Quote from Valentinus

Hi all,

I've seen the following quote here and there, attributed to Valentinus (the Gnostic), but have thus far been unable to find a specific cite.

"For many spirits dwell in it [the body] and do not permit it to be pure; each of them brings to fruition its own works, and they treat it abusively by means of unseemly desires. To me it seems that the heart suffers in much the same way as an inn: for it has holes and trenches dug in it and is often filled with filth by men who live there licentiously and have no regard for the place because it belongs to another."

If anyone's got an idea on the source help would be much appreciated.

I dabble in the modern form Gnosticism and I have read that quote in several books. I have come to think that it goes by the ancient belief that various spirits had control over certian parts of the body (ie. Gabriel controls the brain, Micheal controls the heart, ECT). I know there is a site to reference, but I can't find it at the moment. Feel free to PM me with any Gnostic-related questions if you like.

[Admiraldinty]

Originally Posted by Jonny T

Hi all,

I've seen the following quote here and there, attributed to Valentinus (the Gnostic), but have thus far been unable to find a specific cite.

If anyone's got an idea on the source help would be much appreciated.

This isn't my area of expertise, but I think the only extant work of Valentinus is the "Gospel of Truth" (it may have actually been written by a disciple.) It can be found online here.

For other Valentinian nuggets, you might want to check Irenaeus's Adversus Haereses, Marcellus of Ancyra's On the Holy Church, Tertullian's Adversus Valentinianos, and possibly Clement of Alexandria's Stromateis. All of these exist in English translation, and may even be online.