women.  And Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained constantly with Philip; and was driven out of his wits on seeing the signs and great wonders[3] that took place.

And the apostles in Jerusalem hearing that Samaria had received the Word of God, sent Peter and John to them.  And they went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.  For as yet it had not fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized unto the Name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.  And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given by the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, saying:  “Give unto me also this power, in order that on whomsoever I lay my hands he may receive the Holy Spirit.”

But Peter said unto him:  “Thy silver perish with thee, in that thou didst think that the gift of God is possessed with money.  There is not for thee part or lot in this Word, for thy heart is not right before God.  Therefore turn from this evil of thine, and pray the Lord, if by chance the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.  For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.”

     And Simon answered and said:  “Pray ye on my behalf to the Lord,
     that none of the things that ye have said may come upon me.”

II.—­The Simon of the Fathers.

i.  Justinus Martyr (Apologia, I. 26).  Text:  Corpus Apologetarum Christianorum Saeculi Secundi (edidit Io.  Car.  Th.  Eques de Otto); Jenae, 1876 (ed. tert.).

And thirdly, that even after the ascension of the Christ into heaven the daemons cast before themselves (as a shield) certain men who said that they were gods, who were not only not expelled by you,[4] but even thought worthy of honours; a certain Samaritan, Simon, who came from a village called Gitta; who in the reign of Claudius Caesar[5] wrought magic wonders by the art of the daemons who possessed him, and was considered a god in your imperial city of Rome, and as a god was honoured with a statue by you, which statue was erected in the river Tiber, between the two bridges, with the following inscription in Roman:  “Simoni Deo Sancto.”  And nearly all the Samaritans, but few among the rest of the nations, confess him to be the first god and worship him.  And they speak of a certain Helen, who went round with him at that time, and who had formerly prostituted herself,[6] but was made by him his first Thought.

ii.  Irenaeus (Contra Haereses, I. xxiii. 1-4).  Text:  Opera (edidit Adolphus Stieren); Lipsiae, 1848.