[230] For this identification of Eve with the Mother of Life or Great Goddess of Asia, see Forerunners, II, 300, and n.
[231] ἄκραν. Cruice and Macmahon both read ἀρχή, “beginning,” but see ταύτην τὴν ἄκραν later.
[232] All this is, of course, quite different to the meaning assigned to these stars by the unnamed heretics of Book IV.
[233] If we could be sure that Hippolytus was here summarizing fairly Ophite doctrines, it would appear that the Ophites rejected the Platonic theory that matter was essentially evil. What is here said presents a curious likeness to Stoic doctrines of the universe, as of man’s being. Hippolytus, however, never quotes a Stoic author and seems throughout to ignore Stoicism save in Book I.
[234] πρόσωπον. The word used to denote the “character” or part or a person on the stage.
[235] ἰδέαι. So throughout this passage.
[236] Gen. xxx. 37 ff.
[237] χαρακτῆρες. See n. on p. 143 supra.
[238] Not “ring-straked” like Jacob’s sheep.
[239] ὁμοούσιος.