal, unbegotten, (and) continually hostile one to the other, (namely) Discord and Friendship. And (he asserts) that Discord always is guilty of injustice and covetousness, and forcible abduction of the things of Friendship, and of appropriation of them to itself. (He alleges,) however, that Friendship, inasmuch as it is always and invariably a certain good (power), and intent on union, recalls and brings towards (itself), and reduces to unity, the parts of the universe that have been forcibly severed, and tormented, and punished in the creation by the Demiurge. Some such system of philosophy as the foregoing is advanced for us by Empedocles concerning the generation of the world, and its destruction, and its constitution, as one consisting of what is good and bad. And he says that there is likewise a certain third power which is cognised by intellect, and that this can be understood from these, (viz., Discord and Friendship,) expressing himself somehow thus:—

“For if, ’neath hearts of oak, these truths you fix,

And view them kindly in meditations pure,

Each one of these, in lapse of time, will haunt you,

And many others, sprung of these, descend.

For into every habit these will grow, as Nature prompts;

But if for other things you sigh, which, countless, linger

Undisguised ’mid men, and blunt the edge of care,

As years roll on they’ll leave you fleetly,

Since they yearn to reach their own beloved race;

For know that all possess perception and a share of mind.”853    The text of these verses, as given by Hippolytus, is obviously corrupt, and therefore obscure. Schneidewin has furnished an emended copy of them (Philol., vi. 166), which the translator has mostly adopted. (See Stein’s edition of the Empedoclean Verses, line 222 et seq.)

[29] Μαρκίων δὲ ὁ Ποντικός, πολὺ τούτων [ὢν] μανικώτερος, τὰ πολλὰ τῶν πλειόνων [γραφῶν] παραπεμψάμενος, ἐπὶ τὸ ἀναιδέστερον ὁρμήσας δύο ἀρχὰς τοῦ παντὸς ὑπέθετο, ἀγαθὸν [θεόν] τινα λέγων καὶ τὸν ἕτερον πονηρόν. καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ νομίζων καινόν τι παρεισαγαγεῖν, σχολὴν (ἐ)σκεύασεν ἀπονοίας γέμουσαν καὶ κυνικοῦ βίου, ὤν τις μάχιμος. ὃς νομίζων λήσεσθαι τοὺς πολλοὺς ὅτι μὴ Χριστοῦ τυγχάνει μαθητὴς ἀλλ' Ἐμπεδοκλέους, πολὺ αὐτοῦ προγενεστέρου τυγχάνοντος, ταὐτὰ ὁρίσας ἐδογμάτισε δύο εἶναι τὰ τοῦ παντὸς αἴτια, νεῖκος καὶ φιλίαν. τί γάρ φησιν ὁ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς περὶ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου διαγωγῆς, εἰ καὶ προείπομεν, ἀλλά γε καὶ νῦν πρὸς τὸ ἀντιπαραθεῖναι τῇ τοῦ κλεψιλόγου αἱρέσει οὐ σιωπήσομαι. Οὗτός φησιν [οὖν] εἶναι τὰ πάντα στοιχεῖα, ἐξ ὧν ὁ κόσμος συνέστηκε καὶ ἔστιν, ἕξ: δύο μὲν ὑλικά, γῆν καὶ ὕδωρ: δύο δὲ ὄργανα, οἷς τὰ ὑλικὰ κοσμεῖται καὶ μεταβάλλεται, πῦρ καὶ ἀέρα: δύο δὲ τὰ ἐργαζόμενα τοῖς ὀργάνοις τὴν ὕλην καὶ δημιουργοῦντα, νεῖκος καὶ φιλίαν, λέγων ὧδέ πως: τέσσαρα τῶν πάντων ῥιζώματα πρῶτον ἄκουε: Ζεὺς [αἰθὴρ] Ἥρη τε φερέσβιος ἠδ' Ἀϊδωνεὺς Νῆστίς θ', ἣ δακρύοις τέγγει κρούνωμα βρότειον. Ζεύς ἐστι, [φησί,] τὸ πῦρ, Ἥρη δὲ φερέσβιος ἡ γῆ, ἡ φέρουσα τοὺς πρὸς τὸν βίον καρπούς, Ἀϊδωνεὺς δὲ ὁ ἀήρ, ὅτι πάντα δι' αὐτοῦ βλέπο[ν]τες μόνον αὐτὸν οὐ καθορῶμεν, Νῆστις δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ: μόνον γὰρ τοῦτο, «ὄχημα τροφῆς», [τουτέστιν] αἴτιον, γιν(ό)μενον πᾶσι τοῖς τρεφομένοις, αὐτὸ καθ' αὑτὸ τρέφειν οὐ δύναται τὰ τρεφόμενα. εἰ γὰρ ἔτρεφε, φησίν, οὐκ ἄν ποτε λιμῷ κατελήφθη τὰ ζῷα, ὕδατος ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ πλεονάζοντος ἀεί. διὰ τοῦτο [οὖν] Νῆστιν καλεῖ τὸ ὕδωρ, ὅτι τροφῆς αἴτιον γινόμενον, τρέφειν οὐκ εὐτονεῖ τὰ τρεφόμενα. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐστιν, ὡς τύπῳ περιλαβεῖν, τὰ συνέχοντα τοῦ κόσμου τὴν ὅλην ὑπόθεσιν: ὕδωρ καὶ γῆ, ἐξ ὧν [ἐστι] τὰ γινόμενα, πῦρ καὶ πνεῦμα, [τουτέστι] τὰ ὄργανα, καὶ τὰ δραστήρια, νεῖκος δὴ καὶ φιλία, τὰ δημιουργοῦντα τεχνικῶς. Καὶ ἡ μὲν φιλία εἰρήνη τίς ἐστι καὶ ὁμόνοια καὶ στοργή, ἕνα τέλειον [καὶ] κατηρτισμένον εἶναι προαιρουμένη τὸν κόσμον: τὸ δὲ νεῖκος ἀεὶ διασπᾷ τὸ ἓν καὶ κατακερματίζει καὶ ἀπεργάζεται ἐξ ἑνὸς πολλά. ἔστι μὲν οὖν τὸ μὲν νεῖκος αἴτιον τῆς κτίσεως πάσης_ὅ φησιν «οὐλόμενον» εἶναι, τουτέστιν ὀλέθριον: μέλει γὰρ αὐτῷ, ὅπως διὰ παντὸς αἰῶνος ἡ κτίσις αὑτὴ συνεστήκῃ_, καὶ ἔστι πάντων τῶν γεγονότων τῆς γενέσεως δημιουργὸς καὶ ποιητὴς τὸ νεῖκος τὸ ὀλέθριον, τῆς δ' ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τῶν γεγονότων ἐξαγωγῆς καὶ μεταβολῆς καὶ εἰς τὸ ἓν ἀποκαταστάσεως ἡ φιλία. περὶ ὧν ὁ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς [φησιν] ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀθάνατα [τὰ] δύο καὶ ἀγέν[ν]ητα καὶ ἀρχὴν τοῦ γενέσθαι μηδέποτε εἰληφότα: ἀλλὰ [δὴ] λέγει τοιοῦτόν τινα τρόπον: ἦ γὰρ καὶ πάρος ἦν, καί [γ'] ἔσ[σε]ται, οὐδέ ποτ', οἴω, τούτων ἀμφοτέρων κεν[ε]ώσεται ἄσπετος αἰών. τίνων [δὲ] τούτων; τοῦ νείκους καὶ τῆς φιλίας: οὐ γὰρ ἤρξα[ν]το γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ προῆσαν καὶ ἔσονται ἀεί, διὰ τὴν ἀγεννησίαν φθορὰν ὑπομεῖναι μὴ δυνάμενα. Τὸ δὲ πῦρ [καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ] καὶ ἡ γῆ καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ θνῄσκοντα καὶ ἀναβιοῦντα. ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ἀποθάνῃ τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ νείκους γενόμενα, παραλαμβάνουσα αὐτὰ ἡ φιλία πρ(ο)σάγει καὶ προστίθησι καὶ προσοικειοῖ τῷ παντί, ἵνα μένῃ τὸ πᾶν ἕν, ὑπὸ τῆς φιλίας ἀεὶ διακοσμούμενον μονοτρόπως καὶ μονοειδῶς. ὅταν δὲ ἡ φιλία ἐκ πολλῶν ποιήσῃ τὸ ἓν καὶ τὰ διεσπασμένα προσοικοδομήσῃ τῷ ἑνί, πάλιν τὸ νεῖκος ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀποσπᾷ καὶ ποιεῖ πολλά, τουτέστιν πῦρ, ὕδωρ, γῆν, ἀέρα, τά [τ'] ἐκ τούτων γεννώμενα ζῷα καὶ φυτὰ καὶ ὅσα μέρη τοῦ κόσμου κατανοοῦμεν. καὶ περὶ μὲν τῆς τοῦ κόσμου ἰδέας, ὁποία τίς ἐστιν ὑπὸ τῆς φιλίας κοσμουμένη, λέγει τοιοῦτόν τινα τρόπον: οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ νώτοιο δύο κλάδοι ἀίσ[σ]ονται, οὐ πόδες, οὐ θοὰ γοῦν', οὐ μήδεα γεν[ν]ήεντα, ἀλλὰ σφαῖρος ἔην [μοῦνός τε] καὶ ἶσος [ἐστὶν] [ἑ]αυτῷ. τοιοῦτον [οὖν] τι [τέλειον] καὶ κάλλιστον εἶδος τοῦ κόσμου ἡ φιλία ἐκ πολλῶν ἓν ἀπεργάζεται: τὸ δὲ νεῖκος, τὸ τῆς [τῶν] κατὰ μέρος διακοσμήσεως αἴτιον, ἐξ ἑνὸς ἐκείνου ἀποσπᾷ καὶ ἀπεργάζεται πολλά. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ λέγει περὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γεννήσεως ὁ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς: τὴν καὶ ἐγὼ [νῦν] εἶμι, φυγὰς θεόθεν καὶ ἀλήτης, [τουτέστι] θεὸν καλῶν τὸ ἓν καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου ἑνότητα, ἐν ᾧ ἦν πρὶν ὑπὸ τοῦ νείκους ἀποσπασθῆναι καὶ γενέσθαι ἐν τοῖς πολλοῖς τούτοις, τοῖς κατὰ τὴν τοῦ νείκους διακόσμησιν [γεγονόσι]. «νείκει» γάρ, φησί, [«μαινομένῳ πίσυνος», νεῖκος] μαινόμενον καὶ τετα[ρα]γμένον καὶ ἄστατον τὸν δημιουργὸν το[ῦ]δε τοῦ κόσμου ὁ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς ἀποκαλῶν. αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν, [φησίν,] ἡ καταδίκη καὶ ἀνάγκη τῶν ψυχῶν, ὧν ἀποσπᾷ τὸ νεῖκος ἀπὸ τοῦ ἑνὸς καὶ δημιουργεῖ καὶ [ἀπ]εργάζεται [πολλάς], λέγων τοιοῦτόν τινα τρόπον: [ὅρκον θ'] ὅς κ' ἐπίορκον ἁμαρτήσας ἐπομόσ[σ]ῃ, δαίμονες οἵτε μακραίωνος λελάχασι βίοιο _δαίμονας τὰς ψυχὰς λέγων, μακραίωνας [δέ], ὅτι εἰσὶν ἀθάνατοι καὶ μακροὺς ζῶσιν αἰῶνας_, τρίς μιν μυρίας ὧρας ἀπὸ μακάρων ἀλάλησθαι _μάκαρας καλῶν τοὺς (σ)υνηγμένους ὑπὸ τῆς φιλίας ἀπὸ τῶν πολλῶν εἰς τὴν ἑνότη(τ)α τοῦ κόσμου τοῦ νοητοῦ: _τούτους οὖν φησιν ἀλάλησθαι [καὶ] φυομένους παντοῖα διὰ χρόνου [ε]ἴδεα θνητῶν, ἀργαλέας βιότ(οιο) (μ)εταλλάσσοντα κελεύθους. ἀργαλέας [δὲ] κελεύθους φησὶν εἶναι τῶν ψυχῶν τὰς εἰς τὰ σώματα μεταβολὰς καὶ μετακοσμήσεις: τοῦτ' ἔστιν ὃ λέγει: ἀργαλέας βιότοιο μεταλλάσσοντα κελεύθους. μεταλλάσσουσι γὰρ αἱ ψυχαὶ σῶμα ἐκ σώματος, ὑπὸ τοῦ νείκους μεταβαλλόμεναι καὶ κολαζόμεναι καὶ οὐκ ἐώμεναι [μετα]βαίνειν εἰς τὸ ἕν. ἀλλὰ [δὴ] κολάζεσθαι ἐν πάσαις κολάσεσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ νείκους τὰς ψυχάς, μεταβαλλομένας σῶμα ἐκ σώματος, [φησὶ λέγων ὧδέ πως]: αἰθέριον [μὲν] γάρ σφε μένος [ψυχὰς] πόντονδε [ἐχθονὸς] διώκει, πόντος δ' ἐ(ς) χθονὸς οὖδας ἀπέπτυσε, γαῖα δ' ἐς αὐγὰς ἠελίου φαέθοντος, ὁ δ' αἰθέρος ἔμβαλε δίναις: ἄλλος δ' ἐξ ἄλλου δέχεται, στυγέουσι δὲ πάντες. αὕτη [δή] ἐστιν ἡ κόλασις ᾗ κολάζει [τὰς ψυχὰς] ὁ δημιουργός, καθάπερ χαλκεύς τις [ὁ] μετακοσμῶν σίδηρον καὶ ἐκ πυρὸς εἰς ὕδωρ μεταβάπτων. πῦρ γάρ ἐστιν ὁ αἰθήρ, ὅθεν εἰς πόντον_[τουτέστιν ὕδωρ]_ μεταβάλλει τὰς ψυχὰς ὁ δημιουργός. χθὼν δὲ ἡ γῆ: ὅθεν φησίν: ἐξ ὕδατος εἰς γῆν, ἐκ γῆς δ' εἰς τὸν ἀέρα. τοῦτ' ἔστιν ὃ λέγει: γαῖα δ' ἐς αὐγὰς ἠελίου φαέ(θο)ντος, ὁ δ' αἰθέρος ἔμβαλε δίναις: ἄλλος [δ'] ἐξ ἄλλου δέχεται, στυγέουσι δὲ πάντες. Μισουμένας οὖν τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ βασανιζομένας καὶ κολαζομένας ἐν τῷδε τῷ κόσμῳ κατὰ τὸν Ἐμπεδοκλέα συνάγει ἡ φιλία, ἀγαθή τις οὖσα καὶ κατοικτείρουσα τὸν στεναγμὸν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν ἄτακτον καὶ πονηρὰν «τοῦ νείκους τοῦ μαινομένου» κατασκευήν, καὶ ἐξάγειν [αὐτὰς] κατ' ὀλίγον ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου καὶ προσοικειοῦν τῷ ἑνὶ σπεύδουσα, καὶ κοπιῶσα, ὅπως τὰ πάντα εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα καταντήσῃ ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἀγόμενα. Διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην οὖν τοῦ ὀλεθρίου νείκους διακόσμησιν τοῦδε τοῦ μεμερισμένου κόσμου πάντων [τῶν] ἐμψύχων ὁ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς τοὺς ἑαυτο(ῦ) μαθητὰς ἀπέχεσθαι παρακαλεῖ: εἶναι γάρ φησι τὰ σώματα τῶν ζῴων τὰ ἐσθιόμενα ψυχῶν κεκολασμένων οἰκητήρια. καὶ ἐγκρατεῖς [δ'] εἶναι τοὺς τῶν τοιούτων λόγων ἀκροωμένους τῆς πρὸς γυναῖκα ὁμιλίας διδάσκει, ἵνα μὴ συνεργάζωνται καὶ συνεπιλαμβάνωνται τῶν ἔργων ὧν δημιουργεῖ τὸ νεῖκος, τὸ τῆς φιλίας ἔργον λύον ἀεὶ καὶ διασπῶν. Τοῦτον [οὖν] εἶναί φησιν ὁ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς νόμον μέγιστον τῆς τοῦ παντὸς διοικήσεως, λέγων ὧδέ πως: ἔστιν Ἀνάγκη[ς] χρῆμα, θεῶν ψήφισμα παλαιόν, ἀίδιον, πλατέεσ[σ]ι κατεσφρηγισμένον ὅρκοις: Ἀνάγκην καλῶν τὴν ἐξ ἑνὸς εἰς πολλὰ κατὰ τὸ νεῖκος καὶ ἐκ πολλῶν εἰς ἓν κατὰ τὴν φιλίαν μεταβολήν: θεοὺς δέ, ὡς ἔφην, τέσσαρας μὲν θνητούς, πῦρ, ὕδωρ, γῆν, ἀέρα, δύο δὲ ἀθανάτους, ἀγεννήτους, πολεμίους ἑαυτοῖς διὰ παντός, τὸ νεῖκος καὶ τὴν φιλίαν. καὶ τὸ μὲν νεῖκος ἀδικεῖν διὰ παντὸς καὶ πλεονεκτεῖν καὶ ἀποσπᾶν τὰ τῆς φιλίας καὶ ἑαυτῷ προσνέμειν, τὴν δὲ φιλίαν ἀεὶ καὶ διὰ παντός, ἀγαθήν τινα οὖσαν καὶ τῆς ἑνότητος ἐπιμελουμένην, τὰ ἀπεσπασμένα τοῦ παντὸς καὶ βεβασανισμένα καὶ κεκολασμένα ἐν τῇ κτίσει ὑπὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ ἀνακαλεῖσθαι καὶ προσάγειν [τῷ παντὶ] καὶ ἓν ποιεῖν. Τοιαύτη [δή] τις [ἡ] κατὰ τὸν Ἐμπεδοκλέα ἡμῖν ἡ τοῦ κόσμου γένεσις καὶ φθορὰ καὶ σύστασις, ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ κακοῦ συνεστῶσα, φιλοσοφεῖται. εἶναι δέ φησι καὶ νοητὴν τρίτην τινὰ δύναμιν, ἣν κἂν ἐκ τούτων [τῶν πολλῶν] ἐπινοεῖσθαι δύνασθαι, λέγων ὧδέ πως: εἰ γάρ κέν σφ' ἀδινῇσιν ὑπὸ πραπίδεσ[σ]ιν ἐρείσας εὐμενέως (κ)αθαρῇσιν ἐποπτεύ[σ]ῃς μελέτῃσιν, ταῦτά τέ σοι μάλα πάντα δι' αἰῶνος παρέσονται, ἄλλα τε πόλλ' ἀπὸ τῶνδ' ἐκτή(σ)εαι: αὐτὰ γὰρ αὔξει ταῦτ' εἰς ἦθος ἕκαστον, ὅπη φύσις ἐστὶν ἑκάστῳ. εἰ δὲ σύ γ' ἀλλοίων ἐπορέξεαι, οἷα κατ' ἄνδρας μυρία δειλὰ πέλονται ἅ τ' ἀμβλύνουσι μερίμνας, ἦ ς' ἄφαρ ἐκλείψουσι περιπλομένοιο χρόνοιο σφῶν αὐτῶν ποθέοντα φίλην ἐπὶ γέν[ν]αν ἱκέσθαι: πάντα γὰρ ἴσθι φρόνησιν ἔχειν καὶ νώματος [α]ἶσαν.