Customer Reviews

The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Book 1 (Sects 1-46) (Bk. 1)

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This is the first translation of the complete Panarion ('Medicine Chest', also known as 'Adversus Haereses') of St. Epiphanius of Salamis. The work is a set of descriptions of 80 heresies, starting with the philosophers and the Jews and brought down to his own times. The lengthy descriptions, sometimes based on personal experience, other times on works now lost, are of inestimable value to anyone who wishes to know more detail on the heresies of antiquity.

We all owe Mr. Williams quite a debt for making this long and difficult work available. It is pleasing to see that the work has now gone into its second impression (1997), which suggests that it is selling well for such a scholarly work. The book is well-made physically and printed on acid-free paper.

This is volume 1 of 2, containing just over a third of the whole work, heresies 1-46 of 80. It deals with:

Barbarism, Scythianism, Hellenism, Judaism, Stoicism, Platonists, Pythagoreans, Epicureans, Samaritans, Essenes, Sebuaeans, Gorothenes, Dositheans, Sadduccees, Scribes, Pharisees, Hemerobaptists, Nasaraeans, Ossaeans, Herodians, Simonians, Menander, Satornilus, Basilides, Nicolaitans, Gnostics(Borborites), Carpocratians, Cerinthians, Nazoraeans, Ebionites, Valentinians, Secundians, Ptolemaeans, Marcosians, Colorbasians, Heracleonites, Ophites, Cainites, Sethians, Archontics, Cerdonians, Marcionites, Lucianists, Apelleans, Severians and finally Tatianists (no. 46).

The footnotes are helpful, and indicate sources or parallels not only with the fathers but also the coptic gnostic texts in the Nag Hammadi Library. The editors of that collection are to be commended for their vision in making so essential a work available.

Niggles? For some reason the 'H'-word has proved a stumbling block. 'Heresy' (haeresis) is rendered mainly as 'sect', rather than heresy. It is unclear who benefits from this, other than persons of heretical views and thin skins! However mostly the text avoids the biases of the US religious studies establishment, and is much easier for the rest of us to read in consequence. It would have been helpful to have running headers that indicated the section in question, and not just the work. In some cases the translation has an unaccustomed force. What Greek word is rendered by the frequently encountered epithet, 'scum', I wondered. No doubt it is in a footnote somewhere, but I couldn't find it. I'd have liked some discussion of the manuscripts and transmission of the text. Finally the *price* -- OUCH!

But these are all minor points. The book is a triumph, and a required addition to the shelves of everyone obliged to paddle in the puddles of these ancient cult-makers. The book has been often quoted, and misquoted. Now we can read the whole thing for ourselves.

[Note: Physical details are the same as for book 1, which is reviewed elsewhere. Niggles and comments are mostly the same.]

This is volume 2 of a 2 volume set. It is around twice the size of vol. 1, and contains 'book 2 and book 3', i.e. heresies 47-80 plus De Fide.

Heretics dealt with are: Encratites, Montanists, Quintillianists, Quartodecimans, Alogoi, Adamians, Sampsaeans, Theodotians, Melchizedekians, Bardesanists, Noetians, Valesians, Cathari (Novatianists / Donatists), Angelics, Apostolics, Sabellians, Origenists, Origen Adamantius, Paul of Samosata, Manichaeans, Hieracites, the schism of Meletius, Arians, Audians, Photinians, Marcellians, semi-Arians, Pneumatomachi, Aerius, Anomoeans, Dimoerites (aka Apolinarians), Antidicomarians, Collyridians, Massalians. The work ends with a statement of the Christian faith (De fide) which also contains some interesting descriptions of contemporary paganism.

This is the only complete version in a modern language. The Latin text in the Patrologia Graeca is said to be of an indifferent standard. (Amidon's selection apparently consists of the description of the heresy in each case, for all the heresies, plus narrative, but omitting Epiphanius' refutation).

As the work gets closer to Epiphanius' own time, his information is increasingly valuable as based on observation or contemporary report.

If only it didn't cost so much!