Two by Two

Jerome thought that heretics, like the animals on the ark, come in twos, male and female.  In Virginia Burrus’ translation:

“Simon Magus founded a heresy, assisted by the help of Helen, a prostitute. Nicolaus the Antiochene, inventor of all impurities, led a female band. Marcion sent a woman on to Rome to prepare minds to be deceived by him. Apelles had Philumene as companion in his teachings. Montanus, mouthpiece of an impure spirit, through Prisca and Maximilla, noble and wealthy women, first corrupted many churches with gold, and then polluted them with heresy. I will leave older matters, and pass over to those nearer. Arius, in order to deceive the world, first deceived the emperor’s sister. Donatus, throughout Africa, was helped by the resources of Lucilla to pollute the unfortunate with stinking waters. In Spain, Agape led Elpidius, the woman led the man, the blind led the blind, into a ditch; and she had as her successor Priscillian, most devoted student of a magus of Zoroaster, who from a magus became bishop. A Gallic woman was connected with him, and she left as heir of another, neighboring heresy a ‘sister’—not by birth but by name—who ran hither and thither.”