Note 603 — Chapter VI · PRE-CHRISTIAN GNOSTICS: SIMON MAGUS

These “orders” of supernatural beings passed into orthodox Christianity. Cf. the εἴτε θρόνοι, εἴτε κυριότητες, εἴτε ἀρχαί, εἴτε ἐξουσίαι of Coloss. i. 16, whence the “Thrones, Dominations, Virtues, Princedoms, Powers” of Milton. The functions of all these different orders are set out by Dionysius the Areopagite so-called, and present a certain likeness to Simon’s ideas as given in the text. See Lupton in Dict. Christian Biog. s.v. Dionysius.