LITERATURE OF GNOSTIC WISDOM 401
burdensome bitterness of Hades. Whoever relies on what is brought to him
will not be forgiven his madness, but will be judged. Whoever has perse-
cuted you will be handed over to the angel Tartarouchos,^20 who has flaming
fire that pursues them, and fiery whips that spew forth sparks into the face of
one who is pursued. If he flees to the west, he finds fire. If he turns south, he
finds it there as well. If he turns north, the threat of erupting fire meets him
again. Nor can he find the way to the east, to flee there and be saved, for he
did not find it while embodied so as to find it on the day of judgment."
SHAME ON YOU
Then the savior continued and said, "Shame on you, godless people, who have
no hope, who are secure in things that will not happen.
"Shame on you who hope in the flesh and in the prison that will perish.^21
How long will you sleep and think that what is imperishable will also perish?
Your hope is based upon the world, and your god is this present life. You are
destroying your souls.
"Shame on you with the fire that burns within you. It is insatiable.
"Shame on you because of the wheel that turns in your minds.
"Shame on you because of the smoldering in you. It will devour your flesh
visibly, tear your souls secretly, and prepare you for each other.
"Shame on you, prisoners, for you are bound in caves. You laugh, you re-
joice in mad laughter. You do not perceive your destruction. Neither do you
perceive your plight, nor have you understood that you are in darkness and
death. Rather, you are drunk with fire and full of bitterness. Your hearts are de-
ranged because of the smoldering that is within you, and you delight in your
enemies' poison and blows. Darkness has risen in you like light, for you have
surrendered your freedom to slavery. You have darkened your hearts. You have
given in to foolishness, and you have filled your minds with the smoke of the
fire within. And your light has been hidden by the dark cloud. You love the
garment^22 that you wear, although it is filthy, and you are gripped by nonex-
istent hope. You have believed in what you do not know. You all live in bondage
- Tartarouchos is the angel or power who controls Tartaros.
- The body is the perishable prison of the soul in Platonic and Orphic thought. Note also,
below, the prisoners bound in caves, and the Secret Book of John, on the physical body as a
cave (and the allegory of the cave in Plato's Republic). - The garment being worn is the body, which can be put on or taken off like an article of
clothing.