Of the constitution of the way of the midst.
2. Of Paraplēx
"The first ruler (of the way of the midst) is called Paraplēx (a ruler with a woman's shape) whose hair reacheth down to her feet, under whose authority stand five-and-twenty archdemons which rule over a multitude of other demons. And it is those demons (which enter into men and seduce them) raging and cursing and slandering; and it is they which carry off hence and in ravishment the souls and dispatch them through their dark smoke and their evil chastisements."
3. Of Yew and Melchisedec
Mary said:
"I shall behave badly to question thee. Be not wroth with me if I question on all things."
Iesus said:
"Question what thou wilt."
Mary said:
"My Lord, reveal unto us in what manner they carry off hence the souls in ravishment, that also my brethren may understand it."
Iesus,--(that is Aberamenthō),--said:
"Since indeed the FATHER (of my father),--that is Yew,--is the fore-minder of all the rulers, gods and powers (who have arisen out of the matter of the Light of the Treasury) and Zorokothora Melchisedec is the envoy to all the lights (which are purified in the rulers) leading them into the Treasury (of the Light)--these two alone are the great Lights, and their ordinance is that they down go to the rulers and purify them, and that Zorokothora Melchisedec carrieth away the purification (of the lights) which they have purified in the rulers and leadeth them into the Treasury (of the Light)--when the cipher and the time of their ordinance cometh, that they go down to the rulers and oppress and constrain them, carrying away the purification from the rulers.
"But straightway when they shall cease from the oppressing and constraining and return to the regions of the Treasury (of the Light) it cometh to pass that, if they reach the regions of the Midst, Zorokothora Melchisedec carrieth off the lights and leadeth them unto the gate of those (of the Midst) and leadeth them into the Treasury (of the Light), and that Yew withdraweth himself into the regions of those of the Right.
4. How the demon rulers carry off souls.
"Up to the time of the cipher for them to come forth again, the rulers mutiny through the wrath (of their wickedness), going straightway up to the lights, because they (Yew and Melchisedec) are not with them at that time, and they carry off the souls which they may be able to snatch away in ravishment, and destroy them through their dark smoke and their evil fire.
5. The chastisements of Paraplēx.
"At that time then this authority (with name Paraplēx) along with the demons which stand under her, carrieth off the souls of the violently passionate, of cursers and of slanderers and dispatcheth them through the dark smoke and destroyeth them through her evil fire, so that they begin to be undone and dissolved. One-hundred-and-thirty-and-three years and nine months do they spend in the chastisements (of her regions) while she tormenteth them in the fire (of her wickedness).
"It cometh to pass then after all these times, when the sphere turneth itself and the little Sabaōth (Zeus) cometh to the first of the æons of the sphere (which is called in the world the Ram1 of Boubastis) that is of Aphroditē; {and} when she (Boubastis) cometh to the seventh house of the sphere (that is to the Balance[2]) then the veils (which are between those of the Right and those of the Left) draw themselves aside, and there looketh from the height out of those of the Right the great Sabaōth (the Good); and the whole world and the total sphere {become alarmed} before he hath looked forth. And he looketh down on the regions (of Paraplēx) so that her regions may be dissolved and perish. And all the souls (which are in her chastisements) are carried and cast back {up} into the sphere anew, because they are ruined in the chastisements (of Paraplēx)."
note: Aries
note:Libra