Pistis Sophia

Pistis Sophia — G. R. S. Mead — Section 20

devoted to the mystic life, and making light of the liistorical side of religion, with faith alone in the watchword " now and within," it is evident that their views met with little favour among the orthodox who clung above all things to what they held to be the greatest fact of all history. The ancient wisdom, however, proved far too difficult for popular comprehension, and being also misunderstood even by the followers of the great doctors themselves in many cases, often degenerated into superstition and the wildest of speculations. But, as we are not attempting to trace the evolution of the movement, but simply presenting one of the better sides of the endeavour, we will proceed to a consideration of the document we are especially interested in, at the same time reminding the reader that in this Introduction only a brief outline of the MS. will be attempted, and all further considerations will be postponed for a further Commentary which the writer has the intention of undertaking. The only MS. of the Pistis Sophia known to exist was bought by the British Museum from the heirs of Dr. Askew at the end of the last century, and is ^jon and now catalogued as MS. Add. 51U. The title on criticism 1 1 1 c 1 1 • T • T^- f- 1 • /-I • of the MS. the back oi the buidmg is riste Sophia Loi^tice, and below is printed Mus. Brit. Jure Emptionis. On the top of the first page of the MS. is the signature A. Askew, M.D. On the first page of the binding is the following note, probably in Woide's hand: " Codex dialecti Superioi'is ^Egypti, quam Sahidicam seu Thebaidicam vocant, cujus titulus exstat pagina 115 : Pmeh snaou ntomos fitpiste Sophia — Tomos secundus fidelis Sapientite^Deest pagina 337-344." The title Piste Sophia is incorrect ; nowhere is this form found in the book, and the suggested emendation of Dulaurier and Renan from Pistis Sophia to Piste Sophia " La fidele Sagesse," has received no support from other scholars. Where Askew found it or bought it, I cannot discover. It is not mentioned in his biography, and the reference XXVI INTRODrCTION.