Kephalaia Gnostika
The Kephalaia Gnostika (Greek: Γνωστικὰ Κεφάλαια, meaning Chapters on Knowledge, or Propositions on Knowledge) is a 4th-century work by Evagrius Ponticus.[1] It is philosophical in nature, containing many themes on cosmology and metaphysics, and resembles the Neoplatonic Enneads in many ways.
| Author | Evagrius Ponticus |
|---|---|
| Language | Greek |
Structure
The Kephalia Gnostika has 6 books, each with 90 propositions (or "chapters").[2]
Manuscripts
Although most, but not all, of the original Greek text has been lost, there is a Syriac manuscript in the British Museum that contains many clear Origenist theories which had been denounced at the Council of Constantinople in 553. This version is typically referred to as the Syriac S2 version. The other Syriac version, known as the Syriac S1 version, had been expurgated, with the more obvious Origenist content censured. For instance, the original Kephalaia Gnostika contains content about cosmic restoration and reintegration of all things into God (apokatastasis).[1]
Translations
There is a French translation and critical edition by Antoine Guillaumont (1958)[3] and a more recent English translation by Ilaria L. E. Ramelli (2015).[2] A Slovenian translation was published in 2015.[4]
As the Kephalaia Gnostika is often difficult to interpret, scholars often rely on other writings such as Evagrius' lengthy Letter to Melania to help interpret the text.[2]
Creation account
In the cosmology of the Kephalaia Gnostika, there was a first creation, followed by a fall from the first creation and a second creation in which the current visible material world was created.[1]
- First Creation: The "rational beings" (logikoi) or "minds" (noes) were created. They were united with God as part of "the Unity" (henad).
- The great pre-cosmic fall from the First Creation, or "the Movement" (kenesis): The "rational beings" (logikoi) or "minds" (noes) began to individually fall from "the Unity" (henad), with negligence being the first great sin. The "minds" then turned into "souls" (psyche).[note 1]
- Second Creation: God, in his benevolence, creates the visible current universe by giving bodies to the fallen souls so that they would not lapse into nothingness.[note 2] The bodies became angels, human beings, and demons. Different elements make up each (Kephalia Gnostika 1.62). Intellect and fire constitute the angels, epithymia (bodily desires) and earth constitute human beings, and thymos (emotions) and air constitute the demons. (See also Plato's theory of soul.)[note 3]
See also
Notes
- Kephalia Gnostika 3.28: "A soul is an intellect that, in its carelessness, has fallen from Unity and, due to its lack of vigilance, has descended to the order of praktikē." (Ramelli trans., 2015)
- Kephalia Gnostika 6.20: "Before the movement God was good and powerful and wise, and creator of incorporeal beings, and father of rational creatures, and omnipotent. But after the movement God has become creator of bodies, and judge and ruler ... But Father and Principle he is also before the creation of the incorporeal beings: Father of Christ, Principle of the Holy Spirit." (Ramelli trans., 2015)
- Kephalia Gnostika 1.62: "A prevalence of intellect and fire is in angels, of epithymia and earth in human beings, and of thymos and air in demons." (Ramelli trans., 2015)
References
- Harmless, William (2004). Desert Christians: an introduction to the literature of early monasticism. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-516222-6.
- Evagrius Ponticus (2015). Evagrius, Kephalaia Gnostika: a new translation of the unreformed text from the Syriac. Translated by Ramelli, Ilaria L. E. Atlanta: SBL Press. ISBN 978-1-62837-041-6. OCLC 926092786.
- Guillaumont, Antoine. Les six centuries des "Kephalaia Gnostica": édition critique de la version syriaque commune et édition d'une nouvelle version syriaque, PO 28, fasc. 1. Paris: Firmin–Didot, 1958.
- Evagrius Ponticus. Spisi in Pisma. Translated by Gorazd Kocijančič and Alen Širca. Ljubljana: KUD Logos, 2015.
External links
