Some of these words may be misspelled from the 18th Century

Corpus Hermeticum Book 1

For Humanity's sake.

O my Son, write this first Book, both for Humanity's sake, and for Piety towards God.For there can be no Religion more true or just, than to know the things that are; and to acknowledge thanks for all things, to him that made them, which thing I shall not cease continually to do.

What then should a man do, O Father, to lead his life well, seeing there is nothing here true ?

Be Pious and Religious, O my Son, for he that does so, is the best and highest Philosopher; and with- out Philosophy, it is impossible ever to attain to the height and exactness of Piety or Religion.But he that shall learn and study the things that are, and how they are ordered and governed, and by whom and for what cause, or to what end, will acknowledge thanks to the Workman as to a good Father, an excellent Nurse and a faithful Steward, and he that gives thanks shall be Pious or Religious, and he that is Religious shall know both where the truth is, and what it is, and learning that, he will be yet more and more Religious.

For never, O Son, shall or can that Soul which while it is in the Body lightens and lifts up itself to know and comprehend that which is Good and True, slide back to the contrary; for it is infinitely enamoured thereof. and forgets all Evils; and when it has learned and known its Father and progenitor it can no more Apostatize or depart from that Good.

And let this, O Son, be the end of Religion and Piety; where unto when you are once arrived, you shall both live well, and die blessedly, while your Soul is not ignorant whether it must return and fly back again.For this only, O Son, is the way to the Truth, which our Progenitors travelled in; and by which, making their Journey, they at length attained to the Good. 

It is a Venerable way, and plain, but hard and difficult for the Soul to go in that is in the Body.For first must it war against its own self, and after much Strife and Dissention it must be overcome of one part; for the Contention is of one against two, while it flies away and they strive to hold and detain it.

But the victory of both is not like; for the one hasten to that which is Good, but the other is a neighbor to the things that are Evil; and that which is Good, desires to be set at Liberty; but the things that are Evil, love Bondage and Slavery.

And if the two parts be overcome, they become quiet, and are content to accept of it as their Ruler; but if the one be overcome of the two, it is by them led and carried to be punished by its being and continuance here.

This is, O Son, the Guide in the way that leads forwards, for you must first forsake the Body before your end, and get the victory in this Contention and Strifeful life, and when you have overcome, return.

But now, O my Son, I will by Heads run through the things that are: understand what I say, and remember what you hear.All things that are, are moved; only that which is not, is unmovable.

Every Body is changeable.Not every Body is dissolvable.Some Bodies are dissolvable.Every living thing is not mortal.Not every living thing is immortal.

That which may be dissolved is also corruptible.That which abides always is unchangeable.That which is unchangeable is eternal.That which is always made is always corrupted.

That which is made but once, is never corrupted, neither becomes any other thing.First, God; Secondly, the World; Thirdly, Man.The World for Man, Man for God.Of the Soul, that part which is Sensible is mortal, but that which is Reasonable is immortal.Every essence is immortal.

Every essence is unchangeable.Every thing that is, is double.None of the things that are stand still.Not all things are moved by a Soul, but every thing that is, is moved by a Soul.Every thing that suffers is Sensible, every thing that is Sensible suffers.Every thing that is sad rejoices also, and is a mortal living Creature.

Not every thing that joyful is also sad, but is an eternal living thing.Not every Body is sick; every Body that is sick is dissolvable.

The Mind in God.Reasoning in Man, Reason in the Mind.The Mind is void of suffering.No thing in a Body true.

All that is incorporeal, is void of Lying.Every thing that is made is corruptible.

Nothing good upon Earth, nothing evil in Heaven.God is good, Man is evil.Good is voluntary, or of its own accord.

Evil is involuntary or against its will.The Gods choose good things, as good things.Time is a Divine thing.Law is Humane.Malice is the nourishment of the World.

Time is the Corruption of Man.Whatsoever is in Heaven is unalterable.

All upon Earth is alterable.Nothing in Heaven is servanted, nothing upon Earth free.

Nothing unknown in Heaven, nothing known upon Earth.

The things upon Earth communicate not with those in Heaven.

All things in Heaven are unblameable, all things upon Earth are subject to Reprehension.

That which is immortal, is not mortal: that which is mortal is not immortal.That which is sown, is not always begotten; but that which is begotten always, is sown.

Of a dissolvable Body, there are two Times, one from sowing to generation, one from generation to death.

Of an everlasting Body, the time is only from the Generation.Dissolvable Bodies are increased and diminished,Dissolvable matter is altered into contraries; to wit, Corruption and Generation, but Eternal matter into its self, and its like.

The Generation of Man is Corruption, the Corruption of Man is the beginning of Generation.

That which off-springs or begettes another, is itself an offspring or begotten by another.Of things that are, some are in Bodies, some in their Ideas.Whatsoever things belong to operation or working, are in a Body.

That which is immortal, partakes not of that which is mortal.That which is mortal, comes not into a Body immortal, but that which is immortal, comes into that which is mortal.

Operations or Workings are not carried upwards, but descend downwards.Things upon Earth do nothing advantage those in Heaven, but all things in Heaven do profit and advantage the things upon Earth.

Heaven is capable and a fit receptacle of everlasting Bodies, the Earth of corruptible Bodies.

The Earth is brutish, the Heaven is reasonable or rational.

Those things that are in Heaven are subjected or placed under it, but the things on Earth, are placed upon it.Heaven is the first Element.Providence is Divine Order.Necessity is the Minister or Servant of Providence.

Fortune is the carriage or effect of that which is without Order; the Idol of operation, a lying fantasy or opinion.What is God? The immutable or unalterable Good.What is Man? 

An unchangeable Evil.If you perfectly remember these Heads, you cannot forget those things which in more words I have largely expounded unto you; for these are the Contents or Abridgment of them.

Avoid all Conversation with the multitude or common People, for I would not have you subject to Envy, much less to be ridiculous unto the many.

For the like always takes to itself that which is like, but the unlike never agrees with the unlike: such Discourses as these have very few Auditors, and peradventure very few will have, but they have something peculiar unto themselves.

They do rather sharpen and whet evil men to their maliciousness, therefore it behoves to avoid the multitude and take heed of them as not understanding the virtue and power of the things that are said.

How do you mean, O Father?

Thus, O Son, the whole Nature and Composition of those living things called Men, is very prone to Maliciousness, and is very familiar, and as it were nourished with it, and therefore is delighted with it. 

Now this sentient being, if it shall come to learn or know, that the world was once made, and all things are done according to Providence and Necessity, Destiny, or Fate, bearing Rule over all: Will he not be much worse than himself, despising the whole because it was made. 

And if he may lay the cause of evil upon Fate or Destiny, he will never abstain from any evil work.

Wherefore we must look warily to such kind of people, that being in ignorance, they may be less evil for fear of that which is hidden and kept secret.

Corpus Hermeticum  Book 2

Poimander The Vision.

Hermes, while wandering in a rocky and desolate place, gave himself over to meditation and prayer.
Following the secret instructions of the Temple, he gradually freed his higher consciousness from the bondage of his bodily senses; and, thus released, his divine nature revealed to him the mysteries of the transcendental spheres.
He beheld a figure, terrible and awe-inspiring.
It was the Great Dragon, with wings stretching across the sky and light streaming in all directions from its body.
The Great Dragon called Hermes by name, and asked him why he was meditated upon the World Mystery.
Terrified by the spectacle, Hermes prostrated himself before the Dragon, asking it to reveal its identity.
The great creature answered that it was Poimandres, the Mind of the Universe, the Creative Intelligence, and the Absolute Emperor of all.
Hermes then asked Poimandres to disclose the nature of the universe and the constitution of the gods.
The Dragon acquiesced, bidding Trismegistus hold its image in his mind.

Immediately the form of Poimandres changed.
Where it had stood there was a glorious and pulsating Radiance.
This Light was the spiritual nature of the Great Dragon itself. Hermes was "raised" into the midst of this Divine Effulgence and the universe of material things faded from his consciousness.
Presently a great darkness descended and, expanding, swallowed up the Light. Everything was troubled.
About Hermes swirled a mysterious watery substance which gave forth a smokelike vapor.
The air was filled with inarticulate moanings and sighings which seemed to come from the Light swallowed up in the darkness.
His mind told Hermes that the Light was the form of the spiritual universe and that the swirling darkness which had engulfed it represented material substance.

Then out of the imprisoned Light a mysterious and Holy Word came forth and took its stand upon the smoking waters.
This Word, the Voice of the Light, rose out of the darkness as a great pillar, and the fire and the air followed after it, but the earth and the water remained unmoved below.
Thus the waters of Light were divided from the waters of darkness, and from the waters of Light were formed the worlds above and from the waters of darkness were formed the worlds below.
The earth and the water next mingled, becoming inseparable, and the Spiritual Word which is called Reason moved upon their surface, causing endless turmoil.

Then again was heard the voice of Poimandres, but His form was not revealed:

"I am your God, the Light and the Mind which were before substance was divided from spirit and darkness from Light. 

And the Word which appeared as a pillar of flame out of the darkness is the Son of God, born of the mystery of the Mind.

The name of that Word is Reason. Reason is the offspring of Thought and Reason shall divide the Light from the darkness and establish Truth in the midst of the waters.
Understand, O Hermes, and meditate deeply upon the mystery. 

That which in you see and hears is not of the earth, but is the Word of God incarnate.
So it is said that Divine Light dwells in the midst of mortal darkness, and ignorance cannot divide them.
The union of the Word and the Mind produces that mystery which is called Life.
As the darkness without you is divided against itself, so the darkness within you is likewise divided.
The Light and the fire which rise are the divine man, ascending in the path of the Word, and that which fails to ascend is the mortal man, which may not partake of immortality.
Learn deeply of the Mind and its mystery, for therein lies the secret of immortality."

The Dragon again revealed its form to Hermes, and for a long time the two looked steadfastly one upon the other, eye to eye, so that Hermes trembled before the gaze of Poimandres.

At the Word of the Dragon the heavens opened and the innumerable Light Powers were revealed, soaring through Cosmos on pinions of streaming fire.
Hermes beheld the Spirits of the Stars, the Celestials controlling the Universe, and all those Powers which shine with the radiance of the One Fire, the glory of the Sovereign Mind.

Hermes realized that the sight which he beheld was revealed to him only because Poimandres had spoken a Word.
The Word was Reason, and by the Reason of the Word invisible things were made manifest. Divine Mind, the Dragon, continued its discourse:

The darkness below, receiving the hammer of the Word, was fashioned into an orderly universe.
The elements separated into strata and each brought forth living creatures.
The Supreme Being, the Mind, male and female, brought forth the Word; and the Word, suspended between Light and darkness, was delivered of another Mind called the Workman, the Master-Builder, or the Maker of Things.

"In this manner it was accomplished, O Hermes: The Word moving like a breath through space called forth the Fire by the friction of its motion.
Therefore, the Fire is called the Son of Striving. The Workman passed as a whirlwind through the universe, causing the substances to vibrate and glow with its friction,

The Son of Striving thus formed Seven Governors, the Spirits of the Planets, whose orbits bounded the world; and the Seven Governors controlled the world by the mysterious power called Destiny given them by the Fiery Workman.

When the Second Mind had organized Chaos, the Word of God rose straightway out of its prison of substance, leaving the elements without Reason, and joined Itself to the nature of the Fiery Workman.
Then the Second Mind, together with the risen Word, established Itself in the midst of the universe and whirled the wheels of the Celestial Powers.
This shall continue from an infinite beginning to an infinite end, for the beginning and the ending are in the same place and state.

"Then the downward-turned and unreasoning elements brought forth creatures without Reason.

Substance could not bestow Reason, for Reason had ascended out of it. The air produced flying things and the waters such as swim.
The earth conceived strange four-footed and creeping beasts, dragons, composite demons, and grotesque monsters.
Then the Father, the Supreme Mind, being Light and Life, fashioned a glorious Universal Man in Its own image, not an earthy man but a heavenly Man dwelling in the Light of God. The Supreme Mind loved the Man It had fashioned and delivered to Him the control of the creations and workmanships.

"The Man, desiring to labor, took up His abode in the sphere of generation and observed the works of His brother, the Second Mind, which sat upon the Ring of the Fire.
And having beheld the achievements of the Fiery Workman, He willed also to make things, and His Father gave permission. The Seven Governors, of whose powers He partook, rejoiced and each gave the Man a share of Its own nature.

"The Man longed to pierce the circumference of the circles and understand the mystery of Him who sat upon the Eternal Fire.

Having already all power, He stooped down and peeped through the seven Harmonies and, breaking through the strength of the circles, made Himself manifest to Nature stretched out below.
The Man, looking into the depths, smiled, for He beheld a shadow upon the earth and a likeness mirrored in the waters, which shadow and likeness were a reflection of Himself.

The Man fell in love with His own shadow and desired to descend into it. Coincident with the desire, the Intelligent Thing united Itself with the unreasoning image or shape.

"Nature, beholding the descent, wrapped herself about the Man whom she loved, and the two were mingled. For this reason, earthy man is composite. Within him is the Sky Man, immortal and beautiful; without is Nature, mortal and destructible.

Thus, suffering is the result of the Immortal Man's falling in love with His shadow and giving up Reality to dwell in the darkness of illusion; for, being immortal, man has the power of the Seven Governors, also the Life, the Light, and the Word, but being mortal, he is controlled by the Rings of the Governors, Fate or Destiny.

"Of the Immortal Man it should be said that He is hermaphrodite, or male and female, and eternally watchful. He neither slumbers nor sleeps, and is governed by a Father also both male and female, and ever watchful.

Such is the mystery kept hidden to this day, for Nature, being mingled in marriage with the Sky Man, brought forth a wonder most wonderful, seven men, all bisexual, male and female, and upright of stature, each one exemplifying the natures of the Seven Governors.

These O Hermes, are the seven races, species, and wheels.

"After this manner were the seven men generated.
Earth was the female element and water the male element, and from the fire and the æther they received their spirits, and Nature produced bodies after the species and shapes of men.

And man received the Life and Light of the Great Dragon, and of the Life was made his Soul and of the Light his Mind.
And so, all these composite creatures containing immortality, but partaking of mortality, continued in this state for the duration of a period.
They reproduced themselves out of themselves, for each was male and female. But at the end of the period the knot of Destiny was untied by the will of God and the bond of all things was loosened.

"Then all living creatures, including man, which had been hermaphroditical, were separated, the males being set apart by themselves and the females likewise, according to the dictates of Reason.

"Then God spoke to the Holy Word within the soul of all things, saying: 'Increase in increasing and multiply in multitudes, all you, my creatures and workmanships.
Let him that is endued with Mind know himself to be immortal and that the cause of death is the love of the body; and let him learn all things that are, for he who has recognized himself enters into the state of Good.'

"And when God had said this, Providence, with the aid of the Seven Governors and Harmony, brought the sexes together, making the mixtures and establishing the generations, and all things were multiplied according to their kind.
He who through the error of attachment loves his body, stayed wandering in darkness, sensible and suffering the things of death, but he who realizes that the body is but the tomb of his soul, rises to immortality."

Then Hermes desired to know why men should be deprived of immortality for the sin of ignorance alone. The Great Dragon answered: "To the ignorant the body is supreme and they are incapable of realizing the immortality that is within them. Knowing only the body which is subject to death, they believe in death because they worship that substance which is the cause and reality of death."

Then Hermes asked how the righteous and wise pass to God, to which Poimandres replied: "That which the Word of God said, I say: 'Because the Father of all things consists of Life and Light, whereof man is made.'
If, therefore, a man shall learn and understand the nature of Life and Light, then he shall pass into the eternity of Life and Light."

Hermes next inquired about the road by which the wise attained to Life eternal, and Poimandres continued: "Let the man endued with a Mind mark, consider, and learn of himself, and with the power of his Mind divide himself from his not-self and become a servant of Reality."

Hermes asked if all men did not have Minds, and the Great Dragon replied: "Take heed what you say, for I am the Mind, the Eternal Teacher.
I am the Father of the Word, the Redeemer of all men and in the nature of the wise the Word takes flesh. By means of the Word, the world is saved.
I, Thought, the Father of the Word, the Mind, come only unto men that are holy and good, pure and merciful, and that live piously and religiously, and my presence is an inspiration and a help to them, for when I come they immediately know all things and adore the Universal Father.
Before such wise and philosophic ones die, they learn to renounce their senses, knowing that these are the enemies of their immortal souls.

"I will not permit the evil senses to control the bodies of those who love me, nor will I allow evil emotions and evil thoughts to enter them. I become as a porter or door keeper, and shut out evil, protecting the wise from their own lower nature.

But to the wicked, the envious and the covetous, I come not, for such cannot understand the mysteries of Mind; therefore, I am unwelcome. I leave them to the avenging demon that they are making in their own souls, for evil each day increases itself and torments man more sharply, and each evil deed adds to the evil deeds that are gone before until finally evil destroys itself.

The punishment of desire is the agony of unfulfillment."

Hermes bowed his head in thankfulness to the Great Dragon who had taught him so much, and begged to hear more concerning the ultimate of the human soul.
So Poimandres resumed: "At death the material body of man is returned to the elements from which it came, and the invisible divine man ascends to the source from whence he came, namely the Eighth Sphere.

The evil passes to the dwelling place of the demon, and the senses, feelings, desires, and body passions return to their source, namely the Seven Governors, whose natures in the lower man destroy but in the invisible spiritual man give life.

"After the lower nature has returned to the brutishness, the higher struggles again to regain its spiritual estate.

It ascends the seven Rings upon which sit the Seven Governors and returns to each their lower powers in this manner: Upon the first ring sits the Moon, and to it is returned the ability to increase and diminish.
Upon the second ring sits Mercury, and to it are returned machinations, deceit, and craftiness.
Upon the third ring sits Venus, and to it are returned the lusts and passions. Upon the fourth ring sits the Sun, and to this Lord are returned ambitions.
Upon the fifth ring sits Mars, and to it are returned rashness and profane boldness. Upon the sixth ring sits Jupiter, and to it are returned the sense of accumulation and riches. And upon the seventh ring sits Saturn, at the Gate of Chaos, and to it are returned falsehood and evil plotting.

"Then, being naked of all the accumulations of the seven Rings, the soul comes to the Eighth Sphere, namely, the ring of the fixed stars. Here, freed of all illusion, it dwells in the Light and sings praises to the Father in a voice which only the pure of spirit may understand. 

"The path to immortality is hard, and only a few find it. The rest await the Great Day when the wheels of the Universe shall be stopped and the immortal sparks shall escape from the sheaths of substance.

Woe unto those who wait, for they must return again, unconscious and unknowing, to the seed-ground of stars, and await a new beginning.

Those who are saved by the light of the mystery which I have revealed unto you, O Hermes, and which I now bid you to establish among men, shall return again to the Father who dwells in the White Light, and shall deliver themselves up to the Light and shall be absorbed into the Light, and in the Light they shall become Powers in God.

This is the Way of Good and is revealed only to them that have wisdom.

"Blessed are you, O Son of Light, to whom of all men, I, Poimandres, the Light of the World, have revealed myself. I order you to go forth, to become as a guide to those who wander in darkness, that all men within whom dwells the spirit of My Mind may be saved by My Mind in you, which shall call forth My Mind in them.

Establish My Mysteries and they shall not fail from the earth, for I am the Mind of the Mysteries and until Mind fails my Mysteries cannot fail." With these parting words, Poimandres, radiant with celestial light, vanished, mingling with the powers of the heavens. Raising his eyes unto the heavens, Hermes blessed the Father of All Things and consecrated his life to the service of the Great Light.

Thus preached Hermes: "O people of the earth, men born and made of the elements, but with the spirit of the Divine Man within you, rise from your sleep of ignorance! Be sober and thoughtful. Realize that your home is not in the earth but in the Light. Why have you delivered yourselves over unto death, having power to partake of immortality? Repent, and change your minds.

Depart from the dark light and forsake corruption forever. Prepare yourselves to climb through the Seven Rings and to blend your souls with the eternal Light."

Some who heard mocked and scoffed and went their way, delivering themselves to the Second Death from which there is no salvation. But others, casting themselves before the feet of Hermes, besought him to teach them the Way of Life.

He lifted them gently, receiving no approbation for himself, and staff in hand, went forth teaching and guiding mankind, and showing them how they might be saved. In the worlds of men, Hermes sowed the seeds of wisdom and nourished the seeds with the Immortal Waters.

And at last came the evening of his life, and as the brightness of the light of earth was beginning to go down, Hermes commanded his disciples to preserve his doctrines inviolate throughout all ages. The Vision of Poimandres he committed to writing that all men desiring immortality might therein find the way.

In concluding his exposition of the Vision, Hermes wrote: "The sleep of the body is the sober watchfulness of the Mind and the shutting of my eyes reveals the true Light. My silence is filled with budding life and hope, and is full of good. My words are the blossoms of fruit of the tree of my soul.

For this is the faithful account of what I received from my true Mind, that is Poimandres, the Great Dragon, the Lord of the Word, through whom I became inspired by God with the Truth.

Since that day my Mind has been ever with me and in my own soul it has given birth to the Word: the Word is Reason, and Reason has redeemed me. For which cause, with all my soul and all my strength, I give praise and blessing unto God the Father, the Life and the Light, and the Eternal Good.

"Holy is God, the Father of all things, the One who is before the First Beginning.

"Holy is God, whose will is performed and accomplished by His own Powers which He has given birth to out of Himself.

"Holy is God, who has determined that He shall be known, and who is known by His own to whom He reveals Himself.

"Holy are You, who by Your Word has established all things.

"Holy are You, of whom all Nature is the image.

"Holy are You, whom the inferior nature has not formed.

"Holy are You, who are stronger than all powers.

"Holy are You, who are greater than all excellency.

"Holy are You, who are better than all praise.

"Accept these reasonable sacrifices from a pure soul and a heart stretched out unto You.

"O You Unspeakable, Unutterable, to be praised with silence!

"I beg of You to look mercifully upon me, that I may not err from the knowledge of You and that I may enlighten those that are in ignorance, my brothers and Your sons.

"Therefore I believe You and bear witness unto You, and depart in peace and in trustfulness into Your Light and Life.

"Blessed are You, O Father! The man You have fashioned would be sanctified with You as You have given him power to sanctify others with Your Word and Your Truth."

The Vision of Hermes, like nearly all of the Hermetic writings, is an allegorical exposition of great philosophic and mystic truths, and its hidden meaning may be comprehended only by those who have been "raised" into the presence of the True Mind.

Corpus Hermeticum  Book 3

called "The Holy Sermon"

The glory of all things, God and that which is Divine, and the Divine Nature, the beginning of things that are.

God, and the Mind, and Nature, and Matter, and Operation, or Working and Necessity, and the End and Renovation.

For there were in the Chaos, an infinite darkness in the Abyss or bottomless Depth, and Water, and a subtle Spirit intelligible in Power; and there went out the Holy Light, and the Elements were coagulated from the Sand out of the moist Substance.

And all the Gods distinguished the Nature full of Seeds.

And when all things were interminated and unmade up, the light things were divided on high. And the heavy things were founded upon the moist sand, all things being Terminated or Divided by Fire; and being sustained or hung up by the Spirit they were so carried, and the Heaven was seen in Seven Circles.

And the Gods were seen in their Ideas of the Stars, with all their Signs, and the Stars were numbered, with the Gods in them. And the Sphere was all lined with Air, carried about in a circular, motion by the Spirit of God.

And every God by his internal power, did that which was commanded him; and there were made four footed things, and creeping things, and such as live in the Water, and such as fly, and every fruitful Seed, and Grass, and the Flowers of all Greens, and which had sowed in themselves the Seeds of Regeneration.

As also the Generations of men to the knowledge of the Divine Works, and a lively or working Testimony of Nature, and a multitude of men, and the Dominion of all things under Heaven and the knowledge of good things, and to be increased in increasing, and multiplied in multitude.

And every Soul in flesh, by the wonderful working of the Gods in the Circles, to the beholding of Heaven, the Gods, Divine Works, and the Operations of Nature; and for Signs of good things, and the knowledge of the Divine Power, and to find out every cunning workmanship of good things.

So it beginnes to live in them, and to be wise according to the Operation of the course of the circular Gods; and to be resolved into that which shall be great Monuments; and Remembrances of the cunning Works done upon Earth, leaving them to be read by the darkness of times.

And every generation of living flesh, of Fruit, Seed, and all Handicrafts, though they be lost, must of necessity be renewed by the renovation of the Gods, and of the Nature of a Circle, moving in number; for it is a Divine thing, that every world temperature should be renewed by nature, for in that which is Divine, is Nature also established.

Corpus Hermeticum - Book 4

called  "The Key"

Yesterday's Speech, O Asclepius, I dedicated to you, this day's it is fit to dedicate to Tat, because it is an Epitome of those general speeches that were spoken to him.

God therefore, and the Father, and the Good, O Tat, have the same Nature, or rather also the same Act and Operation.

For there is one name or appellation of Nature and Increase which concerneth things changeable, and another about things unchangeable, and about things unmoveable, that is to say, Things Divine and Human; every one of which, himself will have so to be; but action or operation is of another thing, or elsewhere, as we have taught in other things, Divine and Human, which must here also be understood.

For his Operation or Act, is his Will, and his Essence, to Will all Things to be.

For what is God, and the Father, and the Good, but the Being of all things that yet are not, and the existence itself, of those things that are!

This is God, this is the Father, this is the Good, whereunto no other thing is present or approaches.

For the World, and the Sun, which is also a Father by Participation, is not for all that equally the cause of Good, and of Life, to living Creatures: And if this be so, he is altogether constrained by the Will of the Good, without which it is not possible, either to be, or to be begotten or made.

But the Father is the cause of his Children, who has a will both to sow and nourish that which is good by the Son.

For Good is always active or busy in making; and this cannot he in any other, but in him that takes nothing, and yet willes all things to be; for I will not say, O Tat, making them; for he that makes is defective in much time, in which sometimes he makes not, as also of quantity and quality; for sometimes he makes those things that have quantity and quality and sometimes the contrary.

But God is the Father, and the Good, in being all things; for he both will be this, and is it, and yet all this for himself in him that can see it.

For all things else are for this, it is the property of Good to be known: This is the Good, O Tat.

Tat. You have filled us, O Father, with a sight both good and fair, and the eye of my mind is almost become more holy by the sight or spectacle.

Trismegistus. I Wonder not at It, for the Sight of Good is not like the Beam of the Sun, which being of a fiery shining brightness, makes the eye blind by his excessive Light, that gazes upon it; rather the contrary, for it enlightenes, and so much increases the light of the eye, as any man is able to receive the influence of this Intelligible clearness.

For it is more swift and sharp to pierce, and innocent or harmless withal, and full of immortality, and they that are capable and can draw any store of this spectacle, and sight do many times fall asleep from the Body, into this most fair and beauteous Vision ; which thing Celius and Saturn our Progenitors obtained unto.

Tat. I would we also, O Father, could do so.

Trismegistus. I would have could, O Son; but for the present we are less intent to the Vision, and cannot yet open the eyes of our minds to behold the incorruptible, and incomprehensible Beauty of that Good: But then shall we see it, when we have nothing at all to say of it.

For the knowledge of it, is a Divine Silence, and the rest of all the Senses; For neither can he that understands that understand anything else, nor he that sees that, see any thing else, nor hear any other thing, nor in sum, move the Body.

For shining steadfastly upon, and round about the whole Mind it enlightened all the Soul ; and loosing it from the Bodily Senses and Motions, it drawes it from the Body, and changes it wholly into the Essence of God.

For it is Possible for the Soul, O Son, to be Deified while yet it Lodges in the Body of Man, if it Contemplate the Beauty of the Good.

Tat. How do you mean deifying, Father!

Trismegistus. There are differences, O Son, of every Soul.

Tat. But how do you again divide the changes?

Trismegistus. Have you not heard in the general Speeches, that from one Soul of the Universe, are all those Souls, which in all the world are tossed up and down, as it were, and severally divided? Of these Souls there are many changes, some into a more fortunate estate, and some quite contrary; for they which are of creeping things, are changed into those of watery things and those of things living in the water, to those of things living upon the Land; and Airy ones are changed into men, and human Souls, that lay hold of immortality, are changed into Demons.

And so they go on into the Sphere or Region of the fixed Gods, for there are two choirs or companies of Gods, one of them that wander, and another of them that are fixed. And this is the most perfect glory of the Soul.

But the Soul entering into the Body of a Man, if it continue evil, shall neither taste of immortality, nor is partaker of the good.

But being drawn back the same way, it returnes into creeping things. And this is the condemnation of an evil Soul.

And the wickedness of a Soul is ignorance; for the Soul that knows nothing of the things that are, neither the Nature of them, nor that which is good, but is blinded, rushes and dashes against the bodily Passions, and unhappy as it is, not knowing itself, it serves strange Bodies, and evil ones, carrying the Body as a burden, and not ruling, but ruled. And this is the mischief of the Soul.

On the contrary, the virtue of the Soul is Knowledge; for he that knows is both good and religious, and already Divine.

Tat. But who is such a one, O Father!

Trismegistus. He that neither speaks, nor hears many things; for he, O Son, that heares two speeches or hearings, fightes in the shadow.

For God, and the Father, and Good, is neither spoken nor heard.

This being so in all things that are, are the Senses, because they cannot be without them.

But Knowledge differs much from Sense; for Sense is of things that surmount it, but Knowledge is the end of Sense.

Knowledge is the gift of God ; for all Knowledge is unbodily but uses the Mind as an Instrument, as the Mind uses the Body.

Therefore both intelligible and material things go both of them into bodies; for, of contraposition, That is Setting One against Another, and Contrariety, all Things must Consist. And it is impossible it should be otherwise,

Tat. who therefore is this material God?

Trismegistus. The fair and beautiful world, and yet it is not good; for it is material and easily passible, nay, it is the first of all passible things; and the second of the things that are, and needy or wanting somewhat else. And it was once made and is always, and is ever in generation, and made, and continually makes, or generates things that have quantity and quality.

For it is moveable, and every material motion is generation; but the intellectual stability moves the material motion after this manner.

Because the World Is a Sphere, that is a Head, and above the head there is nothing material, as beneath the feet there is nothing intellectual.

The whole universe is material; The Mind is the head, and it is moved spherically, that is like a head.

Whatsoever therefore is joined or united to the Membrane or Film of this head, wherein the Soul is, is immortal, and as in the Soul of a made Body, has its Soul full of the Body; but those that are further from that Membrane, have the Body full of Soul.

The whole is a living sentient being, and therefore consistes of material and intellectual.

And the World is the first, and Man the second living sentient being after the World; but the first of things that are mortal and therefore has whatsoever benefit of the Soul all the others have: And yet for all this, he is not only not good, but flatly evil, as being mortal.

For the World is not good as it is moveable; nor evil as it is immortal.

But man is evil, both as he is moveable, and as he is mortal.

But the Soul of Man is carried in this manner, The Mind is in Reason, Reason in the Soul, the Soul in the Spirit, the Spirit in the Body.

The Spirit being diffused and going through the veins, and arteries, and blood, both moves the living Creature, and after a certain manner beares it.

Wherefore some also have thought the Soul to be blood, being deceived in Nature, not knowing that first the Spirit must return into the Soul, and then the blood is congealed, the veins and arteries emptied, and then the living thing dies: And this is the death of the Body.

All things depend of one beginning, and, the beginning depends of that which is one and alone.

And the beginning is moved, that it may again be a beginning; but that which is one, standes and abides, and is not moved,

There are therefore these three, God the Father, and the Good, the World and Man: God has the World, and the World has Man; and the World is the Son of God, and Man as it were the Offspring of the World.

For God is not ignorant of man, but knows him perfectly, and will be known by him. This only is healthful to man; the Knowledge of God: this is the return of Olympus; by this only the Soul is made good, and not sometimes good, and sometimes evil, but of necessity Good.

Tat. What do you mean, O Father.

Trismegistus. Consider, O Son, the Soul of a Child, when as yet it has received no dissolution of its Body, which is not yet grown, but is very small; how then if it look upon itself, it sees itself beautiful, as not having been yet spotted with the Passions of the Body, but as it were depending yet upon the Soul of the World.

But when the Body is grown and distracted, the Soul it engenders Forgetfulness, and partakes no more of the Fair and the Good, and Forgetfulness is Evilness.

The like also happens to them that go out of the Body: for when the Soul runs back into itself the Spirit is contracted into the blood and the Soul into the Spirit; but the Mind being made pure, and free from these clothings; and being Divine by Nature, taking a fiery Body ranges abroad in every place, leaving the Soul to judgment, and to the punishment it has deserved.

Tat. Why do you say so, O Father, that the Mind is separated from the Soul, and the Soul from the Spirit? When even now you said the Soul was the Clothing or Apparel of the Mind, and the Body of the Soul.

Trismegistus. O Son, he that hears must co-understand and conspire in thought with him that speaks; yes, he must have his hearing swifter and sharper than the voice of the speaker.

The disposition of these Clothings or Covers, is done in an Earthly Body; for it is impossible, that the mind should establish or rest itself, naked, and of itself; in an Earthly Body; neither is the Earthly Body able to bear such immortality; and therefore that it might suffer so great virtue the Mind compacted as it were, and took to itself the passible Body of the Soul, as a Covering or Clothing. And the Soul being also in some sort Divine, uses the Spirit as her Minister and Servant, and the Spirit governes the living thing. 

When therefore the Mind is separated, and departes from the earthly Body, presently it puts on its Fiery Coat, which it could not do having to dwell in an Earthly Body.

For the Earth cannot suffer fire, for it is all burned of a small spark; therefore is the water poured round about the Earth, as a Wall or defence, to withstand the flame of fire.

But the Mind being the most sharp or swift of all the Divine Cogitations, and more swift than all the Elements, has the fire for its Body.

For the Mind which is the Workman of all uses the fire as his instrument in his Workmanship; and he that is the Workman of all, uses it to the making of all things, as it is used by man, to the making of Earthly things only; for the Mind that is upon Earth, void, or naked of fire, cannot do the business of men. nor that which is otherwise the affairs of God.

But the Soul of Man, and yet not everyone, but that which is pious and religious, is Angelical and Divine. And such a Soul, after it is departed from the Body, having striven the strife of Piety, becomes either Mind or God.

And the strife of Piety is to know God, and to injure no Man, and this way it becomes Mind.

But an impious Soul abides in its own essence, punished of itself, and seeking an earthly and human Body to enter into.

For no other Body is capable of a Human Soul, neither is it lawful for a Man's Soul to fall into the Body of an unreasonable living thing: for it is the Law or Decree of God, to preserve a Human Soul from so great a contumely and reproach.

Tat. How then is the Soul of Man punished, O Father; and what is its greatest torment.

Hermes. Impiety, O my Son; for what Fire has so great a flame as it? Or what biting Beast does so tear the Body as it does the Soul.

Or do you not see how many evils the wicked Soul sufferes, roaring and crying out, I am Burned, I am Consumed, I know not what to Say, or Do, I am Devoured, Unhappy Wretch, of the Evils that compass and lay-hold upon me; Miserable that I am, I neither See nor Hear anything.

These are the voices of a punished and tormented Soul, and not as many; and you, O Son, think that the Soul going out of the Body grows brutish or enters into a Beast: which is a very great Error, for the Soul punished after this manner.

For the Mind, when it is ordered or appointed to get a fiery Body for the services of God, coming down into the wicked Soul, torments it with the whips of Sins, wherewith the wicked Soul being scourged, turns itself to Murders, and Contumelies, and Blasphemies, and divers Violences, and other things by which men are injured

But into a pious Soul, the Mind entering, leads it into the Light of Knowledge.

And such a Soul is never satisfied with singing praise to God, and speaking well of all men; and both in words and deeds, always doing good in imitation of her Father.

Therefore, O Son, we must give thanks, and pray, that we may obtain a good mind.

The Soul therefore may be altered or changed into the better, but into the worse it is impossible.

But there is a communion of Souls, and those of Gods, communicate with those of men; and those of men, with those of Beasts.

And the better always take of the worse, Gods of Men, Men of brute Beasts, but God of all: For he is the best of all, and all things are less than he.

Therefore is the World subject unto God, Man unto the World and unreasonable things to Man.

But God is above all, and about all; and the beams of God are operations; and the beams of the World are Natures; and the beams of Man are Arts and Sciences.

And Operations do act by the World, and upon man by the natural beams of the World, but Natures work by the Elements, and man by Arts and Sciences.

And this is the Government of the whole, depending upon the Nature of the One, and piercing or coming down by the One Mind, than which nothing is more Divine, and more efficacious or operative; and nothing more uniting, or nothing is more One. The Communion of Gods to Men, and of Men to God.

This is the Bonus Genius, or good Demon, blessed Soul that is fullest of it! and unhappy Soul that is empty of it!

Tat. And wherefore Father?

Trismegistus. Know Son, that every Soul has the Good Mind; for of that it is we now speak, and not of that Minister of which we said before, That he was sent from the Judgment.

For the Soul without the Mind, can neither do, nor say any thing; for many times the Mind flies away from the Soul, and in that hour the Soul neither sees nor hears, but is like an unreasonable thing; so great is the power of the Mind.

But neither brookes it an idle or lazy Soul, but leaves such a one fastened to the Body, and by it pressed down.

And such a Soul, O Son, has no mind, wherefore neither must such a one be called a Man.

For man is a Divine living thing and is not to be compared to any brute Beast that lives upon Earth, but to them that are above in Heaven, that are called Gods.

Rather, if we shall be bold to speak the truth, he that is a man indeed, is above them, or at least they are equal in power, one to the other, For none of the things in Heaven will come down upon Earth, and leave the limits of Heaven, but a man ascends up into Heaven, and measures it.

And he knowes what things are on high, and what below, and learnes all other things exactly.

And that which is the greatest of all, he leaves not the Earth, and yet is above: So great is the greatness of his Nature.

Wherefore we must be bold to say, That an Earthly Man is a Mortal God, and That the Heavenly God is an Immortal Man.

Wherefore, by these two are all things governed, the World and Man; but they and all things else, of that which is One.

Corpus Hermeticum  Book 5

"That God is not Manifest and yet most Manifest."

This Discourse I will also make to you, O Tat, that you may not be ignorant of the more excellent Name of God.

But do contemplate in your Mind, how that which to many seems hidden and unmanifest, may be most manifest unto you.

For it were not all, if it were apparent, for whatsoever is apparent, is generated or made; for it was made manifest, but that which is not manifest is ever.

For it need not to be manifested, for it is always.

And he makes all other things manifest, being unmanifest as being always, and making other things manifest, he is not made manifest.

Himself is not made, yet in fantasy he fantasies all things, or in appearance he makes them appear, for appearance is only of those things that are generated or made, for appearance is nothing but generation.

But he is that One, that is not made nor generated, is also unapparent and unmanifest.

But making all things appear, he appears in all and by all; but especially he is manifested to or in those things wherein himself listens.

Though therefore, O Tat, my Son, pray first to the Lord and Father, and to the Alone and to the One from whom is one to be merciful to thee, that you may know and understand so great a God; and that he would shine one of his beams upon thee In thy understanding.

For only the Understanding sees that which is not manifest or apparent, as being itself not manifest or apparent; and if you can't, O Tat, it will appear to the eyes of thy Mind.

For the Lord, void of envy, appears through the whole world. You may see the intelligence, and take it in your hands, and contemplate the Image of God.

But if that which is in you, be not known or apparent unto you, how shall he in you be seen, and appear unto you by the eyes?

But if you will see him, consider and understand the Sun, consider the course of the Moon, consider the order of the Stars.

Who is he that keepeth order? for all order is circumscribed or terminated in number and place.

The Sun is the greatest of the Gods in heaven, to whom all the heavenly Gods give place, as to a King and potentate; and yet he being such a one, greater than the Earth or the Sea, is content to suffer infinite lesser stars to walk and move above himself; whom does he fear the while, O Son?

Every one of these Stars that are in Heaven, do not make the like, or an equal course; who is it that hath prescribed unto every one, the manner and the greatness of their course!

This Bear that turns round about its own self; and carries round the whole World with her, who possessed and made such an Instrument.

Who has set the Bounds to the Sea? who has established the Earth? for there is some body, O Tat, that is the Maker and Lord of these things.

For it is impossible, O Son, that either place, or number, or measure, should be observed without a Maker.

For no order can be made by disorder or disproportion.

I would it were possible for you, O my Son, to have wings, and to fly into the Air, and being taken up in the midst, between Heaven and Earth, to see the stability of the Earth, the fluidness of the Sea, the courses of the Rivers, the largeness of the Air, the sharpness or swiftness of the Fire, the motion of the Stars; and the speediness of the Heaven, by which it goes round about all these.

O Son, what a happy sight it were, at one instant, to see all these, that which is unmovable moved, and that which is hidden appear and be manifest.

And if you will see and behold this Workman, even by mortal things that are upon Earth, and in the deep. Consider, O Son, how Man is made and framed in the Womb; and examine diligently the skill and cunning of the Workman, and learn who it was that brought and fashioned the beautiful and Divine shape of Man; who circumscribed and marked out his eyes? who bored his nostrils and ears? who opened his mouth? who stretched out and tied together his sinews! who channelled the veins? who hardened and made strong the bones! who clothed the flesh with skin? who divided the fingers and the joints! who flatted and made broad the soles of the feet! who digged the pores! who stretched out the spleen, who made the heart like a Pyramis? who made the Liver broad! who made the Lights spungy, and full of holes! who made the belly large and capacious? who set to outward view the more honourable parts and hid the filthy ones.

See how many Arts in one Matter, and how many Works in one Superscription, and all exceedingly beautiful, and all done in measure, and yet all differing.

Who has made all these things! what Mother! what Father! save only God that is not manifest! that made all things by his own Will.

And no man says that a statue or an image is made without a Carver or a Painter, and was this Workmanship made without a Workman? O great Blindness, O great Impiety, O great Ignorance.

Never, O Son Tat, can you deprive the Workmanship of the Workman, rather it is the best Name of all the Names of God, to call him the Father of all, for so he is alone; and this is his Work to be the Father.

And if you will force me to say anything more boldly, it is his Essence to be pregnant, or great with all things, and to make them.

And as without a Maker, it is impossible that anything should be made, so it is that he should not always be, and always be making all things in Heaven, in the Air, in the Earth, in the Deep, in the whole World, and in every part of the whole that is, or that is not.

For there is nothing in the whole World, that is not himself both the things that are and the things that are not.

For the things that are, he has made manifest; and the things that are not, he has hid in himself.

This is God that is better than any name; this is he that is secret; this is he that is most manifest; this is he that is to be seen by the Mind ; this is he that is visible to the eye; this is he that has no body; and this is he that has many bodies, rather there is nothing of any body, which is not He.

For he alone is all things.

And for this cause He has all Names, because He is the One Father; and therefore He has no Name, because He is the Father of all.

Who therefore can bless you, or give thanks for you, or to you.

Which way shall I look, when I praise you? upward? downward? outward? inward?

For about thee there is no manner, nor place, nor anything else of all things that are.

But all things are in you; all things from you, you give all things, and take nothing; for you hast all things and there is nothing that you hast not.

When shall I praise you, O Father; for it is neither possible to comprehend your hour, nor your time?

For what shall I praise you? for what you have made, or for what you have not made! for those things you have manifested, or for those things you have hidden?

Wherefore shall I praise you as being of myself, or having anything of my own, or rather being another's?

For you art what I am, you are what I do, you are what I say.

You Are All Things, and there is Nothing Else you art not.

You Are You, All that is Made, and all that is not Made.

The Mind that Understands.

The Father that Makes and Frames.

The Good that Works

The Good that does All Things.

Of the Matter, the most subtle and slender part is Air, of the Air the Soul, of the Soul the Mind, of the Mind God.

Corpus Hermeticum - Book 6

The Sixth Book

called

"That in God alone is Good"

1. Good, O Asciepius, is in nothing but in God alone; or rather God himself is the Good always.

2. And if it be so, then must he be an Essence or Substance void of all motion and generation; but nothing is void or empty of him.

3. And this Essence hath about or in himself a Stable, and firm Operation, wanting nothing, most full, and giving abundantly.

4. One thing is the Beginning of all things, for it giveth all things; and when I name the Good, I mean that which is altogether and always Good.

5. This is present to none, but God alone; for he wants nothing, that he should desire to have it, nor can anything be taken from him; the loss whereof may grieve him; for sorrow is a part of evilness.

6. Nothing is stronger than he, that he should be opposed by it; nor nothing equal to him, that he should be in love with it; nothing unheard of to be angry, with nothing wiser to be envious at.

7. And none of these being in his Essence, what remains, but only the Good?

8. For as in this, being such an Essence, there is none of the evils; so in none of the other things shall the Good be found.

9. For in all other things, are all those other things. as well in the small as the great ; and as well in the particulars as in this living Creature the greater and mightiest of all.

10. For all things that are made or generated are full of Passion, Generation itself being a Passion ; and where Passion is there is not the Good; where the Good is, there is no Passion; where it is day, it is not night, and where it is night, it is not day.

11. Wherefore it is impossible, that in Generation should be the Good, but only in that which is not generated or made.

12. Yet as the Participation of all things is in the Matter bound, so also of that which is Good. After this manner is the World good, as it maketh all things, and in the part of making or doing it is Good, but in all other things not good.

13. For it is passible, and movable, and the Maker of passible things.

14. In Man also the Good is ordered (or Taketh Denomination) in comparison of that which is evil; for that which is not very evil, is here good; and that which is here called Good, is the least particle, or proportion of evil.

15. It is impossible therefore, that the Good should be here pure from Evil; for here the Good groweth Evil, and growing Evil, it doth not still abide Good; and not abiding Good it becomes Evil.

16. Therefore in God alone is the Good, or rather God is the Good.

17. Therefore, O Asclepius, there is nothing in men (or among Men) but the name of Good, the thing itself is not, for it is impossible; for a material Body receiveth (or Comprehendeth), is not as being on every side encompassed and coarcted with evilness, and labours, and griefs, and desires, and wrath, and deceits, and foolish opinions.

18. And in that which is the worst of all, Asclepius, every one of the forenamed things, is here believed to be the greatest good, especially that supreme mischief the pleasures of the Belly, and the ring-leader of all evils; Error is here the absence of the Good.

19. And I give thanks unto God, that concerning the knowledge of Good, put this assurance in my mind, that it is impossible it should be in the World.

20. For the World is the fulness of evilness ; but God is the fulness of Good, or Good of God.

21. For the eminencies of all appearing Beauty, are in the Essence more pure, more sincere, and peradventure they are also the Essence of it.

22. For we must be bold to say, Asclepius, that the Essence of God, if he have an Essence, is that which is fair or beautiful; but no good is comprehended in this World.

23. For all things that are subject to the eye, are Idols, and as it were shadows; but those things that are not subject to the eye, are ever, especially the Essence of the Fair and the Good.

24. And as the eye cannot see God, so neither the Fair, and the Good.

25. For these are the parts of God that partake the Nature of the whole, proper, and familiar unto him alone, inseparable, most lovely, whereof either God is enamoured, or they are enamoured of God.

26. If thou canst understand God, thou shalt understand the Fair, and the Good which is most shining, and enlightening, and most enlightened by God.

27. For that Beauty is above comparison, and that Good is inimitable, as God himself.

28. As therefore thou understandest God, so understand the Fair and the Good, for these are incommunicable to any other living Creatures because they are inseparable from God.

29. If thou seek concerning God, thou seekest or askest also of the Fair, for there is one way that leads to the same thing, that is Piety with Knowledge.

30. Wherefore, they that are ignorant, and go not in the way of Piety, dare call Man Fair and Good, never seeing so much as in a dream, what Good is; but being enfolded and wrapped upon all evil, and believing that the evil is the Good, they by that means, both use it unsatiably, and are afraid to be deprived of it; and therefore they strive by all possible means, that they may not only have it, but also increase it.

31. Such, O Asclepius, are the Good and Fair things of men, which we can neither love nor hate, for this is the hardest thing of all, that we have need of them, and cannot live without them.

Corpus Hermeticum - Book 7

The Seventh Book

His Secret Sermon in the Mount

Of Regeneration, and the Profession of Silence.

To His Son Tat.

1. Tat. In the general Speeches, O Father, discoursing of the Divinity, thou speakest enigmatically, and didst not clearly reveal thyself, saying, That no man can be saved before Regeneration.

2. And when I did humbly entreat thee, at the going up the Mountain after thou hadst discoursed unto me, having a great desire, to learn this Argument of Regeneration ; because among all the rest, I am ignorant only of this thou toldst me thou wouldst impart it unto me, when I would estrange myself from the World: whereupon I made myself ready, and have vindicated the understanding that is in me, from the deceit of the World.

3. Now then fulfill my defects, and as thou saidst instruct me of Regeneration, either by word of mouth or secretly; for I know not, O Trismegistus, of what Substance, or what Womb or what Seed a Man is thus born.

4. Hermes. O Son, this Wisdom is to be understood in silence, and the Seed is the true Good.

5. Tat. Who soweth it, O Father . for I am utterly ignorant and doubtful.

6. Hermes. The Will of God, O Son.

7. And what manner of Man is he that is thus born? for in this point, I am clean deprived of the Essence that understandeth in me.

8. Hermes. The Son of God will be another, God made the universe, that in everything consisteth of all powers.

9. Tat. Thou tellest me a Riddle, Father, and dost not speak as a Father to his Son.

10. Hermes. Son, things of this kind are not taught, but are by God, when he pleaseth, brought to remembrance.

11. Tat. Thou speakest of things strained, or far fetched, and impossible, Father; and therefore I will directly contradict them.

12. Hermes. Wilt thou prove a stranger, Son, to thy Father's kind.

13. Do not envy me, Father, or pardon me, I am thy Natural Son; discourse unto me the manner of Regeneration.

14. Hermes. What shall I say, O my Son? I have nothing to say more than this, that I see in myself an unfeigned sight or spectacle, made by the mercy of God, and I am gone out of myself into an immortal body, and am riot now what I was before, but was begotten in Mind.

15. This thing is not taught, nor is it to be seen in this formed Element; for which the first compound form was neglected by me; and that I am now separated from it ; for I have both the touch and the measure of it, yet am I now estranged from them.

16. Thou seest, O Son, with thine eyes; but though thou look never so steadfastly upon me, with the Body, and bodily sight, thou canst not see, nor understand what I am now.

17. Tat. Thou hast driven me, O Father, into no small fury and distraction of mind, for I do not now see my self.

18. Hermes. I would, O Son, that thou also wert gone out of thyself, like them that dream in their sleep.

19. Tat. Then tell me this, who is the Author and Maker of Regeneration ?

20. Hermes. The child of God, one Man by the Will of God.

21. Tat. Now, O Father, thou hast put me to silence for ever and all my former thoughts have quite left and forsaken me, for I see the greatness, and shape of all things here below, and nothing but falsehood in them all.

22. And since this mortal Form is daily changed, and turned by this time into increase, and diminution, as being falsehood; what therefore is true, O Trismegistus?

23. Trismegistus. That, O Son, which is not troubled, nor bounded; not coloured, not figured, not changed; that which is naked, bright, comprehensible only of itself, unalterable, unbodily.

24. Tat. Now I am mad, indeed, Father; for when I thought me to have been made a wise man by thee, with these thoughts thou hast quite dulled all my senses.

25. Hermes. Yet is it so, as I say, O Son, He that Looketh Only upon that which is carried upward as Fire, that which is carried downward as Earth, that which is moist as Water, and that which bloweth or is subject to blast as Air; how can he sensibly understand that which is neither hard, nor moist, nor tangible, nor perspicuous, seeing it is only understood in power and operation; but I beseech and pray to the Mind which alone can understand the Generation, which is in God.

26. Tat. Then am I, O Father, utterly unable to do it.

27. Hermes. God forbid, Son, rather draw or pull him unto thee (or Study to Know Him) and he will come, be but Willing, and it shall be done; quiet (or make idle) the Senses of the Body, purging thyself from unreasonable brutish torments of matter.

28. Tat. Have I any revengers or tormentors in myself, Father ?

29. Hermes. Yes, and those, not a few, but many and fearful ones.

30. Tat. I do not know them, Father.

31. Hermes. One Torment, Son, is Ignorance, a second, Sorrow, a third, Intemperance, a fourth Concupiscence, a fifth, Injustice, a sixth, Covetousness, a seventh, Deceit, an eighth, Envy, a ninth, Fraud or Guile, a tenth, Wrath, an eleventh, Rashness, a twelfth, Maliciousness.

32. They are in number twelve, and under these many more; some which through the prison of the body, do force the inwardly placed Man to suffer sensibly

33. And they do not suddenly, or easily depart from him, that hath obtained mercy of God; and herein consists, both the manner and the reason of Regeneration.

34. For the rest, O Son, hold thy peace, and praise God in silence, and by that means, the mercy of God will not cease, or be wanting unto us.

35. Therefore rejoice, my Son, from henceforward, being purged by the powers of God, to the Knowledge of the Truth.

36. For the revelation of God is come to us, and when that came all Ignorance was cast out.

37. The knowledge of Joy is come unto us, and when that comes, Sorrow shall fly away to them that are capable of it.

38. I call unto Joy, the power of Temperance, a power whose Virtue is most sweet; Let us take her unto ourselves, O Son, most willingly, for how at her coming hath she put away Intemperance.

39. Now I call the fourth, Continence, the power which is over Concupiscence. This, O Son, is the stable and firm foundation of Justice.

40. For see, how without labour, she hath chased away injustice and we are justified, O Son, when Injustice is away.

41. The sixth Virtue which comes into us, I call Communion, which is against Covetousness.

42. And when that (Covetousness) is gone, I call Truth ; and when she come, Error and Deceit vanish.

43. See, O Son, how the Good is fulfilled by the access of Truth; for by this means, Envy is gone from us; for Truth is accompanied with the Good, together also with Life and Light.

44. And there came no more any torment of Darkness, but being overcome, they are all fled away suddenly, and tumultuarily.

45. Thou hast understood, O Son, the manner of Regeneration; for upon the coming of these Ten, the Intellectual Generation is perfected, and then it driveth away the twelve; and we have seen it in the Generation itself.

46. Whosoever therefore hath of Mercy obtained this Generation which is according to God, he leaving all bodily sense, knoweth himself to consist of divine things, and rejoiceth, being made by God stable and immutable.

47. Tat. O Father, I conceive and understand, not by the sight of mine eyes, but by the Intellectual Operation, which is by the Powers. I am in Heaven, in the Earth, in the Water, in the Air, I am in living Creatures, in the Plants, in the Womb, everywhere.

48. Yet tell me further, this one thing, How are the torments of Darkness, being in number Twelve, driven away and expelled by the Ten powers. What is the manner of it, Trismegistus?

49. Hermes. This Tabernacle, O Son, consists of the Zodiacal Circle; and this consisting of twelve numbers, the Idea of one; but all formed Nature admit of divers Conjugations to the deceiving of Man.

50. And though they be different in themselves, yet are they united in practice (as for example, Rashness is inseparable from Anger) and they are also indeterminate: Therefore with good Reason, do they make their departure, being driven away by the Ten powers; that is to say, By the dead.

51. For the number of Ten, O Son, is the Begetter of Souls. And there Life and Light are united, where the number of Unity is born of the Spirit.

52. Therefore according to Reason, Unity bath the number of Ten, and the number of Ten hath Unity.

53. Tat. O Father, I now see the Universe, and myself in the Mind.

54. Hermes. This is Regeneration, O Son, that we should not any longer fix our imagination upon this Body, subject to the three dimensions, according to this Speech which we have now commented. That we may not at all calumniate the Universe.

55. Tat. Tell me, O Father, This Body that consists of Powers shall it ever admit of any Dissolution?

56. Hermes. Good words, Son, and speak not things impossible; for so thou shalt sin, and the eye of thy mind grow wicked.

57. The sensible Body of Nature is far from the Essential Generation; for that is subject to Dissolution, but this not; and that is mortal, but this immortal. Dost thou not know that thou art born a God and the Son of the One, as I am.

58. Tat. How fain would I, O Father, hear that praise given by a Hymn, which thou saidst, thou heardst from the Powers when I was in the Octonary.

59. Hermes. As Pimander said by way of Oracle to the Octonary, Thou dost well, O Son, to desire the Solution of the Tabernacle, for thou art purified.

60. Pimander, the Mind of absolute Power and Authority, hath delivered no more unto me, than those that are written; knowing that of myself, I can understand all things, and hear, and see what I will. And he commanded me to do those things that are good; and therefore all the Powers that are in me sing.

61. Tat. I would hear thee, O Father, and understand these things.

62. Hermes. Be quiet, O Son, and now hearken to that harmonious blessing and thanksgiving: the hymn of Regeneration, which I did not determine to have spoken of so plainly, but to thyself in the end of all.

63. Wherefore this is not taught, but hid in silence.

64. So then, O Son, do thou standing in the open Air, worship looking to the North Wind, about the going down of the Sun, and to the South, when the Sun ariseth; And now keep silence, Son.

The Secret Song.

The Holy Speech.

65. Let all the Nature of the world entertain the hearing of this Hymn.

66. Be opened, O Earth, and let all the Treasure of the Rain be opened.

67. You Trees tremble not, for I will sing and praise the Lord of the Creation, and the All and the One.

68. Be opened you Heavens, ye Winds stand still, and let the Immortal Circle of God receive these words.

69. For I will sing, and praise him that created all things, that fixed the Earth, and hung up the Heavens, and commanded the sweet Water to come out of the Ocean; into all the World inhabited, and not inhabited, to the use and nourishment of all things, or men.

70. That commanded the fire to shine for very action, both to Gods and Men.

71. Let us altogether give him blessing, which rides upon the Heavens, the Creator of all Nature.

72. This is he that is the Eye of the Mind, and Will accept the praise of my Powers.

73. O all ye Powers that are in me, praise the One and the All.

74. Sing together with my Will, all you Powers that are in me.

75. O Holy Knowledge, being enlightened by thee, I magnify the intelligible Light, and rejoice in the Joy of the Mind.

76. All my Powers sing praise with me, and thou my Continence, sing praise my Righteousness by me; praise that which is righteous.

77. O Communion which is in me, praise the All.

78. By me the Truth sings praise to the Truth, the Good praises the Good.

79. O Life, O Light from us, unto you comes this praise and thanksgiving.

80. I give thanks unto thee, O Father, the operation or act of my Powers.

81. I give thanks unto thee, O God, the power of my operations.

82. By me thy Word sings praise unto thee, receive by me this reasonable (or verbal) sacrifice in words.

83. The powers that are in me cry these things, they praise the All, they fulfill thy Will; thy Will and Counsel is from thee unto thee.

84. O All, receive a reasonable Sacrifice from all things.

85. O Life, save all that is in us: O Light enlighten, O God the Spirit; for the Mind guides or feeds the Word ; O Spirit bearing Workman.

86. Thou art God, thy Man cries these things unto thee through by the Fire, by the Air, by the Earth, by the Water, by the Spirit, by thy Creatures.

87. From eternity I have found (means to) bless and praise thee, and I have what I seek, for I rest in thy Will.

88. Tat. O Father, I see thou hast sung this Song of praise and blessing with thy whole Will; and therefore have I put and placed it in my World.

89. Hermes. Say in thy intelligible World, O Son.

90. Tat. I do mean in my Intelligible World, for by thy Hymn and Song of Praise my mind is enlightened: and gladly would I send from my Understanding a Thanksgiving unto God.

91. Hermes. Not rashly, O Son.

92. Tat. In my mind, O Father.

93. Hermes. Those things that I see and contemplate, I infuse into thee; and therefore say, thou son Tat, the Author of thy succeeding Generations, I send unto God these reasonable Sacrifices.

94. O God, Thou art the Father, Thou art the Lord, Thou art the Mind, accept these reasonable Sacrifices which Thou requires of Me.

95. For all things are done as the Mind wills.

96. Thou, O Son, send this acceptable Sacrifice to God, the Father of all things; but propound it also, O Son, by Word.

97. Tat. I thank thee, Father, thou hast advised and instructed me thus to give praise and thanks.

98. Hermes. I am glad, O Son, to see the Truth bring forth the Fruits of Good things, and such immortal branches.

99. And learn this of me: Above all other virtues entertain Silence, and impart unto no man, O Son, the tradition of Regeneration, lest we be reputed Calumniators; For we both have now sufficiently meditated, I in speaking, thou in hearing. And now thou dost intellectually know thyself and our Father.

Corpus Hermeticum - Book 8

The Eighth Book

That The Greatest Evil In Man, Is, The Not Knowing God.

1. Whither are you carried, O Men, drunken with drinking up the strong Wine of Ignorance? which seeing you cannot bear: Why do you not vomit it up again?

2. Stand, and be sober, and look up again with the eyes of your heart; and if you cannot all do so, yet do as many as you can.

3. For the malice of Ignorance surrounds all the Earth, and corrupt the Soul, shut up in the Body not suffering it to arrive at the Havens of Salvation.

4. Suffer not yourselves to be carried with the great stream, but stem the tide, you that can lay hold of the Haven of Safety, and make your full course towards it.

5. Seek one that may lead you by the hand, and conduct you to the door of Truth and Knowledge, where the clear Light is that is pure from Darkness, where there is not one drunken, but all are sober and in their heart look up to him, whose pleasure it is to be seen.

6. For he cannot be heard with ears, nor seen with eyes, nor expressed in words; but only in mind and heart.

7. But first thou must tear to pieces and break through the garment you wear; the web of Ignorance, the foundation of all Mischief; the bond of Corruption ; the dark Coverture; the living Death ; the sensible Carcass, the Sepulchre, carried about with us; the domestical Thief which in what he loves us, hates us, envies us.

8. Such is the hurtful Apparel, wherewith thou art clothed, which draws and pulls thee downward by its own self; lest looking up, and seeing the beauty of Truth, and the Good that is reposed therein, thou should hate the wickedness of this garment, and understand the traps and ambushes, which it bath laid for thee.

9. Therefore doth it labor to make good those things that seem and are by the Senses, judged and determined; and the things that are truly, it hides, and envelope in such matter, filling what it presents unto thee, with hateful pleasure, that thou canst neither hear what thou should hear, nor see what thou should see.

Corpus Hermeticum Book 9

A Universal Sermon to Asclepius.

Hermes. All that is moved, O Asclepius, is it not moved in some thing, and by some thing?

Asclepius. Yes, indeed.

Hermes. Must not that, in which a thing is. moved, of necessity be greater than the thing that is moved?

Of necessity.

And that which moves, is it not stronger than that which is moved?

Asclepius. It is stronger.

Hermes. That in which a thing is moved, must it not needs have a Nature, contrary to that of the thing that is moved?

Asclepius. It must needs.

Hermes. Is not this great World a Body, than which there is no greater?

Asclepius. Yes, confessedly.

Hermes. And is it not solid, as filled with many great Bodies, and indeed, with all the Bodies that are?

Asclepius. It is so.

Hermes. And is not the World a Body, and a Body that is moved.

Asclepius. It is.

Hermes. Then what kind of a place must it be, wherein it is moved, and of what Nature? Must it not he much bigger, that it may receive the continuity of Motion? and lest that which is moved should for want of room, be stayed, and hindered in the Motion ?

Asclepius. It must needs be an immense thing, Trismegistus, but of what Nature?

Hermes. Of a contrary Nature, O Asclepius; but is not the Nature of things unbodily, contrary to a Body.

Asclepius. Confessedly.

Hermes. Therefore the place is unbodily; but that which is unbodily, is either some Divine thing or God himself. And by some thing Divine, I do not mean that which was made or begotten.

If therefore it be Divine, it is an Essence or Substance but if it be God, it is above Essence; but he is otherwise intelligible.

For the first, God is intelligible, not to himself, but to us, for that which is intelligible, is subject to that which understands by Sense.

Therefore God is not intelligible to himself, for not being any other thing from that which is understood, he cannot be understood by himself.

But he is another thing from us, and therefore he is understood by us.

If therefore Place be intelligible, it is not Place but God, but if God be intelligible, he is intelligible not as Place, but as a capable Operation.

Now everything that is moved, is moved, not in or by that which is moved, but in that which stands or rest, and that which moves stands or rest, for it is impossible it should be moved with it.

Asclepius. How then, O Trismegistus, are those things that are here moved with the things that are moved? for you say that the Spheres that wander are moved by the Sphere that wanders not.

Hermes. That, O Asclepius, is not a moving together, but a counter motion, for they are not moved after a like manner, but contrary one to the other; and contrariety has a standing resistance of motion for resistance is a staying of motion.

Therefore the wandering Spheres being moved contrarily to that Sphere which wanders not, shall have one from another contrariety standing of itself.

For this Bear which you see neither rise nor go down, but turning always about the same; do you think it moves or stands still?

Asclepius. I think it moves, Trismegistus.

What motion, O Asclepius?

Asclepius. A motion that is always carried about the same.

But the Circulation which is about the same, and the motion about the same, are both hidden by Station; for that which is about the same forbids that which is above the same, if it stand to that which is about the same.

And so the contrary motion stands fast always, being always established by the contrariety.

But I will give you concerning this matter, an earthly example that may be seen with eyes.

Look upon any of these living Creatures upon Earth, as Man for example, and see him swimming; for as the Water is carried one way, the reluctation or resistance of his feet and hands is made a station to the man, that he should not be carried with the Water, nor sink underneath it.

Asclepius. You have laid down a very clear example, Trismegistus.

Hermes. Therefore every motion is in station, and is moved of station.

The motion then of the World, and of every material living thing, happens not to be done by those things that are without the World, but by those things within it, a Soul, or Spirit, or some other unbodily thing, to those things which are without it.

For an inanimated Body, does not now, much less a Body if it be wholly inanimate.

Asclepius. What do you mean by this, O Trismegistus, Wood and Stones, and all other inanimate things, are they not moving Bodies?

Hermes. By no means, O Asclepius, for that within the Body which moves the inanimate thing, is not the Body, that moves both as well the Body of that which bears, as the Body of that which is born; for one dead or inanimate thing, cannot move another; that which moves, must needs be alive if it move.

You see therefore how the Soul is surcharged, when it carries two Bodies.

And now it is manifest, that the things that are moved are moved in something, and by something.

Asclepius. The things that are, O Trismegistus, must needs be moved in that which is void or empty, Vacuum.

Be advised, O Asclepius, for of all the things that are, there is nothing empty, only that which is not, is empty and a stranger to existence or being.

But that which is, could not be if it were not full of existence, for that which is in being or existence can never be made empty.

Asclepius. Are there not therefore some things that are empty, O Trismegistus, as an empty Barrel, an empty Hogshead, an empty Well, an empty Wine- Press, and many such like?

Hermes. O the grossness of your Error, O Asclepius, those things that are most full and replenished, do you account them void and empty?

Asclepius. What may be your meaning, Trismegistus?

Hermes. Is not the Air a Body?

Asclepius. It is a Body.

Hermes. Why then this Body, does it not pass through all things that are and passing through them, fill them? and that Body does it not consist of the mixture of the four? therefore all things whichyou call empty are full of Air.

Therefore those things that you call empty, you ought to call them hollow, not empty, for they exist and are full of Air and Spirit.

Asclepius. This reason is beyond all contradiction, O Trismegistus, but what shall we call the Place in which the whole Universe is moved?

Hermes. Call it incorporeal, O Asclepius.

Asclepius. What is that incorporeal or unbodily?

Hermes. The Mind and Reason, the whole, wholly comprehending itself, free from all Body, undeceivable, invisible, impassible from a Body itself, standing fast in itself, capable of all things, and that favor of the things that are.

Where of the Good, the Truth, the Archetypal Light, the Archetype of the Soul, are as it were Beams.

Asclepius. Why then, what is God?

Hermes. That which is none of these things, yet is, and is the cause of Being to all; and every one of the things that are; for he left nothing destitute of Being.

And all things are made of things that are, and not of things that are not; for the things that are not, have not the nature to be able to be made; and again, the things that are, have not the nature never to be, or not to be at all.

Asclepius. What do you then say at length, that God is?

Hermes. God is not a Mind, but the Cause that the Mind is; not a Spirit, but the Cause that the Spirit is; not Light, but the Cause that Light is.

Therefore we must worship God by these two Appellations which are proper to him alone, and to no other

For neither of all the other, which are called Gods, nor of Men, nor Demons, or Angels, can anyone be, though never so little, good, only God alone.

And this He is, and nothing else; but all other things are separable from the nature of Good.

For the Body and the Soul have no place that is capable of or can contain the Good.

For the greatness of Good, is as great as the Existence of all things, that are both bodily and Unbodily, both sensible and intelligible.

This is the Good, even God.

See therefore that you do not at any time, call anything else Good, for if so, you shall be impious, or any else God, but only the Good, for so you shalt again be impious.

In Word it is often said by all men the Good, but all men do not understand what it is; but through Ignorance they call both the Gods, and some men Good, that can never either be or be made so.

Therefore all the other Gods are honoured with the title and appellation of God, but God is the Good, not according to Heaven, but Nature.

For there is one Nature of God, even the Good, and one kind of them both, from whence are all kinds.

For he that is Good, is the giver of all things, and takes nothing and therefore God gives all things and receives nothing.

The other title and appellation, is the Father, because of his making all things; for it is the part of a Father to make.

Therefore it bath been the greatest and most Religious care in this life, to them that are wise, and well minded, to beget children.

As likewise it is the greatest misfortune and impiety for any to be separated from men, without children; and this man is punished after death by the Demons, and the punishment is this, To have the Soul of this childless man, adjudged and condemned to a Body, that neither has the nature of a man, nor of a woman, which is an accursed thing under the Sun.

Therefore, O Asclepius, never congratulate any man that is childless; but on the contrary, pity his misfortune, knowing what punishment abides, and is prepared for him.

Let so many, and such manner of things, O Asclepius, be said as a certain precognition of all things in Nature.

Corpus Hermeticum Book 9

A Universal Sermon to Asclepius.

Hermes. All that is moved, O Asclepius, is it not moved in some thing, and by some thing?

Asclepius. Yes, indeed.

Hermes. Must not that, in which a thing is. moved, of necessity be greater than the thing that is moved?

Of necessity.

And that which moves, is it not stronger than that which is moved?

Asclepius. It is stronger.

Hermes. That in which a thing is moved, must it not needs have a Nature, contrary to that of the thing that is moved?

Asclepius. It must needs.

Hermes. Is not this great World a Body, than which there is no greater?

Asclepius. Yes, confessedly.

Hermes. And is it not solid, as filled with many great Bodies, and indeed, with all the Bodies that are?

Asclepius. It is so.

Hermes. And is not the World a Body, and a Body that is moved.

Asclepius. It is.

Hermes. Then what kind of a place must it be, wherein it is moved, and of what Nature? Must it not he much bigger, that it may receive the continuity of Motion? and lest that which is moved should for want of room, be stayed, and hindered in the Motion ?

Asclepius. It must needs be an immense thing, Trismegistus, but of what Nature?

Hermes. Of a contrary Nature, O Asclepius; but is not the Nature of things unbodily, contrary to a Body.

Asclepius. Confessedly.

Hermes. Therefore the place is unbodily; but that which is unbodily, is either some Divine thing or God himself. And by some thing Divine, I do not mean that which was made or begotten.

If therefore it be Divine, it is an Essence or Substance but if it be God, it is above Essence; but he is otherwise intelligible.

For the first, God is intelligible, not to himself, but to us, for that which is intelligible, is subject to that which understands by Sense.

Therefore God is not intelligible to himself, for not being any other thing from that which is understood, he cannot be understood by himself.

But he is another thing from us, and therefore he is understood by us.

If therefore Place be intelligible, it is not Place but God, but if God be intelligible, he is intelligible not as Place, but as a capable Operation.

Now everything that is moved, is moved, not in or by that which is moved, but in that which stands or rest, and that which moves stands or rest, for it is impossible it should be moved with it.

Asclepius. How then, O Trismegistus, are those things that are here moved with the things that are moved? for you say that the Spheres that wander are moved by the Sphere that wanders not.

Hermes. That, O Asclepius, is not a moving together, but a countermotion, for they are not moved after a like manner, but contrary one to the other; and contrariety has a standing resistance of motion for resistance is a staying of motion.

Therefore the wandering Spheres being moved contrarily to that Sphere which wanders not, shall have one from another contrariety standing of itself.

For this Bear which you see neither rise nor go down, but turning always about the same; do you think it moves or stands still?

Asclepius. I think it moves, Trismegistus.

What motion, O Asclepius?

Asclepius. A motion that is always carried about the same.

But the Circulation which is about the same, and the motion about the same, are both hidden by Station; for that which is about the same forbids that which is above the same, if it stand to that which is about the same.

And so the contrary motion stands fast always, being always established by the contrariety.

But I will give you concerning this matter, an earthly example that may be seen with eyes.

Look upon any of these living Creatures upon Earth, as Man for example, and see him swimming; for as the Water is carried one way, the reluctation or resistance of his feet and hands is made a station to the man, that he should not be carried with the Water, nor sink underneath it.

Asclepius. You have laid down a very clear example, Trismegistus.

Hermes. Therefore every motion is in station, and is moved of station.

The motion then of the World, and of every material living thing, happens not to be done by those things that are without the World, but by those things within it, a Soul, or Spirit, or some other unbodily thing, to those things which are without it.

For an inanimated Body, does not now, much less a Body if it be wholly inanimate.

Asclepius. What do you mean by this, O Trismegistus, Wood and Stones, and all other inanimate things, are they not moving Bodies?

Hermes. By no means, O Asclepius, for that within the Body which moves the inanimate thing, is not the Body, that moves both as well the Body of that which bears, as the Body of that which is born; for one dead or inanimate thing, cannot move another; that which moves, must needs be alive if it move.

You see therefore how the Soul is surcharged, when it carries two Bodies.

And now it is manifest, that the things that are moved are moved in something, and by something.

Asclepius. The things that are, O Trismegistus, must needs be moved in that which is void or empty, Vacuum.

Be advised, O Asclepius, for of all the things that are, there is nothing empty, only that which is not, is empty and a stranger to existence or being.

But that which is, could not be if it were not full of existence, for that which is in being or existence can never be made empty.

Asclepius. Are there not therefore some things that are empty, O Trismegistus, as an empty Barrel, an empty Hogshead, an empty Well, an empty Wine- Press, and many such like?

Hermes. O the grossness of your Error, O Asclepius, those things that are most full and replenished, do you account them void and empty?

Asclepius. What may be your meaning, Trismegistus?

Hermes. Is not the Air a Body?

Asclepius. It is a Body.

Hermes. Why then this Body, does it not pass through all things that are and passing through them, fill them? and that Body does it not consist of the mixture of the four? therefore all things whichyou call empty are full of Air.

Therefore those things that you call empty, you ought to call them hollow, not empty, for they exist and are full of Air and Spirit.

Asclepius. This reason is beyond all contradiction, O Trismegistus, but what shall we call the Place in which the whole Universe is moved?

Hermes. Call it incorporeal, O Asclepius.

Asclepius. What is that incorporeal or unbodily?

Hermes. The Mind and Reason, the whole, wholly comprehending itself, free from all Body, undeceivable, invisible, impassible from a Body itself, standing fast in itself, capable of all things, and that favour of the things that are.

Where of the Good, the Truth, the Archetypal Light, the Archetype of the Soul, are as it were Beams.

Asclepius. Why then, what is God?

Hermes. That which is none of these things, yet is, and is the cause of Being to all; and every one of the things that are; for he left nothing destitute of Being.

And all things are made of things that are, and not of things that are not; for the things that are not, have not the nature to be able to be made; and again, the things that are, have not the nature never to be, or not to be at all.

Asclepius. What do you then say at length, that God is?

Hermes. God is not a Mind, but the Cause that the Mind is; not a Spirit, but the Cause that the Spirit is; not Light, but the Cause that Light is.

Therefore we must worship God by these two Appellations which are proper to him alone, and to no other

For neither of all the other, which are called Gods, nor of Men, nor Demons, or Angels, can anyone be, though never so little, good, only God alone.

And this He is, and nothing else; but all other things are separable from the nature of Good.

For the Body and the Soul have no place that is capable of or can contain the Good.

For the greatness of Good, is as great as the Existence of all things, that are both bodily and Unbodily, both sensible and intelligible.

This is the Good, even God.

See therefore that you do not at any time, call anything else Good, for if so, you shall be impious, or any else God, but only the Good, for so you shalt again be impious.

In Word it is often said by all men the Good, but all men do not understand what it is; but through Ignorance they call both the Gods, and some men Good, that can never either be or be made so.

Therefore all the other Gods are honoured with the title and appellation of God, but God is the Good, not according to Heaven, but Nature.

For there is one Nature of God, even the Good, and one kind of them both, from whence are all kinds.

For he that is Good, is the giver of all things, and takes nothing and therefore God gives all things and receives nothing.

The other title and appellation, is the Father, because of his making all things; for it is the part of a Father to make.

Therefore it bath been the greatest and most Religious care in this life, to them that are wise, and well minded, to beget children.

As likewise it is the greatest misfortune and impiety for any to be separated from men, without children; and this man is punished after death by the Demons, and the punishment is this, To have the Soul of this childless man, adjudged and condemned to a Body, that neither has the nature of a man, nor of a woman, which is an accursed thing under the Sun.

Therefore, O Asclepius, never congratulate any man that is childless; but on the contrary, pity his misfortune, knowing what punishment abides, and is prepared for him.

Let so many, and such manner of things, O Asclepius, be said as a certain precognition of all things in Nature.

Corpus Hermeticum Book 11

Of the Common Mind to Tat

The Mind, O Tat, is of the very Essence of God, if yet there be any Essence of God.

What kind of Essence that is, he alone knows himself exactly.

The Mind therefore is not cut off, or divided from the essentiality of God, but united as the light of the sun.

And this mind in men, is God, and therefore are some men Divine, and their Humanity is near Divinity.

For the good Demon called the Gods immortal men, and men mortal Gods.

But in the brute Beasts, or unreasonable living being, the Mind is their Nature.

For where there is a Soul, there is the Mind, as where there is Life, there is also a Soul.

In living Creatures therefore, that are without Reason, the Soul is Life, void of the operations of the Mind.

For the Mind is the Benefactor of the Souls of men, and workes to the proper Good.

And in unreasonable things it cooperateth with the Nature of everyone of them, but in men it works against their Natures.

For the Soul being in the Body, is straightway made Evil by Sorrow, and Grief and Pleasure or Delight.

For Grief and Pleasure flow like Juices from the compound Body, where, when the Soul enters, or descends, she is moistened and tincted with them.

As many Souls therefore, as the Mind governes or overrules, to them it shows its own Light, resisting their prepossessions or presumptions.

As a good Physician grieves the Body, prepossessed of a disease, by burning or lancing it for health's sake.

After the same manner also, the Mind grieves the Soul, by drawing it out of Pleasure, from where every disease of the Soul proceeds.

But the great Disease of the Soul is Atheism because that opinion followes to all Evil and no Good.

Therefore the Mind resisting it procures Good to the Soul, as a Physician health to the Body.

But as many Souls of Men, as do not admit or entertain the Mind for their Governor, do suffer the same thing that the Soul of unreasonable living things.

For the Soul being a Co-operator with them, permits or leaves them to their concupiscences, whereunto they are carried by the torrent of their Appetite, and so tend to brutishness.

And as Brute Beasts, they are angry without reason, and they desire without reason, and never cease, nor are satisfied with evil.

For unreasonable Angers and Desires, are the most exceeding Evils.

And therefore has God set the Mind over these, as a Revenger and Reprover of them.

Tat. Here, O Father, that discourse of Fate or Destiny which you made to me, is in danger to be overthrown; For if it be fatal for any man to commit Adultery or Sacrilege or do any evil, he is punished also, though he of necessity do the work of Fate or Destiny.

Hermes. All things, O Son, are the work of Fate, and without it, can no bodily thing, either Good or Evil, be done.

For it is decreed by Fate, that he that clothes any evil, should also suffer for it.

And therefore he clothes it, that he may suffer that which he sufferes, because he did it.

But for the present let alone that speech, concerning Evil and Fate, for at other times we have spoken of it.

Now our discourse is about the Mind, and what it can do, and how it differs, and is in men such a one, but in brute Beasts changed

And again, in Brute Beasts it is not beneficial, but in men by quenching both their Anger and Concupiscences.

And of men you must understand some to be rational or governed by reason, and some irrational.

But all men are subject to Fate, and to Generation, and Changes, for these are the beginning and end of Fate or Destiny.

And all men suffer those things that are decreed by Fate.

But rational men, over whom as we said, the Mind bears rule, do not suffer like unto other men, but being free from viciousness, and being not evil, they do suffer evil.

Tat. How do you say this again, Father? An Adulterer, is he not evil? a Murderer, is he not evil? and so all others.

Hermes. But the rational man, O Son, will not suffer for Adultery, but as the Adulterer, nor for Murder, but as the Murderer.

And it is impossible to escape the Quality of Change, as of Generation, but the Viciousness, he that has the Mind, may escape.

And therefore, O Son, I have always heard the good Demon say, and if he had delivered it in writing, he had much profited all mankind: For he alone, O Son. as the first born, God, seeing all things, truly spake Divine words. I have heard him say sometimes, That all Things are one thing, Especially Intelligible Bodies, or that all Especially Intelligible Bodies are one.

We live in Power, in Act and in Eternity.

Therefore a good Mind, is that which the Soul of him is.

And if this be so, then no intelligible thing differs from intelligible things.

As therefore it is possible, that the Mind, the Prince of all things; so likewise, that the Soul that is of God, can do whatsoever it will.

But understand you well, for this Discourse I have made to the question which you ask of me before, I mean concerning Fate and the Mind.

First, if, O Son, you shalt diligently withdraw yourself from all Contentious speeches, you shalt find that in Truth, the Mind, the Soul of God bears rule over all things, both over Fate and Law and all other things.

And nothing is impossible to him, no not of the things that are of Fate.

Therefore, though the Soul of man be above it, let it not neglect the things that happen to be under Fate.

And these thus far, were the excellent sayings of the good Demon.

Tat. Most divinely spoken, O Father, and truly and profitably, yet clear this one thing unto me

You say, that in brute Beasts the Mind works or act's after the manner of Nature, co-operating also with their  inclinations.

Now the impetuous inclinations of brute Beasts, as I conceive, are Passions. If therefore the Mind do co-operate with these impetuous Inclinations, and that they are the Passions in brute Beasts, certainly the Mind is also a Passion, conforming itself to Passions.

Hermes. Well done, Son, you ask nobly, and yet it is just that I should answer you.

All incorporeal things, O Son, that are in the Body, are possible, no, they are properly Passions.

Everything that moves is incorporeal; everything that is moved is a Body, and it is moved into the Bodies by the Mind. Now motion is Passion, and there they both suffer; as well that which moves, as that which is moved, as well that which rules, as that which is ruled.

But being freed from the Body, it is freed likewise from Passion.

But especially, O Son, there is nothing impassible, but all things are passible.

But Passion differs from that which is passible, for that acts but this suffers.

Bodies also of themselves do act, for either they are unmovable, or else are moved, and which soever it be, it is a Passion.

But incorporeal things do always act, or work, and therefore they are passible.

Let not therefore the appellations or names trouble you, for Action and Passion are the same thing, but that it is not grievous to use the more honourable name.

Tat. O Father. you have delivered this Discourse most plainly.

Hermes. Consider this also, O Son, That God has freely bestowed upon man, above all other living things, these two, to wit, Mind and Speech, or Reason, equal to immortality.

These if any man use, or employ upon what he should, he shall differ nothing from the Immortals.

Yea, rather going out of the Body, he shall be guided and led by them, both into the Choir and Society of the Gods, and blessed Ones.

Tat. Do not other living Creatures use Speech, O Father?

Hermes. NO, Son, but only Voice; now Speech and Voice do differ exceeding much; for Speech is common to all men, but Voice is proper unto every kind of living thing.

Tat. Yea, but the Speech of men is different. O Father, every man according to his Nation.

Hermes. It is true, O Son, they do differ: Yet as man is one so is Speech one also; and it is interpreted and found the same, both in Egypt, Persia, and Greece.

But you seem unto me, Son, to be ignorant of the Virtue or Power, and Greatness of Speech.

For the blessed God, the good Demon said or commanded the Soul to be in the Body, the Mind, in the Soul, the Word, or Speech, or Reason in the Mind, and the Mind in God, and that God is the Father of them all.

Therefore the Word is the Image of the Mind, and the Mind of God, and the Body of the Idea, and the Idea of the Soul.

Therefore of the Matter, the subtlest or smallest part is Air, of the Air the Soul, of the Soul the Mind, of the Mind God.

And God is about all things, and through all things, but the Mind about the Soul, the Soul about the Air, and the Air about the Matter.

But Necessity, and Providence, and Nature, are the Organs or Instruments of the World, and of the Order of Matter.

For of those things that are intelligible, every one is but the Essence of them in Identity.

But of the Bodies of the whole, or universe, every one is many things.

For the Bodies that are put together, and that have, and make their changes into other, having this Identity, do always save and preserve the uncorruption of the Identity.

But in every one of the compound Bodies, there is a number.

For without number it is impossible there should be consistence or constitution, or composition, or dissolution.

But Unities do both beget and increase Numbers, and again being dissolved, come into themselves.

And the Matter is One.

But this whole World, the great God, and the Image of the Greater, and united unto him, and conserving the Order and Will of the Father, is the fulness of Life.

And there is nothing therein, through all the Eternity of the Revolutions, neither of the whole, nor of the parts which clothes not live.

For there is nothing dead, that either has been, or is, or shall be in the World.

For the Father would have it as long as it lasts, to be a living thing; and therefore it must needs be God also.

How therefore, O Son, can there be in God, in the Image of the Universe, in the fulness of Life, any dead things?

For dying is corruption, and corruption is destruction.

How then can any part of the incorruptible be corrupted, or of God be destroyed?

Tat. Therefore, O Father, do not the living things in the World die, though they be parts thereof.

Hermes. Be wary in your Speech, O Son, and not be deceived in the names of things.

For they do not die, O Son, but as compound Bodies they are dissolved.

But dissolution is not death; and they are dissolved, not that they may be destroyed, but that they may be made new.

Tat. What then is the operation of Life? Is it not Motion?

Hermes. And what is there in the World unmovable? Nothing at all, O Son.

Tat. Why, cluld not the Earth seem unmovable to you, O Father?

Hermes. No, but subject to many motions, though after a manner it alone be stable.

What a ridiculous thing it were, that the Nurse of all things should be unmovable, which beares and brings forth all things.

For it is impossible, that anything that bringes forth, should bring forth without Motion.

And a ridiculous question it is, Whether the fourth part of the whole, be idle: For the word immovable, or without Motion, signifies nothing else, but idleness.

Know generally, O Son, That whatsoever is in the World is moved either according to Augmentation or Diminution.

But that which is moved, lives also, yet it is not necessary, that a living thing should be or continue the same.

For while the whole World is together, it is unchangeable, O Son, but all the parts thereof are changeable.

Yet nothing is corrupted or destroyed, and quite abolished but the names trouble men.

For Generation is not Life, but Sense; neither is Change Death, but Forgetfulness, or rather Occultation, and lying hid. Or better thus. For Generation is not a Creation of Life, but a Production of Things to Sense, and making them Manifest. Neither is Change Death, but an Occultation or Hiding of that which was.

These things being so, all things are Immortal, Matter, Life, Spirit, Soul, Mind, whereof every living thing consistes.

Every living thing therefore is Immortal, because of the Mind, but especially Man, who both receives God, and converses with him.

For with this living being alone is God familiar; in the night by dreams, in the day by Symbols or; Signs.

And by all things could he foretell him of things to come, by Birds, by Fowls, by the Spirit, or Wind, and by an Oak.

Wherefore also Man professes to know things that: have been, things that are present, and things to come.

Consider this also, O Son, That every living Creature goes upon one part of the World, Swimming things in Water, Land beings upon the Earth, Flying Fowls in the Air.

But Man uses all these, the Earth, the Water, the Air, and the Fire, no, he sees and touches Heaven by his Sense.

But God is both about all things, and through all things, for he is both Act and Power.

And it is no hard thing, O Son, to understand God.

And if thou wilt also see him, look upon the Necessity of things that appear, and the Providence of things that have been, and are done.

See the Matter being most full of Life, and so great a God moved with all Good, and Fair, both Gods, and Demons, and Men.

Tat. But these, O Father, are wholly Acts or Operations.

Hermes. If they be therefore wholly Acts or Operations, O Son, by whom are they acted or operated, but by God?

Or are you ignorant, that as the parts of the World, are Heaven, and Earth, and Water, and Air; after the same manner the Members of God, are Life, and Immortality, and Eternity, and Spirit, and Necessity, and Providence, and Nature, and Soul, and Mind, and the Continuance or Perseverance of all these which is called Good.

And there is not any thing of all that has been, and all that is, where God is not.

Tat. What in the Matter, O Father?

Hermes. The Matter, Son, what is it without God, that you should ascribe a proper place to it?

Or what cost thou think it to be? peradventure some heap that is not actuated or operated.

But if it be actuated, by whom is it actuated? for we have said, that Acts or Operations, are the parts of God.

By whom are all living things quickened? and the Immortal, by whom are they immortalized? the things that are changeable, by whom are they changed?

Whether thou speak of Matter, or Body, or Essence, know that all these are acts of God.

And that the Act of Matter is materiality, and of the Bodies corporality, and of Essence essentiality; and this is God the whole.

And in the whole, there is nothing that is not God.

Wherefore about God, there is neither Greatness, Place, Quality, Figure, or Time; for he is All, and the All, through all, and about all.

This Word, O Son, worship and adore. And the only service of God, is not to be evil.

Corpus Hermeticum - Book 12

The Twelfth Book

His Crater or Monas

1. The Workman made this Universal World, not with his Hands, but his Word.

2. Therefore thus think of him, as present everywhere, and being always, and making all things, and one above, that by his Will hath framed the things that are.

3. For that is his Body, not tangible, nor visible, nor measurable, nor extensible, nor like any other body.

4. For it is neither Fire, nor Water, nor Air, nor Wind, but all these things are of him, for being Good, he hath dedicated that name unto himself alone.

5. But he would also adorn the Earth, but with the Ornament of a Divine Body.

6. And he sent Man an Immortal and a Mortal wight.

7. And Man had more than all living Creatures, and the World, because of his Speech, and Mind.

8. For Man became the spectator of the Works of God, and wondered, and acknowledged the Maker.

9. For he divided Speech among all men, but not Mind, and yet he envied not any, for Envy comes not thither, but is of abode here below in the Souls of men, that have not the Mind.

10. Tat. But wherefore, Father, did not God distribute the Mind to all men?

11. Because it pleased him, O Son, to set that in the middle among all souls as a reward to strive for.

12. Tat. And where hath he set it?

13. Hermes. Filling a large Cup or Bowl therewith, he sent it down, giving also a Cryer or Proclaimer.

14. And he commanded him to proclaim these things to the souls of men.

15. Dip and wash thyself, thou that art able, in this Cup or Bowl; Thou that believes", that thou shalt return to him that sent this Cup; thou that acknowledgest whereunto thou wert made.

16. As many therefore as understood the Proclamation, and were baptised or dowsed into the Mind, these were made partakers of Knowledge, and became perfect men, receiving the Mind.

17. But as many as missed of the Proclamation, they received Speech, but not Mind, being ignorant whereunto they were made, or by whom.

18. But their senses are just like to brute Beasts, and having their temper in Anger and Wrath, they do not admire the things worthy of looking on.

19. But wholly addicted to the pleasures and desires of the Bodies, they believe that man was made for them.

20. But as many as partook of the gift of God, these, O Tat, in comparison of their works, are rather immortal than mortal men.

21. Comprehending all things in their Mind, which are upon the Earth, which are in Heaven, and if there be anything above Heaven.

22. And lifting up themselves so high, they see the Good, and seeing it, they account it a miserable calamity to make their abode here.

23. And despising all things bodily and unbodily, they make haste to the One and Only.

24. Thus, O Tat, is the Knowledge of the Mind, the beholding of Divine Things, and the Understanding of God, the Cup itself being Divine.

25. Tat. And I, O Father, would be baptised and drenched therein.

26. Hermes. Except thou first hate thy body, O Son, thou canst not love thy self; but loving thy self, thou shalt have the Mind, and having the Mind, thou shalt also partake the Knowledge or Science.

27. Tat. HOW meanest thou that, O Father?

28. Hermes. Because it is impossible, O Son, to be conversant about things Mortal and Divine.

29. For the things that are, being two Bodies, and things incorporeal, wherein is the Mortal and the Divine, the Election or Choice of either is left to him that will choose; For no man can choose both.

30. And of which soever the choice is made, the other being diminished or overcome, magnifieth the act and operation of the other.

31. The choice of the hefter therefore is not only best for him that chooseth it, by deifying a man; but it also sheweth Piety and Religion towards God.

32. But the choice of the worse destroys a man, but cloth nothing against God; save that as Pomps or Pageants, when they come abroad, cannot do any thing themselves, but hinder; after the same manner also do these make Pomps or Pageants in the World, being seduced by the pleasures of the Body.

33. These things being so, O Tat, that things have been, and are so plenteously ministered to us from God; let them proceed also from us, without any scarcity or sparing.

34. For God is innocent or guiltless, but we are the causes of Evil, preferring them before the Good.

35. Thou seest, O Son, how many Bodies we must go beyond, and how many choirs of Demons, and what continuity and courses of Stars, that we may make haste to the One, and only God.

36. For the Good is not to be transcended, it is unbounded and infinite; unto itself without beginning, but unto us, seeming to have a beginning, even our knowledge of it.

37. For our knowledge is not the beginning of it, but shews us the beginning of its being known unto us.

38. Let us therefore lay hold of the beginning and we shall quickly go through all things.

39. It is indeed a difficult thing, to leave those things that are accustomable, and present, and turn us to those things that are ancient, and according to the original.

40. For these things that appear, delight us, but make the things that appear not, hard to believe, or the Things that Appear not, are Hard to believe.

4I. The things most apparent are Evil, but the Good is secret, or hid in, or to the things that appear for it hath neither Form nor Figure.

42. For this cause it is like to itself, but unlike every thing else; for it is impossible, that any thing incorporeal, should be made known, or appear to a Body.

43. For this is the difference between the like and the unlike, and the unlike wanteth always somewhat of the like.

44. For the Unity, Beginning, and Root of all things, as being the Root and Beginning.

45. Nothing is without a beginning, but the Beginning is of nothing, but of itself; for it is the Beginning of all other things.

46. Therefore it is, seeing it is not from another beginning.

47. Unity therefore being the Beginning, containeth every number, but itself is contained of none, and begetteth every number, itself being begotten of no other number.

48. Every thing that is begotten (or made) is imperfect, and may be divided, increased, diminished.

49. But to the perfect, there happeneth none of these.

50. And that which is increased, is increased by Unity, but is consumed and vanished through weakness, being not able to receive the Unity.

51. This Image of God, have I described to thee, O Tat, as well as I could; which if thou do diligently consider, and view by the eyes of thy mind, and heart, believe me, Son, thou shalt find the way to the things above, or rather the Image itself will lead thee.

52. But the spectacle or sight, hath this peculiar and proper; Them that can see, and behold it, it holds fast and draws unto it, as they say, the Loadstone cloth Iron.

Corpus Hermeticum - Book 13

The Thirteenth Book

Of Sense and Understanding

1. Yesterday, Asclepius, I delivered a perfect Discourse; but now I think it necessary, in suite of that, to dispute also of Sense.

2. For Sense and Understanding seem to differ, because the one is material, the other essential.

3. But unto me, they appear to be both one, or united, and not divided in men, I mean.

4. For in other living Creatures, Sense is united unto Nature but in men to Understanding.

5. But the Mind differs from Understanding, as much as God from Divinity.

6. For Divinity is from or under God, and Understanding from the Mind, being the sister of the Word or Speech, and they the Instruments one of another.

7. For-neither is the Word pronounced without Understanding, neither is Understanding manifested without the Word.

8. Therefore Sense and Understanding do both flow together into a man, as if they were infolded one within another.

9. For neither is it possible without Sense to Understand, nor can we have Sense without Understanding.

10. And yet it is possible (for the Time being) that the Understanding may understand without Sense, as they that fantasy Visions in their Dreams.

11. But it seems unto me, that both the operations are in the Visions of Dreams, and that the Sense is stirred up out of sleep, unto awaking.

12. For man is divided into a Body and a Soul; when both parts of the Sense accord one with another, then is the understanding childed, or brought forth by the Mind pronounced.

13. For the Mind brings forth all Intellections or Understandings. Good ones when it receiveth good Seed from God; and the contrary when it receives them from Devils.

14. For there is no part of the World void of the Devil, which entering in privately, sowed the seed of his own proper operation; and the Mind did make pregnant, or did bring forth that which was sown, Adulteries, Murders, Striking of Parents, Sacrileges, Impieties, Stranglings, throwing down headlong, and all other things which are the works of evil Demons.

15. And the Seeds of God are few but Great, and Fair, and Good Virtue, and Temperance, and Piety.

I6. And the Piety is the Knowledge of God, whom whosoever knoweth being full of all good things, hath Divine Understanding and not like the Many.

17. And therefore they that have that Knowledge neither please the multitude, nor the multitude them, but they seem to be mad, and to move laughter, hated and despised, and many times also murdered.

18. For we have already said, That wickedness must dwell here, being in her own region.

19. For her region is the Earth, and not the World, as some will sometimes say, Blaspheming.

20. But the Godly or God-worshipping Man laying hold on Knowledge, will despise or tread under all these things; for though they be evil to other men, yet to him all things are good.

21. And upon mature consideration, he refers all things to Knowledge, and that which is most to be wondered at, he alone makes evil things good.

22. But I return again to my Discourse of Sense.

23. It is therefore a thing proper to Man, to communicate and conjoin Sense and Understanding.

24. But every man, as I said before, cloth not enjoy Understanding; for one man is material, another essential.

25. And he that is material with wickedness as I said, received from the Devils the Seed of Understanding; but they that are with the Good essentially, are saved with God.

26. For God is the Workman of all things; and when he worketh he useth Nature.

27. He maketh all things good like himself

28. But these things that are made good, are in the use of Operation, unlawful.

29. For the Motion of the World stirring up Generations, makes Qualities, infecting some with evilness, and purifying some with good.

30 And the World, Asclepius, hath a peculiar Sense and Understanding, not like to Man's, nor so various or manifold, but a better and more simple.

31. For this Sense and Understanding of the World is One, in that it makes all things, and unmakes them again into itself; for it is the Organ or Instrument of the Will of God.

32. And it is so organized or framed, and made for an Instrument by God; that receiving all Seeds into itself from God, and keeping them in itself, it maketh all things effectually and dissolving them, reneweth all things.

33. And therefore like a good Husband-man of Life, when things are dissolved or loosened, he affords by the casting of Seed, renovation to all things that grow.

34. There is nothing that it (the World) cloth not beget or bring forth alive; and by its Motion, it makes all things alive.

35. And it is at once, both the Place and the Workman of Life.

36. But the Bodies are from the Matter, in a different manner; for some are of the Earth, some of Water, some of Air, some of Fire, and all are compounded, but some are more compounded, and some are more simple.

37. They that are compounded, are the heavier, and they that are less, are the higher.

38. And the swiftness of the Motion of the World, makes the varieties of the Qualities of Generation, for the spiration or influence, being most frequent, extendeth unto the Bodies qualities with one fulness, which is of Life.

39. Therefore, God is the Father of the World, but the World is the Father of things in the World.

40. And the World is the Son of God, but things in the World are the Sons of the World.

41. And therefore it is well called the World, that is an Ornament, because it adorneth and beautifieth all things with the variety of Generation, and indeficiency of Life, which the unweariedness of Operation, and the swiftness of Necessity with the mingling of Elements, and the order of things done.

42. Therefore it is necessarily and properly called the World.

43. For of all living things, both the Sense and the Understanding, cometh into them from without, inspired by that which compasseth them about, and continueth them.

44. And the World receiving it once from God as soon as it was made, hath it still, What Ever it Once Had.

45. But God is not as it seems to some who Blaspheme through superstition, without Sense, and without Mind, or Understanding.

46. For all things that are, O Asclepius, are in God, and made by him, and depend of him, some working by Bodies, some moving by a Soul-like Essence, some quickening by a Spirit, and some receiving the things that are weary, and all very fitly.

47. Or rather, I say, that he hath them not, but I declare the Truth, He is All Things, not receiving them from without, but exhibiting them outwardly.

48. And this is the Sense and Understanding of God, to move all things always.

49. And there never shall be any time, when any of those things that are, shall fail or be wanting.

50. When I say the things that are, I mean God, for the things that are, God hash; and neither is there anything without him, nor he without anything.

51. These things, O Asclepius, will appear to be true, if thou understand them, but if thou understand them not, incredible.

52. For to understand, is to believe, but not to believe, is not to understand; For my speech or words reach not unto the Truth, but the Mind is great, and being led or conducted for a while by Speech, is able to attain to the Truth.

53. And understanding all things round about, and finding them consonant, and agreeable to those things that were delivered and interpreted by Speech, believeth; and in that good belief, resteth.

54. To them, therefore, that understand the things that have been said of God, they are credible, but to them that understand them not, incredible.

55. And let these and thus many things be spoken concerning Understanding and Sense.

Corpus Hermeticum - Book 14

The Fourteenth Book

Of Operation and Sense

1. Tat. Thou hast well explained these things, Father: Teach me furthermore these things; for thou sayest, that Science and Art were the Operations of the rational, but now thou sayest that Beasts are unreasonable, and for want of reason, both are and are called Brutes; so that by this Reason, it must needs follow that unreasonable Creatures partake not of Science, or Art, because they come short of Reason.

2. Hermes. It must needs be so, Son.

3. Tat. Why then, O Father, do we see some unreasonable living Creatures use both Science and Art? as the Pismires treasure up for themselves food against the Winter, and Fowls of the Air likewise make them Nests, and four-footed Beasts know their own Dens.

4. These things they do, O Son, not by Science or Art, but by Nature; for Science or Art are things that are taught, but none of these brute Beasts are taught any of these things.

5. But these things being Natural unto them, are wrought by Nature, whereas Art and Science do not happen unto all, but unto some.

6. As men are Musicians, but not all; neither are all Archers or Huntsmen, or the rest, but some of thenn have learned something by the working of Science or Art.

7. After the same manner also, if some Pismires did so, and some not, thou mightest well say, they gather their food according to Science and Art.

8. But seeing they are all led by Nature, to the same thing, even against their wills, it is manifest they do not do it by Science or Art.

9. For Operations, O Tat, being unbodily, are in Bodies, and work by Bodies.

10. Wherefore, O Tat, in as much as they are unbodily, thou must needs say they are immortal.

11. But in as much as they cannot act without Bodies, I say, they are always in a Body.

12. For those things that are to any thing, or for the cause of any thing made subject to Providence or Necessity, cannot possibly remain idle of their own proper Operation.

13. For that which is, shall ever be; for both the Body, and the Life of it, is the same.

14. And by this reason, it follows, that the Bodies also are always, because I affirm: That this corporiety is always by the Act and Operation, or for them.

15. For although earthly bodies be subject to dissolution; yet these bodies must be the Places, and the Organs, and Instruments of Acts or Operations.

16. But Acts or Operations are immortal, and that which is immortal, is always in Act, and therefore also Corporification if it be always.

17. Acts or Operations do follow the Soul, yet come not suddenly or promiscuously, but some of them come together with being made man, being about brutish or unreasonable things.

18, But the purer Operations do insensibly in the change of time, work with the oblique part of the Soul.

19. And these Operations depend upon Bodies, and truly they that are Corporifying come from the Divine Bodies into Mortal ones.

20. But every one of them acteth both about the Body and the Soul, and are present with the Soul, even without the Body.

21. And they are always Acts or Operations, but the Soul is not always in a Mortal Body, for it can be without a Body, but Acts or Operations cannot be without Bodies.

22 This is a sacred speech, Son, the Body cannot Consist without a Soul.

23. Tat. How meanest thou that, Father?

24. Hermes. Understand it thus, O Tat, When the Soul is separated from the Body, there remaineth that same Body.

25. And this same Body according to the time of its abode, is actuated or operated in that it is dissolved and becomes invisible.

26. And these things the Body cannot suffer without act or operation, and consequently there remaineth with the Body the same act or operation.

27. This then is the difference between an Immortal Body, and a Mortal one, that the immortal one consists of one Matter, and so doth not the mortal one; and the immortal one doth, but this suffereth.

28. And everything that acteth or operateth is stronger, and ruleth; but that which is actuated or operated, is ruled.

29. And that which ruleth, directeth and governeth as free, but the other is ruled, a servant.

30. Acts or Operations do not only actuate or operate living or breathing or insouled Bodies, but also breathless Bodies, or without Souls, Wood, and Stones, and such like, increasing and hearing fruit, ripening, corrupting, rotting, putrifying and breaking, or working such like things, and whatsoever inanimate Bodies can suffer.

31. Act or Operation, O Son, is called, whatsoever is, or is made or done, and there are always many things made, or rather all things.

32 For the World is never widowed or forsaken of any of those things that are, but being always carried or moved in itself, it is in labour to bring forth the things that are, which shall never be left by it to corruption.

33. Let therefore every act or operation be understood to be always immortal, in what manner of Body soever it be.

34. But some Acts or Operations be of Divine, some of corruptible Bodies, some universal, some peculiar, and some of the generals, and some of the parts of every thing.

35. Divine Acts or Operations therefore there be, and such as work or operate upon their proper Bodies, and these also are perfect, and being upon or in perfect Bodies.

36. Particular are they which work by any of the living Creatures.

37. Proper, be they that work upon any of the things that are.

38. By this Discourse, therefore, O Son, it is gathered that all things are full of Acts or Operations.

39. For if necessarily they be in every Body, and that there be many Bodies in the World, I may very well affirm, that there be many other Acts or Operations.

40. For many times in one Body, there is one, and a second, and a third, besides these universal ones that follow.

41. And universal Operations, I call them that are indeed bodily, and are done by the Senses and Motions.

42. For without these it is impossible that the Body should consist.

43. But other Operations are proper to the Souls of Men, by Arts, Sciences, Studies, and Actions.

44. The Senses also follow these Operations, or rather are the effects or perfections of them.

45, Understand therefore, O Son, the difference of Operations, it is sent from above.

46. But sense being in the Body, and having its essence from it, when it receiveth Act or Operation, manifesteth it, making it as it were corporeal.

47. Therefore, I say, that the Senses are both corporeal and mortal, having so much existence as the Body, for they are born with the Body, and die with it.

48. But mortal things themselves have not Sense, as Not consisting of such an Essence.

49. For Sense can be no other than a corporeal apprehension, either of evil or good that comes to the Body.

50. But to Eternal Bodies there is nothing comes, nothing departs; therefore there is no sense in them.

51. Tat. Doth the Sense therefore perceive or apprehend in every Body.

52. Hermes. In every Body, O Son.

53. Tat. And do the Acts or Operations work in all things?

54. Hermes. Even in things inanimate, O Son, but there are differences of Senses.

55. For the Senses of things rational, are with Reason; of things unreasonable, Corporeal only, but the Senses of things inanimate are passive only, according to Augmentation and Diminution.

56. But Passion and Sense depend both upon one head, or height, and are gathered together into the same, by Acts or Operations.

57. But in living wights there be two other Operations that follow the Senses and Passions, to wit, Grief and Pleasure.

58. And without these, it is impossible that a living wight, especially a reasonable one, should perceive or apprehend.

59. And therefore, I say, that these are the Ideas of Passions that bear rule, especially in reasonable living wights.

60. The Operations work indeed, but the Senses do declare and manifest the Operations, and they being bodily, are moved by the brutish parts of the Soul therefore I say, they are both maleficial or doers of evil.

61. For that which affords the Sense to rejoice with Pleasure is straightway the cause of many evils happening to him that suffers it.

62. But Sorrows gives stronger torments and Anguish, therefore doubtless are they both maleficial.

63. The same may be said of the Sense of the Soul.

64. Tat. Is not the Soul incorporeal, and the Sense a Body, Father? or is it rather in the Body.

65. Hermes. If we put it in a Body, O Son, we shall make it like the Soul or the Operations, for these being unbodily, we say are in Bodies.

66. But Sense is neither Operation, nor Soul, nor anything else that belongs to the Body, but as we have said, and therefore it is not incorporeal.

67. And if it be not incorporeal it must needs be a Body; for we always say, that of things that are, some are Bodies and some incorporeal.

Corpus Hermeticum Book 15

Of Truth to His Son Tat

Hermes. Of Truth, O Tat, it is not possible that man being an imperfect being, compounded of imperfect Members, and having his body consisting of different and many Bodies, should speak with any confidence.

But as far as it is possible, and just, I say, That Truth is only in the Eternal Bodies, whose very Bodies be also true.

The Fire is fire itself only, and nothing else; the Earth is earth itself and nothing else; the air is air itself and nothing else; the water, water itself and nothing else.

But our Bodies consist of all these; for they have of the Fire, they have of the Earth, they have of the Water, and Air, and yet there is neither Fire, nor Earth, nor Water, nor Air, nor anything true.

And if at the Beginning our Constitution had not Truth, how could men either see the Truth, or speak it, or understand it only, except God would?

All things therefore upon Earth, O Tat, are not Truth, but imitations of the Truth, and yet not all things neither, for they are but few that are so.

But the other things are Falsehood, and Deceit, O Tat, and Opinions like the Images of the fantasy or appearance.

And when the fantasy hath an influence from above, then it is an imitation of Truth, but without that operation from above, it is left a lie.

And as an Image shows the Body described, and yet is not the Body of that which is seen, as it seems to be, and it is seen to have eyes, but it sees nothing, and ears, but hears nothing at all; and all other things hath the picture, but they are false, deceiving the eyes of the beholder, while they think they see the Truth, and yet they are indeed but lies.

As many therefore as see not Falsehood, see the Truth.

If therefore we do so understand, and see every one of these things as it is, then we see and understand true things.

But if we see or understand any thing besides or otherwise than that which is, we shall neither understand, nor know the Truth.

Tat. Is Truth therefore upon Earth, O Father?

Hermes. Thou cost not miss the mark, O Son. Truth indeed is nowhere at all upon Earth, O Tat, for it cannot be generated or made.

But concerning the Truth, it may be that some men, to whom God will give the good seeing Power, may understand it.

So that unto the Mind and reason, there is nothing true indeed upon Earth.

But unto the True Mind and Reason, all things are fantasies or appearances, and opnions.

Tat. Must we not therefore call it Truth, to understand and speak the things that are?

Hermes. But there is nothing true upon Earth.

Tat. How then is this true, That we do not know anything true? how can that be done here?

Hermes. O Son, Truth is the most perfect Virtue, and the highest Good itself, not troubled by Matter, not encompassed by a Body, naked, clear, unchangeable, venerable, unalterable Good.

But the things that are here, O Son, are visible, incapable of Good, corruptible, passible, dissolvable, changeable, continually altered, and made of another.

The things therefore that are not true to themselves, how can they be true?

For every thing that is altered, is a lie, not abiding in what it is; but being changed it shews us always, other and other appearances.

Tat. Is not man true, O Father?

Hermes. AS far forth as he is a Man, he is not true, Son; for that which is true, has of itself alone its constitution and remains, and abides according to itself, such as it is.

But man consists of many things and does not abide of himself but is turned and changed, age after age, Idea after Idea, or form after form, and this while he is yet in the body.

And many have not known their own children after a little while, and many children likewise have not known their own Parents.

Is it then possible, O Tat, that he who is so changed, is not to be known, should be true? No, on the contrary, he is Falsehood, being in many Appearances of changes.

But do you understand the true to be that which abides the same, and is Eternal, but man is not ever, therefore not True, but man is a certain Appearance, and Appearance is the highest Lie or Falsehood.

Tat. But these Eternal Bodies, Father, are they not true though they be changed?

Hermes. Everything that is begotten or made, and changed is not true, but being made by our Progenitor, they might have had true Matter.

But these also have in themselves, something that is false in regard of their change.

For nothing that remains not in itself, is True.

Tat. What shall one say then, Father, that only the Sun which besides the Nature of other things, is not changed, but abides in itself, is Truth?

Hermes. It is Truth, and therefore is he only intrusted with the Workmanship of the World, ruling and making all things whom I do both honour, and adore his Truth; and after the One, and First, I acknowledge him the Workman.

Tat. What therefore do you affirm to be the first Truth, O Father?

Hermes. The One and Only, O Tat, that is not of Matter, that is not in a body, that is without Colour, without Figure or Shape, Immutable, Unalterable, which always is; but Falsehood, O Son, is corrupted.

And corruption has laid hold upon all things on Earth, and the Providence of the True encompasses, and will encompass them.

For without corruption, there can no Generation consist.

For Corruption followes every Generation, that it may again be generated.

For those things that are generated, must of necessity be generated of those things that are corrupted, and the things generated must needs be corrupted, that the Generation of things being, may not stand still or cease.

Acknowledge therefore the first Workman by the Generation of things.

Consequently the things that are generated of Corruption are false, as being sometimes one thing, sometimes another: For it is impossible they should be made the same things again, and that which is not the same, how is it true?

Therefore, O Son, we must call these things fantasies or appearances.

And if we will give a man his right name, we must call him the appearance of Manhood; and a Child, the fantasy or appearance of a Child; an old man, the appearance of an old man; a young man, the appearance of a young man; and a man of ripe age, the appearance of a man of ripe age.

For neither is a man, a man; nor a child, a child; nor a young man, a young man; nor an old man, an old man.

But the things that preexist and that are, being changed are false.

These things understand, O Son, as these false Operations, having their dependence from above, even of the truth itself.

Which being so, I do affirm that Falsehood is the Work of Truth.

Corpus Hermeticum  Book 16

That None of the Things that are, can Perish

Hermes. We must now speak of the Soul and Body, O Son; after what manner the Soul is Immortal, and what operation that is, which constitutes the Body, and dissolves it.

But in none of these is Death, for it is a conception of a name, which is either an empty word, or else it is wrongly called Death instead of Immortal. 

For Death is destruction, but there is nothing in the whole world that is destroyed.

For if the World be a second God, and an Immortal living sentient being, it is impossible that any part of an Immortal living sentient being should die.

But all things that are in the World, are members of the World, especially Man, the reasonable living sentient being.

For the first of all is God, the Eternal and Unmade, and the Workman of all things.

The second is the World, made by him, after his own Image and by him holden together, and nourished, and immortalized; and as from its own Father, ever living.

So that as Immortal, it is ever living, and ever immortal.

For that which is ever living, differs from that which is eternal.

For the Eternal was not begotten, or made by another; and if it were begotten or made, yet it was made by itself, not by any other, but it is always made.

For the Eternal, as it is Eternal, is the Universe.

For the Father himself, is Eternal of himself, but the World was made by the Father, ever living and immortal.

And as much Matter as there was laid up by him, the Father made it all into a Body, and swelling it, made it round like a Sphere, endued it with Quality, being itself immortal, and having Eternal Materiality.

The Father being full of Ideas, sowed Qualities in the Sphere, and shut them up, as in a Circle, deliberating to beautify with every Quality, that which should afterwards be made.

Then clothing the Universal Body with Immortality, lest the Matter, if it would depart from this Composition, should be dissolved into its own disorder.

For when the Matter was incorporeal, O Son, it was disordered, and it has here the same confusion daily revolved about other little things, endued with Qualities, in point of Augmentation, and Diminution, which men call Death, being indeed a disorder happening about earthly living sentient beings.

For the Bodies of Heavenly things have one order, which they have received from the Father at the Beginning, and is by the instauration of each of them, kept indissolveable.

But the instauration of earthly Bodies, is their consistence; and their dissolution restores them into indissoluble, that is, Immortal.

And so there is made a privation of Sense, but not a destruction of Bodies.

Now the third living sentient being is Man, made after the Image of the World; and having by the Will of the Father, a Mind above other earthly sentient beings.

And he has not only a sympathy with the second God, but also an understanding of the first.

For the second God, he apprehends as a Body but the first, he understands as Incorporeal, and the Mind of the Good.

Tat. And does not this living sentient being perish?

Hermes. Speak advisedly, O Son, and learn what God is, what the World is, and what an Immortal sentient being is, and what a dissolvable One is.

And understand that the World is of God and in God; but Man of the World and in the World.

The Beginning, and End, and Consistence of all, is God.

Corpus Hermeticum Book 17

To Asclepius, to be Truly Wise

Because my Son Tat, in your absence, you would need to learn the Nature of the things that are: He would not stop asking me to give over  untill I was forced to discourse to him many things at large, that his contemplation might from point to point, be more easy and successful.

But to you I have thought good to write in few words, choosing out the principal heads of the things then spoken, and to interpret them more mystically, because you have, both more years, and more knowledge of Nature.

All things that appear, were made, and are made.

Those things that are made, are not made by themselves, but by another.

And there are many things made, but especially all things that appear, and which are different, and not like.

If the things that be made and done, be made and done by another, there must be one that must make, and do them; and he unmade, and more ancient than the things that are made.

For I affirm the things that are made, to be made by another; and it is impossible, that of the things that are made any should be more ancient than all, but only that which is not made.

He is stronger, and One, and only knowing all things indeed, as not having any thing more ancient than himself.

For he bears rule, both over multitude, and greatness, and the diversity of the things that are made, and the continuity of the Facture and of the Operation.

Moreover, the things that are made, are visible, but he is invisible; and for this cause, he makes them, that he may be visible; and therefore he makes them always.

Thus it is fit to understand and understanding to admire and admiring to think youself happy, that knows your natural Father.

For what is sweeter than a Natural Father?

Who therefore is this, or how shall we know him?

Or is it just to ascribe unto him alone, the Title and Appellation of God, or of the Maker, or of the Father, or of all Three? That of God because of his Power; the Maker because of his Working and Operation; and the Father, because of his Goodness.

For Power is different from the things that are made, but Act or Operation, in that all things are made.

Wherefore, letting go all much and vain talking, we must understand these two things, That Which is Made, and Him Which is the Maker; for there is nothing in the middle, between these Two, nor is there any third.

Therefore understanding All things, remember these Two; and think that these are All things, putting nothing into doubt; neither of the things above, nor of the things below; neither of things changeable, nor things that are in darkness or secret.

For All things, are but two Things, That which Makes, and that which is Made, and the One of them cannot depart, or be divided from the Other.

For neither is it possible that the maker should be without the thing made, for either of them is the self same thing; therefore cannot the One of them be separated from the other, no more than a thing can be separated from itself.

For if he that makes be nothing else, but that which makes alone, Simple, Uncompounded, it is of necessity, that he makes the same thing to himself, to whom it is the Generation of him that makes to be also All that is made.

For that which is generated or made, must necessarily be generated or made by another, but without the Maker that which is made, neither is made, nor is; for the one of them without the other, has lost his proper Nature by the privation of the other.

So if these Two be confessed, That which makes, and that which is made, then they are One in Union, this going before, and that following.

And that which gos before, is, God the Maker, and that which follows is, that which is made, be it what it will.

And let no man be afraid because of the variety of things that are made or done, unlest he should cast an aspersion of baseness, or infamy upon God, for it is the only Glory of him to do, or make All things.

And this making, or facture is as it were the Body of God, and to him that makes or does, there is nothing evil, or filthy to be imputed, or There is Nothing thought Evil or Filthy.

For these are Passions that follow Generation as Rust does Copper, or as Excrements do the Body.

But neither did the Copper-smith make the Rust, nor the Maker the Filth, nor God the Evilness.

But the vicissitude of Generation doth make them, as it were to blossom out; and for this cause did make Change to be, as one should say, The Purgation of Generation.

Moreover, is it lawful for the same Painter to make both Heaven, and the Gods, and the Earth, and the Sea, and Men, and brute Beasts, and inanimate Things, and Trees; and is it impossible for God to make these things? O the great madness, and ignorance of men in things that concern God!

For men that think so, suffer that which is most ridiculous of all; for professing to bless and praise God yet in not ascribing to him the making or doing of All things, they know him not.

And besides their not knowing him, they are extremely impious against him, attributing unto him Passions, as Pride, or Oversight, or Weakness, or Ignorance, or Envy.

For if he do not make or do all things, he is either proud or not able, or ignorant, or envious, which is impious to affirm.

For God has only one Passion, namely Good and he that is good is neither proud, nor impotent, nor the rest, but God is Good itself.

For Good is all power, to do or make all things, and every thing that is made, is made by God, that is by the Good and that can make or do all things.

See then how he makes all things, and how the things are done, that are done, and if you will learn, you may  see an Image there of, very beautiful, and like.

Look upon the Husbandman, how he cast Seeds into the Earth, here Wheat, there Barley, and elsewhere some other Seeds.

Look upon the same Man, planting a Vine, or an Apple Tree, or a Fig Tree, or some other Tree.

So does God in Heaven sow Immortality, in the Earth Change in the whole Life, and Motion.

And these things are not many, but few, and easily numbered for they are all but four, God and Generation, in which are all things.