The library · Edition and sources
On the Origin of the World
Samuel Zinner, edited by Mark M. Mattison; Other Gospels · Translated text
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Chapter 12
1. As an androgynous entity, Eros appeared from out of that primal blood.
2. His masculine element is Himireris, which is fire from light.
3. His feminine element that dwells together with him, a soul consisting of blood, originates from the substance of Pronoia.
4. He is quite lovely in his beauty, possessing a charm surpassing all the created entities of Chaos.
5. All the gods then, and their angels, when they gazed on Eros, fell in love with him, and manifesting himself inside of all of them, he set them ablaze, just like several lamps are lit from a single lamp, even one and the same light is present, yet the lamp is not diminished, and in this way Eros dispersed himself inside all of the created entities of Chaos, and was not diminished.
6. Just like Eros appeared at the center of light and darkness, and (just like) the sexual union of Eros was consummated at the center of the angels and humanity, so from out of the earth the primal pleasure bloomed.
7. Woman followed Earth; marriage followed Woman.
8. Birth followed marriage; decline followed birth.
9. After Eros, the grapevine sprouted up from out of that blood shed onto the earth.
10. On account of this, those who imbibe it generate desire for sexual union.
11. After the grapevine, a fig tree as well as a pomegranate tree sprouted up from the earth, together with the remainder of the trees, every species, possessing their seed from the ⟦page 110⟧ seed of the authorities and of their angels.