Chapter V.-Marcus and Colarbasus.

[1] After these there were not wanting a Marcus and a Colarbasus, composing a novel heresy out of the Greek alphabet. For they affirm that without those letters truth cannot be found; nay more, that in those letters the whole plenitude and perfection of truth is comprised; for this was why Christ said, "I am the Alpha and the Omega."⁶⁴ [2] In fact, they say that Jesus Christ descended,⁶⁵ that is, that the dove came down on Jesus;⁶⁶ and, since the dove is styled by the Greek name peristera/-(peristera), it has in itself this number DCCCI.⁶⁷ These men run through their W, Y, X F U, T-through the whole alphabet, indeed, up to A and B-and compute ogdoads and decads. So we may grant it useless and idle to recount all their trifles. [3] What, however, must be allowed not merely vain, but likewise dangerous, is this: they feign a second God, beside the Creator; they affirm that Christ was not in the substance of flesh; they say there is to be no resurrection of the flesh.