APELLE. - A disciple of Marcione, from whom he separated, going for some time to Alessandria and then returning to Roma. He wrote a large volume of Syllogisms to prove Mosè false and published the revelations of a certain Filomena, probably his disciple. He was already old when, under Commodo, he held a public disputation with Rodone, a disciple of Taziano (Eusebio, Hist. eccl., V, 13). According to the Praedestinatus, 22, he was also opposed by Origene.
A. admits only one good god, who creates the angelic world. One of these angels is the demiurge, who created this lower material world in the image of the higher one; but his work proved so defective that he departed from it and prayed to God to provide for its correction. Thus Gesù was sent, who at the end of the ages would renew the whole world. According to some, for A. the demiurge was the angel of fire who appeared to Mosè, and therefore the very god of Israele. By the allurements of material foods he succeeds in drawing down from heaven the souls of men and fastening them in the flesh.