It happened therefore while the Rulers of the Aeons, with those of the Destiny, with those of the Sphere are abiding, doing this kind (of thing) [36 ] turning them round, eating the purgation of their matter, having not been allowed to make souls in the World of the mankind, that they should tarry being kings and spend much time outside this, namely the powers; these in which become the powers, namely the souls; these therefore remained making themselves for two cycles, continuously.
It happened therefore, I having come, about to go up unto the service, having been invited because of it by the command of the First Mystery, I came up unto the midst of the Tyrants of the Rulers of the twelve Aeons, my vesture of light being upon me, enlightening greatly greatly, there not being measure for the light which was becoming from me.
It happened therefore, they having seen the great light which becometh from me those Tyrants [36 ] the great Adamas the Tyrant with all the Tyrants of the twelve Aeons, they all began to war with the light of my vesture, wishing to hold (it) down together with them, that they should tarry still in their kingdom.
These (things) therefore they were doing, not knowing with whom they were warring.
They therefore having rebelled, having warred with the light, then I according to the command of the First Mystery I altered the paths with the courses of their Aeons, with the paths of their Destiny with their Sphere; and I caused them to spend six months looking unto (the) Left (hand) three-corners and unto the four-corners and unto those who were in front of them, and unto their eight-figure according as indeed they were at [37 ] first.
But their turning, or their looking, I altered it unto other 20 array; and I caused them to spend six other months looking at the works of their influences in the Right (hand) four-corners and in their three-corners and in those who are in front of them and in their eight-figure.
And I caused them to be confused in great confusion, and I caused them to stray in straying even the Rulers of Aeons, and all the Rulers of the Destiny, with those of the Sphere; and I disturbed them greatly; and they were not able to prevail any more from this hour to turn them unto the purgation of their matter, for them to swallow it (down), that their Places should tarry continually, and that they should spend much time being kings.
But having taken away a third part of their power, [37 ] I altered their Spheres for them to spend time looking to (the) Left, and to spend another time looking to (the) Right.
I altered all their path with all their course, and I caused it to hasten even their path of their course, that should be purged quickly and be caught up quickly; and I shortened their orbit, and I caused to go more easily their path: and they hastened greatly, and they were confused in their path, and they prevailed not from this hour to swallow (down) the matter of the purgation of the purifying of their light: and also I shortened their periods with their times, that should be completed quickly the perfect number of the souls which will receive mysteries, these which will become in the Treasury of the Light.
Except therefore that I altered [38 ] their courses, and except that I shortened their times, they would not have let any of the souls come unto the World, because of the matter of their purgation which they swallow (down), and they would have destroyed a multitude of souls.
Because of this therefore I said to you once, that I shortened the times because of my chosen (ones), otherwise there is not any soul able to be saved.
The transformation of base substance — outer matter or the inner soul — into a purified, perfected, or 'gold' state; the magnum opus as both laboratory practice and spiritual allegory.
The text references 'purgation of their matter' and 'swallowing it (down)', mirroring alchemical purification processes.
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
The First Mystery commands actions that alter cosmic paths and times for the benefit of souls.
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
References to 'Rulers of the Aeons' and 'Sphere' imply a structured hierarchy of divine beings.
Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.
The text outlines a final alteration of paths and times that determines the fate of souls receiving mysteries.
The felt condition of exile from one's divine origin — Rumi's reed flute torn from its bed, Plotinus's 'we have forgotten,' the Gnostic forgetfulness; the affective wound that complements return_to_source and gives the return its motive.
The Aeons are described as having rebelled and been confused in their path, implying a state of exile from divine order.
Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.
The speaker performs active magical actions to alter the paths of Aeons and shorten their times through divine command.