OF SAINT HIPPOLYTUS FROM THE DISCOURSE TO THE GREEKS ENTITLED AGAINST PLATO, ON THE CAUSE OF THE UNIVERSE
A I. And that is the place of the demons. Now it is necessary to speak about Hades, in which the souls of the just and of the unjust are contained. Hades is a region in the creation, unconstructed and unadorned; it is a subterranean receptacle in which the light of the world does not shine. Since, therefore, the light of this world does not shine in this region, it is necessary that there be perpetual darkness. That region has been assigned as a prison for souls, in which guardian angels have been established, distributing to each according to their deeds the temporary punishments for their ways; and in this region a certain place is set apart, a lake of unquenchable fire, into which we suppose that no one has yet been cast or thrust; but it has been prepared for the day predetermined by God, when B
A one sentence of righteous judgment shall be justly rendered for all. And the unjust, who have disobeyed God and honored as God the vain works of human hands, the idols—they, having become causes of defilements, shall be adjudged to this eternal punishment. But the righteous shall attain to the incorruptible and unending kingdom. They are indeed now contained in Hades, but not in the same place as the unjust. For there is one descent to this region, at the gate of which we believe an archangel is set with an army. Having passed through this gate, those who are led down by the angels appointed over souls do not journey by one and the same road; but the righteous, being led to the right through the light, and hymned B by the angels stationed there in their places, are brought into a luminous region. In this place the righteous from the beginning live, not held by necessity, but always enjoying the vision of the good things seen, and gladdened by the expectation of those things that are new each time, deeming them better than the present ones. To them, this place does not beget toil; there is no heat, no cold, no thorn in it, but only the smile of the face of the righteous fathers, who ever look upon them, waiting after this region for rest and eternal revival in heaven. And the name we call this place is the bosom of Abraham. But the unjust are dragged to the left by tormenting angels, no longer proceeding willingly, but being dragged as prisoners with force, by whom the C angels set over them are sent to mock them, and threatening them with a terrifying eye, thrust them into the lower parts; these the angels set over them drag when led along until they are near Gehenna. Those who are nearer indeed constantly hear its boiling, and are not without its vapor and heat. But from this very close sight, seeing the terrifying and exceeding vision of the fire, they are frozen, cast down by the expectation of the future judgment, being already in potentiality punished. But also there D they see the region of the fathers and the righteous, and
A they are punished by this very fact. For a deep and great chaos is fixed between, so that neither a righteous man, moved by compassion, can cross B over and be received, nor can any unjust man dare to cross it.
II. And these things were to be said concerning Hades, in which the souls of all are held until the time which God has determined—at which time he will bring about the resurrection of all, not by transferring souls from one body to another, but by raising up the very bodies themselves. If, seeing them dissolved, you deny the faith, O Greeks, learn not to be incredulous. For having believed that the soul was created and made immortal by God—according to the teaching C of Plato—do not, by reason of time, disbelieve that God is also able to make the body, which was composed and fashioned from the same elements, immortal, calling it back to life. For it will not be said of God that the one is possible and the other impossible. We, therefore, believe that the body also will rise again. For if it is corrupted, it is not completely destroyed; for the earth receiving its remains guards them; and, having become like seeds and intertwined with the richness of the earth, it blooms. And that which is sown is sown as a naked grain, but at the command D of the creating God it rises flourishing, clothed, and glorious, not until it has died, been dissolved, and mingled with the earth. So that we do not believe in the resurrection of bodies in vain. For even though the body is dissolved for a time, on account of the transgression committed from the beginning, it is committed to the earth as if to a furnace, to be formed again at some point: it will rise, not such as it is now, but pure and no longer subject to corruption. And to each body its own soul will be restored; and clothed in it, it will not grieve, but will rejoice with it, pure inhabiting the pure. To it, having now in the world justly acted as a companion, and having in nothing been its adversary, it will again receive it with all joy. But the unjust will not receive bodies that have been changed, nor freed from passions or diseases, nor will they receive them glorified; but they will certainly be judged in those in which they ended their life.
III. For all, whether just or unjust, will be led before God the Word. For to him the Father has given all judgment. And he, fulfilling the will of the Father, will arrive as judge; he, I say, whom we call Christ. For neither Minos nor Rhadamanthus, whom you Greeks imagine, will be the judges; but that one whom God and the Father has glorified, concerning whom we have discoursed more in detail in other places for the sake of those who seek the truth.
A He, exercising the just judgment of the Father upon all, has prepared what is equitable and just for each according to his works. Standing before whose judgment, all—both men and angels and demons—will utter this one voice, saying: "Just is your judgment." The equity of this voice appears in the retribution for both: since for those who have done well, eternal enjoyment is justly provided, while for those who are lovers of evil things, eternal punishment is dealt out. And for these, an unquenchable fire remains that will never be brought to an end, and a fiery worm that does not die, nor does it consume the body, but it remains, boiling and seething forth from the body with unceasing pain. No sleep will bring to them cessation and rest; no night will soothe or soften their pains; no death will solve their tortures; no exhortation of kinsmen interceding will profit them. For the righteous are no longer seen by them, nor are they worthy of any memory. B But the righteous alone will be mindful of the righteous deeds through which they attained to the heavenly kingdom: in which there is no sleep, nor pain, nor corruption, nor anxiety, nor night, nor day measured by time, nor sun driving its course by a certain necessity through the circle of the heaven, setting the measures of the hours or of the turning points, and marking out the hours to make the life of men easily known; no moon waning or waxing, which brings about the changes of the seasons and wets the earth; no burning sun, no revolving Bear, no rising of Orion, no numberless errors of the stars, no inaccessible land, nor porch of paradise difficult to find, nor grievous roaring of the sea preventing him who is carried from walking upon it; for even this will be passable for the righteous, even though it may not be deprived of moisture. C Heaven will not be inaccessible to men, and the way by which one may ascend and climb will not be such that it cannot be found. There will not be a land rough and uncultivated, creating labor and trouble for men, but one springing forth fruits spontaneously for cultivation and adornment. There will be no repeated generations of wild beasts, nor seething and boiling substance of other animals. For neither do men then beget again; but the number of the righteous remains unfailing, together with the righteous angels and spirits. Having obeyed these words, O men, and believing those things, you will be companions of the righteous D and will obtain the future blessings which "neither eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor have they ascended into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him." To Him be glory and power unto the ages of the ages. Amen.