Simon Magus. The founder of Gnosticism

She paused and continued:

“Dion is too proud, and sometimes, to avoid hurting his ego, I hide in the studio while he’s working and offer him some advice. And when my son leaves the studio, I make a few adjustments to the sculpture. It’s important to me that Dion succeeds in his endeavors, and I’ve noticed that he’s already doing well on his own, although he still lacks self-control. You’ve probably noticed that the boy is overly emotional. He strives to create the perfect sculpture, and if he doesn’t like even a little bit, he breaks the finished piece and starts sculpting a new one from the same clay. The only thing that’s important is that my son doesn’t get bored with the creative process and abandon the studio.”

“Today Dion told me about an invisible helper, a voice from heaven, now everything has become clear to me,” I said with a smile.

“Yes, I try to help him invisibly, to guide him. Sculpture is an ancient art. I mastered it at a young age, and even now, when I have free time, I continue to sculpt in my studio in Rome.”

Portia paused, admiring the newly blossomed lily buds, and then continued:

“You know, there’s a certain magic to sculpture that’s impossible to convey. You craft, you shape, but no one knows what the end result will be. In this way, you’re like a creator who creates every day, striving to make this world a better place. We all imitate him or the renowned masters of the past, whose majestic statues adorn Rome and other major cities of our empire, but all we manage to achieve is only a vague resemblance. Dion perfects his craft with each passing day, and I believe he’ll succeed.”

“Yes, the boy clearly has talent. He’s doing exactly what he was created for. The teacher says that every person has a purpose, a mission for which they were born, and if they’ve found their path, it’s a great blessing. According to the teacher, sin isn’t breaking certain laws or commandments, but rather straying from one’s earthly mission.”

“And what mission did he prophesy for you?” Portia asked.

“The Abba is convinced that I must become the bearer of a new teaching. I must write it down and thereby resurrect it from the ashes.”

“How interesting,” Portia said thoughtfully.

“Simon says that the Greek religion, like the Hebrew Scriptures, could have lost its true meaning because there were many philosophers and religious figures who interpreted certain laws based on their own beliefs. That’s why we strive to revive true Greek teaching and unite it with Scripture, so that seekers of truth can tap into primordial wisdom.”

After thinking for a moment, I added:

“You know, when I hear stories of people in remote areas trying to replicate the majestic Roman sculptures, albeit on a smaller scale, I can’t help but recall my teacher’s words about the material world, which even in secret teachings is called the world of ‘Echoes,’ because it was created not in the image of Kenoma itself, or even a remote likeness, but based on a verbal description. That’s why the resulting imitation of Kenoma isn’t the best — so much violence and injustice.”

This can also happen with a true teaching, which each person then begins to interpret in their own way, and their followers write down notes based on these incorrect judgments. Thus, the teaching can gradually lose its original meaning. Simon calls this chain of transmission of incorrect knowledge from teacher to student “the blind leading the blind.” In other words, the world is imperfect because the true teaching has become distorted over time, hidden behind many layers, and only seekers of truth, peeling them off one by one, can truly understand it.

— So it turns out that salvation lies in the secret teaching about the creation of the universe?

“Yes, that’s true. Only it can lead the soul out of the cycles of reincarnation and grant salvation. This secret knowledge is practically lost, although fragments of it have been preserved in mystical Greek teachings such as Orphism and the Jewish esoteric school of Da’ath. And to give people this forgotten knowledge, this saving gnosis, the teacher founded Gnosticism. To give an example of the importance of true knowledge for humanity, based on your story with the sculptures, then, unfortunately, the further a sculpture is from its source, the more people have passed on their impressions of the original they once saw, the less it resembles it. In my life, I’ve encountered all sorts of things: sometimes a statue was reproduced from a verbal description, and the one who sculpted it never even saw the original, and sometimes the one who described it never saw it either.” This is what happened to our world, which was created in the image and likeness.

Looking at Portia, I added:

“It’s good that you’re looking after your son and helping him. He’ll definitely succeed, but I just can’t understand why he calls you ‘woman’? At first, I even thought you weren’t his real mother.”

Portia chuckled:

“Many people who haven’t met our family for long think so. I gave birth to him alone, as my husband was away on business. After Dion was born, he developed vision problems; the bright sun seemed to burn his eyes, and extraneous sounds and the din of the streets caused him to panic. When I realized that Rome, where it’s noisy and crowded, would be difficult for him, I bought this estate with a garden in the suburbs of Naples and hired a nanny and a tutor to raise him. So it happened that Dion has been raised from an early age by a nanny, whom he calls by name, and he sees me very rarely and calls me not ‘mother,’ but ‘woman.’ I look forward to the time when my son grows up, gets stronger, sees better, and is no longer afraid of noise. Then he can return to the capital and settle in our estate in the heart of Rome. I am ready to leave everything I have to Dion, even my workshop.”

“But it could take too long for that to happen. Why don’t you tell the boy that you’re his mother? I think he, like all of us, yearns for parental warmth, although he may not show it.”

Portia, remembering her mother, whom she had not seen for a long time, said through tears:

“It’s not time yet. I can’t be around my son for long right now. It’s better for him not to know he has a mother, because every time we’re separated, he’ll suffer even more. But wherever I am, I will always protect my child and won’t allow anyone to harm him.”

— It must be hard for you in Rome alone, without your husband?

“My husband holds an important post; he serves the Roman Empire. I used to accompany him, but now I’m forced to remain in Rome. I often write him letters, and sometimes I send messengers if I need to convey something important verbally.”

Remembering my visit to the capital of the empire, I said:

“I really enjoyed Rome. I’ve been there twice and hope to go again if Simon lets me accompany him.”

Hearing the wizard’s name, Portia said:

“We are grateful to Simon that, after leaving our estate in Rome, he came here and is with Dion. Although many influential people wanted him to remain in the capital. Imagine, having learned that Simon was living on our Roman estate, people from various cities of the empire continue to come there.” arrive to see the magician in person. We even had to put up a sign that Simon the Miracle Worker had left the estate and Rome in general.

“That’s precisely why the teacher decided to settle temporarily in Oplontis. He enjoys long periods of reflection, being alone, and he really likes it here.”

“Long before your arrival, when Simon was still in Judea, all the Roman nobility had heard of his miracles, since he had healed the daughter of the former prefect of Judea, Valerius Gratus, from deafness and dumbness. News of this spread throughout the Roman Empire, and in the capital they began to call him Simon Magus, and sometimes even Zeus. Everyone dreamed of meeting him, of seeing him soar high above the earth, walk on water, and perform other miracles. I wrote to my husband about this more than once. Despite all the stories, many thought such a man didn’t exist or that the tales of his miracles were fiction, until they saw it with their own eyes in the Roman Forum.

Portia thought about something and then asked:

— Tell me, you probably know that he is famous as a miracle worker and that he can even heal lepers?

— Yes, of course, I know about this, despite the fact that I have only been accompanying him for two years.

— Then maybe you could tell me why he doesn’t completely heal Dion, but only temporarily alleviates his suffering?

“Only the teacher knows. Perhaps the time has not yet come for Dion to fully see the light. I heard Simon, speaking with the boy, promise that when the time comes, he will leave this estate and go to your estate in Rome, where he will be able to see the beauty of the Eternal City with his own eyes. A teacher does not make empty promises.”

My words calmed Portia, and she said:

“Be that as it may, the child is better off when Simon is around. I’m glad they got along. Dion calls him Magus, a kind man, and even Jupiter.”

— Yes, that’s true.

“You know,” Portia said thoughtfully, looking off into the distance, “when Simon spoke at the Roman Forum, the entire city would gather, and even the Emperor himself would come to witness his miracles. The common people especially admire the way Simon turns water in a jug into wine and gives it to them to drink. But now the Magus has become less of a public figure.” The woman looked at me. “Do you know why?”

“In recent months, the teacher has preferred solitude; perhaps he’s preparing for an important event, which is why he came here. However, several times a month, Abba still goes to Rome to visit Pompey’s theater, the chariot races, or to spend time in the baths, which are not particularly crowded and are mostly frequented by noble Romans.”

“You mentioned the Roman nobility, and I remembered something I’ve been meaning to ask. Rumor has it that Simon avoids contact with common people, treats them with disdain, and teaches his followers the same.”

“That’s not entirely true. As far as you know, we, his followers, are not particularly wealthy, yet Simon continues to instruct us. Yes, the teacher treats noble and wealthy people with special respect, but, as Abba asserts, the greatest value in a person is the spark that resides within each one. This spark sparkles in proportion to the individual’s path to secret knowledge. According to the teacher, only Gnostics and wealthy people, who may or may not be enlightened, are worthy of this inner light. When Gnostics or nobles are near each other, the sparks, parts of this fallen goddess, shine even brighter, as if rejoicing and flaring like embers in the wind. But in a crowd, among simple, ignorant people, this light slowly begins to fade. Sometimes, to make things clearer, Abba speaks not of the spark, but of the queen-soul, or the goddess herself, who resides within each of us and awakens to the light of that very spark. This is why it is said that in the ignorant, or as they are also called, “dark,” the queen-soul sleeps, while in the enlightened, enjoying this higher light, she is awake. And when the goddess encounters such light in someone else, she rejoices with greater intensity, as if she had seen a loved one. But if she encounters darkness, ignorance within someone, she is saddened, and the light gradually fades. This is the reason for Simon’s selective communication.

There’s a story in the Jewish secret teaching of Da’at that I really like. It says that if two people meet and become friends, an angel is born, a symbol of this friendship. When they’re together and happy, the angel rejoices, but when they part, the angel is sad. Portia, have you ever met someone and suddenly remembered them years later? It’s that same angel, who, over time, loses strength and breathes her last breaths, who reminds you of them. This story can vaguely explain the joy that fills the souls of those with an awakened spark when they are together.

“How interesting… I also heard that Magus avoids contact with the Jewish priests, believing they are not ready to accept his new teaching based on Scripture. Upon learning that Simon preached Gnosticism, they even demanded the miracle worker’s execution, but they only succeeded in having him expelled from those lands.”

“The teacher wasn’t expelled from Judea; he left it himself, having completed his mission in those lands. We live in a momentous time, when many nations are praying for the arrival of a savior. The Jews await their messiah, and Simon asserts that the future savior will be none other than his messenger. He will come to this world to impart new knowledge to people, and also to create a new world religion, based on Greek mystical teachings and Jewish Scripture, the origins of which we are at.

— Why then do the Jews not accept Simon’s teaching, since it is based on Scripture, and continue to reproach him for not observing the Jewish commandments and dietary requirements, despite the fact that he calls himself a descendant of one of the tribes of Israel?

“Yes, the teacher eats all kinds of meat, fish, and poultry, and doesn’t hide it. Simon likes to repeat that the commandments don’t apply to him, and he’s allowed us to break them, even the strict Jewish fasts and dietary taboos, as long as he’s with us. The teacher says that Gnostics are saved by knowledge, not by commandments.”

I even witnessed the teacher visiting pagan temples in Rome and other cities. I want to point out right away that he doesn’t pray in them, but rather goes to admire the interior decoration and architecture, or, as he himself says, to soak up the spirit of the place. We are not given the power to comprehend his great wisdom. Since Simon performs such miracles and has acquired a secret name, it means that higher powers favor him, and we must follow the teacher’s instructions.

Portia listened to me attentively and then said:

“Be that as it may, the visit of such a guest is a great honor for us. I am well aware of the attitude of the Roman nobility toward Simon, since I myself am descended from the Julio-Claudians. Many in the capital would consider it an honor not only to shelter Magus, but simply to communicate with him. I am confident that he will succeed, and the teachings he founded will capture the hearts of people throughout the world. Dion is very glad of his presence in Oplontis and says that when a good man is nearby, his suffering fades and his eyes, at least temporarily, stop hurting so much.

Portia looked at me intently and said:

“You probably noticed my agitation when we met. I didn’t want to disturb Magus, but I want you to dissuade him from visiting Rome today. The thing is, I often have prophetic dreams, and last night I dreamed that a horse would go berserk upon seeing Simon and attack him, and innocent people could get hurt.”

“The teacher said he was going to the capital today to attend the chariot races. Perhaps you dreamed of the races themselves, where Simon would be a spectator?”

— No. It will be after the races, on the way back.

Seeing Portia’s anxiety, I said:

— After our conversation, I will go to the teacher and will definitely convey your words to him.

Having calmed down a little, Portia asked:

“Tell me, is Simon expecting someone? In my dream, I saw someone else arriving at the estate soon, and there would be three new saucers at the Friday table.”

“No, we’re not expecting anyone except that very messenger, whose name is known only to the teacher. But when the Son of God will arrive, and whether he will arrive at all, I don’t know.”

After thinking for a moment, I added:

“Perhaps you’re talking about the two guests who arrived here this morning from Judea. They somehow learned that Simon was in Oplontis and wanted to buy his blessing. Yes, people from all over the world often come to his performances and ask for money to teach them the art. These two from Judea didn’t believe the story about his execution, searched for him for a long time in Rome, and then ended up here. We’re not expecting anyone else; at least, the teacher didn’t tell me so.”

“I dreamed of a rider who was thrown by that same horse when he saw Simon, and of two others who helped him up. Then these three entered our garden and, falling as seeds, became large trees.”

Looking at the beautiful trees growing in the garden, Portia added:

“Trust me when I say that three will arrive by this Friday. If two are already here, then another will be arriving soon. My dreams never lie to me.”

To calm Portia down, I said:

“The teacher says that dreams must be interpreted with great caution. For most people, they mean nothing, and only for those who have done certain spiritual work can they prove prophetic. But even for great prophets, dreams have not been given a definitive interpretation. Therefore, since ancient times, people have spoken of the dangers of interpreting dreams, even those that seem prophetic, since through some, God may speak, and through others, the devil. And only time will tell whether a prophecy was true or not.

“I don’t often share my dreams, but I decided to tell you to protect people from danger. I am well aware of Simon’s wisdom, and of course he will decide for himself what to do. If the Magus insists on traveling to the capital, you will certainly inform me. I will send a messenger ahead of you so that the servants can prepare the Roman estate in time, should the miracle worker wish to spend the night in the capital.”

I nodded approvingly. Portia looked off into the distance and said thoughtfully:

“How lucky you are to be near Magus. Some say his power comes from God, others from the devil, but one thing is certain — Simon possesses indescribable strength. He levitates, heals lepers and the mute. I heard he even managed to resurrect several people.”

— Yes, they say things like that too.

— How does he do it? Perhaps you could share it with me?

— I don’t know myself.

“They say he’s been given a secret name. As his closest disciple, you probably know it too? Perhaps you can help Dion?”

“Unfortunately, this name can only be used in extreme cases. Simon performs all these miracles not for idle amusement, as many might think, but so that people will believe in the truth of his words and so that the future savior can find him in this world. If the name appears in someone else’s possession, it loses its power.”

“So you won’t shed any light on his secret?” Portia drawled, disappointed. “I thought he would have shared it with you, as one of his closest followers. If Simon won’t even let you in, I’ll certainly never know.”

“He’s saving that for the Son of God. As for our acquaintance, as I’ve already said, I’ve only been following him for two years. Simon was attracted by my education and knowledge of languages. Greek is my native language, as I am a representative of Jewish Hellenism and was raised on Greek philosophy, and I learned Hebrew and Aramaic when I first arrived in Judea ten years ago. Initially, I received a religious education, but its limitations became too narrow for me, and I began to study the esoteric teaching of Da’at from the sages of Galilee. In one of the scrolls, I even described this secret Jewish teaching. Later, like other Hellenistic Jews, I tried to connect Scripture with Greek philosophy. Having learned of Simon the Wonderworker, who preached about the Pleroma, I came to Samaria to hear a sermon on saving gnosis and witness miracles, and then followed him.

Moving from city to city, we had long conversations, and seeing my knowledge of Greek culture and the Pentateuch, Abba praised my Mother of God and allowed me to record his teachings and stories of miracles. I write all my notes in Greek, for the Gnostics of the future. I should note that I am not a devoted follower of Simon, but a seeker of truth, but I cannot explain what the teacher does. Simon the miracle worker is spoken of throughout the Roman Empire, but at first I didn’t believe it and thought it was nothing more than a myth, until I saw it with my own eyes.

“How many names does he have? Some call him Simon the Samaritan or Simon the Wonderworker, the Greeks call him Zeus, the Romans call him Jupiter, Magus, or Faustus, and I’ve even heard some disciples call him Abba or Eli.”

“You are right, the teacher is called by different names, even Zeus, since Simon and Helen, the first thought of Nous, the Father of the Pleroma, for the sake of liberating which he descended into this world, now symbolize Zeus and Athena.

— That’s why you installed a statue of the chief of the Olympian gods at the entrance to his home?

“Yes. Every arrival is screened, and if, when asked whose statue it is, they answer “Zeus and Athena,” not “Simon and Helen,” they will not be admitted to the teacher. The Gnostics know that Nous (Mind) himself descended into Simon’s body to rescue his first thought, Ennoia (Thought), from this world. Once, they danced in a dance of love and created all things beautiful in the higher spiritual worlds, but at some point, Ennoia escaped to create on her own, only to be captured by her own creations.

She was captured by the archons she once created, and now wanders this world in search of a Savior. However, Simon is revered as a god not only by his followers, but also by many who witnessed his miracles and those he healed, who understand that such things are only possible for a god. Most Romans, however, enraptured by his miracles, call Simon “the Auspicious,” “the Miracle Worker,” and most often, “the Magician.”

To clarify for Portia the meaning of the various names of Simon the Samaritan, I added:

“And the address “Eli’ translates from Hebrew as ‘my god.” We sometimes also call him “Abba,” which translates from Hebrew as ‘father,” since Simon personifies the father of the Pleroma in Gnostic history, the very same Nous, and is also the spiritual father for all his followers. But only his closest disciples address him this way; others are not permitted to do so.

— What do you need to do to study with Simon and become his follower?

“The Abba isn’t teaching anyone now, but rather sending people to read his notes or those made by his students. He’s been avoiding people lately, and has become overly suspicious. I asked him why, and the teacher replied that he was afraid of being mistaken about his savior. But Simon speaks very highly of you. You’ve donated your estate and are making generous donations for Helen’s release from Tyre.”

“Then perhaps, while I am in Oplontis, I will be able to come into contact with Gnosticism through you.”

“I’ll ask Simon. I don’t think he’ll mind, since you looked after us in Rome and even here. If Abba agrees, I’ll tell you in detail about Gnosticism and the tests prospective students undergo before not only meeting Simon but even beginning their training.”

— Tell me more about the teacher. What is Magus like in everyday life?

Abba spends most of his time alone, contemplating Helen. As I’ve already said, for him she symbolizes Ennoia, also called his first thought. Simon often relates in his sermons that this first thought, Helen, having descended into the material world, was captured by the archons and now resides in Tyre, from where he must ransom her and return her to the higher worlds, to the Pleroma. The teacher claims that in previous incarnations she was the very same Helen the Beautiful, because of whom the Trojan War occurred. According to another version, Helen symbolizes the universal soul. Having descended into this world, she disintegrated into the many souls with which people are endowed. These souls are also called sparks in various teachings. These sparks are present in everyone. I’ve already told you that the teacher generally avoids ordinary people, as the awakened Helen, also called the Queen Soul, resides only in Gnostics, as well as in the noble, wealthy, and powerful. During his interactions with them, he can see her distant reflection, a memory of that very first Thought. Simon says that not everyone succeeds in awakening the Queen Helen within themselves; some are granted this honor by birth or noble descent, while others are granted it through their diligence and perseverance. The Abba asserts that everyone should strive to awaken the Queen Soul within themselves, but this requires great spiritual work, long and regular fasting, overcoming vices, and being modest and moderate in their desires. But all these precepts are only for spiritual people.