The Refutation of All Heresies, Book IV

Book IV

• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.1 — System of the Astrologers; Sidereal Influence; Configuration of the Stars. But in each zodiacal sign they call limits of the stars those in which each of the stars, from any one quarter to another, can exert the…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.2 — Doctrines Concerning Æons; The Chaldean Astrology; Heresy Derivable from It. Employing these (as analogies), Euphrates the Peratic, and Acembes the Carystian, and the rest of the crowd of these (speculators),…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.3 — The Horoscope the Foundation of Astrology; Indiscoverability of the Horoscope; Therefore the Futility of the Chaldean Art. Chapter III.—The Horoscope the Foundation of Astrology; Indiscoverability of the Horoscope;…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.4 — Impossibility of Fixing the Horoscope; Failure of an Attempt to Do This at the Period of Birth. Chapter IV.—Impossibility of Fixing the Horoscope; Failure of an Attempt to Do This at the Period of Birth. For this…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.5 — Chapter V.—Another Method of Fixing the Horoscope at Birth; Equally Futile; Use of the Clepsydra in Astrology; The Predictions of the Chaldeans Not Verified. In this way, the art practised by the Chaldeans will be…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.6 — Zodiacal Influence; Origin of Sidereal Names. But since also they frame an account concerning the action of the zodiacal signs, to which they say the creatures that are procreated are assimilated, neither shall we…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.7 — Practical Absurdity of the Chaldaic Art; Development of the Art. In this manner also, that these points are not deserving so much labour, is evident to those who prefer to think correctly, and do not attend to the…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.8 — Prodigies of the Astrologers; System of the Astronomers; Chaldean Doctrine of Circles; Distances of the Heavenly Bodies. Chapter VIII.—Prodigies of the Astrologers; System of the Astronomers; Chaldean Doctrine of…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.9 — Further Astronomic Calculations. The mutual distances of the circles and spheres, and the depths, are rendered by Archimedes. He takes the perimeter of the Zodiac at 447,310,000 stadii; so that it follows that a…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.10 — Theory of Stellar Motion and Distance in Accordance with Harmony. Concerning the Moon, however, a statement has been previously made. The distances and profundities of the spheres Archimedes thus renders; but a…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.11 — Theory of the Size of the Heavenly Bodies in Accordance with Numerical Harmonies. Chapter XI.—Theory of the Size of the Heavenly Bodies in Accordance with Numerical Harmonies. These (numerical) relations, therefore,…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.12 — Waste of Mental Energy in the Systems of the Astrologers. Who will not feel astonishment at the exertion of so much deep thought with so much toil? This Ptolemy, however—a careful investigator of these matters—does…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.13 — Mention of the Heretic Colarbasus; Alliance Between Heresy and the Pythagorean Philosophy. Chapter XIII.—Mention of the Heretic Colarbasus; Alliance Between Heresy and the Pythagorean Philosophy. Certain, adhering…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.14 — Chapter XIV.—System of the Arithmeticians; Predictions Through Calculations; Numerical Roots; Transference of These Doctrines to Letters; Examples in Particular Names; Different Methods of Calculation; Prescience…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.15 — Chapter XV.—Quibbles of the Numerical Theorists; The Art of the Frontispicists (Physiognomy); Connection of This Art with Astrology; Type of Those Born Under Aries. I think that there has been clearly expounded the…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.16 — Type of Those Born Under Taurus. Those, however, who are born in Taurus will be of the following description: round head, thick hair, broad forehead, square eyes, and large black eyebrows; in a white man, thin veins,…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.17 — Type of Those Born Under Gemini. Those who are born in Gemini will be of the following description: red countenance, size not very large, evenly proportioned limbs, black eyes as if anointed with oil, cheeks turned…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.18 — Type of Those Born Under Cancer. Those born in Cancer are of the following description: size not large, hair like a dog, of a reddish colour, small mouth, round head, pointed forehead, grey eyes, sufficiently…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.19 — Type of Those Born Under Leo. Those born in Leo are of the following description: round head, reddish hair, huge wrinkled forehead, coarse ears, large development of neck, partly bald, red complexion, grey eyes,…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.20 — Type of Those Born Under Virgo. Those born in Virgo are of the following description: fair appearance, eyes not large, fascinating, dark, compact eyebrows, cheerful, swimmers; they are, however, slight in frame,…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.21 — Type of Those Born Under Libra. Those born in Libra will be of the following description: hair thin, drooping, reddish and longish, forehead pointed (and) wrinkled, fair compact eyebrows, beautiful eyes, dark pupils,…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.22 — Type of Those Born Under Scorpio. Those born in Scorpio are of the following description: a maidenish countenance, comely, pungent, blackish hair, well-shaped eyes, forehead not broad, and sharp nostril, small…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.23 — Type of Those Born Under Sagittarius. Those born in Sagittarius will be of the following description: great length, square forehead, profuse eyebrows, indicative of strength, well-arranged projection of hair, reddish…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.24 — Type of Those Born Under Capricorn. Those born in Capricorn will be of the following description: reddish body, projection of greyish hair, round mouth, eyes as of an eagle, contracted brows, open forehead, somewhat…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.25 — Type of Those Born Under Aquarius. Those born in Aquarius will be of the following description: square in size, of a diminutive body; sharp, small, fierce eyes; imperious, ungenial, severe, readily making…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.26 — Type of Those Born Under Pisces. Those born in Pisces will be of the following description: of moderate dimensions, pointed forehead like fishes, shaggy hair, frequently they become soon grey. The same by nature are…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.27 — Futility of This Theory of Stellar Influence. Since, therefore, we have explained the astonishing wisdom of these men, and have not concealed their overwrought art of divination by means of contemplation, neither…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.28 — System of the Magicians; Incantations of Demons; Secret Magical Rites. … And (the sorcerer), taking (a paper), directs the inquirer to write down with water whatever questions he may desire to have asked from the…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.29 — Display of Different Eggs. But different eggs they display after this manner. Perforating the top at both ends, and extracting the white, (and) having again dipped it, throw in some minium and some writing ink.…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.30 — Self-Slaughter of Sheep. By those who cause sheep to cut off their own heads, the following plan is adopted. Secretly smearing the throat (of the animal) with a cauterizing drug, he places a sword near, and leaves it…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.31 — Method of Poisoning Goats. And if one smear the ears of goats over with cerate, they say that they expire a little afterwards, by having their breathing obstructed. For this to them is the way—as these affirm—of…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.32 — Imitations of Thunder, and Other Illusions. Thunder is produced in many ways; for stones very numerous and unusually large, being rolled downwards along wooden planks, fall upon plates of brass, and cause a sound…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.33 — The Burning Æsculapius; Tricks with Fire. But after he discontinues uttering these jests, a fiery Æsculapius appears upon the floor. Then, placing in the midst a pot full of water, he invokes all the deities, and…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.34 — The Illusion of the Sealed Letters; Object in Detailing These Juggleries. After, then, we have succinctly explained the powers of the secret arts practised among these (magicians), and have shown their easy plan for…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.35 — The Divination by a Cauldron; Illusion of Fiery Demons; Specimen of a Magical Invocation. Chapter XXXV.—The Divination by a Cauldron; Illusion of Fiery Demons; Specimen of a Magical Invocation. But neither shall I be…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.36 — Mode of Managing an Apparition. And while speaking these words, fire is seen borne through the air; but the (spectators) being horrified at the strange apparition, (and) covering their eyes, fling themselves…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.37 — Illusive Appearance of the Moon. And they make moon and stars appear on the ceiling after this manner. In the central part of the ceiling, having fastened a mirror, placing a dish full of water equally (with the…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.38 — Illusive Appearance of the Stars. But the scales of fishes—for instance, the seahorse—cause the stars to appear to be; the scales being steeped in a mixture of water and gum, and fastened on the ceiling at intervals.vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.39 — Imitation of an Earthquake. The sensation of an earthquake they cause in such a way, as that all things seem set in motion; ordure of a weasel burned with a magnet upon coals (has this effect).vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.40 — Trick with the Liver. And they exhibit a liver seemingly bearing an inscription in this manner. With the left hand he writes what he wishes, appending it to the question, and the letters are traced with gall juice…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.41 — Making a Skull Speak. But putting a skull on the ground, they make it speak in this manner. The skull itself is made out of the caul of an ox; and when fashioned into the requisite figure, by means of Etruscan wax…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.42 — The Fraud of the Foregoing Practices; Their Connection with Heresy. These are the deeds of the magicians, and innumerable other such (tricks) there are which work on the credulity of the dupes, by fair balanced…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.43 — Chapter XLIII.—Recapitulation of Theologies and Cosmogonies; System of the Persians; Of the Babylonians; The Egyptian Notion of Deity; Their Theology Based on a Theory of Numbers; Their System of Cosmogony. Among all…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.44 — Egyptian Theory of Nature; Their Amulets. For the monad, therefore, as being beneficent, they assert that there are consequently names ascending, and beneficent, and masculine, and carefully observed, terminating in…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.45 — Use of the Foregoing Discussions. It appears, then, that these speculations also have been sufficiently explained by us. But since I think that I have omitted no opinion found in this earthly and grovelling Wisdom, I…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.46 — The Astrotheosophists; Aratus Imitated by the Heresiarchs; His System of the Disposition of the Stars. Chapter XLVI.—The Astrotheosophists; Aratus Imitated by the Heresiarchs; His System of the Disposition of the…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.47 — Opinions of the Heretics Borrowed from Aratus. Aratus says that there are in the sky revolving, that is, gyrating stars, because from east to west, and west to east, they journey perpetually, (and) in an orbicular…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.48 — Chapter XLVIII.—Invention of the Lyre; Allegorizing the Appearance and Position of the Stars; Origin of the Phœnicians; The Logos Identified by Aratus with the Constellation Canis; Influence of Canis on Fertility and…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.49 — Symbol of the Creature; And of Spirit; And of the Different Orders of Animals. Chapter XLIX.—Symbol of the Creature; And of Spirit; And of the Different Orders of Animals. But Aratus says, near this (constellation)…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.50 — Folly of Astrology. Employing these accounts, (the heretics) think to deceive as many of these as devote themselves over-sedulously to the astrologers, from thence striving to construct a system of religion that is…vatican.va
• The Refutation of All Heresies IV.51 — Chapter LI.—The Hebdomadarii; System of the Arithmeticians; Pressed into the Service of Heresy; Instances Of, in Simon and Valentinus; The Nature of the Universe Deducible from the Physiology of the Brain. But since…vatican.va