§ 1.
But let us return to the aforesaid question of emanations. And first, let them give us some such account of the emanation of Æons,1 as not to touch upon grounds which belong to the Creation. For these things, they say, came not into being because of Creation, but Creation because of them. Neither do they call them the images of present things, but present things their images. As therefore they account for the images by saying, that the month (e.g.) has thirty days because of the thirty Æons, and the day twelve hours, and the year twelve months, because of the twelve Æons within the Pleroma, and whatever of like dotage they utter:—let them now give us a like account of the emanation of the Æons, why it took place so and so: and why was the first of all, the original emanation, a group of eight, and not of five, or three, or seven, or something limited by some other number? And why did ten Æons emanate from the Word and Life, and not more nor less? and again from the Man and the Church twelve, when they too might have proved more or fewer?
§ 2.
The Whole Pleroma again, why is it in three parts, of eight, and ten, and twelve, and not in any other number besides these? And the division too itself, why is it made into three, and not into four, or five, or six, or some other number, without reference to any of those numbers which appertain to the Creation, conspiring towards its harmony? (For these, they say, are older than those, and they ought to have a principle of their own, that namely, which is before Creation, not that which is copied from Creation.)
§ 3.
As for us, asserting this harmony concerning Creation,2 we mean that things are adjusted by such and such a principle of order, such principle being convenient for the things that are made. But they not being able to allege any proper cause of those earlier results, which are perfect in themselves, must needs fall into extreme perplexity. For whereas they ask us, in our supposed ignorance, certain questions concerning the Creation, themselves being in reply asked the same questions concerning the Pleroma, will either tell us of such things as men are liable to, or will fall into discourse about the harmony of Creation; the latter answer being irrelevant, and the former unsuitable to them. For our question refers not to the harmony of Creation, nor to human affections: but since their Pleroma, of which they say the Creation is the image, is of eight, ten, or twelve forms, we want them to confess that it was made of that figure by their Father without cause or forethought, and they will array Him in confusion, if He made any thing thus irrationally. Or if, on the other hand, they will affirm that by the Father’s Providence the Pleroma was thus produced, for the Creation’s sake, He having well ordered by measure the being thereof; it follows that the Pleroma will not have been made for itself, but for the image which was afterwards to exist in the likeness thereof. Just as the statue of clay is not formed for its own sake, but for the sake of that which is to be made of brass or gold or silver. And so the Creation will be more honoured than the Pleroma, if for its sake those higher beings were produced.