ater methods of the
Neoplatonists. Still more is one reminded of Neoplatonism by the
speculations of the Alexandrian Christian Gnostics, especially of
Valentinus and the followers of Basilides. The doctrines of the
Basilidians(?) communicated by Hippolytus (Philosoph. VII. c. 20 sq.),
read like fragments from the didactic writings of the Neoplatonists:
[Greek: Epei ouden en ouch hule, ouk ousia, ouk anousion, ouch haploun,
ou suntheton, ouk anoeton, ouk anaistheton, ouk anthropos ... ouk on
theos anoetos, anaisthetos aboulos aproairetos, apathos, anepithumetios
kosmon ethelese poiesai ... Houtos ouk on theos epoiese kosmon ouk onta
ex ouk onton, katabalomenos kai hupostesas sperma ti en echon pasan en
heauto tes tou kosmou panspermian.] Like the Neoplatonists, these
Basilidians did not teach an emanation from the Godhead, but a dynamic
mode of action of the Supreme Being. The same can be asserted of
Valentinus who also places an unnamable being above all, and views
matter not as a second principle, but as a derived product. The
dependence of Basilides and Valentinus on Zeno and Plato is, besides,
undoubted. But the method of these Gnostics in constructing their mental
picture of the world and its history, was still an uncertain one. Crude
primitive myths are here received, and naively realistic elements
alternate with bold attempts at spiritualising. While therefore,
philosophically considered, the Gnostic systems are very unlike the
finished Neoplatonic ones, it is certain that they contained almost all
the elements of the religious view of the world, which we find in
Neoplatonism.

But were the earliest Neoplatonists really acquainted with the
speculations of men like Philo, Justin, Valentinus and Basilides? were
they familiar with the Oriental religions, especially with the Jewish
and the Christian? and, if we must answer these questions in the
affirmative, did they really learn from these sources?

Unfortunately, we cannot at present give certain, and still less
detailed answers to these questions. But, as Neoplatonism originated in
Alexandria, as Oriental cults confronted every one there, as the Jewish
philosophy was prominent in the literary market of Alexandria, and that
was the very place where scientific Christianity had its headquarters,
there can, generally speaking, be no doubt that the earliest
Neoplatonists had some acquaintance with Judaism and Christianity. In
addition to that, we have the certain fact