Codex VI
A Coptic translation of Plato’s parable of the composite soul from Republic IX: the human being imagined as a many-headed beast, a lion, and a man inside a human shell. The only Platonic text in the Nag Hammadi collection. Codex VI, pages 48–51.
Since we have reached this point in the argument, let us take up again what was first said to us, and we shall find that it says: “It is good for the one who has been unjustly wronged to be glorified justly.” Is this not what was said? “This indeed is the way that is fitting.”
I said: “Now then, we have spoken.” Since he has said that injustice and justice each have a power — how then? He said: “An image that has no likeness is the form of the soul, so that the one who said these things might understand.”
[...]
[...] all that they spoke of — the ruler, those which were natural, and the chimera, and the Cerberus, and every other kind they mentioned — they combined them all and produced a single form and likeness, making it as follows: “Now make it.” A single likeness indeed it is: that of a many-headed beast, changed in the likeness of a great head. Some days it takes the form of a wild beast; then it is able to cast off the first form. And all these creations, mighty and grievous, sprout from it in their work, since those who are forming them now do so in confusion, along with every other kind that resembles them, being formed now in the word.
For now it is a single likeness. There is one in the form of a lion, and one in the form of a man.
[...]
[...] changed many times more than the first. And the second is a smaller one. They formed it. Now then, join them together and make them one — for there are three — so that they grow together with one another and become one, all of them, outside the image of the man. Just as the one who is not able to see what is within, but can only see the outside — he perceives what creature his likeness is in, and that he has been formed in the likeness of a man.
I said to the one who spoke that injustice is profitable for the man who is unjust — it is not profitable for him in the middle, nor does he have any benefit from it. But it is profitable for the one who feeds every kind of evil beast and the likeness of the lion, while the man is in weakness of this kind. And everything he does is weakness, so that they drag him to the place where he does evil to them —
[...] without [...]
with enmity toward [...]
and a battle, consuming
one another within them.
For all these things he said to everyone who praises injustice. Therefore the one who speaks of justice — it is profitable for him. And when he does these things and speaks of them, the inner man is strengthened. Because of this he seeks all the more to tend them and nourish them, as the farmer tends his crop daily, and keeps the wild beasts from devouring it.
Colophon
Nag Hammadi Codex VI, pages 48–51. Sahidic Coptic. Good Works Translation from Sahidic Coptic. New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Scribe: Kavi.
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Source Text — Sahidic Coptic
Page 48
48.1 ⲉⲡⲓⲇⲏ ⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲁⲛϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲛⲟⲩ-
48.2 ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲓⲙⲁ: ⲙⲁⲣⲛϫⲓ ϭⲉ
48.3 ⲛⲁⲛ ⲛⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϫⲟⲟⲩ
48.4 ⲛⲁⲛ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲛⲛⲁϭⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ
48.5 ⲉϥϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ: ϫⲉ ⲛⲁⲛⲟⲩ
48.6 ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϫⲓⲧϥ ⲛϭⲟⲛⲥ ⲧⲉⲗⲉ-
48.7 ⲱⲥ: ϣⲁϥϫⲓ ⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲱⲥ:
48.8 ⲙⲏ ⲛⲧⲁⲓ ⲁⲛ ⲧⲉ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩ-
48.9 ϫⲡⲓⲟϥ: ⲧⲉⲓ ⲙⲉⲛⲧⲟⲓⲅⲉ ⲧⲉ ⲑⲉ
48.10 ⲉⲧⲉϣϣⲉ: ⲡⲉϫⲁⲓ ⲇⲉ ϫⲉ ⲧⲉ-
48.11 ⲛⲟⲩ ϭⲉ: ⲁⲛϣⲁϫⲉ: ⲉⲡⲓⲇⲏ
48.12 ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲡⲉtⲣⲉ ⲙⲡϫⲓ ⲛ-
48.13 ϭⲟⲛⲥ: ⲙⲛ ⲡⲉtⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓ-
48.14 ⲟⲛ: ⲡⲟⲩⲁ ⲡⲟⲩⲁ ⲟⲩⲛⲧⲁϥ
48.15 ⲟⲩϭⲟⲙ: ⲛⲁϣ ϭⲉ ⲛϩⲉ ⲡⲉ-
48.16 ϫⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ3ϩⲓ̅3ⲕⲱⲛ ⲉⲙⲛⲧⲁϥ
48.17 ⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲯⲩⲝⲏ:
48.18 ϫⲉⲕⲁⲁⲥ ⲉϥⲛⲁⲙⲙⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲉⲛ-
Page 49
49.1 ⲧⲁϥϫⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲁϥ
49.2 [ⲁⲣ ⲡⲉ ⲡt
49.3 ⲛⲉ ⲏ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ⲁⲛ[
49.4 ϣⲟⲟⲡ ⲛⲁⲓ: ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲙ[
49.5 ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲉⲛⲧⲁⲩϫⲟⲟⲩ [
49.6 ⲁⲣⲝⲱⲛ: ⲛⲁⲓ tⲛⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲛ-
49.7 ⲧⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲙϥⲩⲥⲓⲥ: ⲁⲩⲱ
49.8 ⲡⲝⲓⲙⲁⲣⲣⲁⲓⲥ ⲙⲛ ⲡⲕⲉⲣⲃⲟⲩ
49.9 ⲙⲛ ⲡⲕⲉⲥⲉⲉⲡⲉ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲉⲛ-
49.10 ⲧⲁⲩϣⲁϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ: ⲁⲩⲣⲕⲁ-
49.11 ⲧⲁⲛⲧⲁ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲁⲩt ⲟⲩⲱ=
49.12 ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϩⲉⲛⲙⲟⲣϥⲏ ⲙⲛ ϩⲉⲛ-
49.13 ⲉⲓⲛⲉ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲧⲏ-
49.14 ⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲟⲩⲱⲧ: ⲉⲩ-
49.15 ϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲣⲓ ϩⲱⲃ ⲧⲉ-
49.16 ⲛⲟⲩ: ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲉⲛⲧⲟⲓⲅⲉ
49.17 ⲛⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲡⲉ: ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁϥϣⲱ-
49.18 ⲡⲉ ⲙⲡⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲑⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉϥ-
49.19 ϣⲃⲃⲓⲟⲉⲓⲧ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲁⲡⲉ:
49.20 ϩⲉⲛϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲉϥⲟ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲙ-
49.21 ⲡⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲟⲩⲑⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲅⲣⲓⲟⲛ:
49.22 ⲧⲟⲧⲉ ϣⲁϥϭⲙϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲛⲟⲩϫⲉ
49.23 ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲓⲛⲉ ⲛϣⲟⲣⲡ: ⲛⲧⲉ
49.24 ⲛⲁⲓ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲛⲓⲡⲗⲁⲥⲙⲁ ⲉⲧ-
49.25 ⲛⲁϣⲧ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲧⲙⲟⲕϩ ⲛⲥⲉ-
49.26 t ⲟⲩⲱ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩ-
49.27 ⲉⲣⲅⲟⲛ: ⲉⲡⲓⲇⲏ ⲛⲉⲧⲟⲩⲣ-
49.28 ⲡⲗⲁⲥⲥⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ tⲛⲟⲩ
49.29 ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲗⲁϩ12ⲗⲉϩ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲛ
49.30 ⲡⲕⲉⲥⲉⲉⲡⲉ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲉⲧⲧⲛ-
49.31 ⲧⲱⲛ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲩⲣⲡⲗⲁⲥⲥⲉ
49.32 tⲛⲟⲩ ϩⲙ ⲡϣⲁϫⲉ: ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ
49.33 ⲅⲁⲣ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲡⲉ: ⲟⲩ-
49.34 ⲉⲧ ⲡⲓⲛⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲙⲡⲙⲟⲩⲉⲓ
49.35 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲩⲉⲧ ⲡⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ
Page 50
50.1 6- ⲡⲉ ⲡ[. ⲙ
50.2 6- ⲁ[ⲩⲱ ⲡⲁⲓ
50.3 ϣⲃⲃⲓⲁⲉⲓⲧ ⲙⲡϣⲁ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲟ
50.4 ⲉⲡϣⲟⲣⲡ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲙⲁϩⲥⲛⲁⲩ
50.5 ⲡⲉ ⲟⲩϣⲙ: ⲁⲩⲣⲡⲗⲁⲥⲥⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ:
50.6 ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ ϭⲉ ⲧⲱϭⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲛⲉⲩ-
50.7 ⲉⲣⲏⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉⲧⲛⲁⲁⲩ ⲛⲟⲩⲁ ⲛ-
50.8 ⲟⲩⲱⲧ: ϣⲟⲙⲉⲧ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲉ: ϩⲱⲥ-
50.9 ⲧⲉ ⲛⲥⲉt ⲟⲩⲱ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲩⲉⲣⲏⲩ
50.10 ⲛⲥⲉϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓ-
50.11 ⲛⲉ ⲟⲩⲱⲧ ⲥⲁⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲑⲓⲕⲱⲛ
50.12 ⲙⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ: ⲛⲑⲉ ϩⲱⲱϥ ⲙⲡⲉ-
50.13 ⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ ϣϭⲟⲙ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥⲛⲁⲩ
50.14 ⲉⲛⲉⲧⲙⲡⲉϥϩⲟⲩⲛ: ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲉⲧ-
50.15 3ϩⲓ̅3ⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲙⲁⲧⲉ ⲡⲉⲧϥⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲣⲟϥ:
50.16 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉϥⲣϥⲉⲛⲉⲥⲑⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲉⲣⲉ-
50.17 ⲡⲉϥⲉⲓⲛⲉ ϩⲛ ⲁϣ ⲛⲍⲱⲟⲛ: ⲁⲩⲱ
50.18 ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲣⲡⲗⲁⲥⲥⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ
50.19 ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲣⲱⲙⲉ: ⲡⲉϫⲁⲉⲓ
50.20 ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲥⲣ ⲛⲟϥ-
50.21 ⲣⲉ ⲙⲡϫⲓ ⲛϭⲟⲛⲥ ⲙⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ:
50.22 ⲡⲉⲧϫⲓ ⲛϭⲟⲛⲥ ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲙⲏⲧⲉ
50.23 ⲥⲣ ⲛⲟϥⲣⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ⲁⲛ: ⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ-
50.24 ⲧⲁϥ ⲟϥⲉⲗⲉⲓⲁ ⲙⲙⲁⲩ: ⲁⲗⲗⲁ
50.25 ⲡⲉⲧⲣ ⲛⲟϥⲣⲉ ⲛⲁϥ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥ-
50.26 ⲧⲉⲩⲟ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲙⲡⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲑⲏ-
50.27 ⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲑⲟⲟⲩ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛϥϩⲟ-
50.28 ⲙⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲡⲙⲟⲩⲉⲓ:
50.29 ⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲇⲉ ϥϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲛⲧϭⲱⲃ
50.30 ⲛⲧⲉⲉⲓⲙⲓⲛⲉ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲉⲧϥ-
50.31 ⲛⲁⲁⲁⲩ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ϩⲉⲛϭⲱⲃ ⲛⲉ:
50.32 ϩⲱⲥⲧⲉ ⲛⲥⲉⲥⲱⲕ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉ-
50.33 ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧϥⲣ ϩⲟⲟⲩ ⲉⲣⲟⲟⲩ ⲛϣⲟ-
Page 51
51.1 ⲣⲡ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛϥ
51.2 [ⲛⲏⲑⲉⲓ[ⲁ
51.3 ⲛⲁϥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲉⲡⲓⲥ[
51.4 ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲉϣⲁϥⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲛ[
51.5 ⲃⲉ ⲙⲙⲛⲧϫⲁϫⲉ ϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲛϩ[
51.6 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲛ ⲟⲩⲙⲓϣⲉ ⲉⲩⲟⲩ-
51.7 ⲱⲙ: ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲩⲉⲣⲏⲟⲩ ϩⲣⲁⲓ
51.8 ⲛϩⲏⲧⲟⲩ: ⲛⲁⲓ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ
51.9 ⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲣ-
51.10 ⲉⲡⲁⲓⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲡϫⲓ ⲛϭⲟⲛⲥ:
51.11 ⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲛ ϭⲉ ⲡⲉⲧϣⲁϫⲉ
51.12 ϩⲱⲱϥ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲛ ⲥⲣ
51.13 ⲛⲟϥⲣⲉ ⲛⲁϥ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉϥϣⲁⲛ-
51.14 ⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲛⲛⲁⲓ ⲛϥϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲟⲩ
51.15 ⲙϥⲟⲩⲛ ⲙⲡⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲥⲉⲁ-
51.16 ⲙⲁϩⲧⲉ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲧⲁϫⲣⲟ: ⲉⲧⲃⲉ
51.17 ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛϩⲟⲩⲟ ϣⲁϥϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲥⲁ
51.18 ϥⲓ ⲡⲉⲩⲣⲟⲟⲩϣ ⲛϥⲥⲁⲛⲟⲩ-
51.19 ϣⲟⲩ: ⲛⲑⲉ ϩⲱⲱϥ ⲙⲡⲅⲉ-
51.20 ⲱⲣⲅⲟⲥ ⲉϣⲁϥⲥⲁⲁⲛϣ ⲙⲡⲉϥ-
51.21 ⲅⲉⲛⲏⲙⲁ ⲙⲙⲏⲛⲉ: ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛ-
51.22 ⲧⲉ ⲛⲑⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲅⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲣ-
51.23 ⲕⲱⲗⲩⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲉⲧⲣⲉϥⲣⲱⲧ:
Source Colophon
Coptic source text: Milan Konvicka / Marcion Project (GPL v2). Digitized from Nag Hammadi codex photographs and critical editions. Sahidic Coptic, Unicode encoding (U+2C80–U+2CFF). The Nag Hammadi codices are housed in the Coptic Museum, Old Cairo, Egypt.
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