THE

2 THEOLOGICAL ANDPH ILOSOPH ICAL WORK S

HERMES TRISMEGISTUS,CHRISTIAN NEOPLATON IST.

TRA N SL A TED FROM THE ORIGIN A L GREEK , WITH

PREFA CE, N OTES , A N D IN DIGES .

JOHN DA V ID CHAMBER S , M.A . ,

OF OBIEL COLLEGE, OXFORD, RECORDER OF N EW BARUH.

ED IN B U R GHT. T. CL A RK, 38, GEO R GE S TR EET.

MDOOCLXXXII.

m il d fl‘

VL I

PR IN TED BY TH ! OOH IR OIA L PR IN TIN G COI PAN Y

T. T. C L A R K , E DIN BUR G H.

L ONDON , sum mon, m u s,urn co.

DUBL KN , cacao: 113 3 3 3 3 1 .

N EW YOR K , scams“ . nu) wxuroan .

CR A P.

Poem and r es,

II.

III.

IV .

V I.

VII.

V III.

IX.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV .

CON T E N T S .

PA R T I.

POEMA N DRES .

To Asclepius. Catholic Discourse,S acred Discourse

,

To his own son Tat. Discourse : The Crater or

Monas,

To his own S on Tat. That the Invisible God ismostManifest

,

That m The God alone 1sThe Good , and by no m eans

anywhere else,That the greatest evilam ong m en is ignorance of The

God,

That none of the Entities perish ; but.

mankind erroneously callthe changes d estructionsand d eaths,

Concerning Und erstand ing and S ense, and that in TheGod only isThe Beautifuland The Good , but elsewhere not at all

,

The K ey. To his S on Tat,

Mind to Hermes,

R especting Comm on Mind . To Tat,

To his S on Tat. On a Mountain. S ecret Discourseabout R egeneration and Profession of S ilence,

S ecret Hymnod y,To Asclepius. To be rightly m se

,

PA R T II.

EXCERPTS FROM HERMES BY STOBE US .

I. Of Truth. From the things to Tat,II. OfDeath. From Asclepius,III. Of God . From the thingsto Tat,

CON TEN TS .

From S tobmus, Physica, 134,Herm esto the S on,Concerning the Economy of the Universe.

Herm esfrom those to Amm on,OfHerm esfrom those to Amm on,Of Herm esfrom the thingsto Tat,Of Herm esfrom the thingsto Tat,Of Herm esfrom that to Tat,Of Herm esfrom the thingsto Amm on,Of Herm esfrom the thingsto Tat,OfHerm esfrom those to Amm on,OfHerm esfrom those to Ammon to Tat,OfHerm es

,

OfHerm es,

Of the Sam e,

Of the Sam e,

Of the Same,

[A s to the S acred Book]OfHerm es,

XXI. OfHerm esfrom that to Tat,[A s to the Decans]

PA R T III.

N OTICES OF HERMES IN THE FATHER S .

1. Justin Martyr ,II. Tertullian

,

III. Cyprian,IV . EusebiusPamphilus,V . Clem ensAlexand rinus

,

VI. FirmianusLactantius,

VII. A rnobius,

VIII. Augustine ofHippo,IX. CyrillusAlexand rinus,X. S nid es,

IN DEX, .

A d d end um to N ote 2 on page 9

It is possible also that Herm es may here refer to the trad itionalS even Wise Men m entioned by Philo Jud wus in his Treatise,Every man virtuousalso free

,

”ch . xi , whom he speaks of as then

being very ancient.

PREFACE .

HE Mercuriusor HermesTrism egistus of legend wasapersonage, an Egyptian sage or succession of sages,

who, sm ee the tim e of Plato, hasbeen identified with theThoth (the nam e of the month S eptember) of that people.

This Thoth is the reputed author of the R itualof theDead, or, asstyled in Egyptian phraseology, the “Manifestation of L ight ” to the S oul, who through it declared thewillof the Gods and the mysterious nature of Divinethings to Man.

1 Dr Pietschmann,in hiswork on Hermes

,

which exhaustively treats of this subject,

2gives a list of

authorities for these facts, ranging from Plato down toS yncellus, circa A .D. 790 . He states

,however (p. that

by the tim e that the so-called Herm eneuticalwritingswerecollected together , the identity of Herm eswith Thoth wasfor

gotten, an d Thoth becam e his son Tat, and A sclepius

hisdisciple, both of whom he instructs in the writingsnowtranslated. S ubsequently Pietschmann informs us, quoting L etronne,

3 that the epithet Trismegistus” appearsfirst in the second century of the Christian era

,and that

,

b efore that period, Hermeswas designated by the repetition of the “

p éyocg, p éyag, p éyag only,as on the R osetta

S tone .

He was considered to be the impersonation of the reli

gion, art, learning, and sacerdotaldiscipline of the Egyptianpriesthood. He was, by severalof the Fathers, and

,in

1 R awlinson’sEgypt, i. 136, and the authoritiesthere quoted .

2 L eipsic, Engelmann, 1875, pp. 3 1-33 .

3 Ibid . p . 35,Inscription Grecque d e R osette,” L etronne, Paris,

1841.

viii PREFA CE .

m odern tim es, by three of his earliest editors, suppose d tohave existed before the tim es of Moses, and to have oh

tained the appellation of Thrice greatest,” from his th reefold learning and rank of Philosopher, Priest, and King,

1

and that of “ Herm es,” or Mercu

authoritative interpreter of divine In the Hie roglyphics he, like Horus, is represented by a bird with a

hawk’s head, and to him was sacred the Ibis and th e

Moon.

2

ThisHerm es— and there wasbut one am ong the ancientEgyptians3—was worshipped as a god by them .

‘

Ter tul

lian‘says, In ancient tim esm ost authorswere supposedto be, I willnot say god -like

,but actually gods; as, for

instance, the Egyptian Herm es, to whom Plato paid verygreat deference.

”

Clem ent of Alexandria 5 writes, Herm es of Thebes andEsculapius of Memphis ea: vats Deus and he subse

quently gives a detailed account of his works, forty- two

in number— four of astrology, othersof astronomy, geology ,

and hieroglyphics, and thirty - six of philosophy,hym ns

to God,religious ceremonies, an d sacerdotaldiscipline .

6

L actantius7 expresses himself thus (quoting Cicero, De

N aturaDeorum ,

”L ib.

“ Although a m an,he was of

great antiquity, an d built Herm opolis, and is there worshipped aswellasat Pheneus. He wasm ost fully imbuedwith every kind of learning, so that the knowled ge ofmany subjects and arts acquired for him the nam e of

1 S ee th e ed ition of the works of Herm es by Francois d e Foix,Com te d e Cand alle , assisted by the younger S caliger .

2 Champollion the younger Panthé on S everalhiero

glyphicalrepresentationsof him ,und er variousEgyptian nam es

, are

given by Pietschmann, p. l.

3 S ee Pietschmann, ibid . pp. 35, 36.

4 De An ima,”ch . 2 .

5 S tromata, I., ch . 2 1, p. 389 Oxfor d Ed ition, L ib. vi., ch . 4, p. 757 .

The R itualof the Dead , vulgarly attributed to Herm es, asat

present d iscovered , consistsof three Books red ivid ed into 2 3 portionsand about 165 chapters. S ee Rawlinson’sEgypt, i. 138 .

7 L ib. i., ch . 6.

PR EPA CE . ix

Trism egistus. Further, S . A ugustine ‘relates, He, thefifth Mercury (as L actantius had thought also), and hisfriend Esculapius (or A sclepius, grandson of the first) weremen, and became gods, Mercurius and E sculapius, afterthe Greek fashion.

"Cyrilof Alexandria Contr. Julian ,

”

i. 30a, cir ca speaks of Herm es in generalthusThisHermes then,

him of Egypt, although being initiator (n Amnig) , and having presided at the fanes of idols, isalways found m indfulof the things of Moses, &c. ; and

mad e mention of him in his own writings, which, beingcomposed for the A thenians, are called Hermaica,

’ fifteenbooks.

”A nd subsequently, I speak of Herm es

,him

having sojourned, third , in Egypt (L ib. v . , 17Gb) .2

The majority of the Fathers, in their uncriticalm ode,even Lactantius himself, confounded the originalHerm es

with our author , in the sam e way that they ascribed tothe Sybilline verses a far too high antiquity ; and the laterFathers, m oreover

,especially L actantius

,made no d istinc

tion between the genuine works of our Herm esand otherswhich falsely bear his nam e ; som e of them

,as

,for ih

stance,Asclepius,” having been written at least a century

later ; and those, as, for instance , The Sacred Book and

the Dialogue between Isisand Horus(S tobaaus, Physica,

’

92 8, 1070 , ed it Meineke, i. 2 81, to which it isimpossible to assign a date

, are allindiscriminately ascribedto the sam e Herm es

, although it is absolutely certainthat the author of Poemand res never can have written

What isstrange is, that severalof the learned editors ofthe works of our Herm es consider him to have lived beforeMoses. Vergicius, in his preface to the edition printed atParis by Turnebus in 1554,

states this. Flussas

after discussion,leaves the question as to hisage un d eter

m ined ; but Patricias (Patrizzi) , in his N ova de UniversisPhilosophia,” printed at Ferrara in 1591, and at Venice

City of God ,” vifi. 2 3,2 6.

3 S ee the extracts from CyrilofAlexand ria, post, Part III. , and thenote from Pietschmann there.

1593, says that Herm es lived some time before Moses,and

quotesEusebius in his Chronicle as stating that O athor Tat his son flourished in the first year of A rmeus, kingof E

gypt, which was twenty years before the death of

Moses. On the other hand, John Albert Fabricius, thelearned author of the Bibliotheca G reece (published1705 has relegated all the “ Hermaica

,

”in his

Historia L iteraria,” to the later times of Jamblicbus andPorphyry. Even Pietschmann, whose dissertation has

been already m entioned, makes no distinction be tweenthe legendary Hermesand the author of Poemand r es.

”

N otwithstanding these opinions, it is certain that th eHerm es who was the author of the works here translatedm ust

, as Causabon and later writers (such as L . Menard,

who thinks he was probably contemporaneous with S t.

John) have shown, have been aGreek living at Alexandria,subsequently to Philo Jud mus an d Josephus, in the en d

of the first and beginning of the second century ; who, itwould seem , assum ed the nam e of Herm es in order to givegreater weight to his teaching. The Fathersabove quoted

,

Lactantiushimself, and the editorsofHerm esabove nam ed,

may have been misled as to his great antiquity by thehieroglyphicalrepresentations of him ; but the facts, thenunknown

,but now dem onstrated, that the use of these

characters lasted in Egypt down to the tenth year of

Diocletian (he died A .D. 313) at the least, and that, as

Henry Brugsch and later investigators have shown , th e

ordinary writing on papyrus in the N ationalL ibrary at

Paris, som e of which is entirely in Greek characters, isnot earlier than the tim es of N ero

,refute their supposi

tions. It is, m oreover, quite impossible that an authorwho showsan intimate acquaintance with the phraseologyof Plato , with the Hebrew S criptures as extant in th e

S eptuagint version (sometim es using the very expressionstherein contained) , who reproduces the language of theS ermon on the Mount and of the Gospel, Epistles, andR evelation of S t. John,

and som etimes of S t. Paul, can

have flourished at so early a period .

PREFA CE . xi

These same facts serve also to indicate his actualepoch. Although, as De R ouge1 has shown

,very early

Egyp tian m onuments now at Berlin and elsewhereexpress or insinuate the idea of the EternalFatherCreator, and of his Son begotten before the worlds

, yet

the dogma of the Holy Trinity is, as we shallfind

,

expressed in far m ore categoricalterms, and alm ost inthe very words of S t. John

,by our Herm es in his Poem

andres; so also the doctrine of Baptism and the R egeneration or new birth, as set forth by S t. John in the thirdchapter of his Gospel, as d ue to The Man

, the only Sonof God .

A sclepiuswassaid to be the grandson of Herm es, an d

the work which bears that nam e refers unmistakably totim es near to those of Constantine, when the ancient religion of Egypt was tottering to its fall. Moreover, thatauthor refers therein repeatedly to A mm onias Sacoes, whois called the founder of the N eoplatonic S chool, and whodied circa A .D. 2 41. On the other hand, the clear reference , by Justin Martyr , to the teaching of Hermes as to

the Unity of the Godhead,2 and the identity, almost verbal,of a passage in that Father with a passage in the Poemandres,” and the m ention of him by Tertullian , demonstratethat he wrote before or contemporaneously with the earlierof these Fathers. Many of the works of our Herm es are

probably stillentombed in the libraries on the Continent ;but those which have com e to light, an d are now translated, are m ost remarkable and of very considerable importance , since they are the only treatises we possess of

the kind belonging to that epoch. The emphatic praisebestowed upon them by the Fathers, from Justin Martyr 3downwards, ought to comm end them to our notice . The

eulogium of Lactantius} “ Trism egistus who, I know not

how,investigated alm ost alltruth ; ” and ashe and Cyr il

1 Etud e sur le R itualFun éraire d esEgyptians,” “ Revue A rché o

logique,” 1860 , p. 357 ; and see Rawlinson’

sEgypt, i. 3 2 0 .

3 S ee Part III. , post.3 S ee Par t III., post.

4 Divin. Instit ,”iv. 9.

xii PREFA CE .

of Alexandria‘and Suid as2 remark, his enunciation of thedoctrine of the Incarnation of the S on of God for the r e~

generation of man,

8and of the Holy Trinity in Unity ,

‘

of the immortality of the soulof man, is plain ; whilst hisundoubted adherence to much of the philom phy of Plato(the A ttic Moses) , especially in the “ Timmus

,

”entitles

him to be considered the realfounder of N eoplatonism in

the best and m ost Christian sense .The form er editors of Herm es were of like opinion ,

ThusV ergicius, in his preface to the edition of Turnebus(Par is,

“ His teaching appears to be m ost excellentand evangelical” Behold in his theology how wonderfullyand evangelically he hath plainly instructed us as tothe Most Holy Tr inity. S o also Flussas, with S caligerthe younger (Bordeaux, “ He deserves the nam e ofan evangelicalphilosopher, for he first expounded the chiefeffects of d ivine grace upon man

,and first declared how

his salvation depended upon the S on of God— the one Mangiven for the regeneration of mankind. So Patriciusalso,in his “ N ova de Universis Philosophia” (Ferrara, 1591 ;V enice , which com prised the principalworks (if

Herm es, speaks thus, In these books and fragments of

Hermeswillappear a philosophy pious towardsGod and ,in m ost respects, consonant to the dogmas of faith . It

willappear also that allthe Greek philosophies, Pythagorean and Platonic in divine things and the dogmas of

morals, those of A ristotle and of the S toicsin physics andmedicine , were alltaken from these his books and fromthose which have perished. But although thismay be so,the reader must be forewarned that he willnot find in thesewritings a complete Christianity. There is no expressnotice of the N ativity

,of the Crucifixion,

R esurrection,or

A scension,or coming of Christ to Judgm ent

,to be found

therein , althoug h there is also nothing inconsistent with1 “Contra. Jul,” 330 .

3 Lexicon, voce Hermes.”

3 “Poemsnd res,”ch. xiii. 4.

Ibid , passim ; and see Suid ze L exicon, coco Hermes,”for a

passage to thiseffect not now extant elsewhere.

PREFA CE . xiii

these facts. On the other hand, as has been already seen ,they teach emphatically the Unity of the Godhead, thedogma of the Holy Trinity—God the Father, the Word ,

the Son begotten of Him before the worlds, of the HolySpirit proceeding from the Father through the Son,

in

stmmentalin creation, and the Sanctifier ; and there are

clear allusions to the effusion of this Holy Spirit on the

World,with its S even Gifts in the shape of Fine.

Thus Hermes was not a m ere Platonist propoundingthe m eans of attaining moraland intellectualper fectionwithout reference to the facts and doctrines of HolyS cripture, but, in theory at least

,in great part a

The “ Hermaica have been unaccountably neglected inEngland. That these workswere not unknown he re in thetim e ofMilton isproved by hiswords from “llPenseroso,”“With thriceo

greatHermes but they receivedlittle furtherattention in this country. On the Continent, however, assoon as the originals of his principaltreatises was d iscovered

,the value of them wasperceived, and immed iately

after the invention of printing they were comm itted to the

The“ Poemand res, the principalwork, was translat

into Latin and published by MarsiliusFicinus at Trevisoin 1471, divided into fourteen chapters, which were afterwards increased to twenty by Patricius. This edition of

Venice in 147 2 at Mayence in 1503 ; and especially atCracow,

but in a Latin translation only, by the CarmeliteRosselli, in six volum es folio, in 1584, with a commentaryso volum inous, discursive, and argum entative that it isnearly useless. N evertheless, this was reprinted ,

withwhat professed to be the originalGmek, at Cologne , in1638 , in one volume folio. The originalGreek of thePoemand res,

”and of the Definitions of A sclepius to

Amm on the King (which, we shallsee presently, is not

awork of our author, but subsequent to his epoch) , werefirst printed and published by A d r . Turnebus, edited, with

PREPA CE .

a preface, by A ngelus V ergicius, at Paris, in quarto, in1554. D . Franciscus Flussas republished the

“Poem

andres in Greek and L atin,in quarto

,at Bordeaux in

1574. Francis Patricius (CardinalPatrizzi) reprinted th eworks attributed to Herm es which are extant in G reek(som e of which, as already stated, we shallfind are not

his) am ong his N ova d e UniversisPhilosophia at Fer

rare, in folio, in 1591 ; and again under a new title, N ovad e UniversisPhilosophialibrisquinquaginta comprehense ,auctore Francisco Patritio, at V enice, in folio, in 1593 ,R obertus Meiettus being the printer. Gustave Parth eyhas done a great service to early Christian literature bypublishing at Berlin,

in 1854,an entirely new ed ition of

the Poemand res in the originalGreek, from a MS . ofthe end of the 13th century, N o. 1 2 2 0 in the N ationalL ibrary at Paris; others, N os. 1 2 97 , 2 007, 2 518, of thel6th century

,in the sam e library having, with 1 2 2 0 , been

collated by D . Hamm with the e d ition of Turnebus an d

that numbered 2 518,which had been written by the hand

of A ngelus V ergicius at V enice . Parthey also consultedanother MS . of the 14th century, Plut. lxxi. , N o. 33

,in

quarto,in the Laurentian library at Florence, collated, at

the request of Parthey, by Francis d e Furia with th e

Turnebus edition . This publication of G. Parthey is

most carefully edited, and accompanied by a close an d

adm irable L atin translation of his own . In the prefacehe prom ised an edition of the other remains of Herm es

to be found extracted in S tobaeus and several of th eFathers, which prom ise, it is to be lam ented, he has notyet perform ed.

There exist severalold French translations of the “Her

maicaz”one by G. d e Preau, published at Paris in 1557 ;

“ Two books of Herm esTrism egistus, one Of the Powerand Wisdom of God

,

’

the other Of the Willof Godanother of the Poemand er ,

” by Foye d e Cand alle, with acomm ent

, at Bordeaux, 1574 ; another , by G. Joly and

Hub,in folio

,at Paris

,in 1579, again printed in 16 2 6. A

complete translation into m odern French of allthe works

PR EFA CE . xv

attributed to Herm eswas published at Paris, by Dr LouisMenard, in 1866, in quarto, and again in 1868 in smalloctavo. This translation isby no m eans literal

,often an

abbreviation, and sometim es incorrect. It isprefaced bya criticaldissertation on the authorship and conte nts ofthe Herm etic books respectively, which contains muchcurious inform ation. This work was crowned by theA cademy of Inscriptions and Belles L ettres , but is d iscursive and not sufficiently discriminative. N everthelessthe conclusions of the writer have often been adopted ascorrect in the present volum e .

In 1781 Dietrich Tiedemann,Professor of Philosophy at

the University ofMarbourg, the author of severalworks onthe philosophies of the Greeks and Egyptians, publishedat Berlin and S tettin a translation into German of thePoemand res, or Treatise by the Hermes Trism egistus ofGod’sMight and Wisdom .

”

In 1875, as already stated, Engelmann at Leipsic published a dissertation onHerm esTrismegistusby Dr RichardPietschmann,

“after Egyptian, Greek, an d O rientalsources,”

which, however , relates m ostly to the legendary Herm es,and not to our author, but which contains a mine of information on the generalsubject from a vast variety ofauthorities, and may be considered introductory to thepresent volume.

A t Bologna, 18 2 0, was printed a dissertation on the

Hermaica, of which, however, the translator has not beenable to obtain a copy. S om e others are referred to byMenard in the preface to hisvolum e.A t 1855-1860 were published at L eipsic the completeworks of S tobmus in six volum es

,correctly edited by

A ugustus Meineke as part of the Bibliotheca ScriptorumG raecornm et R omanorum Teubneriana,

” which, in his

Physics et Ethics et Florilegium ,

” contain large Excerptsfrom Hermes. These constitute alm ost allwe have of hisgenuine works, beyond the “Poemand res,” which we possessentire , and the notices we have of them in the Fathers ofthe Church .

xvi PREFA CE .

The genuine works of our Herm es now extant and hemtranslated, and presumably belonging to the latte r par t ofthe first century and beginning of the second, are1 . The “ Poemand res,

” of which he isby comm on con

sent the author, which consistsmostly of dialoguesafte r themanner of Plato . The first alone bears that nam e, being a

colloquy between that personage who represents “N ew,

”

or“Mind ” —the Wisdom and Power and Providence of

G od,Life, and L ight—with Herm eshimself. The eleventh

chapter also containsa dialogue of a sim ilar character. In

the remainder Herm es instructs his son Tat and his d is

ciple and grandson Asclepius, and in part mankind generally, in the wond ertulKnowledge of God and of the Creation and of Piety, which he had learned from N 08;

2 . S everalportionsof the books of Hermes and his sonTat, for which we are mainly indebted to the excer ptsmade by S tobsaus in his Physica,” “

Ethica,”and the

“ Florilegium .

”Also fragm ents of the first book of the

Digressions to Tat,” which are quoted in the works ofCyrilof Alexandria against Julian ; and some portions ofthe books of Herm es to the earlier Ammon, which are

extracted from that work by S tobaeus in his Physica,

”

with a few sentencesquoted by Lactantiuswhich are not

to be found elsewhere . The citations from Herm es contained in the Christian Fatherswillbe found in Part 111.

O ther discourses commonly called He rmaica,”but

which are not his,— because containing statements and

d octrineswhich are inconsistent with his, and are either

of Egyptian and heathenish origin, or savour of the laterte aching of Plotinus and Jamblichus, and besides containevident anachronisms, are therefore not included in thisvolum e

, although we find there plagiarisms from theoriginalHerm es and many statements accord ant withChristianity. These arel. The Perfect Discourse (M57 0 ; f ihm g) , which bears

the title of A sclepius. The author speaks of Herm es as

my grandfather,” and calls A mmon into council— presumably that A mmonius S ecess who was the master of

PREFA CE . xvii

Plotinus, an d died in Alexandria AD . 2 41 . Of this, exceptsuch of the extracts in S tobmus and Lactantius asare in

Greek,there is only one version extant—a Latin transla

fion falsely aserim to A puleius (which existed also solelyin the time of S t A ugustine, who cites it in chs. 2 3 and 2 6

of Lib. viii. cfhis “City of God and which waspublishedwith his works by Aldus in 15 2 1, and Almenhorst at

Frankfort in 16 2 1. That this is not from the hand ofour Hermes is at once apparent from its contents, whichare at variance with his genuine writings . It contains,amongst other things, an eloquent address to the N ile ,wherein the author, as a prophet

,laments in touching

terms the abolition of the ancient nationalreligion ofEgypt—that holy land— and the approaching triumph ofChristianity ; the devastation of the country and of itssacred shrines, and destruction of the population. He

speaks of Isis and O siris, and of the cult of animals, ofJupiter Plutonius, of thirty -six horoscopes, and of thePantom orphosis. Further, it contains a distinct defenceof the worship of statues of the gods form ed by the handsof m en, and maintains that it is a great privilege grantedby God to m en—the power of making gods. That Lactantius quotes this work more than once as of Herm eshimself, and applies his description of the calamities ofEgypt as if they were the afflictions to com e upon the ear thin thelast days,1 issim ply a proof of the uncriticaljudgm entof som e of the Fathers asto chronology, and som etim esastoexact authorship, which iswellknown and acknowledged.

(If, and quote d from , Herm es for his own purposes, andmost probably lived some short tim e before the epoch of

A second d iscour se, also found among the “Hermaica, is

a portion of that called the Sacred Book,” denominatedK im 1 60ml: (Patrit , 2 76 , Stobeeus, Physica,” Meineke , i.

which Patrizzi corrected after S tobmus from a MS .

1 w ant Divin. Instit , v11. , 1a

xviii PR EFA CE .

found at Enclistra, in the island of Cyprus. It isa strangeproduction

,being a dialogue between Isis and his son

Horus, with Momus, on the creation of the world and ofsouls, and of m etempsychosis. It is in places Platonic, asif citing the Timzeus; and it quotes also by name Herm es,

and partly the account by him of the Creation in Poemandres.” Being apparently a summary of the Gm co

Egyptian philosophy, it m ust be attributed to a e co

Egyp tian, probably of Alexandria; but it is scarcely Gr eekat all, and there are few indications of its exact date. In

this production Hermes is spoken of in these wordsaHerm es, he understanding allthings, who also saw the

whole of thingstogether, and having seen, considered them,

and having considered them was powerfulto explain and

show them . For what he understood he committed tocharacters

,and having committed them to characters, con

easled the m ost part, being silent with wisdom , and speaking opportunely, in order that allthe duration of the worldhereafter should search out these things ; and thushavingorder ed the gods, his brethren , to become his escort , heascended towardsthe constellations. But he had for successor Tat, hisson and heir of hisscience, and shortly afterwards A sclepius

,son of Imothes, by the counselof Pan

and Hsephmstus, and allthose to whom the AlmightyProvidence reserved an exact knowledge of the things of

heaven. Hermes then excused himself to allhis surroundings for not delivering the entire theory to hisson,

on account of his youth.

” From this it would appear thatthe writer of this discourse was posterior to A sclepius

,

—that is, of the middle or end of the third century. A

third fragment of importance is usually included amongthe Hermaica,

”and is quoted by Lactantiuswith alike

want of criticalsagacity. It isdenominated the Befini

tions Copar) of A sclepius to King A mmon. He calls“ Hermes my master, who conversed with me often aloneor in presence of Tat,” and quotes many passages of thePoemand res.

”It is written with eloquence Amm on

the king issupposed to be present and the main portion is

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longer God ; but this never can be. He is inexpressible,and has no name. A nam e im plies an elder or superiorto give the nam e ; but there is none such We callHimFather and Master and L ord of allexistences, not as

nam es,but appellations derived from His benefitsand His

works.

This, The God before the m oist N ature which appeare dout of darkness, beget the Perfect Word

,coessential

Com éuarog) with Himself, the Second God , visible and

sensible,First One and only

,and loved Him as His own

Son— a sacred , inefi'

able, and shining Word, exceeding

allthe ability of men to declare—Son of God— The OneMan by the Willof God , through Whom isaccessin prayerto The Father, The L ord of allthingsThrough this Word were the World, the Heaven, the

S tars, the Earth, Mankind , and allthe living existences inthem, brought into being, and harmoniously orderedthrough the operation of Mind the Wisdom of

God, the God of Fir e and Spirit proceeding from God ,

Which with the S even ad minism'

ative Spirits created by it,

to the conformation of the Universe out of chaos, accord ingto the Idea

, the A rchetype or Pattern, pre existent in theMind of the Deity. This K émos

”so created, Herm es

calls second God, as being wholly instinct with TheOne Divinity. He gives the same appellation to the S im ,

for thc same reason and because it is the instrnm ent of

God’sWillin new creating. The m ode of the creation isshown in the form of a Vision displayed before Hermes,and in

.severalportions is related in the very words of

the S eptuagint version of Genesis. The Procession of theHoly S pirit and His instrum entality in Creation is enuncisted, apparen tly according to the creed of the orthodoxGreeks Thus, The God created Man after the image of

Him self, asHis child, an immortaland divine animal, outof two natures, the imm ortaland m ortal, between the two ,that viewing all things he may adm ire them and theirwond erfulorder and harmony. Man has a divine nature

,

PREPA CE .

because he has a S oul, an independent incorporealimm ortal energizing intelligent Essence , which, being a

portion of the S oul with which God animated the

Universe, was created before the body, and was infusedinto it. It is threefold—Mind or R eason,

Desire, and

Spirit, which can receive God, and becom e a consortof Deity, having intellect and speech— imm ortalproparties, that Man may contemplate and worship his

Creator. The greatest disease of the Soulis ungodlinessand ignorance of God .

Man,being an imperfect, fallible, and composite being,

cannot know The God of himself ; but those to whom The

God of His own free willimparts this faculty can do so.

He is ever desirous and willing to be known ; and to thosewho are pure, and whowish for thisknowledge, He revealsHimself by imparting to them of HisMind, which is ofthe very essence of the Divinity, and joined to it as thelight is to the S till. N ot that Mind isGod ; but that TheGod is the cause of Mind. This Mind in men is God .

Such m en therefore have their humanity near to Deity, forHe is their very Father ; when they leave the body, theybecom e thisMind. Theymust seek the knowledge of Him ,

which isvirtue,temperance,piety , salvation, and ascent to

Heaven. The God created allthings perfect Man has

become depraved ; but has free choice of good and evilTo attain this state, then, m en m ust hate and m ortify

the flesh , its vices and excesses, reject the depravity andignorance of earth, where Truth does not exist ; thewickedness , darkness, and corruption of the body ; theymust recur and look in heart to Him ,

Who can alone showthe way of salvation.

The mode of accomplishing this, which can only be doneby the help of God, Who is willing to revealHimselfto all, is by ridding themselves of the twelve principalvices, and acquiring in their place the ten cardinalvirtuesWhen these shallbe so acquired, man becom es fitted toascend to the Ogdoad, the eighth Circle, to the presence ofG od hisFather, to become immortal, part of His Essence

xxii PREPA CE .

and of His Powers and V irtues,and divine (osmium ) .

This may happen even in the body, by the gift of

God. This is the R egeneration (wallyyevved ia) . The

author of it is the enlightening Word of God— the O ne

Man by the will of God. Baptism is to be added,

and His good Spirit m ust lead m en thereto : those th usregenerate willstrive to bring allmankind to the sam e

blessed state .

N either any evil, nor has Fate, any power over thosewho are thus pious and regenerate. They are rewardedwith imm ortality both of soul and body

,becom ing

partakers of Divinity, having attained The Suprem e Good .

In death the union of souland body isdissolved,but th e

S oulsurvives. There can be no destruction of what is ofGod and in God. From the perishing body (which is nota destruction,

but a dissolution of the union in order to berenovated) a new body arises, and becom es imm or talthrough the imm ortal S oul. This cannot wholly be

attained in the present life ; but, after death,the Man

,

becoming entirely in harm ony with God, employs him selfbeyond the eighth or perfect zone in hymns of happinessand praise .

Those who adhere to the body, and sur render themselv esto its passions, are abandoned by God ; they attain not

unto The Good, or to imm ortality, but becom ing m ore an d

m ore wicked they are given over for vengeance to the ev ildem on , torm ented by wicked dem onsand fire ; retrogradingto reptilism , they are given over to be torm ented by ev il

passions and lusts, and , condemned to misery, are whirledabout the universe—fare converted into devils. N o allusionis however made by Herm es to the Egyptian judgm en tby Osiris, or to that by Christ taught in the N ew Testam ent.Finally

,the great end ofMan is, when thuspurified and

regenerated, to worship His Creator in His presence, andto be united to Him ,

and to contemplate and adoreHim in holy S ilence . In the

“ Poemand r es are threeseveralanthems of praise and blessing verbalrational

PREPA CE .

sacrifices addressed to the Deity ; one of them d enomi

usted “ The Hymn of the Regeneration — to The God“whose only passion is to be The Good. There is a

certain likeness in these to the ancient Egyptian hymns toRa, to Hades, and O siris , an d to the L itany of Ra translatedand published in the R ecords of the Past ; ” but a muchgreater resemblance to severalof the Psalms. Thus doesHermes inculcate or imply severalof the main doctrinesand objects of Christianity ; but it is fair to ad mit that, asbefore observed, he doesnot notice the fact of the N ativityupon earth

,or the Crucifixion,

Death,R esurrection

,or

A scension of Christ, or His Coming to Judgm ent.Perhaps they d id not com e within the purview of hisintention,

asneither within that of Paley in his N aturalTheology .

’

The astronomical teaching of Herm es is m erely incidental to the rest

,and is simple enough The whole

Universe is in the form of a sphere N ature is composedof four Elem ents— Earth, A ir , Fire, and Water. He

appears also to have inferred the rotundity of the Earthfrom that of the Sun,

Moon,and Planets— thelatter perhaps

revolving round the Sun,but the whole cosm icalsystem

round the Earth in an organized Harm ony of one external,

of seven inner,circles; the varying m otion of the Planets

bemg accounted for by a resisting m edium . He wasaware

of the difference between the revolutions of Venus and

Mercury and those of the other planets, but does not

account for it. He asserts plainly enough that the Earthitself is stable and imm oveable ; the Constellations, especially the Zodiac

,fixed in a solid Firmament, circulating

round the Earth also, diagonally to the EquatorialCircleand the orbits of the planets, with the Polar S tar for acentralpivot, drawn round it by the constellation of theBear. The whole system of this K émog, or Universe, andof the Harmony thereof, is mainly the sam e as that ofPlato .

It is remarkable that Herm es anticipates modernphilosophy by insisting that ther e is no void in nature, and

PREPA CE .

that none of the works of The God can become extinct orperish

,but

,if disappearing, are resolved into some otha

essence or natur e, and renovated in another form ; thus, itwould appear, amrm ing the future eternity of existmgmatter, and deducing from this the imm ortality of thehuman body. His reasoning resembles that of 8. Paul,1 Cor . xv. 36 : Thou foolish one , that which thou thyselfsowest is not quickened except it d ie,” &c. It is, of cour se.im possible in this volum e to contrast the theology and

philosophy of our Hermes, with that of Philo Jud mus, withwhich it hasmany points of resem blance, or with that of

the Grecian sages generally ; but in the notes severalextracts have been given from the Dialogues of Plato (asedited by C. F. Hermann, at Leipsic, in 1877) and fromother authors illustrative of the text. Many passages ofHoly S cripture from the S eptuagint and the R evim d

V ersion of the N ew Testam ent have likewise been notedwith the sam e view.

Finally,it isdesirable to state that the language and style

of our Herm es is semi-classical, though Alexand rian, and

without dialect ; but often rugged, involved, mystical, tautclogical, and obscure, with a number of technicalwordsbelonging to the Greek philosophywhich renders itdifficultto translate. It bears much resem blance to that of Plato,whose writingshe had certainly studied . The aim of thetranslator has not been to produce a flowing version, or anelegant paraphrase, or a pithy abbreviation, but to renderthe originalinto English with asmuch lite ralexactness as

HERME S TRISMEGIS TUS.

POEMA N DR E S .

l

CHA PTER I.

1 . THOUGHT in m e (or) becoming on a time concerning theEntities (b) , and my m ed itation (0) having been exceedinglysublim ed, and my bodily senses also calmed down (d ),like as those oppressed in sleep from satiety, luxury, orfatigue of body, I supposed som e one of very great magnitud e, with indefinite dimension, happening to callout mynam e, and saying to me, What wishest thou to hear, andto contemplate ; what, having understood to learn and

to know f)2 . I say, Thou

,then, who art thou ? ” I, indeed, He

says, am Poemand res, The Mind (9) of T he S uprem ePower. 2 I know what thou wishest ; and I am every

3 . I say, I wish to learn the Entities, and to understand the nature of them, and to know The God ; this,” Isaid, I wish to hear.” He says to m e again, Have inthy m ind whatsoever things thou wouldest learn, and Iwillteach thee.”

(a) b rain ; p ol. (b) 7 3» Sw an». (0) Browsing. ( d ) sm aaxzduoiu.

( 8) M66“ . (f ) v wm . (9)‘

O 7 5; A é h n fat ; N erf/g.

1 S hepherd -man,” Flockman.

” Accor d ing to Menard (Preface,p. S hepher d of man ; ” but no form er ed itors have ad opted this

stain “, accord ing to the scholiast on Thucyd id es (Hesychiusand the Thesaurus” of S tephens) , was formerly synonymouswithwer éxup. but subsequently came to m ean Giova nna-reg, or Dominus,and the wor d isused by Hermesseveraltimesin that sense.

A

2 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

4. Speaking this, he was changed in the form (a) , andimmediaw allthings were disclosed to m e in amom ent ;and I see a spectacle ind efinable, allthings having becom elight, m ore pleasant and joyous, and having beheld I wasgladdened (b) and , after alittle, darknesswasbrought downin part having becom e dreadfuland horrible, sinuously terminated so that Iimagined myself having seen the darkness changed into a certain m oist nature(d ),unspeakably d isturbed , and giving forth smoke asif from fire, and emitting acertain sound inefi‘able,mournful. Then anoise from itwasinarticulately sent out,—asI supposed (c) the voice of L ight.5. Fr0m the L ight a certain HolyWord descended upon

N ature, and apure Fire 1 sprang forth from the moist natur eupwards on high Itwaslight and sharp and drastic also,and the air being light followed The S pirit (f) ; it ascend»ing up to the fire from land and water, so that it seem edto be suspended from it. Earth and water remainedm ingled in them selves so as not to be distinguished fromthe water, and they were moved by The on-borne (g)SpiritualWord 2 to hearing }6. Then the Poemand res to m e, Hast thou under

stood (h) , He says, this the spectacle and what itm eans ? A nd I shallknow,

”I said, that the Light.” He

said, I am MIN D, thy God, Who is before m oist nature,(a) 7 551354. (b) (c) anemia: m pu p‘m .

(d ) 2 1; 67minr im aid ” . (6) 5: sluice“.

(f ) 1 5wvrdp m r. S ec ch. iii , post.(g) 7 63 ir cwpép n or wv m ’md v 1 67 0» (h) ivémag.1 It is to he observed , once for all, that the Greekwor d “

ar ty,”

translated Fire,”may m ean Heat

,

”whether visible or invisible.

Here it would appear to m ean the fire of the Holy Creative S pirit.3 Compare Ps. civ. 30 : Thou send est forth Thy S pirit, they are

created ; and Thou renewest the face of the earth” Also Genesis

i. 2 : “ An d the ear th was without form (d o'pm g. S eptuagint) andvoid (M u xszim og, unarranged , S ept ) ; and d arkness upon the

face of the d eep (Es-aim r ig clerics-av, S ept ) ; and the Spirit of God

m oved upon the face of (fir ewpm ir é m , S ept.) the water .

” Thisd escription of the primitive Chaos closely resem blesthat of Plato inTimmus,

”53, which is too d iffuse to be here quoted .

3 S ee ch. iv. pod , and note ( 1) there.

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4 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

This Poemand res to me. “ These then,” I say, Elem ent.

of the N ature, whence constituted (a) are they AmHe to me,

“ From the willof God, which, taking the 1

Word and beholding the beautifulWorld (c) , forme dan imitation (d ) , making the World by means of the elem ents (e) of Itself 9 and progenies of souls.” (f)9. But the Mind, The God, being masculine-feminine,

Mind Creator Who being God of the Fire and Spirit,‘(a) (b) 7 63 A67 “ . (6) d op ey .

(d ) imp éaar o. (a) " simian. (f ) w rnp c'

vrw M 5»

(9) nix-aim ». (It) AW (0 mayw w .

the world isthe noblest of creatures, and God is the best of causes;isthe copy of som ething.

”

1 In this treatise 1 67 9 ; is used with thme signification—Ew en,

S peech, and Word ; but with the d efinite article “ The Wor d ” isintend ed .

S tobams, in his Physica” (309, Meineke, i. remarks thatPlato held that there were three great beginnings or principlm

(ami d—The God , The Matter , The Id ea—by whom , out of which,to which. The God IsMind (of the World ) : Matter , that subject togeneration and d estruction ; but Id ea, incorporealEssence in the

intelligence and phantasiesof The God .

In Timmus” (3 1, 3 2 ) Plato says : Of the Four the constitution(sh ru g ) of the World took each one Whole. For the constitutesconstituted it of the Whole of Fire and Water

,and A ir and Earth,

la ving no part nor power of any without ; first and especially,because the perfect living creature should be of perfect parts, andalso that out of the remnants no other such thing should become ”He argues thence that there can be but one among, and from the

whole conclud es, m oreover , that the visible world is formed after

the pattern of the intelligible or invisible (see (bid . CompareR om . i. 2 0 : “For the invisible thingsof Him , since the creation of

the world , are clearly seen, being perceived through the things thatare mad e, His everlasting Power and Divinity ;” and Heb. ix . 2 3,“ It wasnecessary that the cOpiesof things in the Heavens shouldbe purified with these ” (soil. by sacrifices).

3 Compare John i. 4,“ In Him was Life, and the Life was the

L ight of the Men.

”

4 Thisparagraph seemsto relate that the God ofFire and S pirit pm

Father through tt on.

POEMA N DRE S . I. 5

created som e S even A dministrators (a) ,l encompassing incircles the sensible world ; and their administration iscalled Fate (b) .a10 . Immediately from the downhom e elements sprung

for th The Word of The God to the pure creation of allN ature,“and was united to the creative Mind for itwasof the same essence and the irrationald ownbom e

elementsof N ature were left to be matter only.

11. But the Creator Mind along with The Word, thatencompassing the circles, and making them revolve withforce turned about its own creations and permitte dthem to be turned about from an indefinite beginning toan interminable end ; for they begin ever where they end .

(a) mercur i c. (b) llp é pm v (c) n ; dw ovpyfi35.

(d ) o'

p oo'

w rog. (8) Bug”50 02 9.3 The S even S piritswhich arebefore Histhrone ” (Rev. i. 4) The

S even Spiritsof God , and the S even S tars” (M i. 2 0 ; iii. l) ; S even

lampsof fire burning before the thr one, which are S even Spirits of

God (ibid . iv. The S even Spirits of God , sent forth into alltheearth” (ibid . v . Isaw the S evenAngelswhich stand before God ”(ibid . viii. S even Angels” (ibid . v . 7, Raphael, one of theS even Holy Angels which pr esent the prayers of the Sain ts, andwhich go in and out before the Glory of The Holy One” (Tobit, xiv.

S ee Rev . viii. 3 , 4 ; Ps. ciii. 2 0 ; and the extracts from Herm es

by S tobwus Meineke, i. 48 (post, PartThat Hermesheld that Fate and N ecessity are wholly subject to

the Provid ence of the Creator ,see ch. x. 2 0,and the Excerpt by S tobceus

(183) (post, Part IL ) ; Meineke, i. 47.By the Wor d of the L ord were the Heavens mad e

,and allthe

host of them by the breath of His mouth (iw epsé d nu v an d wM y“ : (Spirit) 7 03 cr eam s; “43c « i s: 6”new; nin th ,

”S eptus

gint), Ps. xxxiii. 6. Allthings were mad e by Him ”The

Wor d ), and withoutHim (xupl; d en t, “apart from Him wasnot

anything mad e thatwasmad e ” (John i. and see the remaind er of

the passage before quote d . Who isthe Image of the invisible God ,the first born of allcreation. For in Him were allthings created inthe heavensand upon the earth, thingsvisible and things invisible,whether thrones, or d ominions, or principalities, or powers. All

things have been created through Him and unto Him ”(0 01. i. 15,

‘It is remarkable to recognise here the test epithet of the orthod oxat the Oouncilof N icwa.

6 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

But the revolution (a) of these, asthe Mind wills from the

d ownbow s elements, brought out irrationalanimals, for itd id not afi’

ord them reason. (b) But the air brought outwinged animals, and the water swimming, and both earthand the water were separated from each other,

l just asThe Mind willed, and the earth sent out from itself thefour -footed animals which it had , serpents, wild and tam e

1 2 . But the Father of allthings, The Mind, being L ifeand Light, beget (c) (engendered) a Man like to Him self,’whom He loved asHis own child, for He wasvery beautiful, having the image of HisFather. For, in fact, m oreover The God loved His own form ,

3and to this delivered

over allHis own creations .13. Having considered the formation (11) of the Cream

in the Father,He toowilled to createfrom the Father

,becoming (g) in the creative sphere.

Having allthe dominion (Is), He considered the creations(a) fl pltpopa

'

z. (6) A67 ” . (6) d m ém

(d ) “ transient ; f ir a im . (c) M aid siw rw pfi m

(f) aiwrxapfah . (g) y né/sm g. (h) lim b» .

together unto one place, and let the d ry land appear”(Gen. i.

“ There were heavens from of old , and an earth compacted out of

water , and amid st water , by the Word of God ” ( 2 Peter iii. S ee

3 Wisd om isthe brightnessof the everlasting Light, theunspottedm irror of the Power of God , and the image of His Good ness

”(Wis

d om , m 2 6).“ The image of The invisible God , the first born of allcreation ”

(0 01. x.“The only begotten S omHe hath d eclared Him .

” “HisS omWhomHe appointed heir of allthings, through Whom also He mad e theworld s, Who being the efi‘ulgence ofHisglory and the very image ofHissubstance, and uphold ing allthingsby theWord of Hispower

”

(Heb . i. 3,Revised Version).

“Who being in the form of God counted it not a prise to be on an

being mad e in the likenessof memand being formed in fashion asa

“ Thekingd om of the 13,Revised Version).

POEMA N DRES . I. 7

of the brethren who were enamoured of Him ;1 but eachmade Him participate of his own ord er (a), and havinglearnt the essence (b) of these, and partaken of theirnature, He willed to break through the circum ference ofthe circles, and to depress (c) the force of Him resting (d )on the fire.

3

14. A nd He having alldominion (a) over the mortalliving things of the world, and over the irrational, lookedobliquely (f) through the Harmony,3 breaking through the(a) m ed /30 0 {blag r é éw ; (6) 060 4

'

s» . (0) sat ur at ion“.

( d ) 31 12 14 63 0 0 . (8) iéow rm . (f ) 7 “PM "

1 The first born among many brethren.

”

“ It behaved Him in allthings to be mad elike unto hisbrethren ”(Heb. ii. Lactantius(Divin. Instit. iv. 6) quotesnearly the wholeof thispm e

,together with another sim ilar one from Asclepius,”

applying it to Christ,and again (vii. l), applying it toMan in general.S ee post, ch . iii. and xiii.

A n internalFire was part of the cosm ogony of the Platonists.aPlato, in Timmus (fS3) (in the main accord ing to the Pythagor

-ean

elem entsabove and the thick and heavy below), When God put forthHishand to or d er the Universe, Fire and Water and Earth and A ir

having been prod uced (wwuné ru), He fashioned them accord ing toformsand num bers

,to put them together as far aswas possible, as

should be m ost bmutifuland best.”The Harmony of Heaven is d escribed in the Timmus (35 and 36)Heaven revolves round a centre once in 2 4 hours; the orbitsof

the Fixed S tarsin a d ifferent d ir ection from the Planets. The inner

and outer sphere crossone another,and meet again at a point oppo

site to that of their first contact. Th e first moves in a circle fromleft to right, along the sid e of a parallelogram supposed to be inscribedin it, the second also m oving in a circle along the d iagonalof thesam e parallelogram from right to left ; the first d escribing the pathof the Equator, the second that of the Ecliptic. To the sphere ofthe und ivid ed He gave d om inion, but the sphere of the othe r or

in ratiosof twos and threes,three of either sort. He bad e them

move in opposite d irections to one another ; three of them ,the Sun

,

unequalswiftness to the three and to one another,but allin d ue

course. The Moon is represented by l, the Sun by 2 , Venus by3,Mercury by 4, Jupiter by 9, Saturn by 2 7, being the compound of

the two Pythagorean ratios (as to which see ch. iv. post), having the

8 HE RMES TRISME GIS TUS .

might of the circles, and showed to the downward hom e (a)N ature the beautifulform of The God, which [N ature]having beheld, having in itself insatiate beauty and alltheenergy of the S even A dministrators, and the form (b) of TheGod, smiled (c) for love, asitwer e having beheld the imageof the very beautifulform of the Man in the water andthe shadow (d ) on the earth. But He having beheld inthe water the form like to Him being in Himself, lovedit and willed to dwellwith it. But along with the willcam e energy (a) and beget (f) the irrationalform .

15. But N ature having woeived (g) the beloved, com

pletely embraced (It) it, and they mingled, for they wereenamoured ; and through this, beyond allliving upon earth,the Man is twofold, m ortalindeed because of the body,immortalbecause of the essential(15) Man.

l For beingimm ortal, and having the dominion (k) of allthings, hesuffers m ortalthings subject to the fate. Being, than,above the Harmony, he became an harm onious servant.But being masculine-fem inine (I), being from a masculinefeminine father, and sleepless, he is dominated by a

sleepless.16. A nd after these thingsmyMind ; For also Imyself

love the discourse.” But Poemand ressays: This is the

(a) u r awp‘

it. (b) p apa)» (0) Wallace»

(e) in'

p'y iw . (f ) brim . (g) lamina.

(17) (k) (I) d fié nohih vg.

same intervalsthough not in the sam e or d er,being the same mixtnre

aswas originally d ivid ed in forming the world (see Jowett’s Sum ,

mary,”vol. iii. The Harmony of Man, of his bod y, of the

partsof it, and of the earth, is d etailed in the Timmus, 69, 77 . It

is found ed on a complicated system of triangles, which it is not

necessary here to explain. But the Harmony of the souland bod yofMan hasstrict analogy to that of the d am (ibid .

1 Plato 144) says:“The Essence (M ia) belongs

to allbeings, although many, and is absent from none of the

entities,neither from the least nor from the greatest. Thiswould be

foolish to say, for how can the Essence be absent from any entity ?The smallest and greatest, and everywhere being and d ivisible, werethey wmminuted asmuch aspomiblq yet certainly they are infinitepartsof the Essence.

”

POEMA N DRES . I. 9

Mystery concealed up to this d ay . For the N ature mingledwith the Man produced a certain most adm irable wonder ;for he having the nature of the harmony of the seven, ofwhich I spoke to you,lof fire and spirit, the N ature d idnot wait, but immediately brought forth the seven m en 8

after the natures of the S even A dministrators, masculine

A nd after these things, OPoemand res! I havecom e nowtoagreat desire,and am longing to hear do not diverge.” A nd

Poemand ressaid, But be silent,for I have not yetcompletedto thee the first discourse.” “Behold, I am silent

,

” I said.17. There happened then, as I said, the generation of

these seven in such m ode. For the air was fem inine, thewater, cupiscent (b) . It received maturity from fire ; fromether the spirit ; and N ature brought forth the bodiesafterthe likeness of the Man. But the Man becam e (c) fromlife and light unto soul(d ) and m ind ; from life as to son] ,but from light as to mind ;8 and thus remained allthe

(0 ) sam p les“ (6) o'

xsur mo'

v. (a) 57 1m m (4) slmxé v.

1 S ee ants, 9, note 4. Also Deuteronomy xxxn . 8, S ept.3 For whom these S even Men are inten d ed 18 questionable ; but the

d ifi cnlty may perhaps be solved thus : The originalpattern Manbeing masculine-feminine, represents Ad am with Eve who was

taken out of Ad am ; and the S even whom N ature procreatedmay signify, in like manner , the succeed ing Patriarchs named in

Genesis, ch. iv. and v.

,wherein

,after d etailing the posterity of Cain,

it proceed s:“ This is the bookof the generation of A d am

,in the

d sy in which The God mad e the A d am ,after the likenessof God He

mad e him,male and female He mad e them ,

and blessed them,and

called hisnam e A d am in the d ay that he mad e them”(from tt ep

M yint, ed it. J . Field , Cantab. Then follows that Ad am bagatsons and d aughters after his likeness and his image, 8rc.

,and the

namesof the Patriarcha beginning with S eth, up to and includ ingLamech the seventh

,the father of N oah. Or the number S even

3 “A nd the Lor d God formed man of the d ustof the ground (‘d ustof the ground ,’ Heb ), and breathed into hisnostrilsthe breath oflife,and man became aliving soul” (Gen. ii. 7, English Version). KarlM um : o

'

6 16; r o‘r fishe r ” xoi

'

cv sis-6 f ig 7 55: an d b rain s“ d ;

space r ” “in cl? m in (nix, x4 1 imam 6 d d pm g (I; Y ep }: file‘s”

(Sept. M ).

10 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

m embers of the sensible world, untilthe period of the

completion of beginnings and progeniea (a)18. Hear the remaining discourse which thou d e

airest to hear. The period being completed, the connecting bond (b) of allthings was loosed by the willofGod ; for allthe living creatures being male-female, wereloosed apart (0) along with the Man, and became pm-blysom e male, but some female inlike manner. But The Godimm ediately said in Holy Word : Increase in inand multiply in multitude allformations andand let the understander (e) recognise himself as beingimmortal, and the cause of the death love of body, andallEntities.19. The providence of Him speaking this, by means of

to kind A nd he tha/tr ecogmsed (f) M omm athe

supggabglmm m ; but he that, from error of afi'

ectiem,

(0 ) Th ou; aipxn'

iv mi: (b) misha p“.

(0) cui sin e. (d ) ar ia/sur esm udup lwpy ém a.

(s) o'

in cur. (f ) o'

d rawn-mica ; im dv.

fillthe watersin the seas,an d let fowlmultiply in the earth ” (English

Version) . K aim’

zm'

ymu a é r é 6 6 rd ; 1 67 9» A ffié m lsm i fi nalise d ;

an d r ) .npé aar s7 02 53mm: iv r ad ; 04 3 350 0 5 15, and 7 03w ar d wi ndw é d w u

agree in read ing asto the blessing of N oah and his sons before thecreation of man : Increase or be fruitfuland multiply and re

plenish the earth, and subd ue it” (Gen. 1x. The S eptuagint ad d s,A scholiast (Michael

Psellus) on one of the MS S . of another work attributed to Herm es,

(but not his), De OperationsDemonum ,

”published by Boissonad e,

N uremberg, 1838 , and quoted in the notesby Parthey (p. whilstacknowled ging that Hermes must have been acquainte d with thebooksof S cripture, and som etim escopied the very expr essions, asinthispassage, complains that he has not conserved the simplicity andclearnessof Scripture, but has amplified and exaggerated them afterthe Greek fashion ; but the mald iffm nce consistsmly in thia that

created beings. Yet surely thisiswithin the purview of the Scrip

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1 2 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

unto life again.

” 1 These thingsPoemand res said. But,further said I, tellm e how shallI pass unto life, 0Mind Mind

,The God , saith, The man of mind (a) , let

him recognise himself.” N ot allmen then,

”I say,

“ have mind.”2 2 . Say well, 0 Thou ! speaking such things. I myself, The Mind, em present with the holy and good, andpure and m erciful, with those living piously ; and mypresence becom es a help ; 2 and forthwith they are cognizant of allthings,3 and lovingly propitiate the Father ,and give thanks, praising, and sing hymns to Him in

ranks (b) , from affection ; and before delivering over thebody to its own death, they detest (c) the senses, knowingtheir operations (d ) ; or rather I, The Mind, willnot sufi’er '

the operations of the body which happen (a), to be accom 4

plished ; for being doorkeeper, I willshut out the incomingsof the eviland base operations, cutting off the desires.2 3 . But from the fools and evil, depraved, and envious,

and covetous, and murderers, and impious, I am afar ofi‘,

delivering them to the avenging dem on, who, applying thesharpness of the fire, attacks them sensibly (f), and prepares(g) them stillm ore for wickednesses, that they may

(a) 6 h eavy. (b) r e myp iroc. (c) y w é ‘r‘r owm . (d ) in py épm -a.

(s) r poom'

m orr w. (f ) alw d vm z iig. (9) 63 1 1631.1 “In Him was L ife

,and the Life was the Light of (the ) m en.

”

“But asmany as received Him ,to them gave He the right to becom e

child ren of God ” (R evised Version , John i. 4,3 “ Thus saith th e High and Holy One that inhabiteth eternity,

whose N am e isHoly : I d wellin the high and holy place, with himalso that is of an humble and contrite spirit ” (Isaiah lvii.“ Thus saith The L ord , the Heaven is my throne, and the earth ismy footstool but to thisman willllook

,even to him that is

poor and of a contrite spirit (r am uo‘v not.) W oe, S eptuagint) , andthat trembleth at my word ” (ibid . lxvi. 1, He that lovethm e shallbe loved of my Father , and I willlove him and willmanifest myselfunto him .

” If a man love m e he willkeep my wordand my Father willlove him , and we willcome unto him and makeour abod e with him ”

(John xiv. 2 1,3 “ If any man loveth God , the same is known oi m

”(1 0 0 r.

viii. “ Then shallwe know,even sswe are known.

”

POEMA N DRES . L 18

rneet with a greater vengeance,1and he ceases not from

insatiably moving their concupiscencc to unbounded appetites, as ia a battle in the dark, and so tortures, andaugments the fire more and more upon them .

2 4. Youhave welltaught m e,” I said, allthings as Idesired, 0 Mind ! But tellme further about the ascentthat is to To these things Poemand res said

deliversup the body itself unto alteration (b) , and the form

character (0) deprived of energy to the demon, and thesenses of the body return back to their respectivesources, becoming portions(d ) , and again united togetherwith the energies An d passion and desire depart unto

2 5. A nd thus the residue (f) hastens upward throughthe Harmony, and gives up to the first zone the energyof incr ease and that of decrease, and to the second themachination of the evils and the fraud d e-energized (g) ;and to the third the concupiscent deception d e-energized ; and to the four th, the pride of domineering, without means of satisfaction (h) ; and to the fifth, the unholy boldness and the rashness of the audacity ; and tothe sixth

,the evilcovetings after wealth, de-energized ;

2 6. An d then ,denuded from the operations (i) of the

its proper power, and along with the Entities (k) hymning The Father. Those being present at thishis comingthere, rejoice together, and being made like to those whoare with him (l) , he hears also the powers who are abovethe eighth nature in a cer tain sweet voice hymning The

(a) é rfiw weep in g. (b) cum in-m v. (c) 7 6 flog.

(d ) p ips 7 1W (6) “ n ar cissism of: N i; farm /cg.

(f ) M 9V6”: “7“m (9) i n vipm v. (h) d whm fiz‘rm ’ .

(i) MPWW‘ETN '. (k) r ad ; 050 1. (1) w ritten .

‘Compare the parable of the Unclean Spirit (Matt xn. 44 ; Luke

14 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

God . A nd then in order theymount upward to the Father ,and they d eliver them selves up to Powers, and be

coming Powers they becom e in God .

1 This is the goodend ing of those attaining knowledge, to bemade divine (a) .For the rest, why d elayest thou ? Is it not that havingaccepted (6) allthings, thou mayest becom e guide to thosewho areworthy ; so that the race of mankind through theemay be saved by God ? "2 7. Saying thisto me, Poemand resmingled himself with

the Powers ; but I having given thanks, and blessed theFather of the Universals (c), rose up, emmwered by Himand instructed as to the nature of everything (d ), and thegrandest vision ; and I began to proclaim to the m en the

beauty of the piety and that of the knowledge. 0

peoples, earthbom men, ye having given your selves up todrunkenness and sleep and to the ignorance of God,be sober,cease being gluttons (c), allured by irrationalsleep.

”

2 8. But they having heard, approached with one consent,and I say, Why, 0 earthbom men, have ye given yourselves over to death

,having power (f) to partake of im

m ortality ? Repent (g) ye who have walked together withthe error

, and who have intercommuned with the ignorance ; depart from the dark light, partake ye of theimm ortality, having abandoned the corruption.”2 9. A nd some of them having jeered, stood ofi', havingthemselves up to the way of

_

the death; but som erequested to be taught, casting

‘

fliemselvesbefore my feet.But I raising them up becam e a guide of the human race,teaching the words how and in what way they shallbesaved. An d I sowed upon them the words of the

Wisdom , and they were nourished with the Ambrosial

(a) dw dfim l. (b) s e pals-Mv. (c) r im33 m . (d ) 7 611 war-rug.(s) mpm wulfw reg. (f ) iiow fay . (g) p n u oéam .

1 The d octrine of Plato as to the life hereafter of the piouswhohad vanquished eviland the d esires of the flesh is explained infi mreus He who haslived wellthe time belonging to him ,

having again prowed ed to the habitation of hisconsociate stanshall

POEMAN DRES . I. 15

Wate r.1 A nd it becoming evening, and the splendour ofthe sun beginning to be wholly set, I called upon them to

give thanks to The God ; and having fulfilled the thanksgiving, each returned to his own couch.

”

30 . But 'I inscribed within myself the beneficence ofPoemand res, and fulfilled with the things which I wished,I was exceedingly rejoiwd , for the sleep of the body hecame sobriety of the soul(a) , and the closing of the eyestrue vision, and my silence pregnant with the good, andthe utterance of speech productions (b) of good things.But this happened to me receiving from my Mind, thatisof the Poemand res, theWord of the supreme authority(c) ,whence becoming God-inspired (d ),3 I arrived at the truth.

Wherefore I give from souland whole strength blessingto The Father God.31. Holy The God , The Father of the Universals (e),

whose counselisperfected byHisown powers. Holy TheGod Who willeth to be known and isknown by Hisown.

Holy Thou artWho byWord hast constituted the Entities.

Thou art Holy, of Whom allnature wasborn—imageThou art Holy Whom the nature form ed not Thouart Holy Who art stronger than allpower. Thou art HolyWho art greater than allexcellence . Thou art HolyWho

(a) with ; 7 5; mimxo'

u. (b) wvr éy m a. (c) A fiof r rfag.

(d ) Ouiwvoug. (a) r awin ». (f) d ulywe. (9) ip'

opmgm y ,

Except aman be born of water and the S pirit, he cannot ente rinto the kingd om of God ” (John iii. Jesusanswered and said

,If

thouknewest the gift of God , and who it isthat saith to thee,Give m e

to d rink,thouwould est have asked ofHim and Hewould have given

thee living water .

” “ The water that I shallgive him shallbecom e

in him a wellof water springing up unto eternallife ” (ibid . iv. 10,

S ee 0h. ui., xparfip, post.3 From this passage som e have surmised that thisHermes mighthave been one of the Therapeutm,

whose custom it was to worshipand sing praises thusat sunsetting.

3 Them eaning isd oubtful. (Q. Ifnotarm s ; at wrist. In Parthey’8

ed ition, the sou; isnot circumflexed . Here,by anticipation, are pro

pound ed the tenetsof the EgyptianMystics, and ind eed of theMysticsS ee onto

,8, and notes.

16 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

from souland heart intent upon Thee, O unspeakable,inefi

‘

able, invoked (b) by silence ! To me, beseeching thatI stray not from the knowledge that is according to ouressence assent ; and strengthen me, and with this graceenlighten those who are in ignorance, brethren of my race,but sons of Thee ! Wherefore I believe Thee, and bearwitness ; I pass into Life and L ight. Blessed art Thou,Father ! Thy Man wisheth to be sanctified with Thee, asThou hast deliver ed to him the whole power (0) (is, tobe so) .

CHA PTER II.

1 . EVERYTHIN G that is moved, O A sclepius, is it notm oved in something and by something ?

Herm es—Is there not necessity that that be greater inwhich it ism oved than that m oved ?A sclepiw .

—There isnecessity.

Hermes— S tronger therefore the motor” than thatm oved ?

(a) h owd y. (b) “ scrip“ (0) 5500 0 1“1

i.3 S ee post, ch . ix. 9. The question of m otion was important with

the Platonists. In Phaad rus Plato had written :“Every soul

is imm ortal, for the ever -m oveable is imm ortal; but that movingother and m oved by other , having cessation of m otion,has cessation

of life. But the self-m oving alone, since not failing itself, never

ow esbeing m oved ; but to the other things, asmany asare moved ,isfountain and beginning of motion. But a beginning (or principle,

POEMA N DRES . II.

A sclepim — S tronger indeed.Hermes—There is necessity that that in which it is

m oved have a contrary nature to that which ismoved ?A sclep ius—A nd altogether so.2 . Hermes—Great then is this the World,lthan which

there is not any body greater ?A sclepius—It is confessed.

Emm a—A nd solid, for it hath been filled with manyother great bodies, or rather with allas many bodies asthere are ?A sclepius—Thus it is.

Em ma—A body then is the World ?A sclepius

—A body.Em ma—A nd moved ?A sclepius—Most certainly.

3 . Hermes—Of what size (a) then must he the place 2 inwhich it is m oved, and of what kind the nature ? Is it

not much greater that it may be able to receive the continuity of the forward course and that that m oved m ynot

,impeded by the narrowness, retard (c) itsm otion ?

(a) m ills” . (b) mpi g. (c) 31 10x157.

1 m y“, is , the ord er of the Universe.

The question of m otion isd iscussed by Plato in Themtetus,”15 2 ,

181 : “Motion is both change of place and revolution in itself. It

ism otion also when change takesplace from youth to age, from blackto white, from soft to hard . Two forms then of m otion, change and

revolution.

” Allthingsare generated from forward course (wi g),and m ovement, and mixture ; for nothing by nom eans ever is, but

alwaysisbecoming.

” Motion affor d s that seeming to be and thatbecoming. Inactivity (écula) is the not being, and d estruction.

Heat an d fire prod ucing and preserving allthingsisof forward courseand m otion . Living animals are prod uced by the sam e. The healthof the bod y is injure d by sloth, restored by exercise ; the health of

the soulis improved and preserved by learning and care beingmotions, and acquires knowled ge. By inactivity, carelessnms, andwant of instruction it learns nothing, and forgetswhat it may havelearnt. Motion, then, is good both for souland bod y ; and Hom er

teaches that solong as there be the circulation in m ovement and thesun, allthings are, and are preserved with god s and m en. But if

that stood still, allthings would perish, and becom e, as it were,

18 HERMES TR ISME GIS TUS .

A sclepius— S om e very great thing, 0 Trismegistus!

4. Hermes— But of what kind of nature, whether of

the opposite, O A sclepius ? But to bod v,Opposite nature

isthe incorporeal.A sclepius— It is confessed.Herm es—Incorporealthen is the place . But the incor

porealis either Divine or God. But the Divine I nowSpeak of is not the generated but the ingenerate (a) .5. If, then,

it be Divine,it is essential(b) ; but if it be

God it becomes superessential But otherwise it isintelligible (d ) thus. For intelligible is the first God to us,not to Him self, for , the intelligible falls under the und erstander (c) by sense. The God then is not intelligible toHimself ; for not being som ething else than that understood isHe understood by H imself (f) .6. But to ushe is something else, and because of this

He is intelligible to us. But if the place is intelligible ,it is not therefore God but place ; but if also God it isso

,not as being place, but as capacions energy But

everything m oved isnot m oved in the thing moved, butin the stable

, and that m oving it therefore isstable. For

it is impossible for it to be m oved along with it.A sclepius,—How then,

0 Trism egistus, are things herem oved along with those being m oved ? for the spheres

,

thou saidst, those errants, are m oved by the inerrant (h)sphere .

1

Herm es—This is not, 0 A sclepius, m otion together (s) ,but counterm otion ; for they are not m oved similarly, butcontrary wise to each other ; and the contrariety (k) hasthe resistance of the m otion constant (I) .7 . For the reaction (m ) is arrest of progress Wherefore, also, the errant spheres being moved contrary wise tothat inerrant by the contrariant opposition, because of

(a) 7 6 d yin mov. (6) 0340 45365. (c) d vowlm ou.

(d ) rem-(k. (e) 7 6 67 0m m “. (f ) d d im o

'

u.

(g) irépysm zaps-HMS. (h) d waam ig. (i) e thyl/”WK .

(k) ivan lwu. (l) M 50 4 ». (m ) f; d u rum-Ia . (fl ) wopi g.1 S ee ch . i. 14, and note there .

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2 0 HERMES TRISMEG’IS TUS .

Em ma—By no m eans, 0 Asclepius ! for that within thebody, that moving the soulless, is it not that body movingboth

,that of the carrying (a) and that of the carried

Wherefore soulless willnot m ove soulless(b), but thatmoving has soul, because it does move. Thou seesttherefore the soulweighed down when alone it carriethtwo bodies; and that, ind eed, things moved are moved insomewhat, and by somewhat isplain.

10. A sclep ius—Then the things m oved must be movedin a void, 0 Trismegistus !Hermes—May'st thou say well, 0 A sclepius ! but noneof the Entities is void, for alone nonentity is void, andalien from the existence but that being, cannot bebeing, unless it were fullof the existence ; for that existing never can become void.A sclepius—But are there not some thing void, 0 Tris

m egistus as an void measure, or a void cask, and a voidwelland wine press, and the other suchlike things ?Hermes—Alas! for this great error, 0 A sclepius ! Thosefullest and m ost replete, dost thou consider to be void ?11. A sclqyiua—How sayest thou, O Trism egistus ?Hermes—Isnot the air a body ?A sclep ius—A body it is.

E m ma—A nd doesnot this body perm eate through all

beings, and permeating fillallthings ? A nd body does itnot consist mingled of the four ? 1 Fullthen ar e allthingswhich thou sayest are void, of the air and if of the air thenof the four bodies. And it happens that the converse

(a) fian é fon og. (b) “may . (6) r ig éwé piw g.1 Fire

,Water

,A ir, and Earth, accord ing to the Pythagoreans and

Plato. Plato himself, in the Timmus,

”says : But asto that nature

which wasbefore the generation of heaven, ofFire, Water , A ir , andEarth,we must consid er that, and what occurre d (calwas") before this,

for no one hath ever ind icated their origin (fi n als). We callthembeginnings or principles (aipxé g), placing them as elem ents of the

Universe.

” Also, “of these four the existence of the World took

each one whole. For He having establish ed it, established it out ofallfire, and water, and air , and earth, having left no part ofany, norpower without.”

POEMA N DRES . II. 2 1

expression is evidenced (a), that those things which thoucallest full, allthese are void of the air, these beiwrowed of room by other bodies, and not being able toreceive the air into their locality. Those things thanwhich thou sayest are void, one must callhollow, not void,for they subsist, and are fullof air and spirit (b) .1 2 . A sclep ius,

—The saying is uncontradictable, O Trism egistus! The air is body, and this is the body whichpermeates through allthe Entities

,and perm eating fills

allthings. But the locality then in which the Universe ism oved—What should we callit ?Hermes—Incorporeal, O Asclepius !A sclep ius—The incorporealthen, what isit ?Hermes—Mind and reason whole out of whole (d ) ,comprehending itself ; free from allbody, inerrant, impassible from body, intangible itself, stablished (e) initself, having capacity (f) for allthings, and conservativeof the Entities, of which are, as it were, rays, the Good,the Truth, the archetype L ight the archetype of theSoul1A sclep ius—The God then, what isHe ?Hermes—He subsisting (h) One, not of these things, butbeing also cause to these things that they are, aswellasto all, and to each one of the Entities.

13 . N either hath He left anything over beside (s) that isnot (Is) ; for allthingsare those generate from the Entities

,

not from those not Entities. For things not Entitieshavenot the nature to be able to become to be (I), but that ofnot being able to becom e anything ; and again, the Entitieshave not the nature of never to be (m).14. A sclep ius,

—Whatever then sayest thou The God tobeHermes—The God then is not Mind but the cause that

(a)W m hu. (b) m ép m g.

(d ) .e (6) (f ) xflfifl m tlg.

(g) 1 6 alpxiruwov $59 (It) h ippo ». (i) 67 0m" m ” .

(I) w h o“ . (we) p scw wi Jun.

1 S ee ante,ch. i. 8, and note .

2 2 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

Mind is(a) . N or S pirit, but cause that Spirit is.

1 N or

L ight, but cause that Light is. Whence one must venerate The God under these two appellations; these to Himalone appertaining, and to no other— for neither of otherscalled Gods

,

”nor of m en,

nor of dem ons, can any one,

even after a sort (6) be good , but The God alone ; and thisalone He is and nothing else. For allother things are

separable from the nature of the Good, for they are bodyand soul, having no place able to receive the Good.

15. For the magnitude of the Good isso great as is thesubsistence (c) of allthe Entities, both bodiesand withoutbodies, and sensible and intelligible. (d ) This is the Good,thisThe God.

3 Thoushouldst not then callanything else

good since thouwouldest be impious, nor anything elseever The God

,since thou wouldest again be impious.

16. In speech then indeed the Good isspoken of by allbut whatever it is,isnot understood (6) by all; whereforeneither is The God understood by all, but through ignorance they callthe Gods and som e of the m en good, by nomeans able either to be or to become such. For they arevery different (f) from The God ; for the Good is inseparable from The God , The God Himself being The Good. All

(a) 1 05 slam r é’

uv. v é'

u . (c) Gr ape“.

(d ) yam-Eu. (e) voEcr m . (f ) d klwplé rm a

1 This d octrine seem sto be consonant to the Creed of the orthod oxGreek Church as to the Procession. S ee as to this post, Part III.

Plato Timaeus,

”2 8) had written : Everything beginning anew of

necessity is generated by som e causer . For to everything it is impossible to have generation apart from causer . When, then, TheCreator ever looking to that being thuswise, using some such pattern,had affected the id ea and the power of it, of necessity it was thateverything should be com pleted beautiful(m a). For the prod uction ofwhich, using agenerawd pattern, it would not be beautiful.”3 There is no God but One ; for though there be that are called

God awhether in heaven or in earth,as there be God s many and

L or d smany, yet to us there isOne, God The Father, of Whom we

allthings, and we unto Him ”(1 Cor . viii. 4,

3 There isnone Good but One,that isThe God .

” S ee the subse

quent sections, 16 and 17. (Mark x. 18 ; Luke xviii. 19 ; and oh.

POEMA N DRES . II. 2 3

the other Gods then are called immortals,being honoured

with the appellation of Gods; but The God is The Good,not by honour (a) but by nature. For one is the nature ofThe God the Good, and one the kind of both thesefrom which are allthe kinds For the Good is givingeverything, and receiving nothing. The God then givesall things and receives nothing. The God then is The

Good, and the Good The God.

17 But another appellation is that of The Father ; againbecause the Maker of allthings; for it is of a father tom ake.

1 Wherefore also in life the greatest and m ost religious anxiety (d ) of the prudent (c) is the generation ofchildren (f) , and the greatest m isfortune and irreligon, is

that any one should d epart childless from am ong m en. A nd

this man renders justice after death to the dem on, and

the punishm ent is this that the soulof the childlessshould be condemned (g) to a body having the natureneither of man nor of woman,

which isaccursed under theSun. Wherefore, O A sclepius ! be m utually pleased (h)with no one being childless; but on the contrary pity them isfortune

,knowing what punishm ent awaits him .

2 So

m any and such things be said to thee, O A sclepius! aprecognition som ewhat of the nature of allthings.

3

(a) a nd music. (6) grog aip ¢or épam (c) 7 02 y e’

vn T rin a .

(d ) 0 1 0 11315. (6) eb¢pou6w rm (f ) 7 4 130 7 0 154 .

(g) zar abczad iym . (h) aw nad fig.1 Thispassage isquoted and otherwise referred to by Justin Martyr

(Apolog. ii. and Lactantius(Divin . Instit. i. S ee Part III., andsee a sim ilar passage, post, ch. v . 8, 10 .

3 The d ying child lesswasaccounted a great m isfortune am ong theJews. “They shallhear their sin ; they shalld ie child less” (L evit.xx. Thussaith the L ord , Write youthism an child less” (Jer .

xxii. It ismanifest that thislatter portion of ch . ii. waswrittenbefore the epoch of Monachism . Thisis the only passage in whichHerm espropound sany kind ofm etempsychosis.

3 Two portions of this chapter are extracted by S tobaeus (EclogaPhysica, Meineke’sEd ition, vol. L , p.

2 4 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

C H A P T E R III.

1. GLORY of allthings, The God and Divinity and N atur eDivine. Beginning of the Entities,1 The God, and Mind ,and N ature, and Matter ; being Wisdom for the manifestation of everything (a) . Beginning is the Divinity, andN ature

, and Energy and N ecessity, and End and

R enovation. For there was darkness without limit inA byss (c) , and Water and S pirit

,subtle, intelligent (d ) ,

with divine power being in Chaos.

” Then issued forth (c)Holy L ight, and there were collected (f) under an

arena (9) elements from m oist essence, and allGods 8distribute of SeminalN ature2 . A nd allthingsbeing indiscriminate and ord erless (i),

the light were separated off upwards (k) , and the heavywere made a foundation under a m oist arena, the whole(a) (b) in

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(r) d bmpln w. d zar auwalor m (the sam ewor d asin the S eptuagint) .(It) d wobmpt

'

ch of;1 I am the Alphaand the Omega, beginning and end ing,saith The

Lord God ,Which is,and Whichwasand isi. Iam the First and the Last and the L iving One” (ibid .

3 “ A nd the Earth wasWithout form and void (alo'pwro; and aim “

n eém g, an d w h o; iwé m n) ; d fir‘aaov, S eptuagint), and d arknesswasupon the face of the d eep, and the S pirit of God m oved upon theface of the waters (z ed wn iwar 9 m? ir r¢épm ir é m 7 60 “n or, S ept ) .

A nd The God said , L et Light be, and L ight was (1‘e ¢Eu; ,

u ) iy hn omic, S ept.) An d The God saw the Light that it wasgood(an) £73" 6 9 aif 7 6 $5; 31 4 “ they, S ept.) A nd The God d ivid ed the

light from the d arkness” ( duxé ptn v 0'

6 rd ; d ecip h er , S ept.) In the

margin of the Hebrewand in the S eptuagint, Between thelight andbetween the d arkness” (Gen. i. 2 S ee ante, ch. i. 7, and the“Timams” of Plato

,5 2

,53

,for sim ilar statem ents.

It isclear that throughout this treatise by “ God s” ismeant thesuperior Intelligences, whom we know asPrincipalAngels, respectingwhom see below , and ch. i. 9 ante, and note.

S eaport 3, and note there.

POEMA N DRES . III. 2 5

b eing divided apart 1 by fire, and suspended up to be

3. But each ? God by his proper power set for(5) 31d “In: duvé n .

1 The agency of Fire or Heat isnot d ire ctly noticed in Holy S cripture ; but it is clear that it must have formed part of the originalc reation. To thismay be referred He make th his angelsspirits,and his ministers a flame of fire

,

”flaming fire

”(Psalm civ. 4 ;

S ee a statem ent similar to that in the text in the “Timmus” of

Plato, 5 2 , 53.

The account of the Creation in Genesisproceed s thus : And The“God said , L et there be a firmament (m piap s, S ept. ) in the mid st ofthe water, and let it d ivid e the wate r from the water (Ba zaars. oin t

J d eov 53m m; u ) 53am“ S ept ) ; and The God mad e the firmament,and d ivid ed the wate r which was und er the firmam ent from the

water which was above the firmam ent ; and it was so. A nd The

God called the firmam ent Heaven. A nd The God said , Let

the water und er the heaven be gathered together unto one gathering( fl; cun t-y aw): glen , S ept ), and let the d ry land appear . A nd the

water und er the heaven was gathered together unto its own gatherings, and the d ry land appeared ; and The God called the d ry landEarth ; and the collections (r elw a sp s” ,

S ept.) of the waterscalledHe S eas

”

(from the S eptuagint in loco).S ee ante, oh . i. 11, and notesthere ; and the extract,Part II., by S to

bmus, from The Thingsto Amm on (Physics, 741 ; Meineke, i.The account of the creation of the Sun,Moon, and S tarsin Genesis

runs thus (ch. i. —“ A nd The,’S ept ) God said

,L et there be

lights (M m, S ept.) in the firmament of the Heaven to d ivid ethe Day from the N ight between the Day and between the N ight,’Heb. and S ept ), and let them be for signs and for seasons, an d ford aysand for years and let them be for lights in the firmam ent of

the heaven to give light (50 71 Write”,S ept.) upon the earth, and

it was so.

” A nd The,’ S ept ), God mad e two great L ights”

(r ob; 360 M ap“ ,S ept ), &c. The stars also. An d The,

’S ept ),

God set them in the firmament of Heaven to give light upon the

earth, and to rule over the Day for the rule of the d ay,’ Heb ), and

over the night, and to d ivid e the light from the d arkness (d vd pciaorf or? M 6; rm ) ch ip‘s” rm

”

: “ d r aws, S ept ) ; and God saw that it wasa4Blessthe Lord , ye hisangels, that excelin strength, that d o his

command ments, hearkening unto the voice of his word . Ministersof histhat d o his pleasure

”

(Pa. ciii. 2 0, S ee Heb. i. 14 ; Dan.

v ii. 9.

2 6 HERAIE S TRISME GIS TUS .

ward (a) that ordained to him , and these becam e (b) beasts,quadrupeds, and reptiles, and aquatics, and winged , an devery fruitfulseed (c) , and grass and green herb of everyflower , having the seed of the reproduction (d ) in themselves.

1

A nd the Heaven appeared in S even Circles,2 and Gods(a) claims. (6) Ey éutr o. (c) ax opai gva'x opog.

(d ) am’

pp as r ig walwyen m’

ag.

Plato (Politicus, 2 7 1) had written : The God first with care ruled .

over allthis globe, asnow,accor d ing to places; the severalpar ts of

the world ar e everywhere instinct by ruling god s, and d ivine d em ons.

d ivid ed , like shepher d s, the animals by races and her d s each foreach, suflicing for allthings to which He assigned them . In the

Timmus” he says: The God m ad e the self-sufficing and m ostperfect Good , using the second ary causes as his m inistersin the ac

complishm ent of his work, but Himself fashioning the Good in all

hiscreations.

” Again O f the Divine, He HimselfwasCreator, .

out the creation of the m ortalHe comm itted to his offspring.

1 A nd God said,L et the earth bring forth grass tend er grass,’

Heb., fiar é uiov xo

'

p'rou, S ept ), the herb yield ing seed

,and the fruit

tree yield ing fruit after his kind , whose seed is in itself upon the

earth” (ax eipouam ’

pp acnan-at y éyogam ) newJy olo

'

r m'

ac, zulidler m imn-

mo»

r ataBunaporo‘

u05 7 6ar e’

pp u 0561 03 éuasz’

rrq.» awar d y éuog, S ept ). A nd the

earth brought forth grass, and herb yield ing seed after hiskind , andthe tree yield ing fruit

,whose seed was in itself after his kind

(Gen. i. 11,

A nd God said,L et the watersbring forth abund antly the m oving

creature ” creeping,’ Heb .) that hath life ” soul

,

’ Heb. ; E psom-ac

d am ? » gh ost , S ept.) and fowlthat m ay fly ” L et fowlfly ’ Heb. ;

area-m at we'ro

'

p eua , S ept.) above the earth in the face of the,’Heb.)

open firmament of Heaven. A nd God created great whales, andevery living creature that m oveth ” (ti/ smite ( «3m épvrem v) which thewatersbrought forth abun d antly, after their kind , and every winged

fowlafter hiskind .

” A nd God said,L et the earth bring forth the

living creatur e after hiskind , cattle (r er paivrota, S ept ), and creeping thing, and beast of the ear th ” (onpt'ac 7 55; fi g, S ept. ) after hiskind . A nd God m ad e the beast of the earth after his kind

, and

cattle ” (m fim’

, S ept ),“and everything that creepeth upon the earth

after hiskind ” (ibid . 1 2,

Accor d ing to the TimaeusofPlato treesand plantswere created , .

that man m ight continue, and animalsalso.S ee oh . i. 7

,and note there.

Dante has appropriated this notion in the Divina Comm ed ia,though the num ber of circles d oesnot correspond .

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2 8 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

the m en , for knowledge of Divine works, and energizingtestimony (a) of nature and multitude of men for thedominion of allthings that are under heaven, and thecognition (b) of good things, for to be increased in increase,and to be multiplied in multitude, and every soulin fleshthrough cour se of encircling Gods (c) , for contemplation ofHeaven

,and course of the heavenly Gods,1 and divine

worksand energy of nature, and for signs of good things,(a) inv [sam e/u . (b) ir tym n . (c) has in valid ) »

“ From Reason then and this Provid ence of God for the generationof Tim e, that Timc might be generated , Sun and Moon

,and five

others d enominate d Planet S tars, were generate d for the d ivisionand protection of the numbersof Time. A nd The God having mad ebod ies of each of them , placed them in the Orbits in which theperiod of the otherswent being S even, the starsbeing seven. Moon,ind eed , in the first around the earth

,but Sun in the second above

earth, but Hesper and that called sacred of Hermes going in the

circle equalin swiftnesswith the Sun , but having the contrary forceto it

, whence the Sun and that of Herm esand Hesper both overtakeand are over taken in these by one another . When allthe S tarsthenneed ed to fabricate Tim e, had attained the course suitable each to each,and had becom e living bod iesbound by vitalchains, and had learnedthat ord ained to them accord ing to the m otion of the d iverse beingd iagonal(getaway) and overruled by the same

,they revolved , some in

a larger,som e in alesser orbit ; those in alesser orbit revolving faster ,but those which had the larger revolving more slowly. That therem ight be some m easure of their r elative swiftnessin their eight courses,God kind led L ight in the second of the orbits, that next the ear th,which we callSun

, especially that it might shine over allthe heaven,and that living creatures

,such to whom itwassuitable, might partake

of number, learning it from the orbit of this and the like. Thus

then became N ight and Day, and the period of the one and m ostintellectualrevolution

,

”8m.

“ There is no d ifficulty in seeing thatthe perfect number of Time completesthe perfect year, when allthe

eight period s having their relative d egreesof swiftness are aecomplished together,and begin again at their originalpointsof d eparture .

”

S ee ants,sec. 2

,note 2 .

1 The S even S tars,with their guard ian angels (via ,

the Sun, the

Moon,Venus

,Mercury,Mars, Jupiter , and S aturn) , were by Hermes

behaved to revolve roun d the Earth, which remained unm oved inthe mid st. So also the remaind er of the S tars, but these latter fixedin a solid firmament (m piap a, S eptuagint). S ee pod , Ch . Xi. 7, and

note.

POEMA N DRES . III.

for knowledge of Divine power, to know parts (a) of goodand evilthings, and to discover workmanship (b) of all

4. Their living and becoming wise beginneth accordingto portion (or degree) of course of encircling Gods, andto be resolved into that ; and there shallbe great m em orialsof artificialworks(4) upon the earth, leaving behind inrenewalthe wasting (e) of times. A nd

animated flesh (f) , and of the fruit of seed, and of allartenergy those which are dim inished

,shallbe renewed

by necessity, and by renewalof Gods, and by som e of

periodicalcircle of N ature. For Divine is the whole cos~micalcomposition (h) renovated by N ature. For in the

Divine has N ature also been constituted.

l

(a) pea/pug, or d egrees. (b) M d alwnlav. (C) p élpav.(d ) fl xvovwnfl é mv (6) d e nim " (f ) fawn” u pta(g) ” p neumatic. (h) m am a}ax

'

fyzpawlg.

The construction of this Chapter is in many parts obscure, andthe text corrupt or incomplete. Plato Timaeus

,

”after sayingthat The God had brought allthings out of d isord er into or d er, ad d s:

For it wasnot lawfulfor The Best to work out anything else butthe m ost beautiful.”The account of the Creation of Man, and the purposes for which

he wascreated,in the book ofGenesis, which itwillbe instructive to

compare with that ofHermes, isasfollows“ And God said , Let Usmake Man in Our Image, after Our Like

ness: and let them have d ominion over the fish of the sea,and over

the fowlof the air , and over the cattle, and over allthe earth, andover every creeping thing that creepeth upon the ear th. S o God

cwated Man in Hisown image, in the image of God or eated He him ;

male and female created He them. A nd God blessed them , and God

said unto them , Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,an d subd ue it ; and have d om inion over the fish of the sea, and overthe fowlof the air, and over every living thing that moveth (orcreepeth,’ Heb .) on the earth. A nd God said

,Behold

,I have given

youevery herb bearing seed seed ing seed ,’

which isupon theface of allthe earth , and every tree in the which is the fruit of atree yield ing seed , to youit shallbe for meat. A nd to every beastof the earth, and to every fowlof the air , and to every thing thatcreepeth upon the earth, wherein there islife aliving soul,’ Ihave given every green herb for m eat : and it wasso. A nd God saw

CHAPTER IV .

The Crater,or Monas.

1. The Creator (a), not with handsbut byWord,1 mad e (b)the Whole World,2 so that conceive of Him thuswise, as ofthe present and everbeing, and having made allthings, an dO ne and Only and by Hisown Willhaving created (0) th eEntities. For thisisthe body of Him ; not touchable, nor

( a) Bny covpy o‘

g. (b) Errofnaey r duT aiw an zo'

quou. (c) d ay toupy iaavr og.

everything that He had mad e, and , behold , it wasvery good ” (Gen.

i. 2 6

The version of the S eptuagint isas followsK ai efrrev é 6 ecg WOIfl

'

Gw/L tv"A vopwrrov xar

’

e’

m6va. iner épav not)

xa d’

op oz’

wo'

lv ; xau‘o’

cpxérwo’

av raw ixd z'

lwv r ig xa) r i v

r sr ewwv r ou oupavov new r aw xr iwi v xa ) rra’

co'

i g r ig yig xa ) croiwwv

raw éprrer i v r i v éprrévrwv err) r ig yig. K at) Erroii o'

sv 6 9 56g r bv

c’i

vd pam'

ov,xar

’

six6m ! sov erroii o'

ev o’

wr év,c’

époev xai 05m s’

rroz’

i o'

ev

a’

wr d vg. K at) gulo’

yi d evo’

wr oé g 6 O ebg 1. 2w A bga’

weo'oe 7m.) wh i d é veooe

xai wh ipu'

am r e r iv yiuna ) xar axupzb'

uo'ar e o’

wr ig, xa) ci

pxer e r i v

3760660 1! r ig Oah d o'

o'

i g not) r i v wsr swi v r oi dupavé‘

u xai rra'

zvr wv r i v

x r i vi v xau‘Waiting r ig yig not) rrcivrwv raw éprrer i v rawéprr6vr wv e

’

m‘

r ig yi K at) efrrev 6'

6 56; 3 60 1) d é d wxa bps/”

v arcivr a x6pr ov corrupt/t ow

owe/72 W scrip/La. 8 s’

or ty e’

rraivw rra'

wi g r ig yig, nalrra'

cv 356o 6'

3x5: s’

v

zc'

w r di xaprrbv d r ip/t ar o; d r api/Lou E'

o'

r a: rigBpaio'w. K at) orator

r i’

zg d im’

mg r ig yig xal‘rr

‘

aio': r o7g affirm ing r oi obpavb’

v nor.) crave-i

épr er cpEprrovr z e’

m‘r ig yig 6

'

2'

e e’

v éowr é «Luxivgwig acct) qrcivr a.

x6pr ov 70 . 0)p 5lg Bpi o'

w 1 a.) éyévsr o durwg. K ai efd ev 6’

9 569 r at

arcivr a 86a Er mine? xau‘3500 Maw (Field

’sE d ition, Cantab.

1 The Chald ee paraphrast has Mem ra. By the Word of TheL or d were the heavensm ad e and allthe host of them by the breathofHism outh (Ps. xxxiii. He spake and it wasd one ” (ibid .

Through faith we und erstand that the world shave been framed bythe Wor d of God ” (Heb. xi. For this they wilfully forget thatthere were heavensfrom of old , and an earth compacted out ofwaterand amid st water, by The Wor d of God ” (2 Pet. iii. S ee alsoG en . i. 6 ; John i. 3 .

2 The wor so’

ap og” has been uniformly translated World

,

” butit must be und erstood to m ean the entire cosmical O rd o

,

”or

Universe.

POEMA N DRES . IV.

visible, nor m easurable, nor separable (a) , nor like to anyother body. For He isneither fire, nor water , nor air

,nor

Spirit ; but allare from Him ; for being good He willed tod ed icate this to Himself alone, and to adorn the earth.

1

2 . But asornam ent of Divine body, He sent down TheMan,

imm ortalanimal, m ortalanimal. A nd the Man

indeed excelled the animalsand the world because of theSpeech (6) and of the Mind. For the Man becam e spectator of the works of The God, and wondered, and acknowledged the Maker.3 . The Speech , then, 0 Tat ! He hath imparted am ong

allthe m en but by no m eans the Mind ; not envying (c)any ; for envy com eth not thence, but is conceived (60below in the soulsof those m en who have not the Mind.

Tat. Wherefore, then, 0 Father ! has not The God imparted The Mind to allm en ?

Herm es. He willed, 0 Child ! this to be stationed (e) inthe m idst

, asit were a prize for the S ouls.

4. Tat. A nd where hath He stationed it ?Herm es. Having filled a great Cup (f of thisHe sentdown giving a herald (g) , and commanded him to proclaimto the hearts of m en these things; Baptize thyself who isable into this the Cup, who is believing that thou shallreturn to Him who hath sent down the Cup, who isrecognizing for what thou wast generated (h) . A s m any

,then,

(a) d laar aer ou. (b) r duAo'

y ou. (c) Od orfiu, grud ging.

(d ) cuw'

r rur au. (e) id pi‘

wdm . (f ) npaer ipu.

(g) xipweu. (h) vye

'

youzg.

1 S ee Plato in S tob. Physics (64 Meineke, i. The One, the

only natured the singular the really Being,the Good . But allthese of such sort of namesattach to The Mind .

Mind, then, isThe God , a separate form (smog). But let the separate

be hear d of as the unm ixed with allmatter , and implicated withnone of things corporeal, nor sympathetic with the passionate innature. But of this Father and Maker, the other d ivine pro

d uctions are ind eed intelligible, and the World called intelligible,and are exemplarsof the visible world ; in ad d ition to these certainetherealpowers (but they are irrationaland corporeal) and aerialand of water

,but the sensible prod uctions (é’xyom ) of the First God ,

Sun,Moon, S tars, Earth, and theWorld comprehend ing allthings.”

3 2 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

asunderstood the proclamation and were baptized with TheMind

,these partook of the knowledge and became perfect

men,having received the Mind. But as many as failed

of (a) the proclamation, they having obtained the S peech,but not theMind, are ignorant for what they were generated,and by Whom .

l

5. But the senses of these are very like those of the

cupidity (c) and passion (d ) , they admire not those thingsworthy of contemplation, but attaching themselvesto thepleasures and appetites of the body, believe that the Manwasgenerated for the sake of these. But asmany as havepartaken of the gift that is from The God, these, OTat ! according to comparison (e) of the works, are im

mortalinstead of m ortal, embracing (f) allthings in theirown Mind, those upon the earth, those in Heaven, andif there is anything above Heaven. So much havingelevated them selves, they behold the Good, and havingbeheld, they have considered their sojourn here as mis

fortune, and having despised all things corporealand

incorporeal, they hasten to The One and Only.

6. This, 0 Tat ! is the science (9) of the Mind, the inspection (h) of divine things, and the recognition (a) of TheGod— the Cup being Divine. 2(a) ipcapr ov. (b) (0 ) r ip repair“ leg it.

(d ) 6M . (6) m er e: w y xpfrw. (f ) inw pd aflo’

m g.

(g) iwlfl'r’

iiflvn (h) ér ropfat, looking into. (i) zar atvémng.

1 He that believeth and is baptized shallbe saved ” (Mark xvi.Except a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingd om of

God”

(John iii. Except a man be born ofwater and the S pirit,he cannot enter into the kingd om of God ” (M

3 Here is enunciated '

the substance of what hasbeen improperlycalled Mysticism (to be d istinguished from Quietism ), - viz. : “Asacred and secret knowled ge of God and ofDivine things.” Hermes

anticipates the sentiments of the Epistles and Homilies of the twoEgyptian Macarii. In Homily vi. (Ed it. Pritius, are foundthese expressions Optin g r ig 056mm ) ; 3 not ; 51v in t, realwith »

3 b d rm; r oi not? i G eh rig for : not) r d “The throne of the

Divinity isthe Mind ofus; and again, the thr one of the Mind isTheDivinity and The S pirit.” S ee post, ch . x. 5, 6, and ch . xiii.

POEMA N DRE S . IV.

Tat—I, too, wish to be baptized, 0 Father !Hermes—Unless, first, thou shalt hate the body,1 0

Child ! thou canst not love thyself ; but having lovedthyself thou shalt have Mind, and having the Mind thoushalt obtain also (a) the science.Tat—How saywt thou these things, 0 Father ?Hermes—For it is impossible, 0 Child ! to be about

For of Entities there being two, bod y and bodiless, inwhich the m ortaland the Divine are understood (b) , thechoice of one or the other is left to him who wisheth tochoose. 2 For it is not possible that both concur ; butwith whomsoever the selection (0) is left, the one beingdiminished hath manifested the energy of the other.7 . The choice, then, of the m ore excellent not onlyhappensm ost fair to the chooser to deify (d ) the Man, butalso shows forth the piety towards God ; but that of theinferior hath indeed destroyed the man,

but he hath transgreased (e) nothing towards God but this only, that likeas pageantries (f) pass on in the midst, not able themselves to energize anything, but are hindering them,

—in

the same way so these make a pageant (9) only in theworld , being led away by the bodily pleasures.8 . These things being thus , 0 Tat ! those which are from

The God both have belonged to us, and willbaloug (h) ; letthose from us follow and not lag behind ; for The God isnot the cause, but we are the cause of evilthings, preferring these to the good.8 Thou seest, 0 Child ! how many

(6) ” th at. (c) iiafpwlg.

(d ) d r od eicau. (e) ifl ny p tlsm . (f) wop m ia

(g) m anicur e. (h) d wipiiuni éwé piu.

1 “ This islife eternal, that they should know Thee the only tu'ueGod ” (John xvii.I buffet my bod y, and bring it into bond age” (ICor . ix.

“ L ove not the world,neither the things that are in the world .

If any man love the world , the love of the Father is not in him ”

(1 John ii.2 See the Excerpt from S tobwus, Ethica n. 358, post, Par t IL xviii.3 L et no man say when he istempte d , I am tempted of God : for

0

34 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

bodies we must pass through, and how many choirs of

hasten to the One and only God. For The Good is insur

without beginning ; but to usseeming tohave asbeginningthe knowledge (b). The knowledge then does not becom ea beginning to it, but tous it afi

'

or d sthe beginning of that

which should be known (c) .9. L etuslay hold of the begmning and we shallmake

gether perverse ( d ) the abandoning things accustom ed andpresent, to revert to those ancient 1 and pristine For

the things appearing delight, but those appearing notcause difficulty in believing. But the evils are mor e apparent, but the good is obscure to the eyes ; for there is

for incorporealto be apparent (e) to bod y.

10 . This is the difference of the like from the unlike,and to the unlike is the shortcoming to theFor the Monas (Unit) being beginning (g) and root of allthings, isin allthings as it were root and beginning ; for

nothing but out of itself, since it is beginning of theothers.“ For it is this (beginning) since there happens not

(a) air ing. (b) fl it y ear“ . (a) r ailv dmcy frw . (d ) w h ich .

( a) Wuina. (f ) dur ing.“ 1 7 8; r d dyuu. (9) nin e}.

God cannot be tempted with evil,neither tempteth He any man ;

but every man is tempte d , when he is d rawn away of hisown lust,

and enticed ” (Jamesi. 14,1 “Forgetting the thingswhich are behind , and str etching forwardto the thingswhich are before” (Phil. iii. 13, R evised Version).

Thisisextracted by S tobmus (Physics, 30 6 ; Meineke, i.

Matter , The Id ea : By whom ,out of which, to which : But the God

is Mind of the world , but th e Matter that subject to generationand d estruction ; and Id ea incorporealEssence in the intelligencesand the phantasies of the God ,” S tobwus (Physics, 309 ; Meineke,i.

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HERMES rmsnsozsr US .

CHA PTER V .

Om the Trismegistus, tokisoum’

Son Tat.

1. True discourse.

also, 0 Tat ! I willgo through withthee , in order that thou m ayst not be uninitiate in the

how that seeming to the many nonapparent, shall-becom every apparent to thee. For itwould not be, if itwere nonapparent. For everything apparent isgenerawd (a) , for ithath appeared. But the nonapparent always is, for it hasno need to appear. For it ever is, and makes allotherthings apparent. He being nonapparent. as ever being,Him self making manifest (b) , is not made manifest ; notHimself generated ; but in imagination (c) Magining all

things1 For imagination is of the things generated only.

For imagination isnaught but generation.

(0 ) y rn mo'

r . (b) ¢¢ n p5m

which isthe worker of allthings, taught me : for in her isan und er

d efiled , plain, not subject to hur t, loving the thing that is good ,

going through allund erstand ing, pure and m ost subtile S pirit.For Wisd om is m ore m oving than any m otion : she pan eth and

goeth through allthingsby reason of her pnreness. For S he is the

breath of the power of God , and a pure influence fiowing from the

Glory of the Almighty . therefore can no d efiled thing fallinto her .For she is the brightness of the everlasting Light, the unspottedm irror of the power of God , and the Image ot isGood nm A nd

being but one, she can d o allthings: and remaining in herself, she

maketh allthingsnew : and in alleges entering into holy soula she

maketh them friend s of God,and prophets. For God loveth none

than the Sun, and above allthe ord er of S tars: being compared with

the L ight she isfound before It.”The S eptuagint hasno essentiald ifference.

Imagination, or Phantasy, seems here to be equivalent to the

POEMA N DRES . V. 37

2 . But the One ingenerate is°

plain1y both unimagin .

able (a) and nonappm nt ; but imagining (17) allthing ,

He appears through allthings and in allthings,1 and

appear. Do thou then, 0 Child, Tat ! pray first to theLord and Father, and Only and One and from Whomthe One, to be propitious (c), that thou mayst be able tounderstand The God so great (d ), if that but one my of

understanding (6) alone discerns the nonapparent (f) asbeing itself nonapparent ; if thou art able, it willappearto the eyes of thy m ind, 0 Tat ! for the L ord iswithoutenvy (g) ; for He appeareth throughout the whole World.

Thou mayst be able to take understanding, to see it. andlay hold of it with thine own hands, and to contemplatethe image of The God. But if that within thee isnonapparent to thee, how shallHe in Himself through thineeyes appear to thee ?3 . If, however, thou wishest to see Him , consider theSun, consider the course of the Moon,

consider the orderof the S tars; who is He maintaining this order ? ” for thewhole order isdetermined (It) by number and place.3 The

Sun isthe greatest god of the god sin heaven, to whom all

the heavenly god syield asif to a king and d ynasty. A nd

(a) “m ad m an (b) ¢¢ vr ¢m 5m (c) (4) n um .

(3) team ; (the passage iscorrupt). (f ) 1 6Mark.

(9) “ do” : (ungrud ging) . (h) fl plé plfl’ d l. (i) r d ; .

1 “For of Him,and thront im , and to Him , are allthings” .

(Bom ii 36) . S ee to the same effect or . viii. 6 ; Coloss i 16.

3 Which command eth the Sun, and it riseth not, and sealeth upthe S tars; which alone spread eth out the heavens, and tread eth uponthe waves of the S ea t ing ir

’

M oog} as if upon floors,

’ S ept ) ;which ~maketh A rcturus, Orion (”Rom pou, S ept ), and Pleiad es, andthe chambers of the S outh ” (Job ix. 7 “The Moon and the

S tars, which Thou hast or d ained ” (Ps. viii. “He telleth thenumber of the S tars; He calleth them allby their names

”

(Ps.

HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

itself. Whom reverencing or whom fearing, 0 Child ?A nd each of these the S tars being in Heaven , make not

alike or equalcourse. Who isHe having d efined to each

the way and the magnitude of the course ?

round along with it the whole World order who isHehaving fabricated that organism ? Who isHe having castbounds about the S ea? Who He having stablished (d ) 1 theEarth ?For there is some One, 0 Tat ! the Maker and L ord of

number or measure be conserved apm from the Maker.

”

For allorder (6) cannot be made (f) without place and

(0 ) an im al. (6)'

A pzr o: . (a) r d : m in d d emo.

(e) (f ) 67 0157 0 ;1 “The L or d mad e the S ea and allthat therein is” (Exod .

“The S eaisHisaud He mad e it,and Hishand sform ed the d ryland ”

(Ps. xcv.

“Thouhast found ed the world and itsfulness” (Ps.lxx ix.ll). The world also shallbe established that it shallnot be m oved(Ps. xcvi. 10 . S ee also Pa. xxiv. 2 , m v. 6 ; Jonah ix. 9 ; Actsiv. 2 4,xiv. 15 ; R ev. x. Where wast thouwhen Ilaid the found ationsof the earth ? Declare, if thouhast und erstand ing. Who hath laidthe measur es thereof

,if thouknowestlor who hath stretche d out the

line upon it ? Whereupon are the found ations thereof fastened ? orwho laid the corner -stone thereof ? Or who shut up the S ea withd oors, when it brake for th asif it had issued out of the womb ? andbrake up for it my d ecreed place, and set here and d oors, and said ,Hitherto shalt thoucome, and no further ; and here shallthy proudwavesbe stayed ? ” (Job xxxviii. 4. S ee Isaiah li. “The Lor d

which hath placed the land for the bound of the sea, by a perpetuald ecree that it cannot passit” (Jet . v . 2 2 , and see N eh. ix.

“The

L or d possessed m e in the beginning oi swaysbefore Hisworksof

old,

” &c. ,“when He gave to the S ea His d ecree that the waters

should not passHiscommand ment ; when He appointed the found stionsof the earth, then I wasby Him ”

(Prov. viii.

new ,

” Maker, Creator.” In this Herm es rises beyond

Plato, whose God may seem to some to be rather a constructor and

arranger of materialalread y existing. In his Timmus he speaksof

Fire, Water , A ir , and Earth asbeginningsor first principles

and asserts that no one hath ever ind icated what was their origin.

Yet, in other places, he speaksofThe God asm im ic.

POEMA N DRES . V. 89

Child ! For if the unordered is defective (b) , in that itdoth not keep the way of the order, yet it is under a

5. I wish it were possible for thee becoming winged tofly up into the air , and being lifted up in the midst betweenthe Ea rth and Heaven to behold the solidity of the Earthand the fluidity of the S ea, the flowings of rivers, the looseness of the air , the vehem ence of fire, the cour se of stars,the very swift circling (c) of heaven around these. 0 m ostfortunate spectacle that, Child ! at one glance to beholdallthese, the immovable in m ovement, and the invisibleapparent ; by m eans of which iseffected the very order ofthe World, and this the World of the order.6. If thou wouldest behold the Creator also through the

things m ortal, those upon the earth and those in depth ,consider , O Child ! the man fabricated (d ) in the belly,

learn who it is fabricating this beautifuland divine imageof theMan. Who is He having circumscribed (f ) the eyes,who He having perforated the nostrils and the ears, whoHe having opened the m outh, who He having stretchedout and bound together the nerves, who He having formedin channels the veins, who He having hardened the bones,who He having cast the skin about the flesh, who Hehaving separate d the fingers and the limbs, who He havingwidened abasisfor the feet, whoHe having opened the pores,who He having extended the spleen,

whoHe having form edthe heart pyramidwise, who He having put together thesid es, who He having widened the liver, who He havinghollowed out (9) the lung, whoHe havingmad e the stomach

(a) M or e; (5) blots (c) m pt'

fiawu. (d ) ow ém vmn v.

(a) 7 6x: Bnp covpy éaan og. (f ) r sptypé d mg. (g) m m é cag.

Plato (Timmus,“For The God having willed that allthings

be good , and nothing accord ing to Hismighg be bad wm wfi hustaking up everything as much as was seen, not being at rest but

40 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

capacious, whoHe having fashioned the most honourableparts for being evident, but having concealed the base .

l

7 . Behold how many arts of one material! how manyworks in one circum scription (a) , and all exceedinglybeautifuland allm easured , yet allin difference. Whomade allthese things ? What mother, what father ? If

not alone The invisible God, by Thewillof Himself havingcreated allthings ? 88 . An d astatue indeed or an image apart from a sculptor

or painter (b) , no one says can becom e to be and bath

this creation become to be (d ) , apart from a creator ? 0

thismuch blindness! 0 thismuch impiety ! 0 thism uchignorance ! N ever ever, 0 Child, Tat ! shouldst thou d e4prive the Creator of His creations. Better and superior it

is He the Father of allthings, for He isOnly (e) , and thisis the function for Him to be, Father.9. But if you compelm e to speak som ething m ore bold,

it isHisEssence to be pregnant (f ) of allthings, and tomake (q) . A nd since apart from the Maker it is impos

that He ever be not,unless ever making allthings in

Heaven, in air

,in earth, in depth, in every part of the

in that not being ; for there is nothing in the universalworld which isnot Him . He is both the Entities (i) and

(a) mm pawfi. (b) gay péww . (c) ywouin u. ( d ) 7 47 mm .

( 6)Mug. (f ) (g) m i n. (It) wan e}. (17) f at in c .

1 “ God set the m em bersevery one of them in the bod y, as it hath

pleased Him . Our uncom ely parts have m or e abund ant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need : but God hath ta pered

which lacked ” (1 Cor . 1 11. 2 22 “First of allbelieve that there is One God , Who created and

fram ed allthings of nothing into a Being. He comprehend s all

thinga and is Only, immense, not to be comprehend ed by any.

S hepher d of Hermas, Lib. IL , Mand at. L ; Wake‘s A postolical3 Here occursalactma, and the text iscorrupt.

POEMA N DRES . V. 41

those nonentities ; for the Entities He hath manifested,but those nonentities He bath in Himself.10 . This the God is superior to a name ; This the nu

manifest, 17148 the most manifest, to be contemplated bythe mind ; This visible to the eyes; This incorporeal,multicorporeal—yea, rather of every body (a) ; for there isnothing which This isnot. For This is alone allthings.A nd because of this He has allnam es, that He is OneFather , and because of this He has not a nam e 1 that Heis Father of all. Who, then, is able to bless (b) Theeconcerning Thee, or to Thee ? Looking whither shallIbless Thee, above, below, within, without ? for there isno cond ition no place about Thee, nor anything elseof the Entities ; for allthings are in Thee

, all thingsfrom Thee, having given allthings and receiving nothing ;for Thou hast allthings, and nothing that Thou hastnot.”11. When, 0 Father ! shallIhymn Thee ? for neither thine(a) wan d ; 06p m “. (b) “M om .

1 “But proper nam e for the Father of allthingsWho isunbegottenther e is none ; for whoever iscalled by a name has the person old erthan himselfwbd giveshim that name. But the terms,Father , God ,and Creator , and Lor d and Master , are not names, but terms of

ad d ress d erived from His benefits and His we (Just. Martyr,Thispumge is cited with the highest approbfi on by Lactantiuc

(Divin.

See post, Part III.

mom xi 88). It is impossible to lay d own in stronger terms the

d octrine of the all‘per vad ing and particular provid ence of God , and ofHisbeing the actualand present prompting author of every thingand event. (S ee Psalm cxxxix. 1 Cud worth, in the Intellectual

and resand the Asclepian d ialogue,”where it is repeate d from the

Poemand res; and Wilkinson (A ncient Egyptians, iii. and after

him Rawlinson (History of Egypt, i. reiterate this statement .

k

4 2 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

what also shallI hymn ? concerning what things Thouhast mad e

,or concerning those Thou hast not made ? con

earning those Thou hast made manifest, or concerningthose Thou hast concealed ? Wherefore also shallI hymnThee ? A s if being of m yself, as if having somethingmine own ? (b) as being another ? For Thou art what Imay be, Thou art what I may do, Thou art what I mayspeak, for Thou art allthings, and there is nothing elsethat Thou art not. Thou art everything generated (c).

Father too creating, God also energizing ; good moreova ,

in parts (e) isair ; but of air, Soul(f ) ; of Soul, Mind ; butofMind

,The God.

CHA PTER VI.

M in M God alone isM Good , and b3/ nomeam

1 . THE Good, 0 A sclepius ! is in nothing excepting TheG od alone. Rather, indeed , the Good isThe God Him selfevermor e. But it isthus, He must be Essence, destitute (g)of allm ovem ent, and of generation (but naught is destitute of this), but having around Itself a stable energy

providing (z) everything isGood . When I say also in allrespects, it is ever Good. But this belongs to no one elseexcept to The God only. For neither is He wanting ofanything, so that coveting to possess it He should becom e

(a) “ f ulfi ls. (b)

(h) m m » (17) we, 7 d ; 7 6 pum as.

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44 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

isnot capable (a) 1, that on allsidesrestricted (b), by evil,and labours, and griefs, and desires, and anger and errors

,

and mindless opinions. A nd the worst of all, 0 A sclepius !is that each of these the aforesaid is believed here to bethe greatest good ? That m ore than unsurpassable evil,the gluttony (c) , the er ror, the provid er of allthe evils; isthe absence here of the Good.4. A nd I also give thanksto

'l'he God,to Him t hath

For the world is the plenitude of the evil but The Godof the Good, or the Good (the plenitude) of The God l

m ore pure and more distinct. For we may d are to say, 0A sclepius ! that the Essence of The God , if ind eed He haveEssence isthe BeautifuLbut the BeautifulisalsoGood . N e

good thing isto be comprehended among those in the world .

For allthingsfalling under the eye are images, and as it

A nd as the eye is not able to behold The God, so neifilerThe Beautifulnor The Good ; for these are integralpartsofThe God

, propm'ties(f) of Himself only, familiars (g) , ih ‘

separables, most lovely,which either God Himself loveth

or they love The God.

(a) 60 ”mph . (5) wi n ch : irrwwd ior .

(0) pm ” a'

wv r ipfiZm-oué y aw p p apyla .

(d ) crisps; fl npop é n] ; su ing.

(f ) “wt. (9) ch ina.“ ‘For I know that in m e, that isin my flesh, d welleth no goodthing” (Rom . xx.

2

sight of God ” (Luke xvi.3 This present evilworld (3m m ; alarm; “ myth , Greek) (Gal

i. The whole world ” ( d opa; asog) lieth in wicked ness”(1 John v.

“ Allthat isin theworld , the lustof the flesh and thelust of the eyes, and the prid e of life, isnot of the Father ” (ibid . ii.

but of the world ” (ha 1 08 m any).‘Here isalacuna in the text which marsthe sense.

POEMA N DR ES . VII. 45

5. If thou art able to understand (a) The God, thouwilt understand The Beautifuland Good, the exceedingbright, the exceeding radiant, from The God. For that isthe Beauty incomparable, and . that the Good inimitable,j ust as also God Himself. A s then thou und erstand estThe God , thus also understand The Beautifuland Good ; for

because of being inseparable from The God If Thou

tiful6. For the way leading to it is one, the piety with

knowled ge ; hence the ignorant, and they not havingj ourneyed the way, which is concerning this piety, d are tospeak of the Man as beautifuland good, not having evenbeheld a dream whether anything is good, but preimplicated (b) with every evil, and having behaved the evilto

d eprived of it, and striving in every way that, not only hemay have, but also may augment it. S uch are the humangods and The Beautiful, 0 A sclepius ! which we are

neither able to fly nor to have hated. For that, of allthings, is m ost difficult, because we have need of them ,

and without these we cannot live.

CHAPTER VII.

Tt’od .

1 .WHITIIER are ye carried, 0 m en,intoxicated ! dr inki ng

up the unmixed wine of ignorance, which yet ye cannotb ear, but already are even vomiting it ? S top

,be sober ;

look again with the eyes of the heart, and if ye allcannot,

(a) pineal, to conceive in mind . (b) w’cebmp puvov.

46 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

at least ye that are able For the vice (a) of ignoranceinundates allthe earth, and corrupts therewith the soulenclosed in the body, not sufl'

ering it to be harboured inthe havens of the salvation.

2 . Be not therefore borne along together by the muchcurrent

, but ye that are able, having mad e use of refluxto attain the haven of the salvation, having been harbouredtherein, seek a guide, who shalllead you in the way to thegates of the knowledge, where is the shining Light, thatpure from darkness, wher e not one is d runken, but allaresober, looking on in the heart toHim willing to be seen.

For,He is not audible, nor effable, nor visible to the eyes,

but to Mind and Heart. First, however , it is necessarythat thou shouldest tear off 1 the garm ent which thou bearest

,the web (b) of ignorance, the support of wickedness,

the bond of corruption, the dark enclosure, theliving death,the sentient corpse , the tom b carried about with thee, thedom estic robber, him hating through the things he loves,and grudging (0) through the things he hates.3 . Of such sort is the hatefulgarment which thou hast

put on,

2 drawing thee down to itself, that not havinglooked back and beheld the beauty of The Truth, and the

(a) m iss. (b) (c) (Mar ion '

s.

1 Plato had written in t d o (66, 67) If, whilst in the oompmof the bod y, the soulcannot have pure knowled ge, one of two thingsmust follow ; either that knowled ge isnot to be attained at all, or ifat alL after d eath. In the present life we make the nearest approachto knowled ge when we have the least possible communion or fellowship with the bod y, and are not infected with the bod ily nature, but

remain pure untilthe hour when God Himself is pleased to release

we shallbe pure and hold converse with other pure souls frombelow,

which is no other than the light of Truth, for no impure

thing isallowed to approM the pure.

”

Compare lOor . xiii. 1 2 —“ N ow lknow in part, but then shallIknow even as I am known.

” Also R ev. xxi. 2 7—“There shall

(Bom vii lB).ix. 2 7). It isinstructive to compare with the text the language of

POEMA N DRE S . VIII. 47

indwelling Good, thou shouldest hate itsvileness, havingunderstood the snare

,which it hath laid in wait for thee, .

making those things seeming to us and being consideredobjects of sense (a) , insensible, having obstructed them withmuch matter, and filled them with abominable pleasure,lso that thou shouldest neither hear those things aboutwhich it behoves thee to hear, nor discern those aboutwhich it behaves thee to discern.

CHAPTER VIII.

That nonc of tt ntitics perish , but mankind w omanly

l. CON CERNIN G S ouland body, 0 Son ! now is to bediscoursed ; in what way verily the soulis imm ortal, andof what quality (b) 1s energy in constitution and dissolutionof body. For concerning naught of these is the death, butit is intellectualnotion (c) of an appellation immortal

,

”

either asvain work (d ), or by deprivation of the firstletter ;(a) alcdwrépm . (b) ivfpyua bi worrwx é . (c) sinful (d ) a re) by

William Law,in his S pirit of Prayer ” (Part L , Works vn. 84)

“Our own life isto be hated , and the reason isplain : it isbecausethere is nothing lovely in it. It is a legion of evil, a m onstrousbirth of the S erpent, theWorld , and the Flmh. It is an Apostasyfrom the Life and Power of God in the S oul—alife that is d eath toHeaven, that ispure unmixed Id olatry, that liveswholly to self andnot to God , and therefore allthis own life is to be absolum hated ,allthis S elf is to be d enied , and m ortified , if the N ature, S pirit,Tempers, and Inclinationsof Christ are to be brought to life in us.”

“ Isee a d ifl‘

erentlaw in my m em bers, warring against the law of

my mind , and bringing m e into captivity und er the law of sin whichisin my m embers. O wretched man that I am ! Who shalld eliverm e out of the bod y of this “The mind of

the flesh is enmity sgainst“ They that are in

the flesh cannot please God” S ee also Galat v. 17.

Beam srmssw czsr vs.

that being called 04mm ; instead of the «tow el For the

d eath isof destruction ; but naught of those thingsin theworld is destroyed

,for if the World is second God and

mortalanimalto d ie ; for allthe thingsin the world areparts of the world, and especially the Man, the rational

2 . For first of all and eternaland nongenerate,The Creator of The Universe (b) , God. But the second thatafter His image the World by Him engend ered ,

itand by

Him held together and nourished and imm ortalized, as by

not generated by another, and if it be generate, it wasyet not generated by itself but alwaysisgenerate. For thee ternalin that it is eternal, is the Universe And The

Father Himself, of His Own S elf, is ete rnal, and theWorldbecame (f) eternaland imm ortalby The Father.3 . A nd so much of matter aswasset apart by Him The

Father having embodied and swelled out (g) the Whole,formed this sphere like,aplacing around it such quality

(b) 7 5» 5M ». (6) d efies». (d ) stub/w .

(e) 7 6 m in. (f ) yiyan . (h) 7 6 r ole»

1 S ee the d octrine of Plato as to what d eath is (t d o,3 Plato enunciatesthe sam e views in the t d on and in Timmus

(83 and “For The God in His power willed that allthingsshould be good , and nothing bad , and brought the Universe fully ontof d isor d er ; for it neither was nor is possible that He should d o

that might be something m ost beautifuland perfect in its nature.

S o then, accord ing to the right reason, it behoves one to say thatthis the was; became through the Provid ence of The God alivingcreature (47m ), end ued in very truth with S ouland Mind .

”(See

S tobmus, Florilegium ,

Meineke,iv.

3 Plato thought that the d ay s; was sphericalin form. In the

Timwus (33 and 6 2 ) he says: “ He gave it figure fixipu), the becoming, and the convenient ; for when about to encompass alllivingbeingsin it,with living being (C139), a figure would be becoming, thatcomprehend ing in it allsuch like figures; wherefore also He d escribedit circular, spherelike from the centre, d istant every way so far to

POEMA N DRES . VIII. 49

being both itself immortaland having the materialeternal.But fullof the Ideas(a) The Father having sown in the qualitias,1 inclosed them in the sphere as if in a cave,“willingfor every quality to adorn that of quality with itself ; butwith thisimm ortality having encompassed the whole body,lest the matter having wished to secede from the constitution thereof, should be dissolved into itsown disorder (b).For when the matter was unincorporate, 0 Child ! it waswithout order ; but it has even here that revolution (c)8 inrespect of the other smallqualities, that of the increaseand that of the dim inution, which men calldeath.

4. But thisthe want of order exists (d ) around earthly animals; for the bodies of the heavenly have one order,whichthey have allotted from the Father at the beginning ; and thisismaintained, by the restoration (e) of each,‘indissoluble ;(a) 131 3» (b) fl ip h uf f) ; air man ». (C) 7 m snooping} .

the extremities.” 80 allthe heaven being spherelike,and theWorldthusbrought intobeing everypart being equid istant from the centr e, tospeak of above or below isneither just nor accurate. If any one were

to go round this in a circle, often, stand ing at the antipod es, he wouldspeakof the same partof it asabove and below. As Isaid , to talk ofthe sphericalashaving one part above and another below, isnotwise .

”

1 Refer ring to the Id eas” or“Forms”which Plato held to be

the originalsof allthings, Plutarch d efined the Id ea” thus (quote dby S tobmus,Physica, ch. xii.'6a Meineke i. 87) Id eaisIncorporealEssence, cause of suchlike beingsasitself is, and pattern (we pd u'yaa)of the subsistence (ar ea-rotating) of the objectsof sense ( d w arf) havingthemselves (éxo'm v) accord ing to nature ; it ind eed sustained of itself

,

and imaging (inuoyffow a ) shapeless materials, and becoming cause

of the arrangem ent (Blm é iw g) of these, applying ord er of a father to

Plato, in Parm enid es,”says It appears to me that the matter

stand s thus : that theseForms (Mn) stand in the N ature asif patterns,and that other things resemble these, and are likenesses

,and the

participation of the Formswith the others, becomesnothing else thanthe being assimilated to them .

”

Thissimile of the cave isborrowed from Plato’sR epublic, lib. v.

2 8, 517 , ataeq. ; Hermann, iv. 2 02 .

3 Parthey suggests confusion,” p . 38.‘R efer ring to th e return of each to its own place in the heavens.

S ee ante,ch. iii. and note 3 there.

D

50 HERMES TR ISME GIS TUS .

but the restoration of the earthly bodies is constitution (a) ,and the dissolution itself restores (b) to the indissolublebodies ; that is to say, the immortal; and thus there becom es deprivation of the sense, not destruction of the

5. But the third animal, The Man, generated afte r theimage of theWorld, but having Mind, according to the willof the Father beyond other earthly animals, not only hassym pathy with the second God , but also intelligence (c)of the first ; for of the one it issensible as of body, but ofthe other it receives intelligence as of an incorporealandof the Good Mind (d ) .Tat—This animal, then,

does not perish ?Hermes— S peak well(e), 0 Child ! and understand whatGod is

,what the World

,what an immor talanimal

,what a

d issoluble animal, and understand that the World indeedis from The God, and in The God, but the Man from the

world, and in the world, but the beginning and comprehension f) and constitution of allthingsisThe God.

1

CHA PTER IX .

Concerning Und erstand ing and S ense (g) , and that in The

God only is The Beautifuland The Good , but elsewher enot at all.

1. YES TERDAY, O A sclepius ! I delivered the perfectDiscourse ; but now I consider necessary, consequentialtothat, to go also through the discourse respecting S ense .

For sense and understanding seem indeed to have differ

(a) 0 607 050 15. (11) ar m amen t-rm .

MDf or? w afloif. (e) aware ness.

(g) ” 13a und erstand ing; d w d éem g, sense.i It seems evid ent from the contents of this Chapter, connected

with what preced es and what follows, that Poemand res, in mystical

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HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

part of the world being vacant from the Dem on ; thatDemon to be separated from The God ; who entering inunawares (a) sowed the seed ofhisown energ , and theMindconceived what was sown : 1 adulteries, murders, parricides,sacrileges, impieties, stranglings, hurling down from pre

~

cipices, and allother such the works of evildemons .24. For the seeds of The God are few, but great and

Piety. But Piety isKnowledge of God,“ which he whorecogniseth (b), becoming fullof allthe good things, possesses (c) the divine thoughts, and not like the many.

Because of this, those being in knowledge, neither pleasethe many, nor the many them ; they seem to be mad , andoccasion laughter, and being hated and despised, and peahapsalso m urdered. For we have said that wickedness (d )m ust dwellhere, being in its own region ; for its region isthe earth (a) , not the World (f) as some may say blaspheming. But the God fearing man will contem n all

things, perceiving the Knowledge. For allthings to suchan one, although to others the evil, are good ; and takingcounselhe refersallthings unto the Knowledge, and whatiswonderful, alone renders the evils good5. 1 retum again to the d iscourse of S ense. Human,

then, is the comm on Union (h) in man, of sense with under »standing. But not every man, as I said before, enjoys(a) é x elm é d v. (b) tém y vobc.

( d ) m ania” . (c) 3 7 5. (f ) coop er.

(g) rig/M aui. (lb) 7 6 xerw vi'

wm .

1 S ee the parable ofthe S ower ,Matthew xiii. 39 . Out of the heartof men proceed evilthoughts, hd ulterics” (Mark vii. “Whenlust hath conceived , it bringeth forth sin ” (Jam esi. S ee alsoGalat. v . 19.

3 S ee Lactant , Div. Instit , u. 15,16

,where these sentim ents are

quoted asfrom Herm es.

Quoted by Lactant , ibid . 16 . S ee John xvn . 3 .

“A nd this islife eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God , and JcansChrist whom Thouhast sent.” That thiswisd om and knowled ge isid enticalwith piety, S t Augustine maintains ih hisEncheirid ion.

It issuperfluous to refer to the num erouspassagesofHoly Scripture which enunciate the same d octrinesas those here set for th.

POEMA N DRE S . IX. 53

this understanding, but one ismaterial, another essential.For the one along with wickedness (material, as I said) ,from the dem ons possesses (a) the seed of the un d erstanding ; but these along with the essentially good are savedby The God. For The God is the Creator of allthings ;creating allthings He makes allthings like to Himself ;but these good things generated , in the use of energy arebarren : for the worldly course rubbing against (b) thesegenerations (c) , makes them qualities, soiling these indeedwith the evilness, but purifying those with the Good. Forthe World also, 0 A sclepius ! has its proper sense and

understanding, not like to the human nor as various, butas superior and simpler.6. For the sense and understanding of the World is

one, in the making allthings, and unmaking them intoitself, organ of the willof The God ; and so organised,that, having received allthe seeds unto itself from The

God, conserving them in itself, it might manifestly (d ) makeallthings, and dissolving might renew allthings ; andwhen thus dissolved , as a good agriculturist of life itimparts by the change a renewalto these its offspringThere isnothing that it does not engender alive (f ) . Buthearing it makes allthings alive, and it is at once theplace and the creator oflife .

7. But the bodies from matter are in difference. Forsom e indeed are from earth, som e from water, som e fromair , and som e from fire ; but allare composite C9)» andsom e are more so, some more simple ; m ore so indeed arethe heavier, the lighter less so. But the velocity (ft) of itscourse efl‘ects the variety of the generationsof qualitiesFor breath (7c) being very dense stretches forth the qualities (I) over the bodieswith one fulness, that of the life .8 . The God indeed then isFather of the World, but the

World of things in the world. A nd the World indeed is

(b)'

q m annaM r pifiow a, wearing away.

(if) tum? “ (9)W W “

(i) r imw wW in ” . (It) w as}. (I) wpm lm r d t old .

54 HE RMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

son of The God ; but things in the World are from the

World, and properly was it called World (glam ) , for it

adorneth allthingsby the variety of the generation (a) andby the indefectibility (b) of the life, and the nnwearied nessof the energy, and the quickness of the necessity, and thecombination (0) of the elements, and the order of the thingsgenerated The sam e then should be called Worldboth necessarily and fittingly. O f allanimals therefore both the S ense and the Understanding comes inupon them from without, inspire d (d ) by that circumambient ; but the World having once received this alongwith the being generated, has it, having received it fromThe God.9. But The God is not

,as it seems to some, insensiblc

and mindless. For through superstition (c) they blasphem e.For allthings as many as are , 0 A sclepius ! these are inThe God

,and generated by The God, and thence depen

dent (f ) ; som e indeed energizing through the bodies, andothers m oving through animated Essence othersmakinglife through spirit, and others undertaking those defunct ;and that suitably. But I rather say, not that He has

these things, but I show forth the Truth, He isallthings,not receiving them from without but giving them forthoutwards (It) . A nd this is the S ense and the Und erstanding of The God, the moving allthings always, and thereshallhe never a tim e when any of the Entities shallbedeficient (a) ; but when I say the Entities, I speak of TheGod. For the Entities The God has, and neither is anything without (k) Him ,

nor isHe without anything.

1

10. These things to thee, O Asclepius! being intel~(a) 7 0 6a or prod uction. (b) “tastin gs. (c) over d o“.

(d ) slowd ow n. (e) bumbamovfx g. (f ) tariff»W m

(9) 3m obs/ac; (lb) 350 . (t) é woMWHm m . (k) blurs}.

The foregoing passages may be possibly taken in a Pantheisticsense ; but they surely may be better und erstood of the particularsuperintend ing Provid ence of a Deity which pervad es and guid esallthings, and on which allthingsare d epen d ent. They are alm ost theexact wor d sof Malebranche in hisRcchcmhe d e la Vase (lib. iileh.vi., par t

POEMA N DEBS . X . 55

ligent (a) willseem true , but being without intelligenceincredible . For the understanding is the believing, andthe disbelieving is the not understanding.

.For my d is~course attains even up to the truth. For the Mind is

to a certain point, is able to attain the Truth ; and havingconsidered allthese things, and found them consonant, it believed those interpreted by the discourse, and hath rested (b)in that beautifulbelief. To those then having understoodthe aforesaid from The God they are credible, but to thosenot having understood incredible. L et these things andso m uch be discoursed concerning Understanding and

S ense.

The K ey. To his S on Tat.

1. THE Discourse of yesterday, 0 A sclepius! I ad dressedto thee, but that of to- d ay it isjust to address to The Tat,since m oreover it is an epitom e of the generic discourseswhich have been spoken to him . The God then and

Father and The Good, 0 Tat ! has the same N ature,or

rather also Energy. For the appellation of N ature (6) isalso that of increase

,which is concerning things change

able and unchangeable, and m oveable and imm oveable,

that is thingsDivine and thingshuman, of which He willseach to be. But Energy is otherwise (d ), aswe have taughtalso respecting other things Divine and hum an ; what onemust understand about this.

2 . For the Energy of Him isThe Will, and HisEssencethe Willing allthings to be. For what isGod and Fatherand the Good, than the being of allthings not yet inbeing ? But the very existence (a) of the Entities, that is(a) fa scism . (b) iwan wa éewro.(d ) d h h axoi.

56 HERME S TRISMEGIS TUS .

The God , that isThe Father that is The Good, to Whomnone of other things belong (a) . For the World indeedand the Sun itself also father of things according (b) totheir comm on being, isnot moreover equally the cause ofthe good to the animals nor of theirliving. But if thisthusbe the case; it isnevertheless entirely asbeing compelled

neither to be, nor to be generated.3. For the father is the cause of the children, and of the

seed, and of the nutriment, having taken the appetite of

the Good from the Sun. For The Good is The makingpower But thisisnot possible to be ingenerate (d ) inany other but in Him only ; Him receiving indeed nothing,but willing allthings to be .

1 Iwillnot say, 0 Tat ! making (a) ; for a maker is defectible in much tim e

,in that

he som etim es makes , som etim es does not make, both inquality and quantity (f) . A t one tim e they are so manyand of such quality,

at another the contrary. But TheGod isFather and The Good, in that He isallthings }

(b) Jenn i p m vafuv, participation .

(6) 7 6 r em ind s, making. (11) (8) wotoir n .

(f ) workm o; sat-lm ér nr'

og.

1 Here, asin other places, the writer wholly d ifi'

ersfrom the notionof the Deity being amere constructor or arranger of formlessmatteran opinion attributed by som e to Plato. S ee ante, note to ch. v. 4.

m ed iate principle, no other efficient reason, no other realm over thanthe Grace and the Willof God . S ee hisPromotion Physique, p. 93 ;

Recherche d c to Vén'

té last part ; Med itations Chm im nea, Vi ;Traité d oMorale, 94.

for th by William Law in his Way to Divine K nowled ge ” (Works,vii. p.

God d erivesnot Hisbeing from creatures,but allcreaturesare

but imperfect participafions of the Divine Being”(Malebranche,

R echerchc d cla “ God is so far allBeingthat He hasallthe being of each of Hiscreatures

,ret1enching their

the Universality of Being, and consequently in the infinite perfection of S elf-existence ” (Fanelon, Existence d c Dim , par t 2 , v.

I believe that there isno substance purely Intelligible but that of

POEMA N DRES . X . 57

4. Thus verily are these things to him who is able toperceive. For indeed this(a) wills to Be, and isalso Itself,especially for Itself. For verily allother things are because of This. For it is proper to the Good to becomeknown. This isThe Good, 0 TstlTat—Thou hast filled us, O Father ! with the good and

m ost beautifulspectacle, and the eye of my m ind hathbeen little short of sanctified by such kind of spectacle.For not as if a ray of the Sun, being fiery, does it dazzleand make the eyes close

,is thus the spectacle of The Good.

On the contrary, it shines forth and augments the light ofthe eyes to so much as he who is able can receive theinflux of the intellectual(b) splendour.l For it is rathersharp in penetrating but not injurious and replete withallimm ortality.

5. They who are able to drink in som ewhat m ore ofthis Spectacle oftentim es fallasleep from the body intothis m ost beauteous vision . A sUranus and Kronos our

forefathers experienced.

’ Would that we also, 0 Father !Hermes—Would itm ay be so, 0 Child ! But now asyet

we are not intent upon the vision, and we are not yet strongenough to open the eyes of our mind, and to contemplatethe beauty of that The Good,” the incorruptible, the incomprehensible. For then thou will perceive it whenthou m ayest have nothing to say about it. For the know(a) i.a. , (5) your ?“ Aay n d évog. (6) £ 2 : 7 6 xnflm n b flau

God , that we can d iscover nothing but in HisLight, and that weshallbe unintelligible to oumelves untilwe see in God . S tillHepresents to ourselves the Id ea perfectly intelligible which He has of

cm being comprehend ed in HisOwn (Malebranche, Reclmuhc d e laVér ité ,us 3, part s, oh.

“ In thy light shallwe see L ight ” (Ps. xxxvi. “The L ordshallbe unto thee an everlasting light ” (Is. 1x. To give the

light of the knowled ge of the glory of God ” ( 2 Cor . iv. God is

L ight, and in Him isno d arkness at all” (1 John i. 5 ; and see Johnviii. 12 , 9,

“Who only hath immortality d welling in light nuapproachable ” ( 1 Tim . vi. &c.

,Bro.

Lactantius(Div. Instit., i. 11) allud es to this passage as a proof3 N ow we see in amirror d arkly” (1 Cor . xiii.

5 8 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

ledge of It is both divine silence and repose (a) of allthe

6. For he having understood this is neither able tound erstand any other thing, nor he having beheld this tobehold any other thing, nor to hear of any other thing,neither to move his entire body. For seizing hold of all

his bodily senses and m otions he m oves not (b) butshining around allthe mind and the whole soul, it enlightens and abstracts from the body, and transforms thewhole of it into the Essence of God .

l For it is possible, 0Child ! that the soulbe deified (c) , placed in body of Man,

having beheld the beauty of The Good.

7 . Tat—To be deified how sayest thou, 0 Father ?

Herm es—Of every souldivisible, 0 Child ! there are

changes.

Tat— How again divisible ?Hermes—Heat thou not heard in the Generics (d ) thatfrom one soulthat of the Universe (8) are allsouls themselves which are rolled about (f) in allthe world

, as if

distributed ? O f these the soulsthen,many are the changes ;

of these indeed into a happier, of those into the opposite.S om e then indeed being reptile, are changed into waterybeings, but som e of the wate ry into terrestrial, but thoseterrestrialinto winged, those aerialinto men, and those ofhumankind possess the beginning of immortality changinginto demons. Whence thus they pass into the choir ofthe unerring Gods. But there are two choirs of Gods ;

(c) air oflead inu.

(d ) is rm“

; wanting. (a) r ig wa r m}. (f ) xultvooépuau.

We allwith unveiled face reflecting as a mir ror the glory of theL ord , are transformed into the sam e image from glory to glory ” ( 2C or . iii. 18

,Revised Version). That by these (promises) ye may

becom e partakers of the Divine N ature ” ( 2 Pet. i. 4. S ee 1 Johniii. A s remarked above (ch. iv. Herm es here enunciates the

sentimentsand objects of the realChristian Mysticsof allages, especially those of the Fathem of the d eserg and of the two MacariiEgyptii, of S t Augustine, Fenelon, Malehranche, and many others,especially of the author of the Imitation of Christ.” S ee auto, ch .

iv. 1 and 6,and note there.

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60 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

to itself, and itself som etim e generated, but ever in beingbeing too in generation and ever generate d. Generation isof qualities and quantities ; for it ism oveable.

11. For every materialmovement is generation. The

m entalstate (a) m oves the materialm ovem ent in this

manner, since the world is a sphere , that isa head ; butabove head there is nothing material; just as neither isthere anything mentalbeneath the feet, but allmaterial.But Mind

,head itself ismoved spherically, that is sim i

larly to a head . A smany things then as are united to

the m embrane (b) of this the head wherein is the soul,are by nature(c) imm ortal, as if [of the body form ed inS oul] ; and having the Soulfull(d ) of [or fuller than] 1 th ebody. But things distant from the m embrane

,in which

the body possesses m ore than the soul, are by naturemortal; but allissliving animal; so that the universe is.

!composed both of materialand m ental.1 2 . A nd the World indeed isfirst,2 but the Man second

animalafter the World,but first of the things m ortal; and

indeed of the other animals he has the living quality (a)in him . N ot, moreover, is he only not good, but also evil,as mortal. For the World is not good as moveable

,but

not evilas imm ortal, but the Man both asm oveable andasm ortalis evil.13. But the S oulof man is carrie d on (f ) in thisway

The Mind in the Reason,the R eason in the S oul, the S oul

in the Spirit, the Spirit in the Body. The Spirit penetr ating through the veins and arteries and blood moves theaninial

, and as it were, after a certain manner, supports it.Wherefore also som e have thought the S oulto be bloodbeing mistaken as to the nature, not knowing that firstmust the Spirit return back into the Soul, and then the(a) vowelw in g. (17) r ;(d ) wh ips. (e) 7 6 helm” . (f )

’

Oxtirm .

1 Menard read s t h is (more of soulthan bod y), which is d oubtlessthe m eaning. The passage isprobably corrupt.Thisand the next section are extracted by S tobwus(Physica, 770

Meineke,i.

POEMA N DRES . X. 61

blood be coagulated, and the veins and the arteries bee mptied, and then the animalperish (a) , and this is thed eath of the Body.

1

14. From one beginning have allthings depended (b),but

.

the beginning is from The One and Only. A nd theindeed ismoved, that beginningmay again be

come (a) , but The One stands abiding, and is not moved.A nd three therefore are these, The God and Father andThe Good, and the World and the Man. A nd The Godhath indeed the World, but the World the Man. An d the

World indeed isgenerated Son of The God ; but theManas it were offspring of the World.

15. For The God ignoreth not the Man, but m oreoverthoroughly knoweth him and desires to be known. Thisalone is saving for Man,

The knowledge of The God.

2

Thisis the ascent to the Olympus. By this alone the S oulb ecometh Good, and not sometim es Good, sometim es Evil;but becomes so of necessity.

Tat. -How sayest thou this, 0 Trism egistus .7

Hermes.—Contemplate a S oulof a boy

,O Child ! not

having yet received itsdistribution (d ) , hisbody being yetsmalland not yet fully amplified (a).

Hermes— Beautifulto look upon everywher e, and notyet d efiled by the passions of the body, stillalm ost dependent from the S oulof the world ; but when the body hasbeen amplified (j ) and shallhave drawn it out

,into the

masses (9) of the body, having distributed (h) itself, itengenerates oblivion, and partakes not of the beautifuland(a) e sMb . (b) n irvan a { pr am s (c) y iymau.

(d ) bra vo" . (s) é yw p b ov.

(h) Bushl

an d “.

1 S o far as in S tobxeus (Eclog. Physics ; Meineke, i. A stothe subject of d eath, see Part IL , Excerptsby S tobmus in the Florile~gium ,

ch. ii. ; Meineke,iv. 106, and onto

,ch. viii. 1, 2 , and post, xi. 15.

This is life eternal, that they should know Thee The OnlyTrue God ” (John xvii. “ A nd hath given us an und erstand ing(b atm an ) , that we may know Him that is true. Thisis thetrue God , and eternallife ” (1 John v.

6 2 HERME S TRISME GIS TUS .

good . A nd the oblivion becom es vice . A nd the same ;

thing happens to those departing out of the body.

16. For the S oulrecurring back into itself,1 the S pirit iscontracted into the blood, and the S oulinto the Spirit, butthe Mind becoming pure from its garments being divineby nature

,taking a fiery body

,circulates in every place,

having abandoned the Son] to judgment and to the punishm ent accord ing to desert.Tat—How speakest then this, 0 Father ? 2 The Mind

isseparated from the Soul, and the Soulfrom the S pirit,

then having said the Son] to be garment of the Mind, butof the Son] the Spirit ?17 . Herm es—It behoves the bearer to agree in mind

,

0 Child lwith the speaker, and to consent, and to have hishearing m ore acute than the voice of the speaker. The

composition of these garments, O Child ! is generatein an earthly body. For it is impossible that the Mindshould establish itself by itself naked in an earthlybody

,for

,neither is any earthly body able to bear (a)

so great immortality nor to endure (b) this such virtue,a body with passions being under the same skin withit.

’

It hath taken then as it were an envelope (o) theS oul. But the S oulalso itself being som ething divineuses the Spirit as if an envelope. But the S pirit pervades the A nimal.18. When then the Mind has departed from the earthlybody

, it forthwith puts on its own the fiery tunic, which itcould not, having to dwellin the earthly body. For earthsustainsnot fire ,

for allis enflamed even by a smallspark.

A nd because of this the water isdiffused around the Earthas rampart and wallresisting against the flam e of the fire .

Mind however being the m ost swift of alldivine thoughts,and swifter than allthe elem ents, has its body the Fire.For The Mind being Creator of allthings, uses the Fire as

(a) in y zciv. (b) d six wflau. (c) wrprfiohfir .

1 S ee post, sec. 2 1, and note.

3 The following is extracted by S tobwus (Physica, 775 ; Meineke ,i.

POEMA N DRES . X . 63

an instrument towards that Creation.

‘ That Mind indeed[Creator] of the Universe uses allthings, but that of theMan things upon earth only. For the mind upon earthbeing destitute of the Fi re is unable to create the thingsDivine, being human in the adm inistration.

19. But the human soul, not every one_ _

but the pious, isa kind of d emonhood (a) and divine ; and such a soulafterthe departure from the body, having striven the strife of

thispiety (but strife of piety is having known The (Slod 3and to have wronfi no meg) becom eswhollyMind. Butthe im pious S oulremains in that its

,proper Essence (b) ,

punished by itself and seeking an earthly body into whichit may enter, being human For other body 3 does notyield place (cl) to a human soul; nor is it justice (0) thata human soulshould degrade (f) into a body of an irrationalanimal. For of God is thislaw,

to guard a humanSoulfrom thisso great disgrace .

4

(0 ) 34 1,4w r ig. (b) 4514 : cod in g. (c) d vd pé m rov.

(d ) W ?“ (f ) x é ruwsm iu.1 S ee cm to, oh . i. The following section 19 is extracted by S tobreus(Physics, 1007 ; Meineke, i.Quoted by Lactantius (Divin . Instit , 11. 16 , and v. 15 ; see also

iii. Thisis Life eternal, that theyshould know Thee The OnlyTrue God ” (John xvii.3 It hasbeen surmised from thispassage that Herm es (with Plato)held that the soulsof the d ead generallymight passinto other humanbod ies. But as to thispoint, see past contra.

4 Herm es here d issents from Platonism. Plato, speaking asfromS ocrates (Phwd o, says : The S oul, the very likeness of the

Divinc and imm ortal, and intellectualand uniform, and ind issolubleand unchangeable ; the Bod y the likeness of the human

,m or tal,

unintellectual,multiform , d issoluble, and changeable. Must we

suppose that the S oulwhich is invisible, passing to the true Had es,which like her is invisible

,and pure and noble

,and on her way to

the True and Wise God , whither if God willmy {soulis also soonto go: that the S oul, if this be her nature and origin, isblown away

and parishes immed iately on quitting the bod y as the many say ?

That can never be . The truth rather is that that soulwhich ispureat d epar ting and d rawsafter her no bod ily taint, having never voluntarily been connected with the bod y,which she is ever avoid ing, herself gathered into herself which has been the stud y of her life

,

I

l

64 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

2 0 . Tat—How then is the human soulpunished, 0FatherHcranes—A nd what isa greater punishment of a human

S oul, 0 Child ! than the impiety ? and what sort of fire hasso great a flame as this innpiety ? and what kind of d evouring wild beast thus m altreats the body so m uch, asthisimpiety the very S oul Or seest thou not, how manyevils the impious S oulsuffers ? shouting and crying out,I am burned, I am consumed ; what I may say, what I

m eaning that she hasstud ied true philosophy, the practice of d eath ;that soulherself invisible, d eparts to the invisible world

,to the

Divine,imm ortal, and rational. Thither arriving she issecure of bliss

and is released from the errors and folliesof men, their fears andwild passions and allother hum an ills, and ever d wells

,as they say

of the initiated , in companywith the God s. But the soul, which hasbeen polluted and impure at the tim e of her d eparture and alwaystheser vant of the bod y, enamoured and fascinate d by it and by itsd esiresand pleasures, untilshe believes that Truth existsonly in a bod ilyaccustom ed to hate and fear and avoid the intellectualprinciple,which to the bod ily eye is invisible and can only be attained byphilosophy,—d o you suppose that such a soulwilld epar t pureand unalloyed

’

l S he is held fast by the corporeal, which is heavyand ear thy. They are d ragged d own again to the visible

,to the

tombs and sepulchres, com pelled to wand er about such places inpaym ent of the penalty of their form er evilways. The craving after

the corporealnever leaves them ,and they are imprisoned finally in

another bod ym the sam e natures which they had intheir former lives. Men who have followed after gluttony and wantonness and d runkenness pass intofl and animals of that sort

those who have chosen injustice and tyranny into wolvesand hawksmay be happier than otherswhohave practised civiland socialvirtues,such as temperance and justice , although not acquired by philosophy.They may passinto some quiet and socialnature like their own, suchas bees wasps, or_ ants, or back into the form of m en. But he whoisa philosopher and Tover oflearning, who isentirely pure at d eparting, is alone permitted to attain to the Divine nature. This iswhythe true votaries of philosophy abstain from alld ashly huts, andrefuse to give themselves up to them . They who have any care of

their own souls,say farewellto allthis theywillnotwalk in the ways

of the blind , and when philosophy offers purification and relief fromevil, they turn and follow it.”

POEMA N DRES . X . 65

shalldo, I know not. I am eaten up, the unfortunate ,by

the ills enclosing me ! I neither se e nor , the miserable, doI bear 1 These are the voices of the soulbeing punished ,not as the many suppose and thou opinest, 0 Child ! thata soulgoing forth from the body becomes a wild beast (a) ,which isa very great error.12 1. For the

‘

S oul is punished after t his manner.But the Mind when it becometh demon, is ordainedto acquire a fiery body for the ministries(b) of TheGod, and entering into the very im pious soulchastises itwith the scourges of the sins; by which being scourged,the im pious soulturns itself to murders

, and injuries,and blasphem ies , and various violences, and otherthings by which m en are wronged ; but the Mind entering into the pious S oulguides it to the light of theKnowledge. A nd the such like S oulnever ever experiences satiety, hymning and blessing allmen, and in

words and deeds doing allthings well, im itating its own

2 2 . Wherefore, 0 Child ! giving thanks to The God, itbehoves to pray to obtain the beautifulMind. The S oulthen passes on to the superior, but to the inferior it is im

(a) d ramatist-nu. (b) fi rm /ac.

S ee aMe xiL ,sec. 4, note.

Plato in Timaeus (42 ) had also spoken thus: Those whoare d ominated by bod ily passions shallbe avenged by justice ; but he thathaspassed wellthe proper tim e

,living again, procwd iug to the d well

ing of the associate (v épou) star ,willlead a happy life ; but failingof these hewillin hissecond birth change into the nature of awoman ;but not ceasing then from the way of evilby which he was d eM d

,

be changes into some beastly natur e, and shallnot cease from labours,1m tilby reason having conquered the great tumult and d ebasem ent,and being other, he return to the form of the first and best habitud e(i5sm)Compare Wisd om, iii. 1-10 The soulsof the righteousare in

the hand of God , and there shallno torment touch them. In the

sight of the unwise they seem ed to d ie. Yet is their hope fullof imm or tality. But the ungodly shallbe punished according to their own imaginations, which have neglected the righteousand forsaken the Lord .

”

HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

passible.

l For there is a comm unity of S ouls, and thoseof the Gods hold comm union with those of the men, and

those of the m en with those of the irrationals. But thesuperior take care of the inferior, Gods of m en,’ but menof the irrationalanimals, but The God of all. For He isS uperior to all, and allare inferior to Him . The Worldthen is subject to The God ; but the Man to the World,and the irrationalto the Man ; but The God is over allthings and about allthings. And of The God indeed theEnergies are like as rays, and of the World the natures arerays

,but of the Man the artsand sciences are rays. A nd

these Energies indeed energize throughout the world, andupon theMan through the physicalrays of the World, butthe natures through the elem ents, but the m en throughthe A rts and S ciences.

2 3. A nd this is the administration of the Univer se (a),dependent from the N ature of The One and pervading itthrough the Mind of One.

8 Than which nothing ism oredivine and more energetic, or more unitive (b) of Men in

deed to the Gods, or of Gods to the Men. This is theGood demon . Blessed the S oulwhich is fullest of this;unfortunate the S oulwhich is void of this.

Tat—How sayest thou thus again, 0 Father ?Em ma—Dost thou think then

,0 Child ! that every

soulhas the good Mind ? for it is of this that our discourseis about, not concerning the servile one (c) , concerningwhom we have just before spoken, him sent downwards (d ) because of the judgm ent.2 4. For Soulapart from the Mind can neither say any

(a) d rains“ ; TD; wan e}. (b) ivm wé r spov.

(c) in pum i. (d ) u r a r ry woy ivw .

1 The following, d own to the end of this chapter , is extracted byS tobmus (Physics, 766 ; Meineke, i.3 A re they” (31a, Angels) not allministe ring S pirits, sent forthto d o ser vice for the sake of them that shallinh erit salvation ?” (Heb.

i. When TheMostHigh d ivid ed thenations,whenHe separamdthe S onsof A d am ,

He set the bound sof the nationssccord ing to the

number of the A ngelsof God ” (Dent. xxxii. 8, S eptuagint Version).Or “ through the One Mind

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68 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

C H A P T E R XI.

1 . Mind —R estrain then the discourse, O thrice greatestHermes ! and callto rem embrance the things said. But

as it has occurred to m e to speak, I willnot delay.

ferent, concerning the Universe and The God, I learnt notthe truth ; Do thou, Master, make plain (a) tocerning this, for to thee only would I confide the explanation concerning these things.

2 . Mind —Hear, 0 Child ! how The God and the Uni,verse have themselves. God , The Ete rnity, the World

,

the Time,the Generation. The God makes Eternity (b),

The Eternity the World, The World the Time ; but TheTim e the Generation. But of The God is as it wereEssence

,The Good, The Beautiful, The Happiness, The

Wisdom ; of the Eternity the Identity (c) ; of the Worldthe O rder ; of the Tim e the Change ; but of the Generation, The L ife and the Death. The Energies of The GodMind and S oul, but of the Eternity permanence and imm ortality, but of the World, restitution and red estruction,but of the Tim e augm entation and diminution, and of theGeneration quality. The Eternity then is in The God .The World in the Eternity ; but the Tim e in the World,and the Generation in the Tim e. A nd the Eternity indeed is stationed (d ) around The God, and the World ismoved in the Eternity, the Time isaccomplished (c) in theWorld, but the Generation takes place in the Tim e .3. The fountain then of allthings is The God

, butEssence the Eternity, Matter the World ; Power of TheGod the Eternity, Work of the Eternity the World , notsometim e (f) generated, but always generated by theEte rnity ; neither therefore willit ever be corrupted, for

(b) « Iain : r ota. (c) 6 f um in g.

(d ) E'

s-ram. (a) m m iw ac. (f ) M or e.

POEMAN DRES . XI. 60

Eternity isinaorruptible, nor does any of things-ia theWorldperish, the World being encompassed by the Eternity.

. Em —But the Wisdom of The God, what is it?

and the whole of Virtue and The Eternity. The Eternitythen provides(a) the Immortality

,imparting also per

manence to the Matter.4. For the generation of that is dependent from the

Eternity,as also the Eternity from The God. For the

Generation and the Time in Heaven and in Earth are

beingsdouble in nature : in Heaven indeed unchangeable

A nd of the Eternity indeed the S oulis The God , but ofthe World the S oulis the Eternity, but of the Earth theHeaven. A nd The God indeed is in the Mind but theMind in the S oul, but the S oulin the Matter , but allthese through the Eternity. But this the UniversalBody

,

in which are allthe bodies, is fullof S oul, but the Sculfullof the Mind and of The God ; within itfillsbut withoutencircles it, vivifying the Universe. Without indeed thisthe great and perfect A nimalthe World (b) 1, but within,allthe animals; and above indeed in the Heaven abidingin the identity, but below upon the earth changing the

5. But the Eternity keeps together (c) this, whetherthr ough necessity, or through providence, or throughnature, and if anything else any one thinks or shallthink.

ThisUniverse The God is energizing ; but the Energy ofGod being a power insuperable, with which one could compare neither things human nor things divine. Wher efore

,

O Herm es ! by no m eans of things below nor of thingsabove shouldst thou think anylike to The God, since thou

(6 ) m p h . (0) ow ix u.1 Plato (Timmus, ThistheWorld having thusreceived ani

mals,m ortaland imm ortal

,and having been fulfilled , becam e a

visible animal,containing the visible, sensible God , Image of The

Intelligible, the greatest the best, the m ost beautifuland m ost perfect, one Heaven ; Thisbeing only begotten.

”

70 HERMES TR ISMEGIS TUS .

wouldest fallfrom the truth. For nothing is like to Thewithout like and Only and One ; and not to any other oneshouldst thou think that He yields in the power. For whobeside Him is either L ife and 1 Immortality, and changeof quality ? A nd what else should He do ? For The Godisnot inert, else allthings would become inert for everything is fullof God, for neither in the world ism ertness(a)anywhere , nor in any other. For inertness is an emptyword

,both as to the maker and the thing generated.

6. For allthings must be generate, both always andaccording to the preponderance (b) of each place. For theMaker is in allthings, not settled (c) in any, nor Makingin something, but allthings. 2 For Power being energizing,is not self sufficient (d ) in the things generated, but thegenerated are under Him . Contemplate through m e the

World subjecte d to thy view, and consider accurately thebeauty of it

,a body indeed undecayable (e) , and than

which nothing is m ore ancient,and throughout the whole

in fullvigour (f) and new,and stillm ore vigorous.

7 . Behold also those subject S even Worldsarranged ineternalord er and in different course fulfilling the Eternity,and allthings fullof light, but fire no where, for thefriendship and the combination of things opposite and thosedissimilar becam e L ight, shining forth through the energy ofThe God,3 Generator of allGood, and Prince (9) of allorderand guide of the S even Worlds ; a Moon, the precursor ofallthese

, O rgan of the N atur e changing the Matter below ;(a) d py /a. (b) for tit (c) lbpup fvoc. (d ) d w ipznf .

(e) almipur ov. (f ) d y ad ic». (g) d pxom g.

1 Who only hath imm or tality, d welling in L ightunapproachable ”(1 Tim . vi.3 However d estitute Planets

,Moons, and ringsmay be of inhabitants

,theyare atleast vast scenesofGod ’spresence and of the activity

with which He carriesinto effect everywhere the lawsof nature ; andthe glory of creation arises from its being not only the prod uct butthe constant field of God ’sactivity and thought, wisd om , and power ”(Whewell’s Plurality of World s

,

”ch. xii

,Fourth Ed it

,382 . S ee

me.1” A nd God said

,Let Light be, and Light was” (Gem. i.

POEMA N DRES . XI. 7 1

and the Earth in the midst of the Universe, established assuppor t (a) of thisbeautifulWorld,lnourisher and nurse ofthose upon Earth. Behold also the m ultitude of the imm ortalanimals how large it is, and of the mortal; in them idst of both aswellof the imm ortalas of the m ortal

, the

Moon revolving around.

8 . Allthings then are fullof S oul, and allthings properly (6) m oved by that ; som e indeed around the Heaven,but others around the Earth

,and neither the right tos

the left, nor the left towards the right ; nor those abovedownwards, nor those below upwards . A nd that alltheseare generate, 0 m ost beloved Herm es ! thou dost not stillneed to learn of m e ; for they are bodies, and have soul,and are m oved. But for these to concur (c) in one is impossible apart from the gatherer (d ) .9. This then must be som e one and such altogether One.

For d ifl‘erent and many being the motions and the bodiesnot sim ilar, yet but one velocity ordered throughout all,it is im possible that there be two or m ore Makers; for theone order isnot preserved with m any. For in the feebler

,

emulation willensue of the superior, and theywillcontend.A nd if other was the Maker of the mutable animals andm ortals, he would have desire d to make imm ortals also ;just as also he of the imm ortals, m ortals. S uppose thenif also there be two ; one being the Matter and one theS oul

,with which of them would be the conducting of the

making (a) ? and if somewhat also with both, with whomthe larger portion ?10 . But think thus

, as of every living body having theconstitution (f) of Matter and S oul, and of the imm ortaland of the m ortal, and of the irrational. For allliving(a) é f m é of‘fl” (b) IN “: (0)(d ) ”api; r owaw aiy om g. (c) xopny fa 7 5; 7 0 :60 am (f ) d or m » .

1 S ee am,ch . iii. 4, and note there. Mr Proctor

, in hiswork, Our

place am ong Infinities,” states that the Egyptians held that the Sunand Moon revolved round the Earth

,but the five other planets round

the Sun. But thispassage proves the generalbelief to have been thatthe whole system revolved round the Ear th, which remained stationaryin the mid st.

7 2 HERMES TR ISME GIS TUS .

bodies are animated (a) , but those not living are again

to (b) the Maker is cause of the life ; but cause of allthelife is that which is (cause)

.

of the immortals.Em ma—How then are also the m ortalanimalsdifferentfrom the m ortal? A nd how is it that the immortalandmaking imm or tality, makes not the animals (so) ?11. Mind — A nd that there is some One who ismaking

these things is plain, and that He is also One is m ostmanifest ; for also there is one S ouland one Life and one

Matter .

Hermes—Who then isHe ?Mind —Who may it be other than The One God ? Forto whom can it belong to make animated animals but to theGod only ? 1 One then isGod. Most ridiculous then ifhaving acknowledged the World to be One and the SunOne and theMoon One and The Divinity One, but The GodHimself to be asmultiple (c) as you wish.

8

1 2 . He then makes everything in many ways. A nd

what great thing is it for The God to make life and souland imm ortality and change , thou doing such many things.For thou seest, and speakest, and hearest, and sm allest,and tastest, and touchest, and walkest, and und erstand est,and breathest, and it is not another who is seeing, andanother who ishearing, and another who is speaking, andother who is touching, and other who issm elling, and otherwho iswalking, and other who isunderstanding, and otherwho is breathing, but one who is doing allthese things.

But neither are these poMble to be apart from The God.

For just as, shouldest thou become inert (d ) of these, thouart no longer animal; so neither, should The God becom e

inert of them ,what it is not lawfulto say, no longer is

He God .

13. For if it is d em onstrated that nothing ispossible to(a) an tiwa r» (b) t am er/aim . (a) m ir ror . (11) w r apyuofic.

This passage d isconnectsthe author from allcomplicity with the

POEMA N DRES . XI. 73

be 1 [apart from The God or inert], by how much rather TheGod. For if there is anything that He does not make, ifit be lawfulto say it He isimperfect. But if He is notinert but perfect, then He makesallthings. For a littlegive thyselfup to me, OHcrmcs! thouwilt the m ore easilyunderstand the work of The God as being one : that allthe thingsgenerate be generate, whether those once generated, as those about to be generated. But this, 0 m ostbeloved ! is L ife, this isThe Beautiful; this isThe Good,this is The God.14. If thou wishest also to understand this in operation,

see what would happen to thee wishing to engender. Butthis is notlike to Him ,

for He indeed isnot delighted, norhasHe another cc-operator. For being selfworking (a) Heis always in the work

,being Himself what He makes. For

if He should be separated from it,of necessity allthings

must collapse, allthings be d eathstruck as there not beinglife ; but if allthingsar e living, and One also the L ife, Onethen also isThe God. A nd again, if allthings are living,both those in the heaven and those in the earth, and one

L ife throughout allthingsisgenerate by The God, and thisisThe God, than allthings are generate by The God.But Life is the Union (b) of Mind and S oul. Death however not the destruction of the compounds but dissolution

15.

3[Eternity then is the m ag

'

e of The God but of theeternity the world

,of the world the Sun, of the Sun the

man] . But this transmutation the people say to be death,because that the bodyindeed is dissolved, but the life, itbeing dissolved, departs to the obscure But in thisd is(a) c h m/n o} . (b) im m. (c) if; 7 6 d ¢aw3p1 Parthey

’s note (p. 92 ) here is Post Jam ,

excid isse vid eturm l; 1 03 M6.

” But query whether not “xar aryépuvov,

” “ inert.”(S ee a similar argument, Lactant , d e IraDei, ch.

’ S ee amtc, sec. 14, and note. Also ch. viii. ch. x. 13 ; andpost, Part II., Excerpt II. by S tobaus, and notes there.

3 It seems probable, as suggested by L . Menar d (p. that thisphrase has been interpolated her e by some copyist or scholiast, itbeing out of place with what preced esand follows.

HERMES TRISMEG'IS TUS .

course,OHerm es ! m ost beloved tom e I say, as thou hearest,the World also to be transform ed because of part of itbecoming each d ay in the obscure , but by no m eans to bedissolved. A nd these are the passions(a) of the World,revolutions and occultations(b). A nd the revolution isconversion but the occultation, renovation.

16. For the World is of allmanner of forms (d ), nothaving the forms lying without, but itself changing themin itself. S ince then theWorldwasgenerated of allforms,He having made it

,what should He be ? for without

form (a) indeed He cannot be, and ifHe be also of allformsHe willbe like to the World. But having one form sofar He willbe inferior to the World. What then may wesay Him to be ? lest we reduce the discourse into doubtfulness; for nothing doubtfulis to be understood aboutThe God. He has then one Idea (f) , which isHis properown which incorporeal

,may not be subject of (It) the

sight ; and showsall[ideas] by m eans of the bodies. An d

be not astonished if there be som e incorporealidea.

17. For it is as if that of the discourse, and margins(i)in the writings (It) . For they are seen being wholly outside

,but sm ooth in the nature, they are also entirely even.

But consider what issaid m ore boldly, but yet more truthfully. For just as a man cannot live apart from life, soneither can The God live without doing the Good. For

this isas it were L ife and as it were m otion of The God,to move allthingsand to vivify.

18 . But some of the thingsspoken ought to have peculiar consideration ; understand as such What I say. All

things are in The God ; not as if lying in place ; for theplace indeed is both body and immoveable, and thingslying have not m otion. For they lie otherwise (I) in incorporeal, otherwise ia appearance. Understand Him com

(a) wi d e. (6) tution : x4 ) zpo'

tpug.

(g) 13h .

(l) d am .

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7 6 HERME S TRISME GIS TUS .

having understood allthese things together, tim es, places,affairs, qualities, quantities, thou wilt be able to understandThe God.

2 1. But if thoushouldest shut up the S oulof thee inthe body and debase it, and say, I understand nothing, Ican nothing, I fear the sea, I am not able to ascend intothe Heaven , I know not who I (a) have been,

I know notwho I shallbe ; what with thee, and with The God ? forthou canst understand nothing of

.

thingsbeautifuland good,being a lover of the body, and evil. For the completeevilis the being ignorant of the Divinity (b) ; but the beingable to have known and to willand to hope, is the (a)right way, peculiar (d ) of the good, and smooth an d easy ;journeying He willm eet thee everywhere, everywhere willHe be seen

,where and when thou dost not expect ; watch

silent ; for there is nothing which is not image (6) of the

2 2 . Ew es—IsThe God invisible ?Mind — Speak well! A nd who is m ore manifest than

He ? For this very thing He made allthings that thoumayest discern Him throughout allthings. This is TheGood of The God, this is His virtue, that He isapparentthroughout allthings. For nothing is invisible, not evenof the incorporeal. Mind is seen in the understanding,The God in the making. These things have to thee as toso m uch been explained, O Trism egistus ! But all the

not be deceived

(3;k2m. (0) twain.

POEMA N DRES . XH . 77

CHAPTER XII.

Respecting Common Mind .

1 . Hermes— The Mind, 0 Tat ! is of the very essenceof The God ; if indeed there is any essence of God

, and ofwhat quality this may be He alone hath accurately known.

The Mind then is not cut off from the Essentiality of TheGodhead (a) but united, just as the light of the Sun. Butthis the Mind in m en indeed is God. Wherefore alsosom e of m en are Gods

,

8and their humanity isnigh to the

Deity. For also the Good Demon hath called the Godsimmortalmen,

but the m en m ortalGods. But in irrationalanimals the Mind is the nature .

2 . For where Soul, there also is Mind, as where lifethere also is S oul. But in the irrationalanimals the soulislife

,void of the Mind ; for the Mind is benefactor of the

souls of men,for itworks on them (b) to their proper good ;

and in the irrationalindeed it cc-operates with the natureof each, but it practises against (0) those of the m en. Forevery Soulgenerate in body isforthwith depraved, both by(a) 060 167 67 0; horn-rag. (b) irr igat e“ m

’

m ig. (c) i n lwpéma

Accord ing toMenard (Pref , p. the author of thischapter issom e obscur e d isciple of Plotinus ; and the Good Demon m entionedtherein, AmmoniusSaccas, the reputed foun d er of the N eo—platonistsin the beginning of the 3d century ; but the translator d oes not

accept thisview. The whole chapter isa metaphysicalamplificationof the Divine truth so energetically set for th (am ongst others) byMalebranche in his Recherche d e la Vé rité , and Traité d e la Morale,For in Him we live, and move, and have our being (Actsxvii.

“A nd in Him allthingsconsist (Col. i. Uphold ing allthingsby the Word of His power ” (Heb. i. S ee ante

,ch. x. 4

,note 1 ;

and hereafter sec. 14, for what ism eant by the Good Demon.

’ “ I have said ye are God s” (Ps. lxxxii. “ Par takers of the

Divine nature ” ( 2 Peter i. “ ls it not written in your law, Isaid ,Ye are God s? If He called them God sunto whom the word of God

cam e,and the S cripture cannot be br oken ; say ye of Him ,

” &c.

(John x.

78 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

the grief and the pleasure. For of the composite bodyboth the grief and the pleasure seethe (a) , just ashum ours,into which the S oulhaving entered is imm erged (b) .3 . In whatsoever souls then the Mind presides— to thwe

it shows its own light, practising against their proclivities (c) just asa good physician pains the body pro-occupiedby disease , burning or cutting for the sake of health. In

the same way also the Mind pains the S oul, extricating itfrom pleasure

,by which every disease of S oulis generate .

A great disease of the S oulisA theism (d ) , since thereuponfollows opinion unto allthings that are eviland nothinggood. Thus then the Mind counteracting this, procuresthe Good for the S oul, asalso the physician the health forthe body.

4. But as many human S ouls as have not obtained TheMind aspilot, suffer the sam e with those of the irrationalanimals. For becom ing co-operator with them and lettingloose the desires to which they are borne

,tending to

gether (f) by the force of the appetite to the irrational,like

irrationally desiring, they cease not, nor have satiety of

vices. But for these , as it were avenger and convicter , fi re

God hath set over them the law.

l

5. Tat—There, O Father ! the discourse concerning theFate , that previously utter ed to m e, is in danger of beingoverthrown . For if it isaltogether fated to this some one

something, why is he punished, he from necessity of Fatehaving done the deed ?(a) ( tow n . (0) wpolép y m n .

(d ) M er cy. (c) Meat. (f )1 “What then is the law ? Itwasad d ed because of transgressions”

Plato in “ Laws” (7 16) says:“The God then

,asisalso the ancient

saying, having the beginning and the end and the m ean of all

But with Him ever followson Justice,avenger of those who d epart

from the Divine Law”(Hermann

’sEd it , v.

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80 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

writing he would altogether have profited the race of m en,

for He alone, 0 Child ! 1 as First begotten God havingviewed (a) allthings pronounced Divine words.

I have heard then Him som etime saying that One are all

live in power and in energy and eternity. A nd the Mindthen isgood which is the Soulof it ; but this beingof such kind, there is nothing separable of things intelligible Thus then it is possible that Mind ruling (d )over allthings and being the S oulof The God, do whateverit wishes .9. But do thou understand and refer this discourse to

the enquiry which thou enquired st of m e in what is before : Ispeak concerning the Fate of TheMind. For if thouwouldest accurately put away the contentious words

,O

Child ! thou wilt find that truly The Mind, the S oulof TheGod, dominates over allthings, both Fate and Law and all

other things; and nothing impossible for it, neither theplacing the human S oulup above (6) Fate, nor, havingneglected things which happen, to place it beneath TheFate.

2 A nd let these things indeed, as to so much bespoken, the best of the good Dem on.

Tat— A nd divinely, O Father ! and truly and helpfully

10 . But this further explain to me. For thou saidestthat the Mind in the irr ationalanimalsenergized accord ingto N ature (f) , working together with their appetites(g) .(a) san d a

l

s. (6) f at some} alman ac. (a) 0535'

salm ond s 7 5: pom-3 7 .

(d ) incur “. (a) im prin t (f ) (g) Jpp ufg.

1 “ The image of The inv1slble God , the Firstborn of allcreation ”(Coloss. i. “The beginning of the creation ofGod ” (Rev . iii.“TheFirstborn ”(Heb. i. TheFirstborn of the d ead JesusChrist(R ev. i. For “ Only begotten,” see John i. 14, 18 ; iii. 16, 18

1 John iv. 9.

1 Lactantius(Divim Instit , lib. 11. ch. 16) writesz—“Herm esamrms

that those who have known God are not only safe from the attacksof d em ons, but that they are not even bound by fate. The only

protection,” he says, “ is piety ; for over a pious man neither evild em on nor fate hasany power .

”

POEMA N E K EB. I II. 8 1

But the appetites of the irrationalanimalsas I think are

passions ; and if also the Mind co-operates with the ap

then the Mind also is passion, commingling (a) with the

Hermes—Welldone, 0 Child ! thou enquirest nobly,

It isjust for m e also to answer .

11. Allthings, 0 Child ! incorporealin body are subjectto passion (b) , and

peculiarly (c) are they pasm

'

ons; fore verything m oving is incorporeal, and W M ,

bi d} An d incorporeals are m oved by the Mind

, and

movement 18w on. Both then have passion (d ), boththe m oving and the m oved ; the one indeed guhgg, theother ruled. Having departed from the body

, d amis also from the passion. But rather perhaps, 0 Child !

passion differs from what issubjected to passion. For theone eneg izgs, the other is passiye, But the bodies also

are m oved ; but whichever it may be it is passion. But

subjects of passion. L et not then appellations disturb

thing, but to have used the m ore honourable (a) name isnot grievous.

1 2 . Tat—Most clearly, 0 Father ! hast thou delivered

Hermes—And see this, 0 Child ! that these two things

The God hath bestowed on the Man beyond allthe mortalanimals, both the Mind and the R eason, equivalent (f) toimmortality ; and in ad dition to these he has the enunciative R eason (g) .1 Of these if any one make use forwhat he ought, he willdiffer nothing from the imm ortals ;but rather m oreover going forth from the body, he will(a) w vm f fgm . (b) (0) w as (d ) f inal.

(3) fiwnflfl'ém (f ) fireman . (9) 7 0

‘

s wpofl pwo’

v 1 67 03 .

1 i n, Language, say“,thatwor d being hereused in a d ouble sense

for both S peech and Reason

82 HERMES TRISME GIS TUS .

be guided by both unto the choir of the Gods and

blessed.13 . Tat—Do not however the other animals use lan

guage (a) , 0 Father !Hemm .

—N o ! Child, but voice ; for language d ifi'

ers

altogether much from voice . For language indeed is comm on to allmen, but voice is peculiar to each kind of

Tat—But also of the Men, 0 Father ! according to each

Em ma—Difl‘

erent indeed, 0 Child ! but one the Man,

and so the language is one, and is mutually interpreted,and the sam e isfound both in Egypt and Persiaand Greece.But thou seem est to m e

,0 Child ! to be ignorant of the

virtue and magnitude of Language . For the blessed God,

Good Dem on,1 declare d S oulto be in Body, but Mind inS oul, R eason (6) in the Mind, The Mind in The God , butThe God Father of these.14. The R eason then is the image of the Mind, and Mindof The God, and the Body indeed of the Idea (c) and theIdea of the S oul. 2 OfMatter now the m ost subtle (d ) isAir,of A ir the S oul, of S oulMind, and ofMind God . A nd The

God indeed is around allthings and through allthings.“But the Mind around the S oul, and the S oularound theA ir , and the A ir around the Matter. Of necessity boththe Providence and the N ature are instrum ents(6) of theWorld

,and of the order of the Matter ; and of things intel

ligible each indeed is essence, but essence of them is the

identity (f) . Of the bodies of the Universe each ismany.

For the composite bodies having the identity, and making

(b) My », is, rw om o‘

a. (c) 7 5; M .

(d ) Am ofi pm m v. (a)Man i. (f ) W fi mfl

1 Who ismeant by the Good Demon ishere plainly stated .

1 What ishercm eant by Id ea” isd iflicult to d etermine. Whetherthe Id ea” of Plato, or the form of the manner a nd mod e of exist' “Oi m

,and through Him ,

and to Him,arc allthings

”(Rom.

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84 HERME S TRISMEGIS TUS .

17 . Tat—Does not the earth seem to thee immova ble ,0 Father ?Hermes—N o, Child ! but also multimoveable, and it

alone also stable. For how would it not be ridiculous thenurse

'

of allto be immoveable, her producing (a) and generating allthings ; for it is impossible apart from m otionthat the producer produce anything. Thou hast asked the

inert. For the imm oveable body signifies nothing else butinertness.

Entity (b) in the World ism oved either byway of d im inution or augmentation ; but what is moved also lives, butthere is no necessity that the whole (a)living animalshouldbe the sam e. For the entire World, being collective (d ), is,0 Child ! unchangeable, but the parts of it are allchangeable ; but nothing corruptible or destroyed. But the appelletions confuse mankind For the generation is not

L ife, but the S ense, nor the change death, but oblivion.

These things then having themselves thus, immortalareallthings, the Matter, the L ife, the Sp

'

n'it, the S oul, out of

which every animalhasbeen constituted.

Mind ; but of allespecially The Man, who issusceptible ofGod, and joint in Essence (a) with God. For with thisanimal alone God holds converse f by night throughdreams, by d ay through symbols and through allHe

entrails, through spirit (h) , through an oak;1 wherefore

also The Man professes to be acquainted with things antecedent and present and future.2 0 . A nd see this, 0 Child ! that each of the other ani

mals frequents one part of the world,the aquatics indeed

(a) M 0 0 4 ". (13) web 7 8 53.

(d ) 5s. (a) coun td own } . (f ) o'

pcflm'

.

(g) 6 0a possibly pr esages. (h) wn zipm g.

1 The foregoing seems to prove that the author wrote und er theR oman d omination.

POEMA N DRES . XII. 85

the water, the terrestrialthe earth, and those aloft theair ; but the Man makes use of allthese : earth, water ,air

, fire. He beholds also heaven, and he touches thisalsowith hissense. But The God is around alland throughout

d ifficult to understand The God, 0 Child !2 1. But if thou wishest also to contemplate (a) Him ,

b ehold the order of the World and the fair symm etry (b)of this order , behold the N ecessity of thingsapparent, theProvidence of those having been generated (c) and are

generate, behold the Matter being very fullof life, Theso great God m oved along with allGood

,and beautiful

Gods, and Dem ons, and Men.

Tat—But these, 0 Father ! are altogether Energies ?

Hermes—If then they are altogether Energies, 0 Child !by whom then are they energized unless by God ? Or art

thou ignorant that just as parts of the World (d ) are

Heaven and Earth and Water and A ir , the same way partsof God, are L ife and Imm ortality, Energy, and Spirit, andN ecessity

, and Providence, and N ature , and S oul, and

Mind, and the permanence of allthese, that called Good ?and there is not anything beside of things generate orthose having been generated where there isnot The God.

2 2 . Tat—In the Matter then, 0 Father ?Hermes—Matter, 0 Son ! is apart from God,1 that to it

thou mayest set apart a peculiar place. But what,but aMass dost thou think it to be, nogized ? But if it be energized, by whom is it energized ?for these energies we have said to be parts of The God .

By whom then are allthe animals vivified ? By whom are

things imm ortalmade imm ortal? By whom are unstablethings changed ? But whether thou sayest Matter, orBody

,or Essence

,know that these same are energies of

(b) M um/av. (c) ” yar d-rap .

(d ) “ 5 m ew Mn (6) w rit1 The d octrine of Plato about Matter is enunciated , Tim ,

S ee post, Part II., Excerpts from S tobwus (Physica, 3 19 ; Meineke ,

i.

86 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

The God, and of Matter energy the Materiality, and ofBodies energy the Embodiment (a) , and energy of the

Essence the Essentiality, and thisisThe God the Universe.l2 3. But in the Universe ther e is nothing which is not

The God, whence neither magnitude, nor place, nor quality,

nor figure, nor tim e isabout The God ; forHe isUniverseand the Universe is throughout allthings and around allthings . This The Word (c) , 0 Child ! venerate and wor

ship (d ) . But worship of The God is one, not to be evil.8

( 0 ) cap ar c'

r m'

a. (b) wi n.

(c) 7 6: ( d ) 1 7m in : dpé cx

S ee above,that this d oesnot includ e Matter .

In the First Epitome of Clem ent (Dressel’sEd it. accord ing tothat Ed itor put together in the tim e of Jerom e, the following isstate dto have been the teaching of S t Peter : L et them believe in One

Him in an unspeakable manner before the world s, and in The HolyS pirit from Him inefl

'

ably proceed ing ; and let them acknowled geOne God in Three Subsistences

,without beginning, without en d

,

everlasting, eternal,increate, ir reversible, unchangeable, simple,

incomposite, incorporeal; invisible, untouchable, nncircumscr ibed ,incomprehensible, infinite , not und erstand ible ; good , just, all-powerfulCreator of allcreations, Autocrat of allthings, all-seeing, allprovid ing Suprem e L ord and Jud ge .

” ‘

The word sof N ewton as to

the Deity are as followsz—“E ternas est et infinitus omnipotens et

omnisciens; id est d urat ab seterno in (sternum ,et ad est ab infinito in

infinitum. N on est mternitas et infinitas, sed mternus et infinitus;non est d uratio et spatium ,

sed d urat et ad est. Durst semper et

ad est ubique, et existend o semper etubique d urationem et spatiumconstituit.” The same d octrine is laid d own , Last. Div. Instit , vi. ,ch . v . ; and (quoting Hermes), vi. , ch. 2 5

,totid em verbis.

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88 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

Hermes—This kind, 0 Son ! isnot taught ; but when He

may wish is brought to rem embrance by The God .

3. Tat—Thou tellestme thingsimpossible, 0 Father ! andforced. Whence I wish to reply to them correctly. HaveI been produced (a) stranger Son of the paternalrace ?Grud ge me not, 0 Father ! I am a genuine 01) S on ; relateto m e the mode of the R egeneration.

Hermes—What can I say, 0 Child ! I have not whatto speak except this. I perceive a certain unfeigned (c)spectacle generated in m e ; from the mercy of God I havealso gone forth from myself into an imm ortalbody

,and I

am now notwhat form erly, but have becom e generated (d )in Mind. This fact isnot taught neither by that fictile (6)elem ent by which it is possible to see ,

and because of

this the first composed form is neglected by m e ; nor thatI am coloured and have touch and m easure ; I am alien

now from these things. Thou lookest at m e verily, 0

Child ! with eyes, when with fixed attention thou con .

sid erest with body and sight ; I am not beholden (f) withthose eyes now

,0 Child ! 1

4 Tat—Thou has cast m e into no smallmad ness and

irritation of mind, 0 Father ! For now I do not see myself. 2Hermes—Would, 0 Child ! that thou also wouldestcome out of thyself, as those who in sleep perceivedreamsapart from sleep.

Tat—Tellme this too. Who is the generator (9) of theRegeneration ?Hermes—The S on of The God One Man by the WillofGod.

8

(a) cicpwm . W I“. (0) im m u. (4)(8) 7 71x0 1 6. (f ) Oceania/rm . (g) y tm m py d g.

1 The parallelbetween thispassage and 1 Cor . ii. 14 is remarkable.

N ow the naturalman receiveth not the thingsof the S pirit of God ;for they are foolishnessunto him : and he cannot know them

,because

they are spiritually jud ged ” d iscerned,

”Author ised Version) .‘This in the d ialoguesof Plato isa reply of his aud itorsto som e

of the parad oxes propound ed by him .

S ee ante, oh . i. 12 , note, where the quotation of that passage and

POEMA N DRES . XIII. 89

5. Tat—Now for the rest, 0 Father ! thou hast broughtme to

.

silence, abandoned by previous thoughts; for Ibehold thy magnitude the same, 0 Father ! with the

Em acs—A nd in that thou art deceived ; for the formof m ortals is changed d ay by d ay : for by time it is turnedto augm entation or dim inution,

as falsity.

6. Tat—What then is true, 0 Trismegistus?Em .

—That not perturbed (b), 0 C hild ! that not

lim ite d the colourless, the formless , the invariable, thenaked, the luminous, the comprehensible in itself

, the

unalterable, the good, the incorporeal1Tat— I am really maddened, 0 Father ! for seeming to

have becom e wise through thee, my senses have beenclosed up by this cogitation (d ) .E m ma—Thus it holds, 0 Child ! for [sense perceivesthat] this is borne upwards as fire, that hom e downward sas earth, and moist aswater , and blowing together asair ;but how wilt thou understand this by sense, that not hard ,that not m oist, the unconstrainable, the not dissolved, thatunderstood solely in power and energy ? Thou wantestMind alone able to understand the generation in God .

7 . Tat—I am then unable, O Father !Hcr nws.

—L et it not be, 0 Child ! Draw to thyself anditwillcom e ; wish and it becom es. Lay to rest (a) the sensesof the body, and it willbe the generation of The Deity ;purify thyself from the irrationalavengers(f) of theMatter.

(0 ) 7 5M y . (5) M ariy a ” . (c) 3toplfo'

p m r .

(a) zm é py neon. (f ) “ p ap“.

this is extracted by Lactantius (Divin. Instit , iv. 6,vii. 4, post, Part

Here we find a d istinct assertion of the Incarnation of the Son

ofGod . This pewage and the remaind er of the Chapter isalm ost arepetition of John iii. 3- 2 1. For after having said ,

“Except a man beborn anew ;

” “ Except aman be born of water and the S pirit, he cannot enter into the kingd om of God ;

”Ye must be born anew ;

” he

subjoins, “ S o God loved the world , thst He gave Hisonly begottenSon

,that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have

eternallife.

” That the world should be saved through Him.

”

S ee Excerpt from S tobseus, Part II. v .,Of Truth,” ad fin.

90 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

Tat—A vengers I have then in m yself, 0 Father !Hermes—N ot few, 0 Child ! but both fearfuland many.

Tat—I am ignorant, 0 Father !Hermes—This is one A vengeress, O Child ! Ignoraricebut the second Grief, the third Intemperance, the fourthConcupiscence

, the fifth Injustice, the sixth Covetousness,the seventh Deceit

,the eighth Envy, the ninth Cheatery, the

tenth Wrath, the eleventh R ashness, the twelfthMalice (a)these are in number twelve ; but under these are m oreothers, 0 Child ! and through the prison of the body theycompelthe within placed (b) man to suffer in his senses.l8 . But these stand 0 3 , not for thwith (c) , from him who

is pitied by The God ; and thus is composed (d ) both theway and reason of the Regeneration. Henceforward, OChild ! be silent and speak well; and through this themercy willnot cease to us from The God. R ejoice henceforward, 0 Child ! being purified by the powers of TheGod unto comprehension (c) of the discourse . Knowledgeof The God hath com e to us, and that coming, 0 Child !the ignorance is banished . Knowledge of joy hath cometo us; this having arrived, 0 Child ! Grief willfiy to thosewho give place to it. I callthe Temperance (f) power forjoy,’ 0 sweetest power ! L et us assum e it, 0 Child ! m ostreadily. How along with the arrivalhath it expelled theintemperance.9. But the fourth now I callEndurance (g) , the power

adverse to the concupiscence. This degree, 0 Child ! isthe fixed seat of Justice (h) ; for without contention beholdhow it hath banished the injustice . We are justified, 0Child ! injustice being absent. The sixth power coming(a) fi na l“. (6)(4) und er ar m . (a) aw aipd pam v. (f ) iyapé fl w .

(g) zam puir , continence. (It) “pup a d a m n in g.

The worksof the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, id olatry, sorcery, eumities, strife, jealousiu,

wraths, factions, d ivisions, heresies, envying, d runkenness, revellings,and such like ” (Galst. v .

Temperance wasconsid ered the greatest virtue by the Platonisu,and to includ e alm ost every other .

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92 HERMES TRISME GIS TUS .

number, of one nature indeed, but of allshaped form (a)For error of the Man ther e are distinctions in them (b) , 0Child ! united in the operation . Tem erity (c) is inseparable from Wrath, and they are also ind istinguishable.

S uitably then according to the right reason they make thedeparture, as if also eliminated by ten powers, that is bythe Decade. For the Decad e, 0 Child ! is soulgenmtive ( d ) ; for life and light are united there where thenumber of the Unit hath been born of the Spirit. The

Unit (5) therefore according to reason bath the Decade andthe Decade the Unit.13 . Tat—Father ! I behold the Universe and myself in

The Mind.Hermes—This is the R egeneration,

0 Child ! the nolonger employing imagination upon the Body, that triplydivided (f) , thr ough this discourse concerning the R e

generation on which I have m ade comm ent ; that wemay not be calumniators of the Universe toward s themany

,to whom God Himself does not willto revealit.1

14. Tat— Tellm e , 0 Father ! has this the Body, thatconstituted of Powers, ever dissolution ?Hermes—S peak well! an d utter not impossibles, sincethou willest sin, and the eye of thy m ind be made impious.The sensible body of the N ature is far off from the essentialgeneration For that is dissoluble but this indissoluble

, and that m ortal, but this imm ortal; kh owst thounot that thou hast been born God 2 and Son of the One, .

(a) “3'

d 3aIbis“. (b) if; wh ims 7 0 17 d vhé a'w .

(c) wpo'xifrm t. ( d ) 4410407 63 0 ; (6) 5 b i g.

(f ) 1 6 r pm}? dlm af o'

v, Bod y, S oul, S pirit. (q) obelirbw g 7 0 50 10 5 .

1 Thispassage is d oubtfulin m eaning, with variousread ings, someofwhich omit the negative. (S ee Parthey, 1 2 2 , note).’ “ Isaid ye are god s, end ye are allthe child ren of the Highest.

The S onsof God ,”applied

Psalm lxxxii. “ The S ons of God cam e to pr esent themselvesbefore the L ord ” (Job i. 6 , ii. “ Ye ar e the S ousoi the livingGod

”

(Hos. i.“ To them gave He m t to becom e child r en of

God ” (John i. “ For-as many as are led by the S pirit of God ,

POEMA N DRE S . XIII.

15. Tat—I waswishing, 0 Father ! the praise throughthe hymn, which thou saidst when I had become at theO gdoad (a) I should hear of the Powers.1Em —A ccord ing asthe Poemand resprophesied of the

Ogd osd w), thou hastest well, Child toloose the tabernacle ;for thou hast been purified. The Poemand res, the Mindof the S uprem e Power (a) , hath not delivered to me more

be able to understand allthings, and to hear those whichIwishd and to see allthings ; and he hath charged me te

d o things beautiful. Wher efore also allthe Powers that

16. Tat—Iwish, Father, to hear and desire to understand

Hermes—Be still, 0 Child ! and now hear the harmonizedpraise, the hymn of the R egeneration which I judged notfit so easily to speak forth, unless to thee at the end of thewhole. Whence this is not taught but ishidden in silence."

Thus then, 0 Child ! standing in a place open to thethe S outh wind about downgoing

bow the knee ; and likewise also at thetowards the sunrise quarter. 2 Be at rest then, 0

L et allN ature of World receive the hearing of thisBe opened, 0 Earth ! L et every vehicle (6) of

me . The trees wave ye not ! I am

L ord of the creation, and the UniverseOpen ye Heavens and Winds be still!

(6) 67 394336 .

see ch . i. 3, and note there.

(6) Fox“ :

God ” (R om . viii. “ N ow are we child ren of

ch . i. 2 5, 2 6.

has been conjectured thatwhose custom it

HERMES TRISME 0 18 TUS .

L et the immortalcircle of The God receive my discourse.For Iam about to hymn Him having founded (a) allthings,Him having fixed the Earth , and suspended Heaven, an dcommanded from the O cean the sweet water to becom e

present (b) unto the earth inhabited and uninhabitable,for

the nourishm ent and use of allm en ; Him having com

m andad fire to shine for every action on gods and m en .

L et us alltogether give the praise to Him ,The S ublima

above the heavens,to the Founder of allN ature. This is

the Eye of the Mind, and may He receive the praise of

these my powers.

18. Ye powers that are in me hymn The One and the

Universe ; sing along with my willallthe powers whichare in me . Holy Knowledge, enlightened from thee ,through thee hymning the intelligible (c) L ight, I rejoicein joyfulness of Mind. Allye powers hymn togetherwith me, and do thou my Temperance (d ) hymn ; my Jnatice hymn the just through m e. My Communionship (a)hymn the '

Universe ; through me Truth hymn the Truth ;The Good hymn Good. L ife and L ight ; from us to youthe praise passes . I give thanks to Thee, O Father !Energy of the Powers, I give thanks to Thee, O God !power of these energies of m ine. Thy Word through me

hymneth Thee. Through m e receive the Universe inspeech, rationalsacrifice (f) .19. The Powers that are in me shout these things.

They hymn Thee the Universe ; they perform Thy Will.Thy Counselis from Thee ; to Thee the Universe. R e

ceive from all rational sacrifice. The Universe that isin us

,L ife preserve ! L ight enlighten ! O S pirit God !

For TheMind Shepherd eth (g) ThyWord, 0 Spirit-bearingCreator ! (h)2 0 . Thou art The God . ThyMan shouteth these things

through Fire, through A ir, through Earth , through Water,through Spirit, throughout the works of Thee. From the

(a) " faun as. (b) (m im n . (a) row d y.

(d ) iy xpa'

rrmu (a) confirm . (f ) 7 6 sub 7167 9 Aer/ tub M'

s».

(g) m p afm . (h) fl wp acr owpt bay-round .

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9 6 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

Tat—I give thanks to Thee, Father ! having prayed form e to assent (a) to these things.2 2 . Hermes— I rejoice , 0 Child ! at thy having gathered

in fruit from the Truth, the good things, the immortalproductions. Having learnt this from m e, announcesilence of the Virtue ; to no one, Child, revealing the tra~dition of the R egeneration, that we may not be reckonedas calumniators. For sufficiently each of us hath m ed itated , I indeed as speaking, and thou as hearing. Men

tally (b) hast thou known thyself and The Father that isours.

CHAPTER XIV .

1 . S ince the son of mine Tat, in thine absence, wishedto learn the nature of the Entities, but d id not permitm e (d ) to pass over any, as son and junior but latelyarriving at the knowledge of the particulars respectingeach one , I was compelled to speak m ore fully, in ord erthat the theory might becom e to him easy to follow. But

to thee I, having selected the principalheads of thethings spoken, have wished to commit them to thee infew words

,having interpreted them m ore mystically

, as to

one of such an age , and scientific of their nature .

2 . If the things apparent have allbeen generated and

are generate , but those generated are generate, not ofthemselves but by other ; but many are the generated,rather allthe apparent and allthe different and dissimilar

,

and the generate are generate by other : there 18 som e OneWho is doing these things, and He ingenerate and olderthan those generated. For the generated I say are gene

(a) p ot min im ( b ) ample (c) “7

Opera‘

s. (d ) é fl pfiadm .

POEMA N DBES . XIV. 97

rate by other ; but of the generated beings it is impossiblethat any be older than all, except only the Ingenerate.3 . But this is both Superior and One and Only, really

wise as to allthings, as not having anything older. ForHe rules both over the m ultitude , and the magnitude andd ifl

'

erence of things generate, and over the continuity (a)of the m aking and the energy. Then the generated are

visible but He invisible. On account of this He makes,that He m ay be invisible (b) . He always then ismaking,wherefore He is invisible. ThusHe isworthy to understand

,and for the understander to wonder at, and the

wonderer to bless Him self, having recognised his own

kindred Father (c) .4 . For what is sweete r than an own kindred Father ?Who then is He

,and how shallwe recognise Him ?

Whether is it just to ascribe to Him the appellation ofThe God or that of The Maker , or that of The Father, oralso the three ? God indeed because of the Power, Makerbecause of the energizing, Father because of the Good.

For Power is different from things generate, but energy isin this, that allthings are generated. Wherefore havingcast away the much speaking and vain speaking, we mustunderstand these two, That Generate , and The Maker ; forbetween these isnaught, nor any third thing.

5. Understanding then allthings and hearing allthings,rem em ber these Two ; and consider these to be the All,placing nothing in ambiguity (cl) , neither of those abovenor of those below,

nor of those divine,nor of those

changeable, nor of those in secrecy. For Two are all

things; That Generate, and The Maker, and that the onebe separated from the other is im possible ; for neither isit possible for the Maker to be apart from the Generate ,nor the Generate apart from the Maker ; for both of themare the very sam e ; wherefore it cannot be that the one beseparated from the other

,asneither self from itself.

(a) 7 33 mummy 7 5; mad am . (b) in : i o'

pm'

o: 35; another read ingad opted by Patriciasisin : 6pm ; 5.

(c) 7 1min » wan-ipa. (d ) d r op/gs.G

HERMES TRISMEG’IS TUS .

6. For if the Maker is nothing else beside that making,only, simple, incom posite, it is of necessity that He makethissam e for Himself ; since generation is the making bythe Maker, and every the generate it is impossible to begenerate by itself. Generate m ust be generated by another.Without Him making, the generated neither is generated ,nor is. For the one without the other hath lost itspr opernature by deprivation of the other. If then the Entitiesare acknowledged to be Two,

1 That Generate and ThatMaking, One are they by the Union (a) ; this indeedpreceding but that following. Preceding indeed God TheMaker but following That Generate, whatever it may be .

7 . A nd because of the variety of those generate thoushouldst not be scrupulous, fearing to attribute m eannessand dishonour to The God . For HisGlory is One—Hie

Making allthings, and this is of The God as it were body,The Making ; but to Him TheMaker nothing evilor base isto be imputed . For these are the passions following uponthe generation , as rust on the brass and dirt on the body.

For neither d id the brass worker make the rust, northose having generated the dirt, nor The God the evil~ness ; but the vicissitude (b) of the generation makesthem as it were to eflloresce (c) ; and because of thisThe God made the change, asit were a purgation of the

8 . Besides ind w d to the same limner (d ) it is allowedboth to make Heaven, and Gods, and earth, and sea, and

m en, and allthe brutes(e), and the inanimate, and the

trees; but to The God is it im possible to make these ? 0

the much silliness and ignorance , this about The God ! Forsuch sort suffer the m ost dreadfulof all things. Foraffirm ing that they both reverence and praise The God , bynot ascribing (f) to Him the making of allthings theyneither know The God, and in add ition to the not knowing, also in the greatest degree are they impious towards(a) id ea“. (6) buy er“ (0) iEan OrTv.

(e) d awn. (f ) h a iku}.

1 S ee Cyril]. Alex. Contr . Jul.,63 E, (post, Part

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HERME S T RISMEGIS TUS.

PA R T II.

EXCERPTS MADE BY sros‘

zsUs (5m on

6111 CEN TURY) FR OM THE WOR K S orHERMES .

I.— OF TRUTH.

FROM THE THIN GS TO Tar (Flor ilegium , xi. 2 3 ;

Meineke,i.

R ESPECTIN G Truth , O Tat ! it is impossible for Man,being an imperfect being, and composed of imperfect m embers

,and the tabernacle (a) consisting of various bodies

and many, to speak with boldness. But what is possibleand just that I affirm

,that Truth is in eternal(b) bodies

only,of which also the bodies themselves are true. Fire

is very fire, and nothing else ; Earth very earth itself, andnothing else ; A ir itself air, and nothing else ; Water verywater, and nothing else ; but these bodies of oursare con

stituted of allthese ; for they have of fire, they have alsoof earth, they

o

have also of water, also of air ; and it isneither fire, nor earth, nor water , nor air

,nor anything

true ; but if, at the beginning, the constitution (c) of ushad not Truth, how then can it either see or speak Truth ?but only to understand if God will. Allthings, then,

(6)

EXCERPTS BY ETOBE US . 10 1

those upon earth, 0 Tatius ! are not Truth, but imitationsof the Truth, and not allbut these few, but others falsehood and error, 0 Tatius ! and semblances of phantasy (a) ,just like images standing together . But when from abovethe phantasy has this influx, there Truth becom es imitation of the Tr uth ; but apart from the energy from above ,there remains falsehood. Just as also the image showsthe body indeed in the drawing (b) , but it is not bodyaccording to the phantasy of the thing seen. A nd itlooksindeed having eyes, but it sees nothing, and bears nothingat all; A nd the drawing has indeed allthe other things,but they are falsehoods, deceiving the eyesof the beholders,of some indeed supposing to see truth 1 If

, then, wethus understand and see each of these as they are, weboth understand and see a true thing ; but if beside theEntity (c), we shallneither understand nor shallknow

Is there, then, 0 Father ! Truth even in the earth ?A nd thou hast not blindly erred , O Tatius ! Truth is byno means in the earth, nor can be but that som e of them en understand concerning Truth, to whom The God shallhave given the God-discerning ( d ) power. Thus I understand and say, nothing is true on the earth ; allare phantasiesand semblances. Iunderstand and speak true things.

To understand and speak true things, then, oug ht wenot to callthisTruth ?But, what ?Ought one to understand and speak the Entities ? Yet

there isnothing true upon the earth ? This is true,the not

(a) 362 4 4 ¢a r rawlag. (b) 7 5 yp¢ ¢fy.

(0) r apid r d 6'

s. (d ) h er nia )»

Her e is a manifest lacuna. Plato had written (Laws E, 730b),Truth isesteemed byGod sescfallgood things, bym en of allthings,

of which he about to be born may be imm ed iately partaker, blessedand fortunate from his beginning, so that be live through the mosttim e being true, for he isfaithful; but he isfaithless by whom falsehood iswillinglyloveable, towhomsoever unwillingly he ism ind less;neither of which is enviable

,for every one, both whose is faithless

and foolish,isunloveable .

”

10 2 HERME S TRISMEGIS TUS .

knowing anything true ; how also can it possibly be, 0

Child ? Truth ismost perfect Virtue ; it is the unmixedGood ; that neither perturbed (a) by matter, nor encompassed by body, naked, lucid, irreversible (b) , holy, unalterable, good ; but things here, 0 Child ! such as they are,

thou seest incapable of receiving (c) thisGood, corruptible,subject to passion , dissoluble , reversible, ever interchanged (d ) , becoming other from others. What things,then, are not true, even to thev es—how ever can theybe true ? For everything that is altered is falsehood, notabid ing in what it is, but veering about, exhibits to usphantasies, others and others.Isnot Man then true, O Father ?A ccording to (6) m an he is not true, O Child ! For The

True is that having its constitution from itself only,and

{ abiding according to it, such as it is. But the Man is

constituted of many things, and does not abide accordingto himself, but is turned and changed, age from age, form

many have not known their child ren, a short tim e intervening, and again children likewise parents. That thanwhich is so changed about asnot to be recognised—can it

be true, 0 Tatius ? Is not that, on the contrary, a false

hood,becoming in various phantasies of changes ? But do

you understand to be something true , the abiding and

ete rnal; but Man is not always, wherefore neither is he atrue thing. For the Man is a certain phantasy

,but the

phantasy would be extrem est (g) falsehood.N either these, then, O Father ! the eternalbodies—sincethey change—are true ?Everything, then, that is gendered and changeable is

not true ; but being generate by the forefather, as to thematter it is possible to esteem (h) them true. But eventhese have some falset in the change, for nothing notabiding of itself(12 ) is true.

(a) W bmn v. (b) wan d : h ptm v.

(d ) ivfl lwoépua. (c) :uséa'

n . (f ) (brain.

(9) aspe n » .

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104 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

the Man, phantasy of manhood ; and the child, phantasyof a child ; and the youth , phan tasy of a youth ; and theadult (a) , phantasy of an adult ; and the old m an,

phantasyof an old man. For neither the man is a man, nor thechild a child, nor the youth 9. youth , nor the adult anadult, nor the old man an old man, for being transmuted,both the things previous and those existing are falsified.

But these things, understand thus, 0 S on ! asalso of thefalsehoods of these energies from above

,dependent (b)

from the Truth itself. But this being thus I say thefalsehood to be an operation (0) of the Truth .

II.— OF DEATH.

FROM Ascnsr ros (Meineke, iv . 106 ; M legimn,

WE must now speak of Death, for the Death frightensthe many as a very great evilthrough ignorance of thefact. For death becom es dissolution of a defunct body ;and also the num ber of the harmonies(d ) of the body beingcompleted. For the harmonization (d ) of the body is numher . But the body dieswhen it can no longer support theman. A n d d eath is this, the dissolution of body and d isappearance of bodily sense .

l

(b) fipf msm v.

(0) “was“. (01) m 5» Gimm i

isa d iscoume with itself without voice, and that streaming fr om itthrough the mouth is called speech ? But in word s again there isaffirmation and d enial. When, then, this happens in the soul,through thought in silence, what can youcallit but opinion ? But

when opinion, not by itself, but along with sense,is present with

anyone asa passion, what can we callit but phantasy? S ince, then.

speech is true and false, and that the thought of these isa d iscourseof the soulwith itself, but Opinion the result of thought, and thatwhat we callphantasy is the mixture of sense with opinion, andthese being related to word s, som e and som etim es these are false.

”

1 Here, as elsewhere, Hermes enunciates the Pythagorean axiomthat d efinite number isof the essence ofallthings.The subject of what d eath consisw in, and that it isa d estruction

EXCERPTS BY S TOB/EUS . 105

III—OF GOD.

FROM r as‘

ramcs ro Tar (Flor ilegium , 78 ;Meineke, iii.

To understand God is difficult, to declare Him (a) impossible. For body to signify (b) the incorporealis impossible, and the perfect to be comprehended by theimperfect is not possible

,

1and for the eternalto be con

versant with (c) the short-lived very difficult. For thisever is, but that passes away, and this indeed isTruth ,but that is overshadowed by phantasy . For the weakerfrom the stronger and the less from the superior are asfar

,distant (d ) as the mortalfrom the Divine , and the

interm ediate distance of these dims the sight of theBeautiful. For the bodies, indeed, are seen by eyes, bytongue things visible are related, but those incorporealand invisible and figureless and not composed of matter,it is im possible also to be comprehended by our senses.

I apprehend m entally—I apprehend mentally (e), O Tat !what it isnot possible to express (f ) in speech, that isThe God(a) Winters] 3s. (6) ”g iven . (a) w y yn éd m .

(d ) brie-rm (a) ” recip e“. (f ) iiuwiw.

of the harm onies of the bod y only, is d iscussed by Plato in the

t d on, 91 ct seq. (Hermann’sEd ition, I.

,1 2 2 Hisconclusion

is this: Death,then, coming upon the man, the m ortalof him ,

as

it seems, d im, but the imm ortalgoesaway, d eparting safe and in d estructible, d isplacing itself from the d eath.

”

He had said,Phied on, 67 : Isnot this called d eath—loosing and

separation of soulfrom bod y ? But ever especially and only, thosephilosophising rightly d esire thisloosing, and this is the very carefulnm of the philosophers—this loosing and separation of soulandbod y.

”

S ee as to this subject Poemand r es, ch. viii.,i. 2 ; ch. 1 . 13, and xi

I5.

1 Thispassage is quoted (nearly verbatim ) by Lactantius, Epitom e,

eh. iv. ad flaunt, and previously Divin. Instit , lib. II., ch . ix.,and

by Cyrill. Alex. Contr . Jul, 3as (pact, PartPlato, Timmus, 2 8, wrote : TheMaker then and Father of this

106 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

From S tobams, Physica, 55 ; Meineke, i. 14 Herm esbeing asked what God is, said, The Creator of the Wholeof things, m ost wise Mind, and Eternal.’

From S tobwus, Physica,134 ; Meineke, i. 33. (It is not

stated frmn what workof Henna ) .

Foe some very great Demon, 0 Child ! hath been or

d ained (a) , revolved (b) in the midst of the Universe,beholding allthings that are generate on earth by theMen. For just asover the Divine order The Providence (o)and N ecessity are ordained ,

in the same manner also overthe Men is ordained Justice, energizing these things forthem (d ). For this indeed rules the order of the EntitiesasDivine, and not willing to sin nor being able ; for it isimpossible for the Divine to have been led astray (o) , fromwhich also succeeds(f), the being impeccable. But theJustice isordained avenger of those sinning upon Earth.For the race of m en, since mortaland consisting of evilmatter, and especially to them occurs the lapsing (g ),with whom God seeing power (It) is not present ; over thmthen, and especially, does the.

Justice prevail, and they aresubjected to the Fate through the energies of the generation ; but to Justice through the sins in the life.1

(a) t h a n “ (b) film y/sim .

( d ) ins/row, aliter . in fants. ( 6) wh a r nh’

iyw .

(g) 7 0 alumi n a . (h) Jean n a).

Universe it isboth a business to find,and having found , to allit is

impossible to d eclare.

” This passage ofHermes isquoted by JustinMartyr (post, Part

“ One God Who can neither be d efined by any wor d s, nor con

ceived by the Mind”(S hepherd of Hermes, L ib. ii. , Mand atum ,

S ee the similar sentim enmof Plato in his Laws,”7 16 and 906

and Hermann, v. 1 18, 342 .

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108 HERME S TRISMEG'IS TUS .

telligible Essence then,being with The God (a) , has free

power (b) of itself, and of saving other saving itself, sincethe same Essence is not under N ecessity ; but having ,

been abandoned by The God, it chooses the corporealnature, and the choice of it according to Providence becom es that of the World. But the irrationalWhole (0) ism oved according to some reason, and the reason indeedaccording to Providence, but the irrationalaccording to

N ecessity,and the thingshaving occurred about the body

according to Fate . A nd this is the relation (d ) of thingsaccording to Providence and N ecessity and according to

Fate .

Ooscssm o m s Economy or THE UN IVER SE or Healer s.

FROM m oss TO Am os.

(S tobarus, Physica, 183 ; Meineke, i. 47 ; Patrit , p.

BUT that governing throug hout the whole World is:

Providence but that keeping together and encompassing it is N ecessity, but Fate compelling (f) leads and

brings about allthings (for the nature of it is the com

polling) cause of generation and destruction of life . The

World then first has the Providence (for first it happens.

upon it) (y) ; but the Providence was expanded (h) in the

heaven. Wherefore also Gods are turned around it an dare m oved having m otion unwearied and ceaseless, andFate, wherefore also N ecessity. A nd the Providence ind m d provides, but Fate is the cause of the disposition ofthe S tars. This is inevitable law

, according to which all

thingsare ordained .

1

(b) fiend s” . (c) 7 6M os wi n.

(d ) 0'

N 57 “,(11800 1113 8 . (6) wpo

'

voui. (f ) xur avmyxaigouau

(g) « pin e; y ap “h isW aiver. (h) refi ne-mu.

1 S ee Poemand res,i. 9

,and notes4 and 5 there.

EXCERPTS BY S TOE/EUS . 109

O r HERMES m om raoss ro Ammos (S tow-as, Physica,188 ; Meineke

,i. 48 Patrit ,

BUT allthings are generated by N ature and by Fate,and there is not a place destitute of Providence. ButProvidence is the self-sumcient Reason of The God abovein heaven. But two are the spontaneous (a) Powers ofthis

,N ecessity and Fate . But the Fate subserves (b) to

Providence and N ecessity, but to the Fate subserve theS tars . For neither can any one fly from Fate , nor guardhimself from the force (0) of these ; for the constellationsare the arm our of Fate ; for according to this allthingsare consummate (d ) in the N ature and with the Men.

” 1

O r Hsauss raou r es THIN GS TO Tar .

(Stobams, Physica, 2 49, 2 50 ; Meineke, i. 64 ; Pan-it

,

So also to discover about the WM for neitherare they by themselves nor are they united (f) , andagain they are united and are of themselves. For if thousupposest the present (9) to be apart from the past

, it is

impossible to be present if it do not also becom e past ; forout of that departing becom es the present, and from thepresent com es the future . But if one must examinefurther, we willreason thus; that the past time departsthat it should nolonger be, but the future does not exist (h)in that it is not yet present, but that neither is the present(a) M M “. (6) 61 :1m (0) d elvér m'

og.

(a) g al iam xig. (f ) avvéw n m .

(g) m in d-ran t. (h) é r é pxuv.

S ee Poemand res, i. 9, and iii. 3 , and notes there. Plato’s explanation of the operation of the Fates

, Lachesis, Clotho, and A tropos,willbe found in his Politics.

1 10 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

together with us in the abiding (a) . For Time which hathnot stopped (b) , having course , not even a point how

is it said to be present,which is not able even to stop ?

A nd again the past conjoining with the present and thepresent with the future becom es one for they are notapart from themselves in the identity and the unity (d ) andthe continuity. Thus the Time being one and the sam e,becom es both continuousand d isjoined .

l

(a) w p wapsinu is r ; pain". (6) W e.

(0)Mi» obbi zir rpou.

1 Plato wrote thus (Timaaus, When the Father having generated it had mad e that m oving and living, The created Glory of th e

eternalGod s, He was d elighted and d etermined to conform Hiswor kto the pattern (x xpabiryp az) stillm ore, and as thiswas eternalHe

sought to complete the Universe eternalasfar asmight be. N ow

the natur e of the Intelligible Being is everlasting ; but to attacheternity altogether to the generate (mun g?) was impossible ; wherefore He resolved to have a certain m oveable im age of ete rnity

, and

fitting it to heaven, eternity remaining in One, He makesalong withit an everlasting likeness proceed ing accor d ing to number

,which

being we have nam ed it Ti me. For d ays and nights and mon thsand years not being before heaven was generawd , then along withthat existing, He contrives the generation of these. These allar e

parts of Tim e, and the ‘was’and

‘shallbe ’

generated forms of

Tim e, referring which to the EternalEssence, we are latently erroneous; for we say how it was,

’ is,

’and shallbe,’ but to This that

‘It is’alone apper tains, accor d ing to the true expression, but the

was,

’and the ‘shallbe,’ should properly be afi rm ed of the genera

tion proceed ing in Time ; it 18 motion. But asto That alwaysabiding at the sam e imm oveably

,it belongs neither to become old er nor

younger through tim e, nor ever to be generated , or now have beengenerated ; nor again shallbe

,nor is it at allconnected with such

generation as isof things carried on in S ense. Moreover , when wesay that what has becom e has become, and what is becoming is becoming, and that whatwillbecom e willbecom e, and that what isnotisnot, of none of these d owe speak accurately.

” The read er willberemind ed of (Exod . iii. “ A nd God said untoMoses, I am that I

am”

3 7 6 zip :'

O by,

”

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1 1 2 HERME S TRISMEGIS TUS .

Tat—What then can any one doing, 0 Father ! if thereisnothing truthfulhere, pass through the life rightly (a) .A sclepius

— Be pious, 0 Child ! The pious man willphilosophize pre -eminently (b) ; for apart from philosophyit is impossible to be pro-eminently pious; but be havinglearnt what they are , and how they have been arranged,and by whom ,

and on account of whom , willrender thanksfor allthings to the Creator as to a good father, and usefulnurse and faithfulguardian ; and he profl

'

ering thankswillbe pious; but the piousm an willknow both where isTheTruth and what that is; and having learnt he willbe stillm ore pious. But by no m eans, 0 Child ! can S oulbeingin body, having elevated itself to the comprehension (c)of that being good and true, fallaway (d ) to the opposite ;for S oulhaving learnt the Forefather of itself exercisesvehem ent (a) love, and oblivion of allthe evilthings, andcannot any m ore apostatize from The Good. This

,0

Child ! let this be end of Piety, attaining to which thouwilt both live rightly, and shalt d ie happily, th e S oulofthine not being ignorant whither it behoves that sheshould soar up. For this is the only way, 0 Child ! thatto Truth, which also 1 our forefathersjourneyed ,

and havingjourneyed attained The Good. Thisway is venerable andsm ooth

,but difficult for S oulto journey being in body.

For first it behoveth her to war with herself,and to make

a great division, and to be prevailed over (f) by the oneportion . For the resistance (9) becomes of one againsttwo ; of the one flying, of the othersdragging downwards,and there com es to pass much strife and fighting of thesewith each other ; of the one desiring to fly, of the othershastening to retain . But the victory of both is not alike ;for the one hastens to the Good, the others dwellwith theevils; and the one desires to be freed ; but the otherslove(a) m ag. (b) cup“ . (c) xm é lfld /u. (d ) 67 am .

(c) ben ds. (f ) xMonm nfi vm . (g) 6 usin g.

1 “ S tand ye in the ways, an d see, and askfor the old paths, whereis the good way, and walk therein, and ye shallfind rest for yoursouls” (Jer . vi.

EXCERPTS BY S TOBE US . 113

the servitude ,1 and should indeed the two portions beconquered, they remain deser ted of themselves (a) and oftheir ruler ; but if the one be vanquished it is led and

carried off by the two, being punished by the m ode ofliving here (b) . This, 0 Child ! is the guide of the waythither ; for it behoveth thee , 0 Child ! first to anointthe body before the end, and to conquer in the life ofstriving (c) , and having conquered thus, to return .

2 Butnow, 0 Child ! Iwillgo through under heads, the Entities ;for thou wilt understand the things spoken having rem em

bered those which thou hast heard. Allthe Entities aremoved, that not being only is immoveable. Every bodychangeable , not every body dissoluble. Some of the bodiesare d issoluble. N ot every animalm ortal, not every animalimm ortal. The dissoluble is corruptible, that abiding immutable, the imm utable eternal. That ever generate everalso is corrupted ; but that once for allgenerate is nevercorrupted, nor becom es anything else. First The God

,

second the World, third the Man ; The World because ofthe Man, but the Man because of The God. Gilt-hi Soul,

(a) Thispassage iscorrupt. (b) 7 5;was. brat/Ty.

(a) M ime» (d ) 7 6“0 0177 03 .

1 The latter por tion of the seven th chapter of the Epistle to theR omansismuch in point, end ing ver . 2 3 : But I see a d ifferent lawin my m em bers, warring against the law of my m ind , and

me into captivity und er the law of sin which is in my m em bers,” &c.

3 In the t d on S ocratesand S immiesagree that the philosopher must d isengage his soulentirely from the communion withthe bod y , d ifferently

.

from the many, who think pleasure only worthliving for ; the genuine philosopher must stand apar t from allthese.

(66) Whence com e wars and fightings, but from the bod y and its

lusts? Wars are necessitate d by love of m oney for the sake of theservice of the bod y ; m oney must be acquired for the bod y to theneglect of philosophy. (67 ) The purification of the soul

,is it not

this : the separating the soulasmuch as can be from the bod y, and toplace itself altogether by itself, apart from the connection and con

junction of the bod y, and to d wellas far aspossible at present andin future alone by itself, loosed as it were from the chainsof thebod y ?

114 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

Every Essence immortal, every Essence mutable. Elva-yEntity double ; N one of the Entities isstable (a) . N ot all

things are m oved by S oul, but S oulmoves every Entity.

Everything passive (b) has sense, everything sensible issubject to passion Everything grieved and is pleasedamortalanimal; not everything pleased isgrieved [but ia](d )an ete rnalannual. N ot every body issubject to d iseaseevery body subject to disease is dissoluble. The Mind inThe God ; the reasoning (j ) in the Man ; the reasoningin the Mind

,the Mind impassible. N othing in body

true, in incorporeal the whole without falsity. Everything generate mutable , not everything generate corruptible. N othing good upon the earth , nothing evilin the Heaven. The God good, the Man evil. The

Good voluntary, the evilinvoluntary. The Gods choowthingn as good The good rn1e (g) of what is gr eatisgood rule ; the good rule the law. Time divine

,human

Everything in Heaven unchangeable , everything uponearth changeable. N othing in Heaven servile, nothinguponearth free. N othing unknowable in Heaven, nothingknown (it) upon the earth Things upon earth are not incommon with those in Heaven. Allthings in Heavenblameless, allthings upon earth subjects of blame. The

immortalis not m ortal, the m ortalnot immortal. Thatsown is not always generated, but that generated alwaysalso

.

sown. Two are the tim es of dissoluble body,that

from the sowing up to the birth, and that from the birthup to the death. Of the eternalBod y time is from the

niabad. The dissoluble matter is changed about to theOpposites, corruption and generation but the Eternaleitherinto itself or into the like. Gengratioa —Man is b egh

_ofManatgeneration. That

(0) 7 6M p 5” : wé axu.

(d ) The construction d oubtful. (6) m t.

(f ) h og/NM . (g) : iwop m . The text ishere d eficient.06 norm al

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116 HERMES TR ISMEGIS TUS .

ought to guard oneself against the many understandingnot the virtue of the things spoken .

Tat—How mayest thou speak, 0 Father !A sclepius

— Thus, 0 Child ! every the animalof the

m en is rather propense (a) to the evil, and becom es (b)nurtured along with this; wherefore also he is pleasedwith it. But this the animal, if he have learnt that theWorld is generated and allthings are generate accordingto Providence and by N ecessity, Fate ruling over all

things, willnot be by much worse than himself,1 havingdespised indeed the Universe as generated , and referringthe causes of the evilto the Fate , he willnever abstainfrom every evilwork. Wherefore one should be on guardas to them ,

in order that they being in ignorance may beless evil, though fear of the obscure

Or HERMES FROM THE THIN GS TO AMMON .

’

(S tobmus, fluid . i. 7 2 0 ; Mand a, i. 196 ; Patria,

THE S oulthen is incorporealEssence, and though beingin body, doesnot depart from its proper essentiality. For

it happens being ever m oveable according to Essence, andaccording to Intelligence self-m oveable (d ) ; not m oved insom ething nor towards som ething, nor because of som e

thing ; for it isprior (6) in the Power ; but the prior hasno need of the latter ones. That in som ething then istheplace, and tim e, and nature ; that towards som ething isharm ony, and form

, and figure (f), but that because of

which, the Body ; for because of Body both lime , and

Place, and N ature ; but these have communion with each(a) im ppcwia‘ripor . (b) aép w y fyn r m . (a) fi n al}.

(d ) a é r om'

vm g. (a) wpm pd’

. (f ) i430 ; not)1 Willonly follow hisown evilnature.

1 This is Ammon,the contemporary of our Herm es

,not Am

monius S ecess.

EXCERPTS FROM S TOBE US . 117

o ther according to cognate familiarity (a). S ince then theb ody required place (for it were impracticable that Bodybe subsistent without place) and is changed by nature ;it is impossible that there be change without time and them otion according to nature, nor that there be such a sub

sistence of body without Harmony. Because then of Bodyis the place ; for receiving the changes of the body, it doesnot suffer the thing changed to be destroyed. But changedfrom other it falls apart to other, and is deprived of thecondition (6) indeed, but not of the being Body ; but beingchanged to other it has the condition of the other ; for thebody that was body continues Body, but the quality ofd ispod tion (0) does not continue the Body then accordingto disposition is changed. Incorporealthen the place

,the

tim e, and the naturalm otion. But each of these possesses its peculiar property ; but property of the Place isreceptivity (d ) , of Tim e intervaland number

,of N ature

motion, of Harmony friendship, of Body change ; but property of S oulthe Intelligence according to Essence.

O r H ERMES FR OM THE THIN G S TO TA T.

(S tobwus, Physica, 7 2 6 ; Meineke, i.

Tat.— R ig htly hast thou explained these things, 0Father ! but further teach m e these. For thou saidestsom ewhere that the S cience and the A rt are the energy ofthe rational but now thou sayest the irrationalanimalsare and are called irrationalthrough deprivation ofthe rational; it is plain there isnecessity according to thisthe account

,that the irrationalanimalsdo not partake of

science (f), neither of art, through the being deprived ofthe rational.

(a) cow evm d v clutch-irr a . (b) 35m g. (6) word mam .

( d ) wupaloxsi. (6) «ref: (f ) in c-rip “ .

118 HERMES TRISME G’IS TUS .

A sclcpm .—For there is necessity, 0 Child !

Tat—How then do we see, 0 Father ! some of theirrationalusing science and art ; such as the ants treasuring up the food for the winter, and the aerialanim als

also putting together nestsfor themselves, and the quadruped s cognizant of their own folds?A sclep im .

—These things t hey do, 0 Child ! neithe r byscience nor by art

,but by N ature. For the science and

the art are things teachable (a) , but of these irrationalsnone is taught anything. For things generate by natureare generate by a comm on (19) energy, but those by scienceand art belong to knowing ones, not to all; but what isgenerate in allis energized by N ature. Thus the Men

look upwards, but not allm en are m usical, nor allarchers,nor hunters

,nor allthe rest ; but som e of them have learnt

something, science and art energizing. In the sam e way, .

if some of the ants had done this but som e not, fairlythou hadst said, they do this very thing by science, andby art collect the food ; but if allare led alike by theN ature to this even unwilling ,

it is plain that they do thisneither by science nor by art. For Energies, O Tat ! themselvesbeing incorporeal, are in bodiesand energize throughthe bodies. Wherefore, O Tat in that they are (c) incorporeal(and thou sayest them to be imm ortal) , and in thatthey cannot energize apart from bodies, I say that theyare always in Body. For things generate for som ething or

because of som ething, having fallen under (d ) Providenceor N ecessity, it is impossible ever to remain inert of theproper energy. For the Entity alwayswillbe for this isof it both body and life. To this reason follows therebeing also always the bodies. Wherefore also I say the

very embodim ent (s) to be eternalenergy. For if bodiesupon earth are dissoluble, but bodies there must be, andthese places and organsof the Energies, and the Energiesare immortal(but the imm ortalever is) ; Energy, and themaking of bodiestherefore (f) ever is. But they follow upon(a) d rd m mfa (b) xa domxfi. (c) aar do

'

fl .

(d ) m ue'

ra. (f) rim .

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1 2 0 HERMES TR ISMEGIS TUS .

also must there be generate many things; but rather allthings. For never ever fails(a) the World of som e one ofthe Entities, but always borne onward it brings forth (b)in itself the Entitiesnever ever abandoned, by the cor ruption of it(c) . L et every energy than be thought of as alwaysbeing immortal, which may be in any body whatsover .

But of the Energies some are of the divine Bodies, butsom e of the corruptible, and som e indeed are general, butsome special(d ) , and some indeed of the kind s, and som e

of the parts of each one. Divine indeed then are thoseenergizing in the eternalBodies , and these are also perfectas in perfect bodies: but partialthose, in one of each kind>of the animals, but specialsom ewhat those in each of theEntities. This the discourse then, 0 Child ! concludes,that allthingsare fullof Energies. For if it be necessitythat the energies be in bodies, but many bodies in World ,m ore I say are the Energies than the Bodies . For in one

body often isone,and second, and third, apart from those

generalfollowing thereon (a) . For I callgeneralEnergiwthose really corporeal, generate through the senses and them otions; for apart from these the energies, it isnot possible that the body subsist. But there are other specialEnergies m the souls of men, through A rts, S ciences, andstudies and energizings. For the S enses follow alongwith the Energies, or rather the sensesare efi

'

ects(f) of theenergies. Understand then , 0 Child 1 the d ifference ofEnergy and S ense ; for Energy issent from above ; but theS ense being in the body, and from this having the Essence,having received the Energy makes it manifest, just as ifhaving made it corporeal(g) . Wherefore I say the S ensesare both corporealand mortal, subsisting so long as thebody: For also the senses are generated with the body,and d ie with it; but the imm or talBodiesthemselvesind wdhave not immortalsense, as if consisting of such sort of

(a) xnpwic. (b) zm'

azu.

(c) aim ewotmif um aim )? m (N e/ti c. The passage iscorrupt.(4) fi n al. (a) 7 51; wapen y im v salami ".

(f) d m léap u‘m . (g) m p m m écm

EXCERPTS FROM S TOBE US . 1 2 1

e ssence ; for the sense iswholly of nought else than of thee vilor of the good accruing to (a) the body, or of thatagain quitting it ; but in the eternalBod ies there isneither accruer nor departure ; wherefore sense in these

Tat— In every body then issense sensational(b) ?every, 0 Child ! and energies energize

in

Tat—Also in the soulless, 0 Father ?A sclepius

— Also in the soulless, 0 Child ! But thereare d ifi

'

erences of the senses; for those of the rationalaregeneratewith R eason,

but those of the ir rationalare corporealonly, and those of the soulless are senses indeed, but generated passive according to increase only and accord ing tod im inution But the passion and S ense are dependent fromone head but are brought together (d ) into the sam e,and by the energies. But of the animalswith souls therea re two other energies, which follow upon the senses and

t he passions : Grief and Joy ; and apart from these it isimpossible for an animalwith soul, and especially a rational,

Wherefore also I say that these are ideas ofideas ruling rather over the rationalanimals.then indeed energize, but the S ensesmake

m anifest the energies. But these being corporealare

moved by the irrationalparts of the S oul, wherefore alsoI say that both are evilimbued (a) for both the rejoicing,

~occasioning the sensation with pleasure, forthwith happensto be cause of many evils to him having experienced it (f) ,

and pains ; whereevilimbued.

sense of body and of soulbe the same,

und erstand est thou, 0 Youth ! S ense

not indeed S oulincorporeal? but the sense mayFather ! the sense which happens being in body.

(6) copy“ : 5m m

1 2 2 HERMES TRISMEG’IS TUS .

A sclep ius—If we place it in body, 0 Child ! we de»clare it like the soulor the energies. Eor these beingincorporealwe say are in bodies. But the S ense isneitherenergy nor Soulnor anything other of body beside theaforesaid ; it would not then be incorporeal; but if itis not incorporeal

,it would be body ; for of the Entities

must som e be bodies, but som e incorporeal.

XIII .

O r HERMES FROM m oss ro AMMON .

(S tobwus, Physica, 741 ; Meineke, i. 2 03 ; Paw ,p.

THAT m oved then is m oved accord ing to the energy of

the m otion, that m oving the Universe.

‘or the N ature ofthe Universe affords m otion to the Universe, one indeedthat according to its power, but other that according toenergy. A nd this indeed perm eates(a) through the entireWorld

, and holdsit together within, but that pertains to(b)and encompasses it without, and they proceed (0) throughallthings in comm on. A nd the N ature of allthings prod ucing thingsgenerate affordsproduce (60 to those produced,sowing indeed the seeds of itself and having generationsthrough m oveable m atter. But the Matter being m ovedis warm ed, and becom esfire and water, the one potent andstrong, but the other passive . But the fire opposing thewater, dried up som ewhat of the water (e) , and the earthwas generated sustained (f ) upon the water.1 But beingdried up around vapour (g ) was generated from the three ,"the water, the earth, and the fire , and air was generated.These things cam e together (It) according to the reasonof the Harmony, hot with cold, dry with m oist, and fromthe concurrence (t) wasgenerated Spirit and seed, analogous(a) d ais“. (b) armpits“. (c) fitmen éxaw.

(d ) M y. (6) iiépan f or”

: 53m g. (f ) dynamism(h) w vikfi . (f) aup wvofug.

”S ee GenJ r fi

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J 2 4 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

without, as being imm ortal. For it behoved that theBodies generated by Him to have such sort also theN ature. But He our Creator being in body hath made usand makes, and ever willmake bodies dissoluble and

m ortal. For it was not lawfulfor Him to imitate theCreator of Him self, besides it also being impossible. ForHe indeed made out of the first Essence being incorporeal; but He out of that embodim ent (a) made us.Justly then according to the right reason,

these the bodiesindeed, as having been generated from an incorporealEssence, are imm ortal; but oursare dissoluble and m ortal(the materialof us being composed out of bod ies) , because of being weak and requiring m uch succour. For

how ever even haply had the connection of our bod ieskept up

,if it had not som e nourishm ent superinduced

thereon from the like elem ents,and refreshing us (b) each

d ay by d ay ? For both of earth and of water and of funand of air there is an influx generated upon us, whichrenovating our bodieskeeps together the tabernacle. So

also for the m otionswe are rather weak, bearing motionsnot even one d ay. For be wellassured, 0 Child ! thatunless in the nights the bodies of us reposed, we shouldnot bear up for one d ay. Whence the Creator being goodhaving foreprovided (c) allthings made the Sleep for thepreservation of the A nimal, the greatest soother of thefatigue of the m otion, and ordained an equality to eachtim e

,or rather a longer for the repose. But understand,

0 Child ! the very great energy of the sleep, opposite tothat of the S oul, but not less than that. For as the S oulisenergy of m otion, the same way the bodies also cannotlive apart from the sleep ; for it is relaxation and liberation of the compacmd m embers, and it energizes within,

m aking into body the superinduced (d ) matter , d istributingto each that congenial(e) to it ; the water ind eed to the

blood, but the earth to the bonesand marrows, the air to.the nerves and veins

,but the fire to t he vision. Where

(a) y tlm p fm ; confi rm s. (b) tim ers/4 467 00 . (o) r poum ar a'

p rm .

(d ) (6) r d olef in .

EXCERPTS BY S TOE /E US . 1 2 5

fore also the body issupremely delighted with the sleep,energizing this the pleasure.

OFHERMES (S tobwus, Physica, 750 Meineke 1 2 06 ;

Patr it ,

THERE is then that pre-existent (a) beside allthe Eutities and those really Entities(b) . For there is that preexistent through which is the Essentiality (c), that pred icated of the entire Whole (d ) : common with the intelligibles of things really Entities and of the Entities as

considered by themselves But the contraries to these,in another way again, themselvesare by themselves. ButN ature is sensible Essence, having in itself allsensiblethings. But in the m idst of these are intellectual(f) andsensible Gods. The thingsintellectualare those having partwith the intelligible (g) [Gods], but things of opinion (h)those having communion with the sensible Gods. Butthese are (73) imagesof intelligences; like as Sun isimageof The Creator God in Heaven. For as He created theWhole (k) , so the Sun createsthe animals and generatesplantsand presides over the winds.

1

The next extract in S tobaeus (754) is entitled Herm es.

from the A phrod ite (Meineke, i. but the very titleand the contentsprove that he wasnot the author of it.

(a) r d and iv. (6) aw ay. (C) or’

mw’

rng.

(d ) i) za d a'

lov. (e) xufl’

3050 7 02 uoovy e’

m v. (f) vonyurm oi.

(g) yam-Em. (h) 7 02 50 2 4 07 03. (1) eixo'

veg vomua'

rm va

(k) 7 0‘b'

M r .

1 ThisExcerpt isobscure and probably imperfect. It is not m en

tioned in the ed itions of S tobzeus from what work of Herm esit is

extracted .

1 2 6 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

OF HERMES (S tobwus, Physica, 800 ;1 Meineke, i. 2 2 7

Patrit , 41 and 40s) .

S OUL then is an eternal intelligent Essence havingunderstanding after its own m ode.

Ibid .

—The S oulthen is incorporealEssence ; for if ithas body it willbe no longer conse rvative of itself. Forevery body hasneed of the To Be (a) and has need also oflife, that situate in order. For universally upon thathaving generation change also must follow. For thegenerate is generate in magnitude, for generate has increase ; but universally upon that increased follows afterd iminution ; upon diminution corruption. Having re

ceived the form of life it livesand has community of theTo Be with the Soul. But the cause of the To Be toanother itself first isBeing (b) . But the To Be now I callgeneration in R eason (0) and partaking of intelligent life (d )but the S oulaffords intelligen t life . But it is namedA nimalindeed because of the life, but rationalbecause of

the intelligent, m ortalbecause of the body. S oultherefore is incorporeal, having the power without degeneration.For how is it fitting (6) to speak of the intelligent animal,there not being Essence of that also afford ing life ?N either is it fitting to say Rational, there not being thethoughtful(f) Essence , that affording also intelligent life.But in allthe intelligence does not follow on (9) becauseof the constitution of the body as regard s(It) the Harmony.For if in the constitution the warm is superabundant itbecom es light and ardent, but if the cold, it becom es heavyand slow ; for nature adapts (t) the constitution of the

(a) bd r m 7 0 5 Ju n. (b) m'

n'

n sprin g tan . ( 0) 115is 3 67 9 .

(d ) ( 0 5: r eaping. (a) a“: «rs. (f) brun wmig.(g) d ¢mn ir au.

1 In this and the three following Excerpts, S tobmus d oesnot statefrom what worksofHerm es they are extracte d .

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1 2 8 HERMES TRISME 0 18 T0 8 .

is the thinking (a) Essence, being itself according to thesam e in itsown comprehending (b) Reason,

having powe rover its own R eason. But the Essence leads and governsas ruler ; but the R eason of it as the comprehending counsellor . The Reason then of the Essence is knowledge ofthe ratiocinations, those affording a resemblance of rationality to the irrational obscure indeed as regards rationality ,

but rationality as regards the irrational, just as Echo is toS ound

,and the shine of the Moon to the Sun. V ehem ence

and Desire are arranged after a certain ratio (a) and attractone another, and establish in themselves reciprocalm entalaction (d ) .

XV III.

OF THE S AME (S tobacus, Physica, 806 ; Meineke, i. 2 2 9 ;

this is talcen) .

EVERY S oulis imm ortaland ever m oveable. For wehave said in the generalities(a) that m otions, some indeedare from the Energiesand som e from the Bodies. We saidtoo that the S oulwas generated from a certain R escues,not of matter, being a thing incorporeal, and being itself ofa thing incorporeal. For every generate thing of necessitym ust be generated from som ewhat. Upon the generationof as many then as corruption follows, upon these of

necessity two motions follow : that of the S oulby whichit ism oved and that. of the Body by which it is increased ,decays and m oreover also being decomposed is dacomposed (f ) . This I define is the m otion of corruptiblebodies. But the Soulis ever m oveable, because it alwaysitself ism oved and energizes motion in others. A ccordingto this reason then, every S oulis imm or taland ever move:

(b) m pwomm é ,

(d ) m ala d y M yer” .

(f ) d rai n/“n o; d vafltén m .

EXCERPTS BY S TOB/E US . 1 2 9

able, having m otion, the energy of self. Ideas of Soulsare Divine

,human,

irrational. The Divine then ind eed isof the Divine body in which is the Energy of S elf, forindeed it is m oved in S elf, and m oves itself, for when ithath departed from m ortalanimals, having been separatedfrom the irrationalparts of itself

, going forth into theDivine body as ever m oveable, in itself it is moved, carried round along with (a) the Universe. But the humanhas indeed also som ewhat of the Divine, but with it arealso conjoined (b) the irrationals, both the Desire and theV ehem ence (c) and these indeed are imm ortal, because theyalso happen to be Energies, but the Energies of m ortal

S oulbeing in the Divine body, they happen to be afar off ;but when this has entered into a mortalbo'dy

,these also

walk in (d ) , and by the pr esence of them isgenerated everHum an S oul. But that of the irrationals is constitutedofV ehem ence also Desire . Wherefore also these the animalswere called irrational

,through deprivation of the R eason

of the S oul. But Fourth (Idea) understand that of theinanimate

, which being without the bodies, energizesm oving them . But thiswould be m oved in the DivineBody, and as it were in (a) passing m oving them .

OF m e SAME (m e. as ,809 ; Meineke, i.

S OUL is then eternalintelligent Essence , having as intellect (f itsown R eason. But thinking with it itacquires(g)thought of the Harm ony. But separated from the physicalbody it abides self according to self ; it being of itself inthe intelligibleWorld (It) . But it rulesover itsown R eason

(0 ) w p fl pwepepcim . (b) antiw ar. (c) 5 it ch y /at M d 6 flap s}.

(d ) in an e . (s) a nd x aipebov. (f ) ad apt er.

(9) v d bi im ar a’

ir at. some? r eaper-n.

130 HERMES TR ISMEGIS TUS .

gence (a) to him that com es into life. For this is properto S oul, the afi‘ord ing to otherslike to its own property.

that according to Essence, but the . other that according tonature of Body. A nd the one indeed m ore general, theother more partial. But that according to Essence isselfdeterm inate (b) , but the other of N ecessity ; for eve rythingmoved is subord inamd to the N ecessity of the m over.But the moving m otion isassociated (c) with thelove of theintelligent Essence. For the S oulwould be incorpor ealEssence

,nonpartaker of the physicalbody ; for if ithasbody

it hasneither Ramon nor Und erstanding. For every bodyisunintelligent (d ) but having receivedofEssence,itcam e (e)to be a breathing animal—a nd the S pirit [or breath] (f) indeed is of the body

,but the Reason iscontemplative of the

beauty of the Essence. But the sentient Spirit isjud icial(g)of the things appearing. It hath been divided into theorganic senses, and som e por tion of it is spiritualvision,and Spirit hearing and sm elling and tasting and touching.

This the Spirit educated (h) by thought judges the S en»

sible ; but if not it fancies only, for it is of Body M dreceptive of allthings. But the R eason of the Essence isthe being wise But there coe xists with the Beaconthe Knowledge of things honourable, but with the Spiritthe Opinion (It) . For this indeed has the energy from the

circumambient World,the other from Itself.

[S tobamaPhysica, 9 2 8, makesalong Extract purportingto be from Hermes Trismegistus,” from the S acred Bookthat called Virgin of World .

”

(Paint ,p. 2 76 ; Meineke, i.

but it is alien from the genuine writings of ourHermes, being a dialogue between Isis and Horns

, and

(a) r ed raw n. (11) « 01 350 150 405. (6) cla im s

(d ) d ram a. (6) 30 75s. (f ) w h en.

(k) ab ay d puov. (t) 7 6 ¢pom§m (It) {9Men.

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13 2 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

does not touch this man,

1 but having taken for aid (at) thefirst from the First God , it passes beyond thoughtful

ordained for those generate . With these S oulhaving hadcommunion has communion with the Fates of these, beingnot partaker of the nature of the fated.

[IT is questionable whether the following Excerpt, orany and what part of it, hasHerm es for its author. The

larger portion of it is not in Patricius nor in the earliereditions of S tobmus. There isno allusion to the “Decans

”

or “ Tame in his other works, and it has the air of asupplem ent composed by some subsequent writer, possflflyan Alexandrian Jew. Although the words of Herm es are

cited, and some passages of Poemand res referred to , yetthe style is d ifi'erent, and there are therein many wordsnot found in hisgenuine writings, aswellas variant d icta,such as that the S tars generate d em onsto be their servants.The astronomicalportion is very curious, and is not iaconsistent with the theory propounded by Herm es. The

account of the celestialDem ons or A ngels seems to be a

notions on the subject. The last part of the dialogue ism ore like the theology of Hermes

,except that the author

speaks of the potency of the N am e of God,whereas he had

frequently maintained that God had no nam e].(a) r upud d on. (b) Bramm miv Ao

'

y ev « wh en1 S ee Lactantius (Divin. Instit , lib. 11. ch . 16

, post), where this

Plato in Menon Opinions, although true, last but a shorttim e, and are worth little ; but when one find s them through reason

ing to be causes,they becom e sciences and are permanent.

”In

Politicus The true opinion about thingsbeautifuland justand good and the contrary to these

,with finnness, when it isgene

rated ih S ouls, is the generatingDivine N ature in aGod e (mama)race.

”

EXCERPTS BY S TORE US . 133

O r Ham s m on ra m TO Tar .

(S tobwus, Physica,469 ; Meineke, i.

A sclep ius— S ince in the former generaldiscourse thoup romisedst to inform m e concerning the thir ty-six Decans,now inform me concerning them and the energy of these .Hermes—There isno grudging, O Tat ! and this shouldbe the most principaland m ost elevated discourse of all;but do you understand accordingly. We spake to theeconcerning the ZodiacalCircle, and of that also bearer ofanimals(a) , and of the five planets and Sun and Moon

,

and of the circle of each of theseA sclepius,—For Thou spaked st thus, 0 TM egistus!Herm es—Thus I wish thee having remembered those,to understand also concerning the thirty-six Decans, thatthe discourse also concerning these may be wellknownto thee.

A sclepius—I rem ember, O Father !Hermes.

—We affirm ed somewhere, 0 Child 1 Body to becomprehensive (b) of allthese things; apprehend thenalso m entally of it, asa circularly form ed figure ; for thusalso exists the Universe.

A sclepius—Such sort of figure I understand thusas thousayest, 0 Father !Hermes—Under the circle then of this the Body havebeen ordered the thirty-six Decans middle between thecircle of the Universe and of the Zodiac, setting boundsbetween (a) both the circles, and as it were easing (d ) that

(a) {W pom (b) fl ptn r m év. (c) d ropfgon ug. (d ) uou¢1§on ¢ g

N o such promise is to be found in any of the genuine worksofHerm eswhich have as yet com e to light, but the following isfoundin the Asclepius,

”ch . viii. : The Ousiarque ofHeaven or of allthat

is com prised .und er that nam e isZens,for it isby Heaven that Zeus

giveslife to allthings. The Ousiarque of the Sun is the light, forit isfrom the d isk of the Sun that we re ceive the benefit of the light.The thir ty-six Horoscopesof the fixed constellations have for Ousiarque or Prince him whom they nam e Pantomorphosor Omniform ,

because he gives d iversforms to d iversspecies.”

134 HERME S TR ISMEGIS TUS .

the Zodiac and defining it, carried along with the planetsboth to equalize its power with the progression (a) of theUniverse in contrariwise to the S even ; and to holdback (6) the comprehending body ; for it 1 would havebeen last in the course , it by itself in the effect Butto accelerate the S even other circles because of their beingm oved with a slower m otion than the circle of the

Universe.” For necessity is there that they should bemoved as that of the Universe.L et us understand then of them that they are stationed

around (d ) the Seven and the circle of the Universe, orrather of allthings that are in the World, as if it wer eguardians ; keeping together allthings, and maintainingthe good order of allof them .

A sclep ius—For so I understand, 0 Father ! from whatthou sayest.Hermes—But understand further

, O Tat ! that they arealso unaffected (e) by those things which the other starssufi

'

er . For neither kept back in their cour se do they stop,nor hindered do they retreat, nor are they enveloped withthe light of the Sun which the other stars experience, butbeing free up above allthings as watchfulguardians and

overseers of the Universe they encompass the Universe inthe d ay and night.A sclepius—Whether then also do these, 0 Father !possess energy as to us ?Henna —The very greatest, 0 Child ! For if they ener

gize upon those, how not also upon us, both as to each oneand in common. Thus

, 0 Child ! of allthe thingshappening universally (f) , in the energy is fr om these ;such as (understand what I say) revolutions of kingdoms,(a) lsobw ap uiv r fi h ip “ . (c) in ai rman.(d ) m prfw m dm . (a) d r ah ig. (f ) M oln ar.

11a , The ZOd iaa2 S ee as to thisPoemand res, ch . A sexplained there and else

where, Plato aswellasHermesbelieved the K écp o; to be in the Formof a Sphere, and that the outer Periphery controlled the motionsofthe planetary circles.

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13 6 HERMES TR ISMEGIS TUS .

the same place and turned about itself but energizing therevolution of the Zodiacalcircle (at) , d elivering over thistheUniverse from the night indeed to d ay, and from the d ayto night. But after this there isanother Chorus of S tarswhich we have not thought worthy of appellations, butthose hereafter having im itated us, willthemselves too

apply to these appellations. But below theMoon are otherstars perishable, while subsisting for little time

, exhaledfrom the earth itself, into the air above earth ; which alsowe see dissolved, having the nature like to the useless of theanimalsupon earth, and are generate for nothing else thanthat only they perish ; such as the race of the flies

,the

fleas, the worms, and the others thelike. For verily these,0 Tat ! are neither usefulto us nor to the world : on the

of the N ature,and having the generation by way of the

superfluous (c) the sam e way also the stars exhaled fromthe Earth do not indeed assume the place above, for theyare unable as issuing from beneath. But having the

weight great, drawn downwards by their own m atter, theyare quickly d issipawd , and being dissolved fallagain toearth, having energized nothing except only having d isturbed the air above Earth. But there isanother kind

,0

Tat ! that of those called comets, appearing occasionally (d ) ,and again after a short time becoming invisible, neitherrising nor setting nor being d issolved ; which becom e conspicuous m essengersand heralds of universalevents aboutto be in future ; but these have their place beneath thecircle of the Sun. When then anything isabout to happenin the world

,these appear ; but having appeared a few

days again having gone under the circle of the Sun,they

remain invisible,having appeared in the West

,others in

the N orth, others again in the East (a), and othersin theS outh But we denominated them Prophets. This is thenature of S tars. But (j ) S tarshave difference with Constellations(g) for S tars are those suspended aloft in the(a) { pWim (b) r apu ozouhip wm . (6) m ai r o

‘

M .

(d ) rut-rat xm po'

v. (c) 7 5 (f) ale-rim . (9) 4m

EXCERPTS BY S TOB/E US . 137

h eaven,but Constellations are those enclosed (a) in the

b ody of the Heaven, and carried along with the Heaven, ofwhich we have m entioned the twelve of the Zod iac. He

who is not ignorant of these things is able accurately tounderstand The God, and if one ought to speak also withboldness

,becoming eyewitnessalso to behold Him (b), and

having beheld to becom e blessed.

A sclepius—Blessed how truly, 0 Father ! be havingbeheld Him !

Hermes— But it is impossible, 0 Child ! that one inbody should have this happiness. But it behoves eachfirst to exercise the S oulof hishere, in order that becom ingthere where it is permitted to behold, it may not havemistaken the way. But so many m en as are body lovers,these can never ever behold the V ision of The Beautifuland Good. For what sort of beauty, 0 Child ! is thatwhich has neither figur e nor colour nor body ?A sclepius— Could there be anything, 0 Father, apart

from these beautiful?Harm s—The God alone, 0 Child ! but rather thatbeing som ething greater, The N am e of The God.

(a) iyumen c. (b) aiw o'

wr nv d ea'

waad au.

END or PART II.

HE RME S TRISMEGIS TUS .

PA R T III.

N OTICES OF HERMES IN THE FA THER S .

JUSTIN MARTYR (born circa an. 100 ; martyr . an. 165)Hapatvsr h b; apt;

°

El7tnm g,”

Parmnetica ad O rmeceOpera Edit. Colon. 1636, p. 37, ad fifls.

BUT if any one should think it worth (a) while to havelearnt from the m ost ancient philosophers named am ongthem , as to the discourse concerning The God, let himhear both A cmon 1

and Herm es; A cm on indeed in his

discourses concerning Him calling Him ‘The altogetherhidden God,’ and Herm es wisely and openly saying, To

understand The God indeed is difficult,but to express [or

declare] Him impossible.’ To whom then it is possible tounderstand it isaltogether therefore becoming to know.

” 9

(a) 070m .

ThisAcmon wasprobably the Greek philosopher wholived justpreviously to the Emperor Had rian (A .D. 76 and wasmaster ofPlutarch, and taught atDelphi in the 1 2 th year of N ero’sreign (a n.

He professed Syncretism ,and end eavoured to reconcile Aristotle

with Platonism (Plutarch, De ad ulatoribus,

” Fabricius BibliothecaGrmca, v. He has been confound ed wrongfully with Amm onius Saccas, the master of Plotinus and the reputed found er of N ccplatonism , who d ied at Alexand ria a n. 2 41. A reference, however ,may he intend ed to the Egyptian Amm on.

S ee Poemand res,”ch . v., sec. 10

,and more particularly the

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140 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

curius Trismegistus, Master of allphysicalphilosophythought out.”[The A uthor of the Poemand res, however , distinctly

states several times that “r e c ow

"was created by The

O ne God] .

Ibid . , De A nima, ch. xxxiii.Even if S ouls have permanency enough to remain

unchanged untilthe judgment, a point which Herm esEgyptius recognised when he said that the S oulafter itsseparation from the body was not dissipated back into th eS oulof the Universe, but retained permanently its d istinct individuality.

‘In order that it might render,’ touse his own words, an account to The Father of thosethingswhich it hasdone in the body.

C r eams (born circa 2 00 ; m artyred an. Baluze

Edit. Paris,17 2 6. De [ d olorum Vanitate, p. 2 2 0 .

HERMES Tarsrracrsrus nnum Deum loquitur eum queincomprehensibilem atque inestimabilem confitetur.

”

“ Herm es Trism egistus speaks of One God, and confessesHim to be incomprehensible and inestimable.”

Eusssws PAMPHIL I (born circa Hist. L ib , v. ch. 8,

hasa clear quotation from the Poemand res of Herm es(whom , however, he probably confounds with the S hepher dHermas) obnew 6: M an ) d r obixer au (b Eimvafibc)m y t o?) Ilsa/L ive; ypapd vM7 9 ”, Kali-7; 30 1: (mm 17; worst) 3; 137 00 60:

l1v soivrwvm’

o’r euoov in J; ism b G ttg, 6 r d a

‘aivr a M ica: m )

z ar apr io’

ac, xai r at

N OTICES IN THE FA THER S . 141

Irenaeus not only knew but approves the writing ofthe Shepherd, saying, Wellthen spake the S cripture saying first of allthings believe that The God is One, He

having created and arranged the Universe, and the rest ’

CLEMEN S A LEXAN DRIN US (born circa (S trmnata, Lib .

i. , ch 2 1, L ib. vi. , ch. 4, p. 379. O xford Edition) . Hem entionsHermes of Thebesand Esculapius of Mem

phis, e vate Deus.

” l1nd , L ib. vi., ch. iv.,p. 737.

CLEMEN S gives a long description of the variousworksattributed to thisEgyptian Hermes, Forty-two in number.Four of A strology, others of A stronomy, G eolog , and

philosophy at great length, including Hymns to God, religious cerem onies, and sacer dotaldiscipline . A s no par

ticular reference is there made to any of the treatises inthis volum e

,it is unnecessary to go into further details

concerning those m entioned by Clemens.

m A N US L ACTAN TIUS (died A .D. Edition of LeBrun and Dufresnoy, Paris, 1747. Divine Im titutcs

,

i. ch. vi.

A FTER recounting shortly the history of the legendaryHerm es (whom he uncritically confoundswith our Author) ,he subsequently quotes our Herm es

,and proceeds thus

Hermes (or the fifth Mercury) , although he wasa man

, yet he was of great antiquity, and m ost fullyimbued with every kind oflearning, so that the knowledgeof many subjects and arts acquired for him the name ofTrism egistus . He wrote books, and those in great num

142 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

he assertsthe Majesty of The S upreme and Only God , and

m akes m ention of Him by the sam e names which we use,

God and Father.’ A nd that no one might inquire Hisnam e

,he said that He was without nam e

, and that onaccount of His very Unity He doesnot require the peculiarity of a nam e. These are his own words : 1 The God isOne, but He who is only One does not need a name ; forHe Who is S elf Existent iswithout a name.’

vIbid . i. ch. 11.

Therefore it appears that S aturn was not born fromheaven, which is impossible, but from that man whobore the name of Uranus . A nd Trism egistus asserts thetruth of this ; for when he said that very few existedin whom there was perfect learning, he m entioned bynam e among these his forefathers Uranus, Saturn, and

Mercury.

” 2

For that the world was made by Divine Providence,

not to m ention Trism egistus, who proclaim s this.

”

Ibid . and Epitome, ch 4,ad j inn

His (God’s) works are seen by the eyes, but how Hemade them is not even seen by the Mind ; because, as

tal; the tem poralto the eternal, the corruptible to theincorruptible.” A nd on this account the earthly animalisas yet incapable of perceiving heavenly things, becauseit is shut in and held as it were in custody by the body.

” 3

1 Vid a Poemand res,ch. v . 10 ; Parthey

’s Ed it , p. 47, and note

there ; ch. xi. 7 -12 , (bid . 92 . Asclepius I. It may be here observedthat when Lactantiusquotesthe geniusHermes, he alwaystranscr ibesthe or iginalGr eek.

Poemand res, ch. x. ; Parthey’sEd it” 70 .

Hermes, from Thewingsto Tat,”extracted by S teinem , Flori

legmm ,

'

ch . 80 ; Mem ek'

e, iii. 104.

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144 HERMES TR ISME GIS TUS .

tection,

’ he says, is piety ; for over a pious m an neitherevild em on nor fate has any power ; for God rescues thepious man from allevil; for the one and the only goodthug among men ispiety.

’

A nd what piety is he testifies in another place in these words: ‘For piety is the

knowledge of God ’

(are?) 7am ). Asclepius also, his d is

them,in truth

,affirms that the demons are the enemies

and harassers of m en, and on this account Trism egistuscalls them wicked angels, so far washe from being ignorant that from heavenly beings they were corrupted and

began to be earthly.

” 2

A ssuredly He isThe very Son of God Who by that wiseKing S olomon fullof Divine inspiration spoke thesethings which we have ad ded : ‘God founded m e in the

beginning of Hisways, &c. (quoting Proverbs viii. 2 2 , 3 1,from the S eptuagint) . But on this account Trism egistusspoke of Him as the A rtificer of God.

” 3

But Herm es also was of the sam e opinion when He

says that He was‘His own Father ’ and ‘His own

m other (A brw é ropa

Ibid . ch . 9.

For the Greeksspeak of Him asThe L ogos, m ore befittingly than we do, as the Word or S peech ; for L ogos.

signifiesboth S peech and R eason, inasmuch asHe isboththe V oice and the Wisdom of God. For Trism egistus

1 It isplain then that the or Definitions of,

’ A sclepius toK ing Ammon ” were written by him , not by our Herm es.

Poemand res, ch . ix. 3,4 ; Parthey, ibid . ch . 1m . 9 ; M .

104. Extracts from Herm es in S tobteus,

“ Ethics,358 ; Meineke ,

ii. p.

3 S ee Poemand res, i. 10 ; Parthey, 5 .

4 (q) Poemand res, i. 8 ; Parthey, 4.

N OTICES IN THE FA THER S . 145

who I know not how investigawd almost allTruth,often

described the Excellency and Majesty of TheWord, as theinstance before mentioned declares, in which he acknowledges that ther e is an ineffable and sacred Speech

,the

relation of which exceeds the measure of man’s ability.

" 1

Ibid ., Divin. Instit , L ib. iv. ch. 6.

But that there isa Son of The Most High God Who ispossessed of the greatest power, is shown not only by theunanimous utterances of the prophets, but also by thedeclaration of Trism egistus, and the predictions of theS ibyls. Hermes in the bookwhich is entitled The Per

fect Word made use of these words The L ord and

Creator of allthings Whom we have thought right to callGod, since He made the S econd God visible and sensible.

But I use the term sensible, not because He Himself perceivas (for the question is not whether He Himself perceives) , but because He leads (a) to perception and intel

and One only, He appeared to Him beautifuland m ost fullof allgood things, and He hallowed Him and altogetherloved Him asHis own S oul” ?

Ibid,Divin. Instit , v. ch. 65.

But Piety isnothing else but the Knowled ge of God, ’asTrismegistus most truly defined it.” 3

(a) M fi p wu.

Poem and r es, i. 3, 6-9 ; Parthey, ~3 , 5 .

This passage is found nearly verbatim in the Asclepius, ch. iv.

L actantius gives the originalGreek, which is not extant elsewhere .

But it isalso to be found in the originalGreek in Poemand res, ch. i.

6, 10, 12 ; Parthey’sEd it , 3 , 5, 6 ; whence it would seem that Ascle

pius copied from Poemand res. S ee also Poemand res, ch. xiii. 4Parthey

’sEd .

,117 . Thisisalso cited by Lactantiusin the Epitom e

of the Divin. Instit , ch. xlii.3 Poemand res, ix. 3

,4.

HERMES TRISME GIS TUS .

Ibid , L ib. vi. ch . 2 5.

We ought therefore to hold forth and offer to God thatalone for the receiving of which He Himself produced us.But how true this twofold kind of S acrifice is, Trism egistusHerm es isa befitting witness, who agreeswith us, that iswith the Prophetswhom we follow asmuch in facts as inwords. He thus spoke concerning Justice : A dore and

worship the Word, 0 Son ! but the worship of God consistsof one thing, not to be wicked.

’ 1 Also in that Perfeet Discourse when he heard A sclepius enquiring fromhisSon (Tat) whether it pleased him that incense and otherodours for divine Sacrifice were offered to his father, exclaim ed : Speak words of good omen, O A sclepius ! for itis the greatest impiety to entertain any such thoughtconcerning that being of pre -eminent goodness. For thesethings and things resembling these are not adapted toHim . For He is fullof allthingsasmany as exist, andHe has need of nothing at all. But let us give thanksand adore Him

,forHis Sacrifice consists only of Blessing.

’ 3

A nd he spoke rightly.

”

1M,L ib. vu. ch. 4.

But Hermes was not ignorant that Man was bothmade by God and after the image of God .

” 3

Ibid . ch 9.

Man alone of allthe anim alsisheavenly and Divine ;whose body raised from the ground, elevated countenanceand upright position, goes in quest of its or igin, and d espising as it were the lowliness of the Earth, reaches forthto that which is on high, because he perceives that the

Poemand res,ch . nu. 2 3 ; Parthey, 113.

3 In Asclepius, ch. xv . A sbefor e shown, this Perfect Disconn e”was not written by Herm es but by Asclepius, his d isciple, subsequently. Here Imctantiusquotesin Latin

,not in Greek. S ee also

Poemand res, ch. xiii. 19, 2 0 .

3 Poemand res, ch . i. 12 ; Parthey, 6.

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148 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

(In Latin).Herm es

,who on account of his virtue, and his know

ledge of many arts, deserved the name of Trism egistus,who preceded the philosophers in the antiquity of hisdoctrine

, and who is reverenced by the Egyptians as a

God, in asserting the majesty of The One God with infinite

praises , calls Him Lord and Father, and says that He is

without a name , because He does not stand in need of aproper name, inasmuch asHe isalone, and that He hasnoparents, since He exists of Him self and by Himself. In

writing to His Son He thus begins To understand Godis difficult, to describe Him in speech is impossible evenfor one to whom it is possible to understand Him ; for theperfect cannot be comprehended by the imperfect, nor thevisible by the invisible .

’ 1

A BN OBIUS (circa 305, about the abdication of Diocletian)writes thus (A d versasGentes, L ib. n.

You, you I address who zealously follow Mercury,Plato, and Pythagoras, and the rest of you who are of onemind and walk in union in the same paths of doctrine.”

not written by Herm es but by thisAsclepius; for the sam e chapte rcontainsalso a d efence of Image worship, and a recognition ofJupiteras Suprem e God , which iswholly inconsistent with what Herm eshas

1 S ee the references, cm tc, p. 6. Also the Excerpts from Justin

N OTICES IN THE FA THERS . 149

A UGUS TIN E or Hrr ro (born

HE relates without doubt City of God,” viii. 2 3, 2 6)how the fifth Mercury and his friend A sclepius (or E sculapius) , grandson of the first, were m en, and becam e GodsasMercury and E sculapius after the Greek fashion. To

Herm es,who like Horuswas represented by a bird with a

hawk’shead,was sacred the Ibis and the Moon. [In the

same chaptersA ugustine quotesa Latin translation of theA sclepius ” atlength— the Greek version as it seems not

even then being extant—as advocating the worship ofImages as Gods. It has been shown that this is not awork of the true Herm es, and consequently the observations of S t A ugustine thereon are not here extracted ]

Ornuw s A LEXAN DRINUS (Patriarch of A lexand ria,L ib. i., Contra Juliana/m, 3ou.

THIS Herm es then, him of Egypt, although beingInitiator (a) and having presided at the fence of the Idols,isalways found mindfulof the things of Moses, and if notaltogether rightly and completely yet stillin part. Forhe hath profited

, and he hath made mention of him alsoin his own writings, which he having composed for A thenians (b) , are called Hermaiea fifteen Books.

”

The same Cyrilwrites thusThe Trism egistus Hermes in this wise says : To un

derstand (0) God is d ifi cult, to declare (d ) Him impossible

(a) « Ma-r d“ etsi Sacer d osasset

,

” Latin translation.

(0)’Ad riana“ . (a) rain “. (d ) Opaim 34.

150 HERMES TRISME GIS TUS .

if even it were possible to understand Him ,for the incor

porealto be signified by body impossible and the perfectto be comprehended (a) by the im perfect not possible, andthe eternalto be conversant with the short-lived d ifficult ;for this ever is, but that passesaway, and thisis true, butthat is overshadowed by phantasy.

l For as m uch asthestrengthlessand the stronger and the lessfrom the superior,are distant, so much the Mortalfrom the Divine an d im

m ortal. If then there be any incorporealeye, let it com eforth from the body

,and to the Vision of the Beautiful.

L et it fly up and be lifted into air ; not figure , not body,not ideas, seeking to contemplate, but that rather, TheMaker of these ; the quiet, the serene, the stable

,the in

variable, the S elf, allthingsand Only, The One ; the Sam eout of Itself

, the sam e in Itself, the like to Itself, whichneither islike to another

,nor isunlike to Itself, 2 and again

The Sam e.

Ibid . 330 .

But the Trism egistusHerm es thusspeaks concerningThe God For The Word of Him proceed ing forth beingaltogether perfect and generative and Creator in a generative nature falling upon generative Water

,made water

pregnant. ’ 3

A nd the sam e again

The 4 Pyram is (he says) “lying under the N atur e, andto the intelligible world. For it has resting upon it a

R uler and Creator , Word of The L ord of all, Who, after(a) narulapcfié uead m .

1 S ee S tobaeus, Florileg.

,80 ; Meineke, iii. 104 ; ante, S tobmus,

vii. , Part II.

2 Extracted by S tobaeus also substantially, Florilegium ,xi. 2 3, ad

fin. S ee 1, ante, Part II. , and Meineke, i. 2 51.

3 S ee Poem and res,i. 8

,14, 15 ; Suid ae, L exicon,post, x.

,who quotesthissam e passage.

4 In the comm encem ent of Poemand r es, ch . i., Herm es had as

serted that Fire or heat was the chief m ed ium which the Creatorhad employed for the arrangem ent of Creation. Fire asFlam e isin

form a Cone or Pyramid , hence that appellation was given to thePyramid s, which are Cones. S ee Poemand res

,i. 17.

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152 HERMES TRISMEGIS TUS .

“ For astoMind out of Mind I opiue he.

speaks of theSon, and so Light out of Light. He m entions also theSpirit as encompassing allthings, and he says that neitherAngelnor demon, nor verily any other nature or Essence,lies without the Divine S upremacy, therefore power ; butunder Him are allthingsand by It are dete rmined ”

“ A nd again the same in the same third discourse of thoseto A sclepius, as if some one enquiring concerning The

Divine Spirit he speaks thus Unless there were som eprovidence of the Lord of allthings that I should revealthis discourse, neither had such kind of desire now takenhold of you that you should have made enquiry concerningthis But now hear the remainder of the discourse. Of thisSpirit of which I have often previously spoken allthingsare in want. For supporting according to worth He vivifies allthings and nourishesand is dependent (a) from the

life to all, being the One generative He knew It thenboth originating in itsown subsistence (d ) and allthingsvivifying and nourishing, an d as dependent from a HolyS ource of The God and Father ; for it proceeds from Himaccording to N ature, and through The Son ismade instru

Iwillalso ad d to these what form erly the Trism egstusHermeswrote to hisownMind

,for thusthe book is nam ed :

Dost thou say then God isinvisible,’ 8m.

” 1

Cyr illm , and ,56b.

I willm ention the words of Hermes thriceonly which he uses in that dialogue which is to A sclepius:(a) 5

12 6m . (6) 7 61 13 05.

(d ) “rem i t“ . (c) xépw i'

rnufl“

; ar t'

s “.

lA s Ménard has remarked (Preface, this passage states thed octr ine of the Trinity as held by the Greek Church, viz.

,The Holy

Ghost proceed ing from the Father through the S on. S ee Poemm d res, ch. xiii. 4

,19

,2 1.

N OTICES IN THE FA THER S . 153

A nd Osiris said,

&c. This passage being part of theA sclepius, not the work of Hermes him self, is not hereextracted.

Cyrillus, ibid . 57b.

In the first Book of hisDigressive d iscourse (a) to TatThe L ord of allthings imm ediately spoke to HisHoly andIntelligent and Creative Word, L et there be Sun ; and

along with the speaking, the Fire having the uplifting (6)N ature, I say then the unmixed the m ost brilliant andm ore drastic and generative, by itsown Spirit the N aturewasattracted (c) and raised aloft from the water.’ A gainof thismake m ention

,he am ong them TrismegistusHerm es;

he introduced The God saying to the form ations(d ), Onyou, those from Me, I willimpose N ecessity ; this, thatcommandm ent by my Word given to you ; for this lawye have.’ 1

Cyrillus, ibid . 630 .

For Herm es by name thrice great, writes thus toA sclepius concerning the natur e of the Universe If

then the beings are acknowledged to be two, that generate,’ &c.

” 2

Ibid . 646.

A nd again after other things in warm er words hecom es speaking, having put a m ost plain example; and

Besides indeed to the same limner it isallowed,’

Cyr illus, L ib. viii. p. 2 74c.

Herm es thrice great hath said also som ewhere of GodThe m ost excellent A rtificer : (e) Moreover asperfect andWise, He hath imposed order and want of order ; when theIntelligible indeed He placed first asolder and superior, and(a) 315 2 03655 (b) aim ¢epo§aaa (c) im avraio'azr o.

(d ) xfl'

af mo'w. (e) aipw

'ror éxvou.

1 Thisfrom Poemand res,i. and iii.

11 Thisfrom Poemand res, xiv. 6, 7.

3 Thisfrom Poemand r es,xiv. 8.

154 HERME S TRISME GIS TUS .

should have the first place ; but the S ensible as second,that they should be subject to those (a) . That then

,borne

lower than the Intelligible and weighed down (b), has initself a wise creative Word.

Cyr ill. Contra. Julian ,citing Hermes.

If thou und erstand est that Only and S ole God , thouwilt find nothing impossible, for it isallVirtue. Thinknot that it may be in som e one

, say not that it is outof som e one. It iswithout term ination

,it is the term ina

tion of all. N othing contains It, for It contains allin

Itself. What difference is there between the body and

the incorporeal,the created and the uncreated, that which

issubject to the N ecessity, and that which is free, between

the things terrestrialand the things celestial, the thingscorruptible and the thingsEternal? Is it not that the oneexists freely and that the othersare subject to N ecessity 7That which isbelow is imperfect and corruptible.

”

Cyr ill. Contra. Julian ,L ib. v . 1766.

The Egyptians also have to tell,numbering am ong

themselves nam es of not few wise m en,that they had

m any, who were of succession after Herm es. I speak ofHerm es, him having sojourned third 1 in Egypt.

S UIDA S (under Alexander Comnenus) , L exicon. Vocc

Hermes. [Edit God ofred usBernardy (after Gaisford)Halis et Brunsvigse, 1853 ]

HERMES the Trism egistus. He wasan Egyptian sage,

and flourished before Pharaoh . He was called Trism e(a) d r am

-rims (b) fipfd ov.

1 Pietschmann, in his d issertation on Herm esTrism egistus(Engelmann

, L eipzig, attempts (pp. 51-54) to d etermine who thesethree Herm es were : one contemporary with Enoch and S eth ; the

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IN D E X.

A d ministrators, S even, ofFate, 5 ,Energy of, Creator has, 8, 9.

A ir,,feminine,£i

9 2 7 ; is Bod y,Four aterials of

Creation, 2 0 , 2 1 ; howgenerate d2 , 1 2 2 .

All in All, constituted of allPowers

,87

Almrghty, Dommus, Supreme,

(A t/ d in e d d ,

rosialwater , 14.

Ammon, 1 2 7.intent by God , 2 6 ; energiesandinstincts of, 118 ; not arts or

sciences, M ; haslife nationalin S ou], m ortal111 bod y, 12 6.

Antithesis and contrariety of allthings, 59.

Apparentare

ArchetypicalForm ,3 ; Arche

cal t and S oul, 2 1.

typi

A rts an Sciences, rays of Man,66 ;

an

S pecial Energies of the

Rationale only, 117 1 2 0 ; sentfim n above, and difi

'

er fro

ibid ., 12 2 .

Ascent to Good of S oul,what, 13 ;throughHarmonyleavingVices,

of Men withcP’

31 ;d , 3how ener

m Him and in

gm ng'

136.

Be, The To Be, 12 6.

Being in Essence, causemon to generate and to S oul;Geneia

l

t

fl

e

on in Reason ; Intelli

gent ; Amma°

lcausmg’

L ife,

rational,m ortal, 1 2 6.

Beautifuland Good , Essence of is

137 .

Beauty of Good ,be seen hereDivine S ilence57, 137 ; Godthat is, 85 ; lover of Bod y andEvilcann

(ot und erstand , 76.

hammng'

A'

a, Monty), W te

ig, 2 4 ; 18 out

mof nothing, 34 ;thingsfrom One

,and

,61.

Belief m God , how attained , 55.

Birt Bod y and S oulassociamdat y Fate, 1 2 3 .

Bod y, Bod ies, love of is d eath, 10 ,11 ; constituted out of MoistN ature

, 11 ; how d issolved [mDeath], 13 ; World , a Bod y, 17 °

opposite of Incorporeal, 18

cannot move S oul, 19 ; withoutS oulmoved by bod y

o

with S oul,

158

47 ; Earthly, want or d er whend issolved ; return to ind issolubleand immortal, 53 ; allcom '

te

ofMatter and S oul, M . 1.

Bod y,Bod ies, are m oveable, 8 1 ;

sensible, are d issoluble and

m ortal, 2 4, 92 ; when d issolved ,it isd issolution ofmixture onlyto become new

,82 ; of s ir itual

Power imm ortaland in lnble, 9 2 ; require much help ‘

and

succour , 1 2 4 ; pro rties and

ualities of d issolu Is and ih

d issoluble, 10 7 ; are never true,1 14 ; Id eas and Ene

'

se of,115 ; hascommunion with S oulin Tim e, Place, and N ature ,and how,

116- 17 ; cannot existapart from S oul

,119 ; how

ene in d issolution , ibid . ;Harm onyof

,itsrelation to S tars,

1 2 7 ; lovers of, cannot beholdGod

,137 .

Bod ies, heavenly, have one ord er,

ind imoluble, maintained byreturn of each to its lace, 49,9 2 ; Bod ies, Eternal, one true,100 ; mad e once for all, 1 2 3.

Breath (Ib oé ) gives qualities of

e,53 .

Change, allmen subject to, 79 ;thingschangeable and gend erednot true, 103 .

Chaos, d escription of, 2 , 2 4.

Child of God , TypicalMan in HisImage, 6.

Child ren,anxiety to have [m

Man] ; how punished who havenot, 2 3 .

Choice between co realand incorporeal, m o and Divineleft to man, 33 ; cannot useboth ; of excellent d eitiesof worse d estroys, ibid .; of

and evilis with each, 13 1 ; ofevilsub

'

sets to fate ; of good ,fate touc esnot, (bid .

Circlesof Planetsand of Heaven,S even, 16, 134 ; of Universe,133-34 ; of God s, 2 8 ; Zod iacal,136.

IN DEX.

Com ets d escribed , pred ict futureevents, 136.

Constellations a and

2 7 ; God s in em,and ; ar e

arm our of fate , 109 ; what are,137 .

Contemplation of Heaven andworksof God , Man

Corporeal. S ec Bod y.

Cor ruption necessary to generation, 103 .

Courage in S oul, what, 1 2 7 .

Creation, m od e of,4,5, 8, 2 4 ; of

Universe 48 ; of allformsat one (I 74 of eternal

°

es once or 1 2 3-4 ; ofm ortal and d isco able con

tinually, (bid ; ofMan, 39.

Creator (A ugust: wig) Who, is

Mind , 4, 5 ; wi ed to create,6 ;

shewed forth from of God , 8 ; of

0

Man,39.

Darknessin Abyss, 2 , 2 4.

Death, cause of, love of bod 10

d erived out of original knees

,11 ; what it is, not d a truction, 47 48 ; d epr ivation of

sense y, 49, 50 ; is d issolution ofunion of bod y and soul,73, 74 ; how carried on this

, 13 ;of the mixtur e, 83 ; not changebut oblivion, 84 ; d issolution ofHarmoniesof bod y, 104.

Decad e of Virtuesexpelling vices, 90 , 91, 92 ; is

inte ent regenm

91 8

300

3accor d

ing to is generative, 92 ; istheMind , ibtd .

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160 IN DEX.

the Beautifuland Good , 44, 68 ;hum a nand wisd 68 ; in

g allthings to 55 ;S oul, how transform ed into 58 ;First of World Or d er

,ofam.

Generation, 68 ; In °

ble, notund er N ecessity or ate, 108 ;imm ortaland mutable, 114 ;

of

God , Eternity, es; First what,1

54 ; relation of, with Reason,

1 8.

Etem al, d ifferent from everlasting, 43

Etem ity ( 0 mad e by God

in and around Him , 68 ; its

m permanence, and im

ty,ibid . 69 ;World movedin, and work of, Powersof God ,67 , 68 ; incon

'u tible, 69 ; keepstogether War] and Universe ;makes matter imm ortal; whatit has in it, ibid .

Evil,man, not God

fiaiause of, 331

;

m or e ap nt t good , and elights

Feli

c

ia,34 ; not of God ,

but separate, 43 ; mixed withood on earth, ibid .; thought togood by ignorant, 45 ; com

pared to d 1rt and incrustations

Existence,Subsistence

God is, The, 2 1, as 55,56

Eyesof man cannot beholdor Good and Beautiful, 44 ; 0

bod y cannot consid er Truth, 88.Falsehood ,howoperation ofTruth ;allthingson earth are

,104.

Fate,S even Ad m inistrators in

S even Circlesof Heaven are, 5 ;and Harmony establish, and

cause ofgeneration and d estruction, 10 , 108 ; allsub '

eet to, 79 ;of the Evilto s er and to

obey Justice, 79, 80 , 108 ; thhavm g Mind , notsubject to, 79,80,13 2 ; d ominated over b

Mind , 80 ; bod ily thingssubjectto,10 8 ; cause of d isposition of

S tars, ibid ; subserves Provid ence and N ecessity

,109 ; a

allthings, 116 ; regulatesunionof S ouland Bod y, 1 2 3 ; Fateand choice

,13 1 ; has no powerover R eason11,having God for

tuid a

f

lim.

all hinge, Theer 0 tL ife and Light, 6-15 ; 0

calMan in HisI (Md ;0 niverse

,constitu of L ife

and Light, 11 ; an Epithet of

God , 2 3 ; hasno N ame, 41 ; Ih

generate and

WEternal48 ; and

B ream“,or heat, 2 ; instrument

in tion,2 , 6 2 ; issues from

m oist N ature and S

W tests“

?“a“?o o 4 c of

in Creation, 12 2agd‘ivid ed

things light and heavy, 2 5 ;$

8 maturity to Man, 9 ;eson all

,94 ;

not, 62 ; punishrii

Fortune, what, 115.

Generate, Generation, are thingsapparent, 36 ; of quantitiesandualities and moveable, 65 °

Essence of Life and chauga inTim e 68 ; must be by other°and that one preced ing and m

generate , 96 ; Two in Creationonly, Maker and that enerate,

97 ; these are inseparab a, (bid ;

must be enerator and genera

one by nion, 98 ; changeableand not true, 102 ; how far may

IN DEX.

2 1, 2 2 , 55, 56 ; alone good , 2 2 ,42

, 94, 99 ; by His2 3 ; One and Only. 30 ,37

, 7 1, 7 2 , eta ; glory of,2 4 ;

gives allthings, receives no

t maker of

g t

t

hinFather of

an 0 man,37 40 ;

withoutgzuvy, Father of Bod y

S oul,own krnd red Father of97 ; Reason and Mind

,Word constituted Enti(bid ; and

Cause of the tities,L ife

,

L ight, and S pirit, 2 1 ; Mind ,N ature

,Matter , Wisd o 2 7 ;

Holy, of Whom allNatureImage, 37 , 40 ; above allPowerand Excellence

,( bid ; always

making manifest though non

a parent, 36 non crate,igid , 48 eGood in

-

gébl

d , 4299 ; nothing else 2 2 , 2 3 ;cannot exist wi out d oing,74 ; contemplation of, guid e toHeaven

,35 ; not visible, touch

able, separable,unlike bod 3 1

97 ; may be mad e appetsu 36

a

ppearsthr oughout world , 3 7t HisVirtue, 76 ; td be con

stars, 38 ; fabricated circles ofHeaven, and whole world , sea,and earth, (bid ; not spoken or

heard , 58 ; superior to all, 66 °

d ed icated Earth to Himself, 31Maker and L ord of all, inticular of Man, 38, 39, 40 ;E

Entities, 41, 55, 56 ; has no

N ame, all N ames being allL

161

; His N ameis intelligent

69 ; all

generate crate, nonegenerate withoui Him

,(bid ;

no super ior to or compeerwith im

, 43, 70° not to be seen

with eyes, 44 to be seen,

visible to Mind and sart oi thegood , 46, 76 ; manifest throughout allthings, 76 Fountain and

Found er of thi and

net as,94 ; is the uti

fulan Good , Happiness and

Wisd om, 44, 56 , 73 ; thesein inseparable propertiesof im 44, 45 ; sowsthe seed s

of,and Virtue,Temperance, and

Piety 5 2 ; Creator of Universelike Himself, 48 ,

153 , 69, 106

dnmng, com ensron, an

constitution ofpd‘

llthings, 50 ;Prince of ord er ,Guid e ofworld s,70 ; not insensible, mind less, orinert, 54, 70 ; if iner t, nolongerGod , 7 2 ; allt en 8one

°

e th 11 im , ,85 ;

eneg of Hiuggwill, 55, 56 ; is

the making Power 94 ; is allthings not yet in (bid ;mad e allformsof one I ea, 74 ;

162 IN DEX .

tally, ( bid ; isTruth Itself, 103,105 ; is eternal, 106 ; is ImS irit

,Trinity, Word .

Gagin plural, 2 2 , in con Hstellations and stars, 2 7 ; or

Angels, 2 4 ; d istribute seminalnature in Creation asord ained ,2 6 ; circling course of

,2 8

,2 9 ;

Man comparable with, or superior to, and why 67 ; shallnotd escend to earth

, 67 movedwithWorld , 85 intellectualandsensible, 12 5.

Good , The, behold en by thosewithMin d , 3 2 ; excellence of, 34 ;God is only 42 , 43 ; cannot be

worl and why, 44, 57 ;in the ingenerate only, 43 d is

to allelse, 44, 57 ; cannot cooexist with Passion, 43 ;w by world ly course

esevilqualities, 53 ; cannot be pur ified from evilhere,43 ; proper to, to become known,%7 ; m oves with God in theniverse, in permanence, 85 ;

spectacle of,sanctifies, 57 ; is

intellectualsplend our and immortality, 57 ; som etim es ind uces sleep of bod y, ibid , ’ seen

in Divine silence and repose of I58 ; beauty of, d einesS oul

in y,transforms into image

of God c'

bid .

Grassand green herbscreated , 2 6.

Grief and Joy, en of S ense,

and rational, and ow,1 2 1 ; are

Id easof Passions, and evil, ibr'd .

of creation, what, 7 ;S even, 9

gs and generations, 10bod y, 104,117, 1 2 7 ;

action of,12 2 , 1 2 3

° of the fourmaterials of the World 1 2 2 ; has not mortat 10 ; is

how it acts in birth and with sent in mortal bod ies,S pirit, 1 2 3 ; is immutable,and ;d ifferencesin, of, in three formsof figure, form ,

and image,M , life, has, 11, 1

S tars, 12 7 ; d issolution of [m animals have,Bod y and Death].

(bid ; Heaven first of Elem ents,Ear th last, 115 ; Heaven, S evenCirclesof, 2 6 .

Hermes, asguid e, reach es to m en

repentance wisd om , 14 ;invites them to thank God , 15 ;his prayer of, to God , l6 ; isHoliness of M ; passesinto Life and Lig t, 16.

Hym n to God the Father,15 ;

subjects of, 42 ; how and whento be sung, 98 ; of theRegeneration, 93-95 ; secreg ibsd .

Ignorance of God , greatest evil.0

35qS oul, 46 ; is complete

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to d eny this, ibid . ; pre

Ne ws as ;13

not making not Gody, 98 ; not

Mmfifi b

‘bfian, 0 a er

40 ; beheld 1nWater byofWorld , 8 , 50 ; Hisown form,

ibid . ; twofold , m ortaland imm ortal

, 8-13

,harmonious ser

vant, mascuhne, fem ining,

te by God the ather ,L ife and L ight unto 80 111

and

m

Mind , 9, 11 ; generationsof,how sown

c,

J

2 8 , cre

gated for

fghog:nrposes, ontem tion o

&c. , 2 9-31 ; excelslbther animals

,

and how, in speech and min d,

31, 67 , 84 ; ornam ent of DivineBod y, ibid ° Beau of

,Divine

Image, 39, 40° how abricated by

Creator , 39 ; cannot be withoutHim

,40 ; cannot be d

being work of God , 48 ; DivineAnimal, 67 ; having Mind , hassym path with World

,Intelli

First G 0 d , 13 , 50 ;

baild ed

o

in‘t

gcc

ll

’

y and S oul, 51 °

0 to or 1s1tso

61 ° szgvs

ed by h owled geflsrggd

,

ibid . ; at d eath leaves gar

m entsand takes6 tunic,6 2 ;

Man, God fearing, K nowled ge , 5 2 ; hassense and und erstand ing in union, 56 ; wicked ,hasund erstand ing from d emons,53 ; evil, as m ortaland m oveable

,60

,114 ; immutably so, 50

114, 115 ; and as animal,116 ;

First of things m ortal, 60 ; ofMind 18 above god s, and why,

on earth a mor talascend s to Heaven ; with Worldad ministers all things, ibid . ;

havm Mind and Reason, im

ibid ° into L ife8 1 84 ; suswptib1e of

,

and joint in Essence with God ,84 ; with God hold s converse,a

”

asam

0 1n

Father with the Pomm

lgt 94 ;

attainingKnow]ed ge,becomes1n

IN DEX.

and eternal, 111,m oved and warmed12 2 .

Metempsychosis, 2 3, 636;

3

P

of S oulnot into wildMind (N ew), speaks as Poamaad res, 1, 15

°

of the tySupreme, w a

s,

Feminine,4,o ofWord ,

Creator ,God of and S pirit,ibid .; isLife and Light 6 ; ispresent with Holy and 1 2

shutsout works of bod y, ibid :and Reason real, 2 1, 59 ,

isfrom God , 2 , 32 ; isreco tionof God and science of

‘

vine

God isnot,but cause of, 2 2 , 95

God , 95 ; how d ifl'

erent frmn

other animals,85 ; cannot be

true, and why, 100 10 1,asman,

102 ; constitutedand changeable : a Phantasy,102 ; a succession of tasies,103 -4 ; generation 0 1 14, 115 .

Many, The, The Entitiesnot to bed iscoursed of to 115 ° und erstand not Phiiosopliy, 116

thereby to evil,will

refer evilto ibid .

Matte r or Ms eternal, 49 ;originally without or d er , 2 ;MaterialWorld , beautifulnot

soak”)

Matter how d ealtwit’hby53 ° ualities erated from

,

ibid ; tter is m four th'

as; e ases if:

a imm, 69 ,

84 ; ord er of,

immProvid ence, 81 ; is e, 83 ;of L ife from God , 85 ; not ener

IN DEX. 165

S cience of,what is, 32 ; thosehaving,hastenfrom Earth toOne

and Only, ibid ; hasIntelligenceof First God , 50 ; those whohave, becom e in God and are

imm ortal, 84, 95 ; spoken forthby und erstand ing in d reams,51 ; has Soulfor envelope, andWhy, 62 ; swiftnessof; hasFirefor bod y, 62 ; on Earth has not

Fire , and so knows not Divinethings, 63 ; is Essence of God ,and united to Him as Light toSun

,77 ; Men with

,behold

God , isGod , 77 ; a good physician to S oul

, 78 ; those who

have, are notsubject toFate,an descape Vice, 79 ; isS oulof TheGod , 80 , 82 ; principalof allthings, and d ominatesallthingswith Fate and Law, ibid ; in

brutes, works with naturalappetites; but isnot passion, 80 ,8 1 ; is im assible

,114 ; with

R eason,wi guid e to God , 8 2 ;

Mind in S oul,R eason in Mind

,

Mind in God , 8 2 , 114 ; can aloneund erstand R egeneration, 89.

Monas,Unit, or Beginning, 34, 35

com risesand en end ers everynum er com ris of none 35 .

Mortal,that w °

ch isd istant iromthe Head

,60 ; r elation of

,to

imm ortal,115.

Motion ( K lumng), cond itions of,16 ; in som ewhat

,m otor

stron er than thing m oved , thatin w

°

ch m oved contrary tothing moved 17 ; is capaciousEnergy , 18 ; m the incorporealand ingenerate, not in the

stable,18

,19 ; in place, ibid . ; of

Planets,contrary to other S tars,

17- 19 ; of errant and unerrantspheres explained , not in

avoid,2 0 ; ofmaterial, isgener

ation,60 ; of World

,or d erly,

sphericalnot up and d own, 60 ,71 S ou originates, 1 2 8 ; of

S ouland Bod y ; of corruptiblebod ies

,ibid .

N ame of God,36 ; hasno N ame,

be'

an rior to a N am e and

wil

y?41 ;P(i1as allnam es, ibid ;

d ignity of,137 .

ature, Elem ents of,constituted

b willof God,4 ; image of

cd Creator,8 ; enam oured of

Him,ibid . receives beloved

form,

min led with,man

brought forth even Men,9 ;

from A ir and Water,

Peri

od icalCircle of, 2 8 ; r enovatedby Divine Power an d N ecessity,2 9 ; constituted in The Divine,

what it is,55 ; ofThe Good

and The God,the sam e, ibid .;

raysofWorld energize thr oughthe Elem ents, 66 ; of the One ;ad m inisters Universe throughMind of One, ibid .; isthe Mindof

,and energizesIrrationals, 77,

118 ;gopertiesof, and relations

with od y, 116- 117 ; corporeal

m erely, aband oned by God ; ofUniverse m ovesallthings, 12 2 ;of Universe perm eatesand surround sit

,ibi d . ; prod ucesthings

generate, ibid .; is sensible Essence

,having in itself allsensiblethings, 1 2 5 ; assim ilates Har

m ony of bod y with S tars, 1 2 7 .

ecessity, 107-8 intelligibleEssence not und er , but irrationals subject to

,ibid ,

° kee s together theWorld , 108 ; a owerof Provid ence

,109 ; subservientto Provid ence, 1 15, 108.

umber (see Harm ony) com

rised in the Monad,35 ; beongs to allcomposite bod ies,

83 ; unities generate, and augm ent

,ibid ofBod y,what, 104,

1 2 3 .

Ogd oad , what, 13, 93 .

One and Only, Beginning isfrom ,

61 ; abid es, unm oved , ad ministersallthings, ibid . et seq.

ne Maker only, one S oul,L ife

,one Matter , 80 -98.

One are allthings, especially Intelligibles, 80 .

One, God ’sglorby,98 ; Generate and

nIngenerate, e by union, ibid .

166

Opinion ofS ensible things,1 2 5 ; and S ense are of Thought,13 1 ; with Thought, has com

munion with R eason throughS ciences, ibid .

Ord er (7 02 2 : g) of Creation cannotbe conserved apart from Maker,38 ; nor without Place,Measure,and Maker , 39 ; may be d efeotive som ewhat, yet und er a

Master,ibid . by One Maker

only, 71 ; of Heavenly bod ies,One and ind issoluble

,49 ; in

earthly animals d efective, ibidofWorld

, 85.

PassionsofBod y, 3 2 ; ofWorld , 74.

Passion,belongsto thingsgenerate,

3 2 , 43 ; cannot cc-ex1st withThe Good , ibid . allthings inBod y have, 81 ; what Passionsare

,ibid .; energize ; allthings

m oveable and imm oveable haveibid . ; energize with S enses, 1 2 1.

Phantasy, what, 102 -3-4 ; Menare

,ibid .

Philosophy, cannot be ionswithout

,11 2 ; unaccepta lo to the

many, 116.

Pious,Piety beauty of,

14 ; becom e i n God , i

shewn by choice of the In

corporeal, 33 ; and Knowled geway to God , 45 ; those who

have, hated and d espised bythe many, ibid . ; stufe of

,is

hav 11g known God,63 ; what

pious is, and should d o; willhilosoPhize, 11 2 ; pious knowth

,thank Creator as Good

Father,willlove Good God ;

willlive and be ha py,mustwarwith self and bo y, ibid . ; onlyway to good ness, ibid .

Place, properties of,116

,117 ;

m otion must be in,17.

Planets,S even

,18

,134 ; how

m oved,ibid .

Pleasuresof bod y bad , 10 , 11, 3 2 ;those given up to,cannot ad

mire Good,3 2 .

Poemand r es,m eaning of word

,1,

93 .

IN DEX.

Powers hymnin the Father,13 ;

with urified an,14 ; of God ,

14 ; a ve Eighth N ature, ibid .;

purify m en 90 ; intellectual,91 ; sm g to God , 93.

Provid ence (Hfé yoiu), of God

effects m inghu and generations,10 ; and fisature are In

strum enta of the World , and

or d er of The Matter,8 2 ; each,

Essence of Intelligibles, ibid ;and N ecessity over Divine

O r d er,106 ovem s whole

World with eason, 108-9

World first has,then expand ed

in Heaven,108 ; Fate subject

to,109 ; no place d estitute of

,

109 ; self-sufficient R eason of

God,ibid .; isO r d er , 115 ; World

generated , and allthings governed by, 115.

Punishm ent ofwicked , 64, 65.

Qualities of World enclosed byFather Creator in sphere, 49 ;mad e good and evilby energiz

ing in the World , 53 .

R eason (A o’y og) and Mind in Manimm ortal

,81 enunciative

,ibid . ;

R eason in Mind,Min d in God

,

8 2 - 114 ; how d ifi‘

erin from In

stinct, 118

,119 ; re ations of

,

with thinkin Essence,1 2 8

,13 1 ;

isIntellect 0 S oul,1 2 9 ; not in

the Irrationals,ibid . ; contem

lates Beauty of Essence,130 ;

owsthings honourable, ibid . ;of Essence, in beingWise, ibid . ;having Essence, self- d eterminate

,13 1.

R enewalof,flesh and seed s, how,

R egeneration, R egenerate, cannotbe saved without

,87 ; m od e of,

88 ; who is Generator of,ibid .;

not und erstood by S enses, an dd oes not belong to Four Elem ents, 89 ; Mind alone und erstand s

,ibid .; accom lished by

being rid of twe ve V ices,through Powersof God , 90 , 91 ;

what it consists in,92 ; the

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168 IN DEX.

fullof,and moved by, 7 1 ; Soullesscannot move soulless, 2 0 .

one only, 7 2 °

great activi Spectacle ofGood sanctifying, 57 ;intellectualsplend our of, som er oi, 75 ; alwayswi times ind uces sleep of bod y,M shut up in bod y,

how d ebased and d epraved , 7677 ; Irrationals have not

, ibid .

°

d isease of, is Atheism , 78 ; nothaving obtained Mind as pilotovercome by a and evil,

isabove a 80 ; havingelevated itself to cannotfall away 112 °

vehem entlyloves its orefather

, { bid s in

bod y,must war with bod y

and conquer 113 , isan Entity,ibid . ; S ensible 1sm ortal,Rationa] iiiimo ibid ; moveseverybeing,

“

114 ; is energy of m otion,

12 4 ;

g

winEternal,

rational, thinkin telligentEssence

,havingR eason aslntel

lect, 116, 12 6, 12 7 ; concerned

bod y in Tim e,Place, N atur e,

116, 12 6°

,energiesof, howwork

ing through bod ies, 1 19 ° worksiiim

bofiyg ibid

bod ies, but not always; associated with

bod ies throw

Harmony, 12 3 °

hasnolove bod y, but creepsinto with the S irit throughFate, 1 2 3 ; givesbo§ intellectualm otion, ibid ; afi'

o intelligentlife, 1 2 7 ; may be in Bod ymoveable, 130 ; an d self m oveable andmoving others, 116, 12 6 ; isfromInco Essence, 1 2 8 motionof, in ibid . ; id eas of, 12 9 ;Divine cf

, hhas energ° oi

than

t Vehem ence or Deibid . , se

lpsrste from bod

,

in intelligib e

World , ibid ., rulesover Reason,ibid .

,130 ; has two motions

esseiitialself-d eterm inate, an

bod ily of N ecessity, ibid ,

13 1 ; is Und erstand ing andThought, to be exemisedhere to behold The God , the

Beautiful, and the Good , 137 .

S tars, and Fate, 5, 106, 109 ; apin S and Constellations

iiviir

h God‘s

gn

iii them , 2 7 , circularcourse of, ibid .

, ord er of d eter»mined by number and

37 ° unequalin courses,serisible

,God ’s imagesof Intel

ligences, 1 2 5 ; influenceEar th, none can avoidforceof, 109

°

,said togeneratesub

un, greatest of God sin Heaven

,

37 ; after First and One Creator ,103 ° intrusted with Creation,

accord ing to the

God , 56.

Tame , 135.

S pher e. S ecWorld .

S pheres, errant,moved by ia

errant, 7-18 ; contrariwise, bythe stable, 19 ° Arctic m ovedround som e point but not r e

strained by BishalifSpirit (Un i/ a cause 0

and cm ploi‘

ed)in Creation ,

2 2 5,

62 , the Mind of Fire,

ibid ; in God , 94 ° The God sentforth by Word ; another MindCreator , God ofFire and 84 ; Divine, wrapped man allConstellations,g

romng them ,2 7

;encompassing 12 3 ; 0

Man, howoperatiPn-n

muetum s

into Soulat d eath, 61 ; isenvelOpe of S oul, ibid .

° jud icialof; hasS enses as

IN DEX.

Tern knowled ge of, isjoy

great virtue, 90 .

Thanks to God at Evening, 15.

SecHymn.

Thought CEn ema A ud ra), l, 131,etc. ; Opinion and S ense belongto, 13 1 Und erstand ing inter

“w

ov

en;with

,

ood fro0 N 06 7 5 m

033, evil!frorfi emor

gis, 51.

Time, mad e by and in the World ;its Eusaca Change ; eration

accomplished in, 68 ; asare

three, past, present, and future,110 ; are but one and cannot be

bod ies, 114 ;S ec

Tm h , belief in, how attained,55 ;

what is truly such only, 89 , 96 ;banishes d eceit and b Lifeand L ight, 91 ; in Eternalonly, not in Man, 100 , 10 1 ; onearth none but imitations only,10 1 ; may be und erstood byMan of will,M ; Who theFirst ruth, and why, 1

eternaland perfect, 105.

51 ; an essentialof Man,ibid .,

51 ; united with S ense isReason,

UmgefifMoné g) or Cup, 34 ; hath in

i the Decad e,and allnum

bers, 9 2 .

Universe (To‘Ire») m oved in the

incorporeal, 2 1 ; created by Godand rs eternal, 48 ; com posedof Material

,and World

,50 ;

motionsof,compared to those of

a head , 80 ; fullof S oul, and of

169

69 ; EternityGod ensnothing rn it

not Him, 86, 94 ; m otione d ,

by

Uranus and K ronos forefathershad vision of The God , 57.

Vehemence ia

7

S oul (9 07 ; ratio og

o‘with

Reason,1 2 8 ; energies

£2 1far from the Dim,

12 9 ;o to irrationals,

Vices,

I

ligmr man urified from ,at

d eath, 13 ; of ul18 ignorance,59 ; cured by Min d , 79 ; twelverinci 90 ; to be eliminatedten irtues, 92 .

Vicesand Virtues,how connected

with Zod iacal,ibid .

Virgin of theWor d noticed,130 .

Voicq m imalshave ; how d iffer ingfrom languagguag 8 2 .

§Void7none in ature

,

voi d,2 0 .

Water , in beginnin ,intermingled

with earth,and imm fire from ,

2 ° separated from earth how , 6 ;Deity contemplated form of

Man in,8 ; cuprscent in creation,

9, with Spirit in Chaos, 2 4 ; isoii earth to resist fire

,62 ; created

the World , created the

Entities, Man, and all things,30 World , 0 an of, 53 ;ishisEssence, 55 ; encr

! (aibid . ; without it nothinmera ,te 56 ; sowsW om and

87 , tli8

rough Son of God

m as sWisis om of God , what is, 69 ; in

silence, 87 ; intellectual, what,sown by willof God , ibid .

lum inous, out ofMind , Son of God ,

170 IN DEX.

3 ; isunion ofMind ,Father God ,and the Wor d ; is L ife ; are notd istinct, 11nd The God byWord begat Mind , Creator Godof Fire and S pirit, 4 ; ct God topure creation of allN ature ofsam e Essence with CreativeMind , 5,94 ofSuprem eAuthority received from Mind

, 15 ;mad e the World , 30 ; the MindS hepher d eth , 94 ; praise to Godthrough, 95.

World form ed of Elem ents after an Archet e, 4 ;Illimitable

, 3, 4 ; by ord of

Creator ,ibid .,30 ;outofElem entsbyWillofGod , ibid .,

3 1 ; greaterthan any Bod y ism oved , 17 ; inthat greater than itself, 18 ; inthe incorporealingenerate God ,ibid . ; by things within eitherS oul, or S

Birit incorporeal, 19 ;

whole of, ivine in nature,2 9

or d er of,how effected , 39 ; not

good except in making, 43 ;

plenitud e of evil, why, 44, 57 ;ut not itself wicked , 5 2 ; can

not perish as created by God ,Eternaland Imm ortalAnimal

,

48, 49, 50 , 69 ; form ed 8 here

like, ibid . ; is S econd Go fromthe God , and in the God S on of Zod iac

,how correspond ing wrth

the God , 48, 54, 61, 69 ; Man is Virtuesand Vices, 9 2 , 133 .

from,50 ; has ure sense and what, 134 ; circle of, ener

un d erstand ing om God , 53,

ed by the Constellation of

54 ; is 0 an of Willof God,

ear , 135-6 ; twelve Constella

m akes an unmakesallthings, tionsin,137.

53 ; engend ers allthings alone,Zones, Eight, of Harmony, 13 ;

ibid . ; called K o'

q co; fittin ly,and why, 54 ; material cd ,and First of possibles, S econdof Entities

,59 ; d eficient som e

Man of Mind leaves vices m

them successively, ibid .; eighth,receives Mind , having properenergy, ibid .

time, and ever generated ,ever in being, 60 ; FirstAnimal, but not good , ibid .;

subject of God , and haththe Man

,61 66 ; Man sub

ject to it,M , mad e by Eternity material, ibid . ; Energiesof,restitution and d estruction, 68 ;Tim e is in, ibid . ; willnever

perish, nor things in it, 69 is

m oved in Eterm ty, 68, 69 ; itsEssence Or d er

,ibid . bean

and vi our of, 70 ; Passions o

74 ; fu of allforms,ibid . ; great

God image of greater , unitedtoHim,conservingHisor d er and

will, 83 ; isI of Universe,and Plenitud e 0 L ife

,ibid . ; has

always L ife, and nothing d eadin it

,nor can be, ibid . ; collee

tive isunchangeable incorruptible,butpartsofchangeable,84 ;parts of, are Four, 85 ; Intelliible, 95 generated by Provience and N ecessity, 116.

World s,S even, God , Prince of,

fulloflight, 70 .

Worms and flies append ices of

N ature, 136.

Worship of God , what it is, 136.

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