Chapter II.—Source of the Heresy of Noetus; Cleomenes His Disciple; Its Appearance at Rome During the Episcopates of Zephyrinus and Callistus; Noetianism Opposed at Rome by Hippolytus.

There has appeared one, Noetus⁹⁶⁰⁹⁶⁰    See Fragments of Hippolytus’ Works (p. 235 et seq.), edited by Fabricius; Theodoret, Hær. Fab., iii. 3; Epiphanius, Hær., lvii.; and Philastrius, Hæret., liv. Theodoret mentions Epigonus and Cleomenes, and his account is obviously adopted by Hippolytus. by name, and by birth a native of Smyrna. This person introduced a heresy from the tenets of Heraclitus.⁹⁶¹⁹⁶¹    [See Tatian, vol. ii. p. 66, this series.] Now a certain man called Epigonus becomes his minister and pupil, and this person during his sojourn at Rome disseminated his godless opinion. But Cleomenes, who had become his disciple, an alien both in way of life and habits from the Church, was wont to corroborate the (Noetian) doctrine. At that time, Zephyrinus imagines that he administers the affairs of the Church⁹⁶²⁹⁶²    [See note 2, cap. iii. infra., and Elucidation V.]—an uninformed and shamefully corrupt man. And he, being persuaded by proffered gain, was accustomed to connive at those who were present for the purpose of becoming disciples of Cleomenes. But (Zephyrinus) himself, being in process of time enticed away, hurried headlong⁹⁶³⁹⁶³    [See Elucidation VI.] into the same opinions; and he had Callistus as his adviser, and a fellow-champion of these wicked tenets.⁹⁶⁴⁹⁶⁴    [See Elucidation VI.] But the life of this (Callistus), and the heresy invented by him, I shall after a little explain.  The school of these heretics during the succession of such bishops, continued to acquire strength and augmentation, from the fact that Zephyrinus and Callistus helped them to prevail.⁹⁶⁵⁹⁶⁵    [Note the emphasis and repeated statement with which our author dwells on this painful charge.] Never at any time, however, have we been guilty of collusion with them; but we have frequently offered them opposition,⁹⁶⁶⁹⁶⁶    [Elucidation VI.] and have refuted them, and have forced them reluctantly to acknowledge the truth.  And they, abashed and constrained by the truth, have confessed their errors for a short period, but after a little, wallow once again in the same mire.⁹⁶⁷⁹⁶⁷    2 Pet. ii. 22. [See book x. cap xxiii., p. 148, infra.]