Editing Basilides (section)

===Passions===
The Basilideans were accustomed to call the passions ''Appendages'', stating that these are certain spirits that append (προσηρτημένα) themselves to rational souls in a certain primitive turmoil and confusion. Then, they imitate the actions of those they are appended to, and not only acquire the impulses of the irrational animals, but even imitate the movements and beauties of plants. These Appendages can also have characteristics of habit [derived from stones], as the hardness of a [[diamond]].<ref>[[s:Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume II/CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA/The Stromata, or Miscellanies/Book II/Chapter XX.|St. Clement of Alexandria, ''Stromata'' Book ii. Chapter xx.]]</ref>

It is impossible to determine the precise origin of this singular theory, but it was probably connected with the doctrine of ''metempsychosis'', which seemed to find support in [[Plato]]'s ''[[Timaeus (dialogue)|Timaeus]]''.<ref>''[[Timaeus (dialogue)|Timaeus]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plat.+Tim.+42&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0180 42], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plat.+Tim.+90&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0180 90 f].</ref> St. Clement of Alexandria stated that the plurality of souls makes the body a [[Trojan horse]].{{sfn|Hort|1911}}