AEON, Eon, Aeon, q. d. Age; literally signifies the Duration of a thing. See Age, and Duration.
But some ancient Heretics have affixed another Idea to it; in order to which, they have made use of the Philosophy of Plato: giving Reality to the Ideas, which that Philosopher had imagined in God; and even personifying them, and feigning them distinct from God, and to have been produced by him, some Male, others Female. See Idea, and Platonism.
These Ideas they call aeons; of an Assemblage whereof they composed the Deity, calling it Pleroma, a Greek Word, signifying Fulness. Simon Magus is said to have been the first Inventor of these aeons; which were afterwards brought to Perfection by Valentinus, who acknowledged thirty of them. See Gnostics, Valentinians, etc.
AEON
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- Written by: Ephraïm Chambers
- Category: Unclassified