LITERATURE OF GNOSTIC WISDOM 169
As incorruptibility looked down into the region of the waters, her image
appeared in the waters, and the authorities of the darkness became enamored
of her. But they could not lay hold of that image which had appeared to them
in the waters, because of their weakness, since beings that merely have soul
cannot lay hold of those that have spirit. For they^14 were from below, while it^15
was from above.^16
THE CREATION OF ADAM AND EVE
This is the reason why incorruptibility looked down into the region, so that,
by the father's will, she might bring all into union with the light.
The rulers laid plans and said, "Come, let us create a human that will
be soil from the earth." They modeled their creature as one wholly of the
earth.^17
The rulers have bodies that are both female and male, and faces that are the
faces of beasts. They took some soil from the earth and modeled their man, after
their body and after the image of god that had appeared to them in the waters.^18
They said, "Come, let us lay hold of it^19 by means of the form that we have
modeled, so that it may see its male partner^20 and we may seize it with the
form that we have modeled," not understanding the partner of god, because of
their powerlessness. And he^21 breathed into his face, and the man came to
have a soul^22 and remained on the ground many days. But they could not
make him rise because of their powerlessness. Like storm winds they persisted
in blowing,^23 that they might try to capture that image which had appeared
to them in the waters. And they did not know the identity of its power.
Now, all these events came to pass by the will of the father of all. Afterward
the spirit^24 saw the man of soul on the ground. The spirit came forth from the
- The rulers or authorities.
- The image of incorruptibility.
- Here and throughout the text there are close parallels to Genesis. Only a few will be noted.
- See Genesis 2:7.
- The image of incorruptibility, above. This paragraph is partially restored.
- The image.
- Probably the male partner of incorruptibility, who is a female aeon.
- Samael, the chief ruler.
- This is the psychical human, the soul man, as in the Secret Book of John.
- See Genesis 2:7.
- The spirit is the female spiritual presence who is at work in the world and is reminiscent
of afterthought in the Secret Book of John. She plays a key role throughout the Reality of the
Rulers.