BASILIDES, one of the most celebrated of the Gnostics (see GNOSTICISM), flourished probably about A.D. 125 in Alex andria. Very little is known of his life ; and of his doctrine there are two fundamentally different accounts: that of Irenaeus, in his great work against heresies, and that of Hippolytus in his Philo sophoumena (also a refutation of heresies). This work was not published until 1851, having been discovered a few years earlier. In addition to this, there are variations in points of greater or less importance in the fragments of information given by Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Eusebius and the author of The Acts of Archelaus (of which a complete Latin translation was discovered by Traube and published by Beeson in 1906) . The conflicting statements may be partly accounted for by the failure of these writers to distinguish clearly the ideas of Basilides himself, first from those of his son Isidorus, and secondly from those of the school which he (Basilides) founded.
According to Irenaeus, the system resembled that of Valentinus (q.v.), and, like the Gnostic systems generally, had its root in an endeavour to explain the origin of evil. The First Principle or Supreme God, called "The Father," is incomprehensible and un created. From Him proceeded in succession five emanations: vows, X6yos, ckpovriacs, aoOia, 815vaµcs. Clement of Alexandria adds that from the last-named proceeded oucaeoavvri and Elpi in , and these seven with "the Father" formed the first "ogdoad" or octave of existence, creating or constituting the highest heaven. From them emanated other powers, by whom the second heaven was made, and so on in succession through 365 "heavens," each system be ing an inferior type or reflex of the original. The powers of the lowest heaven, of whom the chief was called the Archon (apxwv ), created this world. He is the God of the Jews, a being of limited goodness, wisdom and power. To alleviate the misfortunes of the world the vows or first Emanation descended to the earth and be came incarnate in Jesus Christ. But the vows could not suffer death ; he therefore changed forms with Simon of Cyrene who actually suffered in his place. Salvation is purely spiritual, per taining only to the soul. From this principle according to Ire naeus, Basilides and his followers derived the doctrine of "moral indifference,"—that outer actions, being merely material events, are not in themselves either good or bad.
A widely different account is given by Hippolytus. According to him, "the Father," or the Supreme Being (of whom nothing can be predicated, because his essence is beyond the power of language to express or thought to comprehend) created the 7ravairepµia, or "seed," which contained in itself the germs or ele ments of all things: but also, as it were embedded therein, are three degrees or kinds of Divine Sonship, consubstantial with the Supreme Being. All things naturally tend towards God, and the first Sonship, which was pure, ascended to "the Father." The second Sonship also strove to ascend, but being less pure, could ascend only part of the way. The third Sonship remained im mersed in matter and constituted the spiritual element in the elect. , Then from the world-seed there burst forth the great apXwv or ruler, who ascended as far as the firmament, and, imag ining there was nothing beyond, glorified himself as the best and strongest of all beings: but he produced a son wiser and better than himself, by whose aid he laid the foundations of the world. The seat of their rule extended from the upper firmament down to the sphere of the moon (the earth being supposed to be the sta tionary centre of the universe). The earth and the region beneath the moon are ruled by a second and inferior apXwv, the God of the Jews, who also had produced a son.
As in all Gnostic systems, freedom is given by the truth, i.e., by a knowledge of the true system of things ; and this is given by a series of illuminations. The mind of the son of the higher Archon is enlightened; and he instructs his father, who learns with fear and repentance that there is a sphere of being higher than his own. The light then passes to the son of the lower Archon, who likewise instructs his father. Finally the mind of Jesus was enlightened, and he became Christ, and instructed those of mankind who were able to receive the truth. There are thus three great stages in the world's religious history,—the Ante-Jewish, the Jewish and the Christian. All the souls capable of receiving the light ascend upwards, while their bodies return to the primeval chaos; the minds of all others are shrouded in eternal night, the night of ignorance.
This brief sketch is sufficient to show that the two versions of the system of Basilides are irreconcilable. The various divergent accounts have been the source of much discussion and difference of opinion. It cannot be said the question has yet been satisfac torily settled. And in addition to this, a series of detailed prob lems is raised by the symbolical and mythological forms in which the ideas are expressed, and which are evidently not all original inventions of the teacher himself.