The Divine Pymander of Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus_Translation by John Everard

8/14/2019 The Divine Pymander of Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus_Translation by John Everard

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The Divine Pymander

of Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus

Translation by John Everard

[165!


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P"E#$%E

JUDICIOUS READER,

This Book may justly challenge the fist !lace fo anti"uity, fom all the Books in the#ol$, %eing &itten some hun$e$s of yeas %efoe 'oses his time, as I shall

en$ea(ou to make goo$) The Oiginal *as fa as is kno&n to us+ is Aa%ic, an$ se(eal

Tanslations theeof ha(e %een !u%lishe$, as eek, -atin, .ench, Dutch, etc), %ut

ne(e English %efoe) It is !ity the -eane$ Tanslato /D) E(ea$0 ha$ not li(e$, an$

ecei(e$ himself, the honou, an$ thanks $ue to him fom the Englishmen fo his goo$

&ill to, an$ !ains fo them, in tanslating a Book of such infinite &oth, out of the

Oiginal, into thei 'othe1tongue)

Concening the Autho of the Book itself, .ou things ae consi$ea%le, (i2), 3is

4ame, -eaning, County, an$ Time)

5) The name %y &hich he &as commonly style$, is 3emes Tismegistus, i)e),

'ecuius te 'a6imus, o, The thice geatest Intelligence) An$ &ell might he %e

calle$ 3emes, fo he &as the fist Intelligence in the #ol$ *as &e ea$ of+ that

communicate$ 7no&le$ge to the sons of 'en, %y #iting, o Enga(ing) 3e &as

calle$ Te 'a6imus, fo some Reasons, &hich I shall afte&a$s mention)

8) 3is -eaning &ill a!!ea, as %y his #oks9 so %y the ight un$estan$ing the Reason

of his 4ame)

:) .o his County, he &as 7ing of Egy!t)

;) .o his Time, it is not &ithout much Conto(esy, %et&i6t those that &ite of this

Di(ine, ancient Autho, &hat time he li(e$ in) Some say he li(e$ afte 'oses his time,

gi(ing this slen$e Reason fo it, (i2), Because he &as name$ Te 'a6imus< fo %eing

!efee$ /.anciscus .lussas0 *acco$ing to the Egy!tian Customs+ %eing chief

=hiloso!he, to %e chief of the =iesthoo$< an$ fom thence, to %e chief in

o(enment, o 7ing) But if this %e all thei goun$, you must e6cuse my $issent fom

then, an$ that fo this eason, Because acco$ing to the most leane$ of his follo&es

/e%e, =aacelsus< 3enicus 4ollius in Theoia =hiloso!hia 3emeticae, tactatu

!iimo)0, he &as calle$ Te 'a6imus9 fo ha(ing !efect, an$ e6act 7no&le$ge of all

things containe$ in the #ol$9 &hich things he $i(i$e$ into Thee 7ing$oms *as hecalls them+, (i2), 'ineal, >egeta%le, Animal9 &hich Thee, he $i$ e6cel in the ight

un$estan$ing of9 also, %ecause he attaine$ to, an$ tansmitte$ to =osteity *although

in an ?nigmatical, an$ o%scue style+ the 7no&le$ge of the @uintessence of the

&hole Uni(ese *&hich Uni(ese, as I sai$ %efoe, he $i(i$e$ into Thee =ats+

othe&ise calle$, The geat Eli6i of the =hiloso!hes9 &hich is the Rece!tacle of all

Celestial an$ Teestial >itues9 &hich Secet, many ignoantly $eny, many ha(e

chagea%ly sought afte, yet fe&, %ut some, yea, an$ the Englishmen ha(e ha!!ily

foun$ /Ri!ley, Bacon, 4oton, etc)0) The Desci!tion of this geat Teasue, is sai$ to

%e foun$ enga(e$ u!on a Smaag$ine Ta%le, in the >alley of E%on, afte the .loo$)

So that the Reason %efoe allege$ to !o(e this Autho to li(e afte 'oses, seem

in(ali$< neithe $oth it any &ay a!!ea, that he li(e$ in 'oses his time, although it %ethe o!inion of some, as of John .unctius, &ho saith in his Chonology, That he li(e$


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T&enty1one yeas %efoe the -a& &as gi(en %y 'oses in the #il$eness9 But the

Reasons that he, an$ othes gi(e, ae fa &eake than those that I shall gi(e, fo his

li(ing %efoe 'oses his time) 'y easons fo that ae these


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Rea$ un$estan$ingly this ensuing Book *an$ fo thy hel! thou mayest make use of

that (oluminous Commentay &itten u!on it /3an%al Offeli Ala%a0 + then it &ill

s!eak moe fo its Autho, than can %e s!oken %y any man, at least %y me)

Thine in the lo(e of Tuth, J).)


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HE"ME& T"'&ME('&T)&* H'& #'"&T +,,-

5) O ' SO4, &ite this .ist Book, %oth fo 3umanityFs sake, an$ fo =iety to&a$s

go$)

8) .o thee can %e no Religion moe tue o just, than to kno& the things that ae9 an$

to ackno&le$ge thanks fo all things, to 3im that ma$e them, &hich thing I shall not

cease continually to $o)

:) #hat then shoul$ a man $o, O .athe, to lea$ his life &ell9 seeing thee is nothing

hee tue

;) Be =ious an$ Religious, O my Son9 fo he that $oth so, is the %est an$ highest

=hiloso!he, an$ &ithout =hiloso!hy it is im!ossi%le e(e to attain to the height an$

e6actness of =iety an$ Religion)

G) But he that shall lean an$ stu$y the things that ae, an$ ho& they ae o$ee$ an$

go(ene$, an$ %y &hom, an$ fo &hat cause, o to &hat en$) #ill ackno&le$ge thanks

to the Workman, as to a goo$Father, an e6cellentNurse, an$ a faithful Steward, an$

he that gi(es thanks shall %e =ious o Religious, an$ he that is Religious shall kno&

%oth &hee the tuth is, an$ &hat it is, an$ leaning that he &ill %e yet moe an$ moe

Religious)

H) .o ne(e, O my Son, shall, o can that soul, &hich, &hile it is in the %o$y, lightens

an$ lifts u! itself to kno& an$ com!ehen$ that &hich is goo$ an$ tue, sli$e %ack to

the contay) .o it is infinitely enamoue$ theeof, an$ fogetteth all e(ils9 an$ &henit hath leane$ an$ kno&n itsFatheran$Progenitor, it can no moe a!ostati2e o

$e!at fom that goo$)

) An$ let this, O Son, %e the en$ of Religion an$ =iety9 &heeunto thou at once

ai(e$, thou shalt %oth li(e &ell an$ $ie %lesse$ly, &hilst thy soul is not ignoant

&ithe it must etun, an$ fly %ack again)

) .o this only, O Son, is the &ay to Truth, &hich ouProgenitorsta(elle$ in9 an$ %y

&hich making thei jouney, they at length attaine$ to the goo$) It is a (enea%le &ay

an$ !lain, %ut ha$ an$ $ifficult fo the soul to go in that is in the %o$y)

K) .o fist must it &a against its o&n self, an$ afte much stife an$ $issention, it

must %e o(ecome of the !at9 fo the contention is of one against t&o, &hilst it flies

a&ay, an$ they sti(e to hol$ an$ $etain it)

5L) But the (ictoy of %oth is not like, fo the one hasteth to that &hich is oo$, %ut

the othe is a neigh%ou to the things that ae E(il9 an$ that &hich is oo$ $esieth to

%e set at li%ety, %ut the things that ae E(il lo(e %on$age an$ Sla(ey)

55) An$ if the t&o !ats %e o(ecome, they %ecome "uiet, an$ ae content to acce!t of

it as theiRuler9 %ut if the one %e o(ecome of the t&o, it is %y them le$ an$ caie$ to

%e !unishe$ %y its %eing an$ continuance hee)


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58) This is, O Son, the ui$e in the &ay that lea$s thithe9 fo thou must fist fosake

the Bo$y %efoe thy en$, an$ get the (ictoy in this contention an$ stifeful life, an$

&hen thou hast o(ecome, etun)

5:) But no&, O my Son, I &ill %y 3ea$s un though the things that ae) Un$estan$

thou &hat I say, an$ emem%e &hat thou heaest)

5;) All things that ae mo(e$, only that &hich is not is immo(ea%le)

5G) E(ey %o$y is changea%le)

5H) 4ot e(ey %o$y is $issol(ea%le)

5) Some %o$ies ae $issol(ea%le)

5) E(ey li(ing %eing is not motal)

5K) 4o e(ey li(ing thing is immotal)

8L) That &hich may %e $issol(e$ is also cou!ti%le)

85) That &hich a%i$es al&ays is unchangea%le)

88) That &hich is unchangea%le is etenal)

8:) That &hich is al&ays ma$e is al&ays cou!te$)

8;) That &hich is ma$e %ut once is ne(e cou!te$, neithe %ecomes any othe thing)

8G) .istly, o$9 secon$ly, the #ol$9 thi$ly, 'an)

8H) The #ol$ fo 'an9 'an fo o$)

8) Of the Soul9 that !at &hich is sensi%le is motal, %ut that !at &hich is easona%le

is immotal)

8) E(ey Essence is immotal)

8K) E(ey Essence is unchangea%le)

:L) E(eything that is, is $ou%le)

:5) 4one of the things that ae stan$ still)

:8) 4ot all things ae mo(e$ %y a soul, %ut e(eything that is, is mo(e$ %y a soul)

::) E(eything that suffes is sensi%le9 e(eything that is sensi%le, suffeeth)

:;) E(eything that is sa$, ejoiceth also9 an$ is a motal li(ing ceatue)


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:G) 4ot e(eything that joyeth is also sa$, %ut is an etenal li(ing thing)

:H) 4ot e(ey %o$y is sick9 e(ey %o$y that is sick is $issol(ea%le)

:) The min$ in o$)

:) Reasoning *o $is!uting o $iscousing+ in 'an)

:K) Reason in the 'in$)

;L) The 'in$ is (oi$ of suffeing)

;5) 4o thing in a %o$y tue)

;8) All that is inco!oeal, is (oi$ of -ying)

;:) E(eything that is ma$e is cou!ti%le)

;;) 4othing goo$ u!on Eath9 nothing e(il in 3ea(en)

;G) o$ is goo$9 'an is e(il)

;H) oo$ is (oluntay, o of its o&n acco$)

;) E(il is in(oluntay, o against its &ill)

;) The go$s choose goo$ things, as goo$ things)

;K) Time is a Di(ine thing)

GL) -a& is humane)

G5) 'alice is the nouishment of the #ol$)

G8) Time is the cou!tion of 'an)

G:) #hatsoe(e is in 3ea(en is unaltea%le)

G;) All u!on Eath is altea%le)

GG) 4othing in 3ea(en is se(ante$9 nothing u!on Eath fee)

GH) 4othing unkno&n in 3ea(en9 nothing kno&n u!on Eath)

G) The things u!on Eath communicate not &ith those in 3ea(en)

G) All things in 3ea(en ae un%lamea%le9 all things u!on Eath ae su%ject to

e!ehension)

GK) That &hich is immotal is not motal9 that &hich is motal is not immotal)


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HL) That &hich is so&n is not al&ays %egotten9 %ut that &hich is %egotten al&ays is

so&n)

H5) Of a $issol(ea%le %o$y, thee ae t&o times9 one fo so&ing to geneation, one

fom geneation to $eath)

H8) Of an e(elasting Bo$y, the time is only fom the eneation)

H:) Dissol(ea%le Bo$ies ae incease$ an$ $iminishe$)

H;) Dissol(ea%le matte is altee$ into contaies9 to &it, Cou!tion an$ eneation,

%ut Etenal matte into itself, an$ its like)

HG) The eneation of 'an is cou!tion9 the Cou!tion of 'an is the %eginning of

eneation)

HH) That &hich offs!ings o %egetteth anothe, is itself an offs!ing o %egotten %yanothe)

H) Of things that ae, some ae in %o$ies, some in thei IDEAS)

H) #hasoe(e things %elong to o!eation o &oking, ae in a %o$y)

HK) That &hich is immotal, !atakes not of that &hich is motal)

L) That &hich is motal cometh not into a Bo$y immotal9 %ut that &hich is immotal

cometh into that &hich is motal)

5) O!eation o #okings ae not caie$ u!&a$s, %ut $escen$ $o&n&a$s)

8) Things u!on Eath, $o nothing a$(antage those in 3ea(en9 %ut all things in

3ea(en $o !ofit an$ a$(antage all things u!on Eath)

:) 3ea(en is ca!a%le, an$ a fit ece!tacle of e(elasting Bo$ies9 the Eath of

cou!ti%le Bo$ies)

;) The Eath is %utish9 the 3ea(en is easona%le o ational)

G) Those things that ae in 3ea(en ae su%jecte$ o !lace$ un$e it, %ut the things on

eath ae !lace$ u!on it)

H) 3ea(en is the fist element)

) =o(i$ence is Di(ine o$e)

) 4ecessity is the 'iniste o Se(ant of =o(i$ence)

K) .otune is the caiage o effect of that &hich is &ithout o$e9 the I$ol of

o!eation, a lying .antasie o o!inion)


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L) #hat is o$ The immuta%le o unaltea%le goo$)

5) #hat is man An unchangea%le e(il)

8) If thou !efectly emem%e these 3ea$s, thou canst not foget those things &hich

in moe &o$s I ha(e lagely e6!oun$e$ unto thee9 fo these ae the contents oA%i$gment of them)

:) A(oi$ all con(esation &ith the multitu$e o common !eo!le9 fo I &oul$ not ha(e

thee su%ject to En(y, much less to %e i$iculous unto the many)

;) .o the like al&ays takes to itself that &hich is like, %ut the unlike ne(e agees

&ith the unlike) Such $iscouses as these ha(e (ey fe& Au$itos, an$ !ea$(entue

(ey fe& &ill ha(e, %ut they ha(e something !eculia unto themsel(es)

G) They $o athe sha!en an$ &het e(il men to thei maliciousness9 theefoe, it

%eho(eth to a(oi$ the multitu$e, an$ take hee$ of them as not un$estan$ing the(itue an$ !o&e of the things that ae sai$)

H)How does thou mean, O Father?

) This O Son< the &hole natue an$ Com!osition of those li(ing things calle$ 'en,

is (ey !one to 'aliciousness, an$ is (ey familia, an$ as it &ee nouishe$ &ith it,

an$ theefoe is $elighte$ &ith it9 no& this &ight, if it shall come to lean o kno& that

the &ol$ &as once ma$e, an$ all things ae $one acco$ing to =o(i$ence o

4ecessity, Destiny o .ate, %eaing ule o(e all, &ill he not %e much &ose than

himself, $es!ising the &hole, %ecause it &as ma$eAnd if he may lay the ause of!"il u#on Fate or $estiny, he &ill ne(e a%stain fom any e(il &ok)

) Wherefore we must look warily to suh kind of #eo#le, that %eing in ignorane

they may %e less e"il for fear of that whih is hidden and ke#t seret&

The En$ of T3E .IRST BOO7 O. 3ER'ES))))


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THE &E%,.D +,,-* %$//ED* P,EM$.DE"

' T3OU3TS %eing once seiously %usie$ a%out things that ae, an$ my

Un$estan$ing lifte$ u!, all my %o$ily Senses %eing e6cee$ingly hol$en %ack, as it is

&ith them that ae hea(y of slee!, %y eason eithe of fulness of meat, o of %o$ilyla%ou< 'ethought I sa& one of an e6cee$ing geat statue, an$ of an infinite

geatness, call me %y my name, an$ say unto me, What wouldst thou hear and see?O

&hat &oul$st thou un$estan$ to lean an$ kno&

8) Then sai$ I, Who are Thou?I am, "uoth he,Poemander, the min$ of the geat -o$,

the most mighty an$ a%solute!m#eror< I kno& &hat thou &oul$st ha(e, an$ I am

al&ays !esent &ith thee)

:) Then I sai$,' would learn the things that are, and understand the nature of them,

and know (od&3o& sai$ he) I ans&ee$ that I &oul$ gla$ly hea) Then sai$ he, 3a(e

me again in they min$, an$ &hasoe(e though &oul$st lean, I &ill teach thee)

;) #hen he ha$ thus sai$, he &as change$ in his'deaoForm, an$ staight&ay, in the

t&inkling of an eye, all things &ee o!ene$ unto me) An$ I sa& an infinite sight, all

things &ee %ecome light, %oth s&eet an$ e6cee$ing !leasant9 an$ I &as &on$efully

$elighte$ in the %ehol$ing it)

G) But afte a little &hile, thee &as a $akness ma$e in !at, coming $o&n o%li"uely,

feaful an$ hi$eous, &hich seeme$ unto me to %e change$ into a ertain moist nature,

uns!eaka%ly tou%le$, &hich yiel$e$ a smoke as fom .ie9 an$ fom &hence

!ocee$e$ a (oice unuttea%le, an$ (ey mounful, %ut inaticulate, inasmuch as itseeme$ to ha(e come fom the -ight)

H) Then fom that -ight, a cetain holy Word )oined itself unto Nature, an$ outfle& the

!ue an$ unmi6e$ .ie fom the moist natue u!&a$s on high9 it &as e6cee$ing

*ight, an$shar#, an$ o#erati"e&ithal) An$ theAir, &hich &as also light, follo&e$

the S#iritan$ moune$ u! toFire*fom the Eath an$ the #ate+, insomuch that it

seeme$ to hang an$ $e!en$ u!on it)

) An$ the Eath an$ the #ate staye$ %y themsel(es so mingle$ togethe, that the

Eath coul$ not %e seen fo the #ate, %ut they &ee mo(e$ %ecause of the S#iritual

wordthat &as caie$ u!on them)

) Then sai$Poemanderunto me, Dost thou un$estan$ this "ision, an$ &hat it

meaneth I shall kno&, sai$ I) Then sai$ he,' am that *ight, the+ind, thy (od, who

am %efore that moist nature that a##eared out of darkness and that %right and

lightful Word from the mind is the Son of (od&

K) 3o& is that, "uoth I Thus, e!lie$ he, un$estan$ it< That &hich in thee seeth an$

heaeth, the #o$ of the -o$, an$ the 'in$ the .athe, o$, $iffe not one fom the

othe9 an$ the union of these is -ife)

Trismeg&11I thank thee)

Pimand&11But fist concei(e &ell the -ight in they min$, an$ kno& it)


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5L) #hen he ha$ sai$ thus, fo a long time &e looke$ stea$fastly one u!on the othe,

insomuch that I tem%le$ at his'dea oForm)

55) But &hen he no$$e$ to me, I %ehel$ in my min$ the -ight that is in innumea%le,

an$ the tuly in$efinite ornament o world9 an$ that theFireis com!ehen$e$ o

containe$ in, o %y a geat moist =o&e, an$ constaine$ to kee! its station)

58) These things I un$estoo$, seeing the &o$, oPimander9 an$ &hen I &as

mightily ama2e$, he sai$ again unto me, 3ast thou seen in thy min$ that Achety!al

.om &hich &as %efoe the inteminate$ an$ infinite Beginning ThusPimanderto

me) But &hence, "uoth I, o &heeof ae the Elements of 4atue ma$e

Pimander&11Of the #ill an$ counsel of o$9 &hich taking the #o$, an$ %ehol$ing

the %eautiful #ol$ *in the Achety!e theeof+ imitate$ it, an$ so ma$e this #ol$, %y

the !inci!les an$ (ital see$s o Soul1like !o$uctions of itself)

5:) .o the+ind%eing o$,+ale and Female, *ife and *ight, %ought foth %y his

Wordanothe+indo Workman9 &hich %eing o$ of theFire, an$ the S#irit,fashione$ an$ fome$ se(en othe o(enos, &hich in thei cicles contain the

Sensi%le World, &hose o(enment o $is!osition is calle$Fateo$estiny)

5;) Straightwaylea!e$ out, o e6alte$ itself fom the $o&n&a$ Elements of o$,

The Word of (od, into the clean an$ !ue #okmanshi! of 4atue, an$ &as unite$ to

the Workman,+ind, fo it &as -onsu%stantial9 an$ so the $o&n&a$ %on elements of

4atue &ee left &ithout Reason, that they might %e the only 'atte)

5G) But the Workman,+ind, togethe &ith the Word, containing the cicles, an$

&hiling them a%out, tune$ oun$ as a &heel, his o&n #okmanshi!s9 an$ suffee$

them to %e tune$ fom an in$efinite Beginning to an in$etemina%le en$, fo they

al&ays %egin &hee they en$)

5H) An$ the -irulation o unning oun$ of these, as the min$ &illeth, out of the

lo&e o $o&n&a$1%on Elements, %ought foth uneasona%le o %utish Ceatues,

fo they ha$ no eason, the Ai flying things, an$ the #ate such as s&im)

5) An$ the Eath an$ the #ate &ee se!aate$, eithe fom the othe, as the+ind

&oul$9 an$ the Eath %ought foth fom heself, such li(ing ceatues as she ha$,

fou1foote$ an$ cee!ing %easts, &il$ an$ tame)

5) But the .athe of all things, the+ind%eing*ifean$*ight, %ought foth+anlike

unto himself, &hom he lo(e$ s his !o!e.irth9 fo he &as all %eauteous, ha(ing the

image of hisFather)

5K) .o in$ee$ o$ &as e6cee$ingly enamoue$ of his o&n fom o sha!e, an$

$eli(ee$ unto it all his o&n #okmanshi!s) But he, seeing an$ un$estan$ing the

-reationof the #okman in the &hole, &oul$ nee$s also himselffall to work, an$ so

&as se!aate$ fom the .athe, %eing in the s!hee of eneation o O!eation)

8L) 3a(ing all =o&e, he consi$ee$ the O!eations o #okmanshi!s of the Se"en9

%ut they lo(e$ him, an$ e(eyone ma$e him !atake of his o&n o$e)


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85) An$ he leaning $iligently, an$ un$estan$ing thei Essence, an$ !ataking thei

4atue, esol(e$ to !iece an$ %eak though the -irumfereneof the Cicles, an$ to

un$estan$ the !o&e of him that sits u!on the .ie)

88) An$ ha(ing alea$y all !o&e of motal things, of the -i(ing, an$ of the

uneasona%le ceatues of the #ol$, stoo!e$ $o&n an$ !ee!e$ though theHarmony,an$ %eaking though the stength of the Cicles, so sho&e$ an$ ma$e manifest the

$o&n&a$1%on 4atue, the fai an$ %eautiful Sha!e o .om of o$)

8:) #hich, &hen he sa&, ha(ing in itself the unsatia%le Beauty, an$ all the o!eations

of theSe"en (o"ernors, an$ the .om o Sha!e of o$, hesmiledfo lo(e, as if he

ha$ seen the sha!e o likeness in the #ate, o the sha$o& u!on the Eath, of the

faiest 3uman fom)

8;) An$ seeing in the #ate a Sha!e, a Sha!e like unto himself, in himself he lo(e$ it,

an$ &oul$ coha%it &ith it, an$ imme$iately u!on the esolution ensue$ the o!eation,

an$ %ought foth the uneasona%le Image o Sha!e)

8G) 4atue !esently laying hol$ of &hat it so much lo(e$, $i$ &holly &a! heself

a%out it, an$ they &ee mingle$, fo they lo(e$ one anothe)

8H) An$ fom this cause+ana%o(e all things that li(e u!on eath is $ou%le


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:;) An$ man &as ma$e of*ife an$*ight, into Soulan$+ind9 of*ifethe soul, of

*ightthe+ind)

:G) An$ so all the mem%es of the Sensi%le World, continue$ unto the !eio$ of the

en$, %eaing ule an$ geneating)

:H) 3ea no& the est of that s!eech thou so much $esieth to hea)

:) #hen that#eriod&as fulfille$, the %on$ of all things &as loose$ an$ untie$ %y the

&ill of o$9 fo all li(ing -reatures%eing 3ema!ho$itical, o+ale an$Female,

&ee loose$ an$ untie$ togethe &ith man9 an$ so the 'ales &ee a!at %y themsel(es

an$ the .emales like&ise)

:) An$ staight&ays o$ sai$ to the 3oly #o$,'nrease in inreasing and

multi#lying in multitude all you my -reatures and Workmanshi#s& And let him that is

endued with mind, know himself to %e immortal and that the ause of death is the

lo"e of the %ody, and let him learn all things that are&

:K) #hen he ha$ thus sai$,Pro"idene %y Fate of Harmony, ma$e the mi6tues an$

esta%lishe$ the eneations, an$ all things &ee multi!lie$ acco$ing to thei kin$)

An$ he that kne& himself, came at length to the Su#erstantial of e(ey &ay

su%stantial goo$)

;L) But he that thoF the eo of -o(e lo(e$ the.ody, a%i$eth &an$eing in $akness,

sensi%le, suffeing the things of $eath)

;5) Trism&But &hy $o they that ae ignoant, sin so much, that they shoul$ theefoe%e $e!i(e$ of immotality

;8)Pim& Thou seemest not to ha(e un$estoo$ &hat thou hast hea$)

;:) Trism& =ea$(entue I seem so to thee9 %ut I %oth un$estan$ an$ emem%e them)

;;)Pim& I am gla$ fo thy sake if thou un$estoo$est them)

;G) Trism& Tell me &hy ae they &othy of $eath, that ae in $eath

;H)Pim& Because thee goeth a sa$ an$ $ismal $akness %efoe its %o$y9 of &hich$akness is the moist natue, of &hich moist natue the Bo$y consisteth in the sensi%le

&ol$, fom &hence $eath is $ei(e$) 3as thou un$estoo$ this aight

;) Trism& But &hy, o ho& $oth he that un$estan$s himself, go o !ass into o$

;)Pim& That &hich the #o$ of o$ sai$, say I< Because the .athe of all things

consists of -ife an$ -ight, &heeof man is ma$e)

;K) Trism& Thou sayest (ey &ell)


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H;) To the fouth, the $esie of Rule, an$ unsatia%le Am%ition)

HG) To the fifth, !ofane Bol$ness, an$ the hea$long ashness of confi$ence)

HH) To the si6th, E(il an$ ineffectual occasions of Riches)

H) To the se(enth/one, su%tle .alsehoo$, al&ays lying in &ait)

H) An$ then %eing ma$e nake$ of all the O!eations ofHarmony, it cometh to the

Eighth 4atue, ha(ing its !o!e !o&e, an$ singeth !aises to the fathe &ith the

things that ae, an$ all they that ae !esent ejoice, an$ congatulate the coming of it9

an$ %eing ma$e like to them &ith &hom it con(eseth, it heaeth also the =o&es that

ae a%o(e the Eighth 4atue, singing =aise to o$ in a cetain (oice that is !eculia

to them)

HK) An$ then in o$e they etun unto the .athe, an$ themsel(es $eli(e themsel(es

to the =o&es, an$ %ecoming =o&es they ae in o$)

L) This is the oo$, an$ to them that kno&, to %e $esie$)

5) .uthemoe, &hy sayest thou, #hat esteth, %ut that un$estan$ing all men thou

%ecome a gui$e, an$ &ay1lea$e to them that ae &othy9 that the kin$ ofHumanity,

o+ankind, may %e sa(e$ %y o$

8) #henPimander ha$ thus sai$ unto me, he &as mingle$ among the =o&es)

:) But I, gi(ing thanks, an$ %lessing the fathe of all things, ose u!, %eing ena%le$%y him, an$ taught the 4atue of the 4atue of the &hole, an$ ha(ing seen the geatest

sight o s!ectacle)

;) An$ I %egan to =each unto men, the %eauty an$ fainess of =iety an$ 7no&le$ge)

G) O ye #eo#le, men, %orn and made of the earth, whih ha"e gi"en yoursel"es o"er

to drunkenness and slee#, and to the ignorane of (od, %e so%er and ease your

surfeit, whereunto you are allured and "isited %y %rutish and unreasona%le slee#&

H) An$ they that hea$ me come &illingly an$ &ith one acco$9 an$ then I sai$

futheI- I4 'A4 IS

T3E 4OT 74O#I4 OD)


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THE .'.TH +,,-* $ ).'2E"&$/ &E"M,. T, $&%/EP')&

Herm&

A-- that is mo(e$, OAsle#ius, is it not mo(e$ in something an$ %y something

8)Asle#& es, in$ee$)

:) 3em) 'ust not that in &hich a thing is mo(e$, of necessity %e geate than the

thing that is mo(e$

;) Of necessity)

G) An$ that &hich mo(eth, is it not stonge than that &hich is mo(e$

H)Asle#& It is stonge)

)Herm& That in &hich a thing is mo(e$, must it not nee$s ha(e a 4atue contay to

that of the thing that is mo(e$

) Ascle!) It must nee$s)

K)Herm&Is not this geat #ol$ a Bo$y, than &hich thee is no geate

5L)Asle#&es, confesse$ly)

55)Herm& An$ is it not soli$, as fille$ &ith many geat %o$ies, an$ in$ee$ &ith all theBo$ies that ae

58)Asle#&It is so)

5:)Herm& An$ is not the #ol$ a Bo$y, an$ a Bo$y that is mo(e$

5;)Asle#& It is)

5G)Herm& Then &hat a kin$ of !lace must it %e, &heein it is mo(e$, an$ of &hat

4atue 'ust it not %e much %igge, that it may ecei(e the continuity of 'otion An$

lest &hich is mo(e$, shoul$ fo &ant of oom, %e staye$, an$ hin$ee$ in the 'otion

5H)Asle#& It must nee$s %e an immense thing, Trismegistus,%ut of &hat 4atue

5)Herm& Of a contay 4atue, OAsle#ius) But is not the 4atue of things un%o$ily,

contay to a Bo$y

5)Asle#& Confesse$ly)

5K)Herm& Theefoe the !lace is un%o$ily9 %ut that &hich is un%o$ily is eithe some

Di(ine thing, o o$ himself) An$ %y something Di(ine, I $o not mean that &hich

&as ma$e o %egotten)


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8L) If theefoe it %e Di(ine, it is an Essence o Su%stance9 %ut if it %e o$, it is a%o(e

Essence9 %ut he is othe&ise intelligi%le)

85) .o the fist, o$ is intelligi%le, not to himself, %ut to us9 fo that &hich is

intelligi%le is su%ject to that &hich un$estan$eth %y Sense)

88) Theefoe, o$ is not intelligi%le to himself9 fo not %eing any othe thing fom

that &hich is un$estoo$, he cannot %e un$estoo$ %y himself)

8:) But he is anothe thing fom us, an$ theefoe he is un$estoo$ %y us)

8;) If theefoe =lace %e intelligi%le, it is not =lace %ut o$9 %ut if o$ %e intelligi%le,

he is intelligi%le not as =lace, %ut as a ca!a%le O!eation)

8G) 4o&, e(eything that is mo(e$, is mo(e$ not in o %y that &hich is mo(e$, %ut in

that &hich stan$eth o esteth, an$ that &hich mo(eth stan$eth o esteth9 fo it is

im!ossi%le it shoul$ %e mo(e$ &ith it)

8H)Asle#& 3o&, then, O Trismegistus,ae those things that ae hee mo(e$ &ith the

things that ae mo(e$ fo thou sayest that the S!hees that &an$e, ae mo(e$ %y the

s!hee that &an$es not)

8)Herm& That, OAsle#ius, is not a mo(ing togethe, %ut a counte motion9 fo they

ae not mo(e$ afte a like manne, %ut contay one to the othe9 an$ contaiety hath a

stan$ing esistance of motion, fo the M, o esistance, is a staying of 'otion)

8) Theefoe, the &an$eing s!hees %eing mo(e$ contaily to that S!hee &hich&an$eeth not, shall ha(e one fom anothe contaily stan$ing of itself)

8K) .o this Bea thou seest neithe ise no go $o&n, %ut tuning al&ays a%out the

same9 $ost thou think it mo(eth o stan$eth still

:L)Asle#& I think it mo(es, Tismegistus)

:5) #hat motion, OAsle#ius

:8)Asle#& A motion that is al&ays caie$ a%out the same)

::) But the Ciculation &hich is a%out the same, an$ the motion %out the same, ae

%oth hi$$en %y Station9 fo that &hich is a%out the same, fo%i$s that &hich is a%o(e

the same, if it stan$ to that &hich is a%out the same)

:;) An$ so the contay motion stan$s fast al&ays, %eing al&ays esta%lishe$ %y the

contaiety)

:G) But I &ill gi(e thee concening this matte, an Eathly E6am!le, that may %e seen

&ith eyes)

:H) -ook u!on any of these li(ing Ceatues u!on Eath, as 'an, fo e6am!le, an$ seehim s&imming9 fo as the #ate is caie$ one &ay, the eluctation o esistance of his


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feet an$ han$s is ma$e a station to the 'an, that he shoul$ not %e caie$ &ith the

#ate, no sink un$eneath it)

:)Asle#& Thou hast lai$ $o&n a (ey clea e6am!le, Trismegistus)

:)Herm& Theefoe, e(ey motion is in station, an$ is mo(e$ of station)

:K) The motion, then, of the #ol$, an$ of e(ey mateial li(ing thing, ha!!eneth not

to %e $one %y those things that ae &ithout the #ol$, %ut %y those things &ithin it, a

Soul, o S!iit, o some othe un%o$ily thing, to those things that ae &ithout it)

;L) .o an inanimate Bo$y $oth not kno&, much less a Bo$y if it %e &holly inanimate)

;5)Asle#hat meaneth thou %y this, O Trismegistus, &oo$ an$ stones, an$ all

othe inanimate things, ae they not mo(ing Bo$ies

;8)Herm& By no means, OAsle#ius,fo that &ithin the Bo$y, &hich mo(es theinanimate thing, is not the Bo$y, that mo(es %oth as &ell the Bo$y of that &hich

%eaeth, as the Bo$y of that &hich is %on9 fo one $ea$ o inanimate thing cannot

mo(e anothe9 that &hich mo(eth, must nee$s %e ali(e if it mo(e)

;:) Thou seest theefoe ho& the Soul is suchage$, &hen it caieth t&o Bo$ies)

;;) An$ no& it is manifest that the things that ae mo(e$ in something, an$ %y

something)

;G)Asle#& The things that ae mo(e$, O Trismegistus,must nee$s %e mo(e$ in that&hich is (oi$, o em!ty (acuum, M)

;H) Be a$(ise$, OAsle#ius,fo all the things that ae, thee is nothing em!ty, only

that &hich is not, is em!ty an$ a stange to e6istence o %eing)

;) But that &hich is coul$ not %e if it &ee not full of e6istence9 fo that &hich is in

%eing o e6istence, can ne(e %e ma$e em!ty)

;)Asle#& Ae thee not theefoe some things that ae em!ty, O Trismegistus,as an

em!ty Bael, an em!ty 3ogshea$, an em!ty #ill, an em!ty #ine1!ess, an$ many

such like

;K)Herm&O the gossness of thy eo, OAsle#ius9 those things that ae most full

an$ e!lenishe$, $ost thou account them (oi$ an$ em!ty

GL)Asle#& #hat may %e thy meaning, Trismegistus

G5)Herm& Is not the Ai a Bo$y

G8)Asle#& It is a Bo$y)


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G:)Herm& #hy then this Bo$y, $oes it not !ass though all things that ae An$

!assing though them, fill them an$ that Bo$y, $oth it not consist of the mi6tue of

the fou theefoe, all those things &hich thou callest em!ty ae full of Ai)

G;) Theefoe, those things thou callest em!ty, thou oughtest to call them hollo&, not

em!ty9 fo they e6ist an$ ae full of Ai an$ S!iit)

GG)Asle#& This eason is %eyon$ all conta$iction, O Trismegistus,%ut &hat shall &e

call the !lace in &hich the &hole Uni(ese is mo(e$

GH)Herm& Call it inco!oeal, OAsle#ius&

G)Asle#& #hat is that, inco!oeal o un%o$ily

G)Herm& The 'in$ an$ Reason, the &hole, &holly com!ehen$ing itself, fee fom

all Bo$y, un$ecei(a%le, in(isi%le, im!assi%le fom a Bo$y itself, stan$ing fast in itself,

ca!a%le of all things, an$ that Sa(ou of the things that ae)

GK) #heeof the (ood, the Truth,theArhety#al *ight,the Achety!e of the Soul, ae,

as it &ee, Beams)

HL)Asle#hy, then, &hat is o$

H5)Herm& That &hich is none of these things, yet is, an$ is the cause of %eing to all,

an$ e(ey one of the things that ae9 fo he left nothing $estitute of Being)

H8) An$ all things ae ma$e of things that ae, an$ not of things that ae not9 fo thethings that ae not, ha(e not the natue to %e a%le to %e ma$e9 an$ again, the things

that ae, ha(e not the natue ne(e to %e, o not to %e at all)

H:)Asle#hat $ost thou then say at length that o$ is

H;)Herm& o$ is not a 'in$, %ut the Cause that the 'in$ is9 not a s!iit, %ut the

Cause that the S!iit is9 not -ight, %ut the Cause that -ight is)

HG) Theefoe, &e must &oshi! o$ %y these t&o A!!ellations, &hich ae !o!e to

him alone, an$ to no othe)

H) An$ this he is an$ nothing else9 %ut all othe things ae se!aa%le fom the natue

of oo$)

H) .o the Bo$y an$ the Soul ha(e no !lace that is ca!a%le of o can contain the

oo$)

HK) .o the geatness of oo$ is as geat as the E6istence of all things that ae, %oth

%o$ily an$ un%o$ily, %oth sensi%le an$ intelligi%le)

L) This is the oo$, e(en o$)


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5) See, theefoe, that thou $o not at any time call ought else oo$, fo so thou shalt

%e im!ious9 o any else o$, %ut only the oo$, fo so thou shalt again %e im!ious)

8) In #o$ it is often sai$ %y all men the oo$, %ut all men $o not un$estan$ &hat it

is9 %ut though Ignoance they call %oth the o$s, an$ some men, oo$, that can

ne(e %e, o %e ma$e so)

:) Theefoe all the othe o$s ae honoue$ &ith the title o a!!ellation of o$, %ut

o$ is the oo$, not acco$ing to 3ea(en, %ut 4atue)

;) .o thee is one 4atue of o$, e(en the oo$, an$ one kin$ of them %oth, fom

&hence all ae kin$s)

G) .o he that is oo$, is the gi(e of all things, an$ takes nothing9 an$, theefoe,

o$ gi(es all things, an$ ecei(es nothing)

H) The othe title an$ a!!ellation, is the .athe, %ecause of his making all things9 foit is the !at of a .athe to make)

) Theefoe, it hath %een the geatest an$ most Religious cae in this life, to them

that ae #ise, an$ &ell1min$e$, to %eget chil$en)

) As like&ise it is the geatest misfotune an$ im!iety, fo any to %e se!aate$ fom

men, &ithout chil$en9 an$ this man is !unishe$ afte Death %y the$emons, an$ the

!unishment is this< To ha(e the Soul of this chil$less man, a$ju$ge$ an$ con$emne$,

to a Bo$y that neithe hath the natue of a man, no of a &oman, &hich is an accuse$

thing un$e the Sun)

K) Theefoe, OAsle#ius,ne(e congatulate any man that is chil$less9 %ut on the

contay !ity his misfotune, kno&ing &hat !unishment a%i$es, an$ is !e!ae$ fo

him)

L) -et so many, an$ such manne of things, OAsle#ius,%e sai$ as a cetain

!ecognition of all things in 4atue)

The En$ of the 4inth Book,

A U4I>ERSA- SER'O4 TO ASC-E=IUS)


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THE TE.TH +,,-* THE M'.D T, HE"ME&

.ORBEAR thy S!eech, O Hermes Trismegistus,an$ call to min$ to those things that

ae sai$9 %ut I &ill not $elay to s!eak &hat comes into my min$, sithence many men

ha(e s!oken many things, an$ those (ey $iffeent, concening the Uni(ese, an$oo$9 %ut I ha(e not leane$ the Tuth)

8) Theefoe, the -o$ make it !lain to me in this !oint9 fo I &ill %elie(e thee only, fo

the manifestation of these things)

:) Then sai$ the 'in$ ho& the case stan$s)

;) o$ an$ All)

G) o$, Etenity, the #ol$, Time, eneation)

H) o$ ma$e Etenity, Etenity the #ol$, the &ol$ Time, an$ Time eneation)

) Of o$, as it &ee, the Su%stance, is the (ood, theFair,.lessedness, Wisdom)

) Of Etenity, I$entity, o Selfness)

K) Of the #ol$, O$e)

5L) Of Time, Change)

55) Of eneation, -ife an$ Death)

58) But the O!eation of o$, is 'in$ an$ Soul)

5:) Of Etenity, =emanence, o -ong1lasting, an$ Immotality)

5;) Of the #ol$, Restitution, an$ Decay, o Destuction)

5G) Of Time, Augmentation an$ Diminution)

5H) An$ of eneation "ualities)

5) Theefoe, Etenity is in o$)

5) The #ol$ in Etenity)

5K) Time in the #ol$)

8L) An$ eneation in Time)

85) An$ Etenity stan$eth a%out o$)

88) The #ol$ is mo(e$ in Etenity)


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8:) Time is $etemine$ in the #ol$)

8;) eneation is $one in Time)

8G) Theefoe, the S!ing an$ .ountain of all things is o$)

8H) The Su%stance Etenity)

8) The 'atte is the #ol$)

8) The =o&e of o$ is Etenity)

8K) An$ the #ok of Etenity, is the #ol$ not yet ma$e, an$ yet e(e ma$e %y

Etenity)

:L) Theefoe, shall nothing %e at any time $estoye$, fo Etenity is incou!ti%le)

:5) 4eithe can anything !eish, o %e $estoye$ in the #ol$, the #ol$ %eing

containe$ an$ em%ace$ %y Etenity)

:8) But &hat is the #is$om of o$ E(en the (oodan$ theFair, an$.lessedness,

an$ e(ey >itue, an$ Etenity)

::) Etenity, theefoe, !ut into the 'atte Immotality an$ E(elastingness9 fo the

eneation of that $e!en$s u!on Etenity, e(en as Etenity $oth of o$)

:;) .o eneation an$ Time, in 3ea(en an$ in Eath, ae of a $ou%le 4atue9 in3ea(en they ae unchangea%le an$ incou!ti%le9 %ut on Eath they ae changea%le

an$ cou!ti%le)

:G) An$ the Soul of Etenity is o$9 an$ the Soul of the #ol$, Etenity9 an$ of the

Eath, 3ea(en)

:H) o$ is in the 'in$, the 'in$ in the Soul, the Soul in the 'atte, all things %y

Etenity)

:) All this Uni(esal Bo$y, in &hich ae all Bo$ies, is full of Soul, the Soul full of

'in$, the 'in$ full of o$)

:) .o &ithin he fills them, an$ &ithout he contains them, "uickening the Uni(ese)

:K) #ithout, he "uickens this !efect li(ing thing the #ol$, an$ &ithin all li(ing

Ceatues)

;L) An$ a%o(e in 3ea(en he a%i$es in I$entity o Selfness, %ut %elo& u!on Eath he

changeth eneation)

;5) Etenity com!ehen$eth the #ol$ eithe %y necessity, o =o(i$ence, o 4atue)


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;8) An$ if any man shall think any othe thing, it is o$ that actuateth, o o!eateth

this All)

;:) But the o!eation o Act of o$, is =o&e insu!ea%le, to &hich none may

com!ae anything, eithe 3umane o Di(ine)

;;) Theefoe, OHermes,think none of these things %elo&, o the things a%o(e, in

any&ise like unto o$9 fo if thou $ost, thou eest fom the Tuth)

;G) .o nothing can %e like the unlike, an$ only, an$ One9 no mayest thou think that

he hath gi(en of his =o&e to any othe thing)

;H) .o &ho afte him can make anything, eithe of -ife o Immotality< of Change o

of @uality an$ himself, &hat othe things shoul$ he make

;) .o o$ is not i$le, fo then all things &oul$ %e i$le9 fo all things ae full of o$)

;) But thee is not any&hee in the #ol$, such a thing as I$leness9 fo I$leness is a

name that im!lieth a thing (oi$ o em!ty, %oth of a Doe, an$ a thing $one)

;K) But all things must necessaily %e ma$e o $one %oth al&ays, an$ acco$ing to the

natue of e(ey !lace)

GL) .o he that maketh o $oth, is in all things, yet not fastene$ o com!ehen$e$ in

anything9 no making o $oing one thing, %ut all things)

G5) .o %eing an acti(e o o!eating =o&e, an$ sufficient of himself fo the thingsthat ae ma$e, an$ the things that ae ma$e ae un$e him)

G8) -ook u!on, though me, the #ol$ is su%ject to thy sight, an$ un$estan$ e6actly

the Beauty theeof)

G:) A Bo$y !e!etual, than the &hich thee is nothing moe ancient, yet al&ays

(igoous an$ young)

G;) See also the Se(en #ol$s set o(e us, a$one$ &ith an e(elasting o$e, an$

filling Etenity &ith a $iffeent couse)

GG) .o all things ae full of -ight, %ut the .ie is no&hee)

GH) .o the fien$shi! an$ commi6tue of contaies an$ unlike, %ecome -ight shining

fom the Act o O!eation of o$, the .athe of all oo$, the =ince of all O$e, an$

the Rule of the Se(en #ol$s)

G) -ook also u!on the 'oon, the foeunne of them all, the Instument of 4atue,

an$ &hich changeth the matte hee %elo&)

G) Behol$ the Eath the mi$$le of the #hole, the fim an$ sta%le .oun$ation of the

.ai #ol$, the .ee$e an$ 4use of Eathly things)


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GK) Consi$e, moeo(e, ho& geat the multitu$e is of immotal li(ing things, an$ of

motal ones also9 an$ see the 'oon going a%out in the mi$st of %oth, to &it, of things

immotal an$ motal)

HL) But all things ae full of Soul, an$ all things ae !o!ely mo(e$ %y it9 some things

a%out the 3ea(en, an$ some things a%out the Eath9 an$ neithe of those on the ighthan$ to the left9 no those on the left han$ to the ight9 no those things that ae a%o(e,

$o&n&a$9 no those things that ae %elo&, u!&a$s)

H5) An$ that all these things ae ma$e, O %elo(e$Hermes, thou nee$st not lean of

me)

H8) .o they ae Bo$ies, an$ ha(e a Soul, an$ ae mo(e$)

H:) An$ that all these shoul$ come togethe into one, it is im!ossi%le &ithout

something to gathe them togethe)

H;) Theefoe, thee must %e some such ones, an$ he altogethe One)

HG) .o seeing that the motions ae $i(es, an$ many, an$ the Bo$ies not alike, an$ yet

one o$ee$ s&iftness among them all9 It is im!ossi%le thee shoul$ %e t&o o moe

'akes)

HH) .o one o$e is not ke!t %y many)

H) But in the &eake thee &oul$ %e jealousy of the stonge, an$ thence also

contentions)

H) An$ if thee &ee one 'ake, of muta%le motal li(ing #ights, he &oul$ $esie

also to make immotal ones, as he that &ee the 'ake of immotal ones, &oul$ $o to

make motal)

HK) 'oeo(e, also, if thee &ee t&o, the 'atte of %eing one, &ho shoul$ %e chief,

o ha(e the $is!osing of the futue

L) O if %oth of them, &hich of them the geate !at

5) But thinks thus that e(ey li(ing Bo$y hath its consistence of 'atte an$ soul9 an$of that &hich is immotal, an$ that &hich is motal an$ uneasona%le)

8) .o all li(ing Bo$ies ha(e a Soul9 an$ those things that ae not li(ing, ae only

matte %y itself)

:) An$ the Soul like&ise of itself $a&ing nea he 'ake, is the cause of -ife an$

Being, an$ Being the cause of -ife is, afte a manne, the cause of immotal things)

;) 3o& then ae motal #ights othe fom immotal

G) O ho& cannot he make li(ing #ights, that causeth immotal things an$immotality


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H) That thee is some Bo$y that $oth these things it is a!!aent, an$ that he is also

one, it is most manifest)

) .o thee is one Soul, one -ife, an$ one matte)

) #ho is this &ho can it %e, othe than the One (od

K) .o &hom else can it %enefit to make li(ing things, sa(e only o$ alone

L) Thee is theefoe One o$)

5) .o it is a i$iculous thing to confess the #ol$ to %e one, one Sun, one 'oon, one

Di(inity, an$ yet to ha(e, I kno& not ho& many go$s)

8) 3e theefoe %eing One, $oth all things in many things)

:) An$ &hat geat thing is it fo o$, to make -ife, an$ Soul, an$ Immotality, an$

Change, &hen thyself $ost so many things

;) .o thou %oth seest, s!eaketh, an$ heaest, smellest, tastest, an$ touchest, &alkest,

un$estan$est, an$ %eathest)

G) An$ it is not one that sees, an$ anothe that heaeth, an$ anothe that s!eaketh, an$

anothe that toucheth, an$ anothe that smelleth, an$ anothe that &alketh, an$ anothe

that un$estan$eth, an$ anothe that %eatheth9 %ut one that $oth all these things)

H) et neithe can these things !ossi%ly %e &ithout o$)

) .o as thou, if thou shoul$est cease fom $oing these things, &ee not a li(ing

&ight, so if o$ shoul$ cease fom those, he &ee not *&hich is not la&ful to say+ any

longe o$)

) .o if it %e alea$y $emonstate$ that nothing can %e i$le o em!ty, ho& much

moe may %e affime$ of o$

K) .o if thee %e anything &hich he $oth not $o, then is he *if it &ee la&ful to say

so+ im!efect)

KL) #heeas, seeing he is not i$le, %ut !efect, cetainly he $oth all things)

K5) 4o& gi(e thyself unto me, OHermes, fo a little &hile, thou shalt the moe easily

un$estan$, that it is the necessay &ok of o$, that all things shoul$ %e ma$e o

$one that ae $one, o &ee once $one, o shall %e $one)

K8) An$ this, O %est %elo(e$, is -ife)

K:) An$ this is theFair)

K;) An$ this is the (ood)


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KG) An$ this is (od)

KH) An$ if thou &ill un$estan$ this %y &ok also, mak &hat ha!!ens to thyself &hen

thou &ill geneate)

K) An$ yet this is not like unto him, fo he is not sensi%le of !leasue, fo neithe hathhe any othe .ello& #okman)

K) But %eing himself the only #okman, he is al&ays in the &ok, himself %eing that

&hich he $oth o maketh)

KK) .o all things, if they &ee se!aate fom him, must nee$s fall an$ $ie, as thee

%eing no life in them)

5LL) An$ again, if all things %e li(ing &ights, %oth &hich ae in hea(en, an$ u!on

eath, an$ that thee %e one -ife in all things &hich ae ma$e %y o$, an$ that is o$,

then cetainly all things ae ma$e o $one %y o$)

5L5) -ife is the union of the 'in$ an$ the Soul)

5L8) But $eath is not the $estuction of those things that &ee gathee$ togethe, %ut a

$issol(ing of the Union)

5L:) The Image theefoe of o$, is Etenity9 of Etenity, the #ol$9 of the #ol$, the

Sun< of the Sun, 'an)

5L;) But the !eo!le say, That changing is Death, %ecause the %o$y is $issol(e$, an$the -ife goeth into that &hich a!!eaeth not)

5LG) By this $iscouse, my $eaestHermes, I affim as thou heaest) That the #ol$ is

change$, %ecause e(ey $ay !at theeof %ecomes in(isi%le, %ut that it is ne(e

$issol(e$)

5LH) An$ these ae the =assions of the #ol$, Re(olutions an$ Occultations, an$

Re(olution is a tuning, %ut Occultation is Reno(ation)

5L) An$ the #ol$ %eing all fome$, hath not the foms lying &ithout it, %ut itself

changeth in itself)

5L) Seeing then the #ol$ is all fome$, &hat must he %e that ma$e it fo &ithout

fom, he cannot %e)

5LK) An$ if he %e all fome$, he &ill %e ke!t like the #ol$, %ut if he ha(e %ut one

fom, he shall %e in this ega$less of the &ol$)

55L) #hat $o &e then say that he is #e &ill not aise any $ou%ts %y ou s!eech, fo

nothing that is $ou%tful concening o$ is yet kno&n)

555) 3e hath theefoe one'dea,&hich is !o!e to him, &hich, %ecause it is un%o$ily,is not su%ject to the sight, an$ yet sho&s all foms %y the Bo$ies)


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558) An$ $o not &on$e if thee %e an incou!ti%le'dea)

55:) .o they ae like the 'agents of the S!eech, &hich is in &iting9 fo they seem

to %e high an$ s&elling, %ut they ae %y natue smooth an$ e(en)

55;) But un$estan$ &ell this that I say, moe %ol$ly, fo it is moe tue< As mancannot li(e &ithout life, so neithe can o$ li(e not $oing goo$)

55G) .o this is, as it &ee, the -ife an$ 'otion of o$, to 'o(e all things, an$

@uicken them)

55H) But some of the things I ha(e sai$, must ha(e a !aticula e6!lanation9

Un$estan$ then &hat I say)

55) All things ae in o$, not as lying in a !lace, fo =lace is %oth a %o$y an$

immo(ea%le, an$ those things that ae !lace$, ha(e no motion)

55) .o they lie othe&ise in that &hich is un%o$ily, than in the fantasie, o to

a!!eaance)

55K) Consi$e him that contains all things, an$ un$estan$ that nothing is moe

ca!acious, than that &hich is inco!oeal, nothing moe s&ift, nothing moe !o&eful,

%ut it is most ca!acious, most s&ift, an$ most stong)

58L) An$ ju$ge of this %y thyself, comman$ thy Soul to go into'ndia, an$ soone than

thou canst %i$ it, it &ill %e thee)

585) Bi$ it like&ise !ass o(e the Oean, an$ su$$enly it &ill %e thee9 not as !assing

fom !lace to !lace, %ut su$$enly it &ill %e thee)

588) Comman$ it to fly into 3ea(en, an$ it &ill not nee$ no &ings, neithe shall

anything hin$e it, not the fie of the Sun, not theAether, not the tuning of the

S!hees, not the %o$ies of any othe Stas, %ut cutting though all, it &ill fly u! to the

last an$ futhest %o$y)

58:) An$ if thou &ilt e(en %eak the &hole, an$ see those things that ae &ithout the

&ol$ *if thee %e anything &ithout+, thou mayest)

58;) Behol$, ho& geat !o&e, ho& geat s&iftness thou hast Canst thou $o all thee

things, an$ cannot o$

58G) Afte this manne, theefoe, contem!late o$ to ha(e all the &hole &ol$ to

himself, as it &ee, all thoughts, o intellections)

58H) If theefoe thou &ilt not e"ual thyself to o$, thou canst not un$estan$ o$)

58) .o the like is intelligi%le %y the like)

58) Incease thyself unto an immeasuea%le geatness, lea!ing %eyon$ e(ey Bo$y,an$ tanscen$ing all Time, %ecome Etenity, an$ thou shalt un$estan$ o$< If thou


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%elie(e in thyself, that nothing is im!ossi%le, %ut accountest thyself immotal, an$ that

thou canst un$estan$ all things, e(ey At, e(ey Science, an$ the manne an$ custom

of e(ey li(ing thing)

58K) Become highe than all height, lo&e than all $e!ths, com!ehen$ in thyself the

"ualitites of all the Ceatues, of the .ie, the #ate, the Dy, an$ 'oist, an$ concei(elike&ise, that thou canst at once %e e(ey&hee, in the Sea, in the Eath)

5:L) Thou shalt at once un$estan$ thyself, not yet %egotten in the #om%, young, ol$,

to %e $ea$, the things afte $eath, an$ all these togethe, as also times, !laces, $ee$s,

"ualities, "uantities, o else thou canst not yet un$estan$ o$)

5:5) But if thou shut u! thy Soul in the Bo$y, an$ a%use it, an$ say, I un$estan$

nothing, I can $o nothing, I am afai$ of the Sea, I cannot clim% u! to 3ea(en, I kno&

not &ho I am, I cannot tell &hat I shall %e< #hat hast thou to $o &ith go$ fo thou

canst un$estan$ none of those .ai an$ oo$ things, an$ %e a lo(e of the %o$y an$

E(il)

5:8) .o it is the geatest E(il, not to kno& o$)

5::) But to %e a%le to kno&, an$ to &ill, an$ to ho!e, is the staight &ay, an$ Di(ine

&ay, !o!e to the oo$, an$ it &ill e(ey&hee meet thee, an$ e(ey&hee %e seen of

thee, !lain an$ easy, &hen thou $ost not e6!ect o look fo it9 it &ill meet thee &aking,

slee!ing, sailing, ta(elling, %y night, %y $ay, &hen thou s!eakest, an$ &hen thou

kee!est silence)

5:;) .o thee is nothing &hich is not the Image of o$)

5:G) An$ yet thou sayest, o$ is in(isi%le9 %ut %e a$(ise$, fo &ho is moe manifest

than 3e

5:H) .o theefoe hath he ma$e all things, that thou %y all things mayest see 3im)

5:) This is the oo$ of o$, this is the >itue, to a!!ea, an$ to %e seen in all things)

5:) Thee is nothing in(isi%le, no, not of those things that ae inco!oeal)

5:K) The 'in$ is seen in un$estan$ing, an$ o$ is seen in $oing o making)

5;L) -et these things thus fa foth, %e ma$e manifest unto thee, O Trismegistus)

5;5) Un$estan$ in like manne, all othe things %y thyself, an$ thou shalt not %e

$ecei(e$)

The En$ of the Tenth Book,

T3E 'I4D TO 3ER'ES)


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THE E/E2E.TH +,,- ,# THE %,MM,. M'.D* T, T$T

T3E 'in$, O Tat, is of the (ey Essence of o$, if yet thee %e any Essence of o$)

8) #hat kin$ of Essence that is, he alone kno&s himself e6actly)

:) The 'in$ theefoe is not cut off, o $i(i$e$ fom the essentiality of o$, %ut

unite$ as the light of the Sun)

;) An$ this 'in$ in men, is o$, an$ theefoe ae some men Di(ine, an$ thei

3umanity is nea Di(inity)

G) .o the goo$$emoncalle$ the o$s, immotal 'en, an$ men motal o$s)

H) But in the %ute Beast, o uneasona%le li(ing #ights, the 'in$ is thei 4atue)

) .o &hee thee is a Soul, thee is the 'in$, as &hee thee is -ife thee is also a

Soul)

) In li(ing Ceatues, theefoe, that ae &ithout Reason, the Soul is -ife, (oi$ of the

o!eations of the 'in$)

K) .o the 'in$ is the Benefacto of the Souls of men, an$ &oketh to the !o!e

oo$)

5L) An$ in uneasona%le things it co1o!eateth &ith the natue of e(eyone of them,%ut in men it &oketh against thei 4atues)

55) .o the Soul %eing in the %o$y, is staight&ay ma$e E(il %y Soo&, an$ ief, an$

=leasue, o Delight)

58) .o ief an$ =leasue, flo& like juices fom the com!oun$ Bo$y, &heeinto

&hen the Soul enteeth o $escen$eth, she is moistene$ an$ tinctue$ &ith them)

5:) As many Souls, theefoe, as the 'in$ go(eneth, o o(euleth, to them it sho&s

its o&n -ight, esisting thei !e!ossessions o !esum!tions)

5;) As a goo$ =hysician gie(eth the Bo$y, !e!ossesse$ of a $isease, %y %uning o

lancing it fo healthFs sake9

5G) Afte the same manne also the 'in$ gie(eth the Soul, %y $a&ing it out of

=leasue, fom &hence e(ey $isease of the Soul !ocee$eth)

5H) But the eat Disease of the Soul isAtheism,%ecause that o!inion follo&eth to all

E(il, an$ no oo$)

5) Theefoe, the 'in$ esisting, it !ocueth oo$ to the Soul, as a =hysician to the

Bo$y)


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5) But as many Souls of 'en, as $o not a$mit o entetain the 'in$ fo thei

o(eno, $o suffe the same thing that the Soul of uneasona%le li(ing things)

5K) .o the Soul %eing a -o9o#erator &ith them, !emits o lea(es them to thei

concu!iscences, &heeunto they ae caie$ %y the toent of thei A!!etite, an$ so

ten$ to %utishness)

8L) An$ as %ute Bests, they ae angy &ithout eason, an$ they $esie &ithout eason,

an$ ne(e cease, no ae satisfie$ &ith e(il)

85) .o uneasona%le Anges an$ Desies ae the most e6cee$ing E(ils)

88) An$ theefoe hath o$ set the 'in$ o(e thee, as a Re(enge an$ Re!o(e of

them)

8:) Tat&3ee, O .athe, that $iscouse of .ate of Destiny, &hich thou ma$est to me, is

in $ange of %eing o(etho&n9 fo if it %e fatal fo any man to commit AdulteryoSarilege, o $o any e(il, he is !unishe$ also, though he, of necessity, $o the &ok of

the .ate o Destiny)

8;)Herm&All things, O Son, ae the &ok of .ate, an$ &ithout it can no %o$ily thing,

eithe oo$ o E(il, %e $one)

8G) .o it is $ecee$ %y .ate, that he that $oth any e(il, shoul$ also suffe fo it)

8H) An$ theefoe he $oth it, that he may suffe that &hich he suffeeth %ecause he $i$

it)

8) But fo the !esent, let alone that s!eech, concening E(il an$ .ate, fo at othe

times &e ha(e s!oken of it)

8) 4o&, ou $iscouse is a%out the 'in$, an$ &hat it can $o, an$ ho& it $iffes, an$

is in men such a one, %ut in %ute Beasts change$)

8K) An$ again in %ute Beasts it is not %eneficial, %ut in men %y "uenching %oth thei

Ange an$ Concu!iscences)

:L) An$ of man, thou must un$estan$, some to %e ational, o go(ene$ %y eason,an$ some iational)

:5) But all men ae su%ject to .ate, an$ to eneation, an$ Change, fo these ae the

%eginning an$ en$ of .ate o Destiny

:8) An$ all men suffe those things that ae $ecee$ %y .ate)

::) But ational men, o(e &hom, as &e sai$, the min$ %eas ule, $o not suffe like

unto othe men9 %ut %eing fee fom (iciousness, an$ %eing not e(il, they $o suffe

e(il)


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:;) Tat& 3o& sayest thou this again, .athe AnAdulterer, is he not e(il A+urderer,

is he not e(il an$ so of othes)

:G)Herm&But the ational man, O Son, &ill not suffe fo A$ultey, %ut as the

A$ultee not fo 'u$e, %ut as the 'u$ee)

:H) An$ it is im!ossi%le to esca!e the @uality of change as of eneation, %ut the

>iciousness, he that hath the 'in$, may esca!e)

:) An$ theefoe, O Son, I ha(e al&ays hea$ the goo$$emon say, an$ if he ha$

$eli(ee$ it in &iting, he ha$ much !ofite$ all mankin$) .o he alone, O So, as the

fist %on, o$ seeing all things, tuly s!ake Di(ine &o$s)' ha"e heard him

sometimes, That all things are one thing, es#eially intelligi%le .odies, or that all

es#eially intelligi%le .odies are one&

:) #e li(e in =o&e, in Act, an$ in Etenity)

:K) Theefoe, a goo$ min$ is that &hich the soul of him is)

;L) An$ if this %e so, then no intelligi%le thing $iffes fom intelligi%le things)

;5) As, theefoe, it is !ossi%le that the 'in$, the =ince of all things9 so like&ise, that

the soul that is of o$, can $o &hatsoe(e it &ill)

;8) But un$estan$ thou &ell, fo this Discouse I ha(e ma$e to the @uestion &hich

thou askest of me %efoe, I man concening .ate an$ the 'in$)

;:) .ist, if, O Son, thou shalt $iligently &ith$a& thyself fom all contentious

s!eeches, thou shalt fin$ that in Tuth, the 'in$, the Soul of o$ %eas ule o(e all

things, %oth o(e .ate, an$ -a&, an$ all othe things)

;;) An$ nothing is im!ossi%le to him, no, not of the things that ae of .ate)

;G) Theefoe, though the Soul of 'an %e a%o(e it, let it not neglect the things that

ha!!en to %e un$e .ate)

;H) An$ these, thus fa, &ee the e6cellent sayings of the goo$$emon)

;) Tat& 'ost $i(inely s!oken, O .athe, an$ tuly an$ !ofita%ly, yet clea this one

thing unto me)

;) Thou sayest, that in %ute Beasts the 'in$ &oketh o acteth afte the manne of

4atue, co1o!eating also &ith thei +M im!etus+ inclinations)

;K) 4o&, the im!etuous inclinations of %ute Beasts, as I concei(e, ae =assions) If,

theefoe, the 'in$ $o co1o!eate &ith these im!etuous Inclinations, an$ that they ae

the =assions in %ute Beasts, cetainly the 'in$ is also a =assion, confoming itself to

=assions)


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GL)Herm& #ell $one, Son, thou askest no%ly, an$ yet it is just that I shoul$ ans&e

thee)

G5) All inco!oeal things, O Son, that ae in the Bo$y, ae !assi%le, nay, they ae

!o!ely =assions)

G8) E(eything that mo(eth is inco!oeal9 e(eything that is mo(e$ is a Bo$y9 an$ it

is mo(e$ into the Bo$ies %y the 'in$) 4o&, 'otion is !assion, an$ thee they %oth

suffe9 as &ell that &hich mo(eth, as that &hich is mo(e$, as &ell that &hich uleth,

as that &hich is ule$)

G:) But %eing fee$ fom the Bo$y, it is fee$ like&ise fom =assion)

G;) But es!ecially, O Son, thee is nothing im!assi%le, %ut all things ae !assi%le)

GG) But =assion $iffes fom that &hich is !assi%le9 fo that *=assion+ acteth, %ut this

suffes)

GH) Bo$ies also of themsel(es $o act9 fo eithe they ae unmo(ea%le, o else ae

mo(e$9 an$ &hich soe(e it %e, it is a =assion)

G) But inco!oeal things $o al&ays act, o &ok, an$ theefoe they ae !assi%le)

G) -et not, theefoe, the a!!ellations o names tou%le thee, fo Action an$ =assion

ae the same thing, %ut that it is not gie(ous to use the moe honoa%le name)

GK) Tat&O .athe, thou hast $eli(ee$ this $iscouse most !lainly)

HL)Herm& Consi$e this also, O Son, that o$ hath feely %esto&e$ u!on man, a%o(e

all othe li(ing things, these t&o, to &it, 'in$ an$ S!eech, o Reason M, e"ual to

immotality)

H5) These, if any man use, o em!loy u!on &hat he ought, he shall $iffe nothing fom

the Immotals)

H8) ea, athe going out of the Bo$y, he shall %e gui$e$ an$ le$ %y them, %oth into

the Choi an$ Society of the o$, an$ %lesse$ ones)

H:) Tat&Do not othe li(ing ceatues use s!eech, O .athe

H;)Herm&4o, Son, %ut only (oice) 4o&, s!eech an$ (oice $o $iffe e6cee$ing much9

fo s!eech is common to all men, %ut (oice is !o!e unto e(ey kin$ of li(ing thing)

HG) Tat& ea, %ut the S!eech of men is $iffeent, O .athe9 e(ey man acco$ing to his

4ation)

HH)Herm& It is tue, O Son, they $o $iffe< yet as 'an is one, so is S!eech one also,

an$ it is inte!ete$ an$ foun$ the same, %oth in!gy#t,Persia, an$ (reee)


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H) But thou seemest unto me, Son, to %e ignoant of the >etue, o =o&e an$

geatness of S!eech)

H) .o the %lesse$ o$, the goo$$emon sai$ o comman$e$ the Soul to %e in the

Bo$y, the 'in$ in the Soul M, the #o$, o S!eech, o Reason in the 'in$, an$ the

'in$ in o$, an$ that o$ is the .athe of them all)

HK) Theefoe, the #o$ is the Image of the 'in$, an$ the 'in$ of o$, an$ the Bo$y

of the'dea, an$ the'deaof the Soul)

L) Theefoe, of the 'atte, the su%tilest o smallest !at is Ai, of the Ai the Soul, of

the Soul the 'in$, of the 'in$ o$)

5) An$ o$ is a%out all things, an$ though all things, %ut the 'in$ a%out the Soul,

the Soul a%out the Ai, an$ the Ai a%out the 'atte)

8) But 4ecessity, an$ =o(i$ence, an$ 4atue, ae the Ogans o Instuments of the#ol$, an$ of the O$e of 'atte)

:) .o of those things that ae intelligi%le, e(eyone is9 %ut the essence of them is

I$entity)

;) But of the Bo$ies of the &hole, o uni(ese, e(ey one is many things)

G) .o the Bo$ies that ae !ut togethe, an$ that ha(e, an$ make thei changes into

othe, ha(ing this I$entity, $o al&ays an$ !ese(e the incou!tion of the I$entity)

H) But in e(ey one of the com!oun$ Bo$ies thee is a 4um%e

) .o &ithout 4um%e it is im!ossi%le thee shoul$ %e consistence o constitution,

o com!osition, o $issolution)

) But Unities $o %oth %eget an$ incease 4um%es, an$ again %eing $issol(e$, come

into themsel(es)

K) An$ the 'atte is One)

L) But this &hole #ol$, the geat o$, an$ the Image of the eate, an$ unite$unto him, an$ concening the O$e, an$ #ill of the .athe, is the fulness of -ife)

5) An$ thee is nothing theein, though all the Etenity of the Re(olution, neithe of

the &hole, no of the !ats &hich $oth not li(e)

8) .o thee is nothing $ea$, that eithe hath %een, o is, o shall %e in the #ol$)

:) .o the .athe &oul$ ha(e it, as long as it lasts, to %e a li(ing thing9 an$ theefoe

it must nee$s %e o$ also)

;) 3o&, theefoe, O Son, can thee %e in o$ in the image of the Uni(ese, in thefulness of -ife, any $ea$ things


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G) .o $ying is Cou!tion, an$ cou!tion is $estuction)

H) 3o&, then, can any !at of the incou!ti%le %e cou!te$, o of o$ %e $estoye$

) Tat& Theefoe, O .athe, $o not the li(ing things in the #ol$ $ie, though they %e

!ats theeof

)Herm&Be &ay in thy s!eech, O Son, an$ not $ecei(e$ in the names of things)

K) .o they $o not $ie, O Son, %ut as Com!oun$ %o$ies they ae $issol(e$)

KL) But $issolution is not $eath9 an$ they ae $issol(e$, not that they may %e

$estoye$, %ut that they may %e ma$e ne&)

K5) Tat& #hat, then, is the o!eation of -ife Is it not 'otion

K8)Herm& An$ &hat is thee in the #ol$ unmo(ea%le 4othing at all, O Son)

K:) Tat& #hy, $oth not the Eath seem immo(ea%le to thee, O .athe

K;)Herm&4o, %ut su%ject to many 'otions, though afte a manne, it alone %e sta%le)

KG) #hat a i$iculous thing it &ee that the nuse of all things shoul$ %e immo(ea%le

&hich %eaeth an$ %ingeth foth all things)

KH) .o it is im!ossi%le that anything that %ingeth foth, shoul$ %ing foth &ithout

'otion)

K) An$ a i$iculous "uestion it is, &hethe the fouth !at of the &hole, %e i$le9 fo

the &o$ immo(ea%le, o &ithout motion, signifies nothing else, %ut i$leness)

K) 7no& geneally, O Son, that &hatsoe(e is in the #ol$ is mo(e$ eithe acco$ing

to Augmentation o Diminution)

KK) But that &hich is mo(e$, li(eth also, yet it is not necessay that a li(ing thing

shoul$ %e o continue the same)

5LL) .o &hile the &hole &ol$ is togethe, it is unchangea%le, O Son, %ut all the !atstheeof ae changea%le)

5L5) et nothing is cou!te$ o $estoye$, an$ "uite a%olishe$, %ut the names tou%le

men)

5L8) .o eneation is not -ife, %ut Sense, neithe is Change Death, %ut

.ogetfulness, o athe Occultation, an$ lying hi$) O %ette thus


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5L;) These things %eing so, all things ae Immotal, 'atte, -ife, S!iit, Soul, 'in$,

&heeof e(ey li(ing thing consisteth)

5LG) E(ey li(ing thing theefoe is Immotal, %ecause of the 'in$, %ut es!ecially

'an, &ho %oth ecei(eth o$, an$ con(eseth &ith him)

5LH) .o &ith this li(ing &ight, alone is o$ familia9 in the night %y $eams, in the

$ay %y Sym%ols o Signs)

5L) An$ %y all things $oth he foetell him of things to come, %y Bi$s, %y .o&ls, %y

the S!iit, o #in$, an$ %y an Oak)

5L) #heefoe, also, 'an !ofesseth to kno& things that ha(e %een, things that ae

!esent, an$ things to come)

5LK) Consi$e this also, O Son, that e(ey othe li(ing Ceatue goeth u!on one !at of

the #ol$, S&imming things in the #ate, -an$ &ights u!on the Eath, .lying .o&lsin the Ai)

55L) But 'an useth all these, the Eath, the #ate, the Ai, an$ the .ie, nay, he seeth

an$ toucheth 3ea(en %y his senses)

555) But o$ is %oth a%out all things, an$ though all things, fo he is %oth Act an$

=o&e)

558) An$ it is no ha$ thing, O Son, to un$estan$ o$)

55:) An$ if thou &ilt also see him, look u!on the 4ecessity of things that a!!ea, an$

the =o(i$ence of things that ha(e %een, an$ ae $one)

55;) See the 'atte %eing most full of -ife, an$ so geat a o$ mo(e$, &ith all goo$,

an$ .ai, %oth o$s, an$$emons, an$ 'en)

55G) Tat& But these, O .athe, ae &holly Acts, o O!eations)

55H)Herm&If they %e, theefoe, &holly acts o o!eations, O Son, %y &hom ae they

acte$ o o!eate$, %ut %y o$

55) O at thou ignoant, that as !ats of the #ol$, ae 3ea(en, an$ Eath, an$ #ate,

an$ Ai9 afte the same manne, the 'em%es of o$, ae -ife, an$ Immotality, an$

Etenity, an$ S!iit, an$ 4ecessity, an$ =o(i$ence, an$ 4atue, an$ Soul, an$ 'in$,

an$ the Continuance o =ese(eance of all these &hich is calle$ oo$)

55) An$ thee is not anything of all that hath %een, an$ all that is, &hee o$ is not)

55K) Tat& #hat, in 'atte, O .athe

58L)Herm& The 'atte, Son, &hat is it &ithout o$, that thou shoul$st asci%e a

!o!e !lace to it


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585) O &hat $ost thou think it to %e =ea$(entue, some hea! that is not actuate$ o

o!eate$)

588) But if it %e actuate$, %y &hom is it actuate$ fo &e ha(e sai$, that Acts o

O!eations, ae the !ats of o$)

58:) By &hom ae all li(ing things "uickene$ an$ the Immotal, %y &hom ae they

immotali2e$ the things that ae changea%le, %y &hom ae they change$

58;) #hethe thou s!eak of 'atte o Bo$y, o Essence, kno& that all these ae Acts

of o$)

58G) An$ that the Act of 'atte is mateiality, an$ of the Bo$ies co!oality, an$ of

essence essentiality, an$ this is o$ the &hole)

58H) An$ in the &hole, thee is nothing that is not o$)

58) #heefoe, a%out o$, thee is neithe eatness, =lace, @uality, .igue, o time,

foe he is All, an$ the All, though all, an$ a%out all)

58) This #o$, O Son, &oshi! an$ a$oe) An$ the only se(ice of o$, is not to %e

e(il)

The En$ of the Ele(enth Book

O. T3E CO''O4 'I4D, TO TAT)


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THE T3E/#TH +,,-* H'& %"$TE" ," M,.$&

T3E #okman ma$e this Uni(esal #ol$, not &ith his 3an$s, %ut his #o$)

8) Theefoe thus think of him, as !esent e(ey&hee, an$ %eing al&ays, an$ makingall things9 an$ one a%o(e, that %y his #ill hath fame$ the things that ae)

:) .o that is his Bo$y, not tangi%le, no (isi%le, no measua%le, no e6tensi%le, no

like any othe %o$y)

;) .o it is neithe .ie, no #ate, no Ai, no #in$, %ut all these things ae of him9

fo %eing oo$, he hath $e$icate$ that name unto himself alone)

G) But he &oul$ also a$on the Eath, %ut &ith the Onament of a Di(ine Bo$y)

H) An$ he sent 'an, an Immotal, an$ a motal &ight)

) An$ 'an ha$ moe than all li(ing Ceatues, an$ the #ol$9 %ecause of his S!eech,

an$ 'in$)

) .o 'an %ecame the S!ectato of the #oks of o$, an$ &on$ee$, an$

ackno&le$ge$ the 'ake)

K) .o he $i(i$e$ S!eech among all 'en, %ut not 'in$, an$ yet he en(ie$ not any9 fo

En(y comes not thithe, %ut is a%o$e hee %elo& in the Souls of men, that ha(e not the

'in$)

5L) Tat& But &heefoe, .athe, $i$ not o$ $isti%ute the 'in$ to all men

55)Herm& Because it !lease$ him, O Son, to set that in the mi$$le among all souls, as

a e&a$ to sti(e fo)

58) Tat&An$ &hee hath he set it

5:)Herm&.illing a lage Cu! o Bo&l thee&ith, he sent it $o&n, gi(ing also a Cye

o =oclaime)

5;) An$ he comman$e$ him to !oclaim these things to the souls of men)

5G) Di! an$ &ash thyself, thou that at a%le in this Cu! o Bo&l< Thou that %elie(eth

that thou shalt etun to him that sent this Cu!9 thou that ackno&le$gest &heeunto

thou &et ma$e)

5H) As many, theefoe, as un$estoo$ the =oclamation, an$ &ee %a!ti2e$, o $o&se$

into the 'in$, these &ee ma$e !atakes of kno&le$ge, an$ %ecame !efect men,

ecei(ing the 'in$)

5) But as many as misse$ of the =oclamation, they ecei(e$ S!eech, %ut not 'in$9%eing ignoant &heeunto they &ee ma$e, o %y &hom)


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5) But thei Senses ae just like to %ute Beasts, an$ ha(ing thei tem!e in Ange an$

#ath, they $o not a$mie the things &othy of looking on)

5K) But &holly a$$icte$ to the !leasues an$ $esies of the Bo$y, they %elie(e that

man &as ma$e fo them)

8L) But as many as !atake of the gift of o$9 these, O Tat, in com!aison of thei

&oks, ae athe immotal, than motal men)

85) Com!ehen$ing all things in thei 'in$, &hich ae u!on Eath, &hich ae in

3ea(en, an$ if thee %e anything a%o(e 3ea(en)

88) An$ lifting u! themsel(es so high, they see the oo$, an$ seeing it, they account it

a misea%le calamity to make thei a%o$e hee)

8:) An$ $es!ising all things %o$ily an$ un%o$ily, they make haste to the One and

Only)

8;) Thus, O Tat, is the kno&le$ge of the 'in$, the %ehol$ing of Di(ine things, an$ the

Un$estan$ing of o$, the Cu! itself, %eing Di(ine)

8G) Tat& An$ I, O .athe, &oul$ %e %a!ti2e$ an$ $enche$ theein)

8H) 3em) E6ce!t thou fist hate thy %o$y, O Son, thou canst not lo(e thyself, %ut

lo(ing thyself, thou shalt ha(e the 'in$, an$ ha(ing the 'in$, thou shalt also !atake

the 7no&le$ge o Science)

8) Tat& 3o& meanest thou, O .athe

8)Herm& Because it is im!ossi%le, O Son, to %e con(esant a%out things 'otal an$

Di(ine)

8K) .o the things that ae, %eing t&o Bo$ies, an$ things inco!oeal, &heein is the

'otal an$ the Di(ine, the Election o Choice of eithe is left to him that &ill chooseisions of Deams, an$

that the Sense is stie$ u! out of slee!, into a&akening)

58) .o 'an is $i(i$e$ into a Bo$y an$ a Soul, &hen %oth !ats of the Sense acco$

one &ith anothe, then is the Un$estan$ing chil$e$, o %ought foth %y the 'in$

!onounce$)

5:) .o the 'in$ %ings foth all Intellections o Un$estan$ings, oo$ ones &hen it

ecei(eth goo$ see$ fom o$, an$ the contay, &hen it ecei(es them fom De(ils)

5;) .o thee is not !at of the #ol$ (oi$ of the De(il, &hich enteing in !i(ately,

so&e$ the see$ of his o&n#ro#ero!eation, an$ the min$ $i$ make !egnant, o $i$

%ing foth that &hich &as so&n)Adulteries, +urders, Striking of Parents, Sarileges,

'm#ieties, Stranglings,tho&ing $o&n hea$long, an$ all othe things, &hich ae the

&oks of E(il$emons)

5G) An$ the see$s of o$ ae fe&, %ut geat an$ .ai, an$ oo$, >itue, an$

Tem!eance, an$ =iety)


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5H) An$ the =iety is the kno&le$ge of o$, &hom &hosoe(e kno&eth, %eing full of

all goo$ things, hath Di(ine Un$estan$ing, an$ not like the many)

5) An$ theefoe they that ha(e that kno&le$ge, neithe !lease the multitu$e, no the

multitu$e them, %ut they seem to %e ma$, an$ to mo(e laughte, hate$ an$ $es!ise$,

an$ many times also mu$ee$)

5) .o &e ha(e alea$y sai$, That &icke$ness must $&ell hee, %eing in he o&n

egion)

5K) .o he egion is the Eath, an$ not the #ol$, as some &ill sometimes say,

Blas!heming)

8L) But the o$ly o o$1&oshi!!ing 'an, laying hol$ on kno&le$ge, &ill $es!ise

o tea$ un$e all these things, fo though they %e e(il to othe men, yet to him all

things ae goo$)

85) An$ u!on matue consi$eation, he efes all things to kno&le$ge, an$ that &hich

is most to %e &on$ee$ at, he alone makes E(il things goo$)

88) But I etun again to my Discouse of Sense)

8:) It is, theefoe, a thing !o!e to man, to communicate an$ conjoin Sense an$

Un$estan$ing)

8;) But e(ey man, as I sai$ %efoe, $oth not enjoy Un$estan$ing, fo one man is

mateial, anothe Essential)

8G) An$ he that is mateial &ith &icke$ness, as I sai$, ecei(e$ fom the De(ils the

see$ of Un$estan$ing, %ut they that ae &ith the oo$ essentially, ae eae$ &ith

o$)

8H) .o o$ is the &okman of all things, an$ &hen he &oketh, he useth 4atue)

8) 3e maketh all things goo$ like himself)

8) But these things that ae ma$e goo$, ae in the use of o!eation, unla&ful)

8K) .o the 'otion of the #ol$, stiing u! eneations, makes @ualities9 infesting

some &ith e(ilness, an$ !uifying some &ith goo$)

:L) An$ the #ol$,Asle#ius,hath a !eculia Sense an$ Un$estan$ing, not like to

'anFs, no so (aious o manifol$, %ut a %ette an$ moe sim!le)

:5) .o the Sense an$ Un$estan$ing of the #ol$ is One, in that it makes all things,

an$ unmakes them again into itself, fo it is the Ogan of Instument of the #ill of

o$)


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:8) An$ it is so ogani2e$ o fame$, an$ ma$e fo an Instument %y o$, that

ecei(ing all See$s into itself fom o$, an$ kee!ing them in itself, it maketh all

things effectually, an$ $issol(ing them, ene&eth all things)

::) An$ theefoe like a goo$ 3us%an$man of -ife, &hen things ae $issol(e$ o

loosene$, he affo$s, %y the casting of See$, eno(ation to all things that go&)

:;) Thee is nothing that it *the #ol$+ $oth not %eget o %ing foth ali(e, an$ %y its

'otion, it makes all things ali(e)

:G) An$ it is at once, %oth the =lace an$ the #okman of -ife)

:H) But the Bo$ies ae fom the 'atte, in a $iffeent manne, fo some ae of Eath,

some of #ate, some of Ai, some of .ie, an$ all ae com!oun$e$, %ut some ae moe

com!oun$e$, an$ some ae moe sim!le)

:) They that ae com!oun$e$, ae the hea(ie, an$ they that ae less, ae the highe)

:) An$ the s&iftness of the 'otion of the #ol$, makes the (aieties of the "ualities

of eneation, fo the S!iation of Influence %eing most fe"uent, e6ten$eth unto the

Bo$iesF "ualities, &ith infulness, &hich is of -ife)

:K) Theefoe, o$ is the .athe of the #ol$, %ut the #ol$ is .athe of the things in

the #ol$)

;L) An$ the #ol$ is the Son of o$, %ut things in the #ol$, ae the Sons of the

#ol$)

;5) An$, theefoe, it is &ell calle$ M the #ol$, that is, an Onament, %ecause it

a$oneth an$ %eautifieth all things &ith the >aiety of eneation, an$ in$eficiency of

-ife, &hich the un&eaie$ness of O!eation, an$ the s&iftness of 4ecessity, &ith the

mingling of Elements, an$ the o$e of things $one)

;8) Theefoe, it is necessaily an$ !o!e calle$ M the #ol$)

;:) .o all li(ing things, %oth the sense an$ the Un$estan$ing, cometh into them fom

&ithout, ins!ie$ %y that &hich com!asseth them a%out, an$ continueth them)

;;) An$ the #ol$ ecei(ing it once fom o$ as soon as it &as ma$e, has it still,

whate"er it one had&

;G) But o$ is not as it seems to some &ho Blas!heme though su!estition, &ithout

Sense, an$ &ithout 'in$, o Un$estan$ing)

;H) .o all things that ae, OAsle#ius, ae in o$, an$ ma$e %y him, an$ $e!en$ of

him, some &oking %y %o$ies, some mo(ing %y a Soul, like Essence, some "uickening

%y a S!iit, an$ some ecei(ing the things that ae &eay, an$ all (ey fitly)

;) O athe, I say, that he hath them not, %ut I $eclae the Tuth, he is all things, notecei(ing them fom &ithout, %ut e6hi%iting them out&a$ly)


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;) An$ this is the Sense an$ Un$estan$ing of o$, to mo(e all things al&ays)

;K) An$ thee shall ne(e %e any time, &hen any of these things that ae, shall fail, o

%e &anting)

GL) #hen I say the things that ae, I mean o$, fo the things that ae, o$ hath, an$neithe is thee anything &ithout him, no he &ithout anything)

G5) These things, OAsle#ius,&ill a!!ea to %e tue, if thou un$estan$ them, %ut if

thou un$estan$ them not, ince$i%le)

G8) .o to un$estan$, is to %elie(e, %ut not to %elie(e, is not to un$estan$9 .o my

s!eech o &o$s each not unto the Tuth, %ut the 'in$ is geat, an$ %eing le$ o

con$ucte$ fo a &hile %y S!eech, is a%le to attain to the Tuth)

G:) An$ un$estan$ing all things oun$ a%out, an$ fin$ing them consonant, an$

ageea%le to those things that &ee $eli(ee$, an$ inteu!te$ %y S!eech, %elie(eth,an$ in that goo$ %elief esteth)

G;) To them, theefoe, that un$estan$ the things that ha(e %een sai$ of o$, they ae

ce$i%le, %ut to them that un$estan$ them not, ince$i%le)

GG) An$ let these, an$ thus many things, %e s!oken concening 7nderstandingan$

Sense)

The En$ of the Thiteenth Book,

O. SE4SE A4D U4DERSTA4DI4)


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THE #,)"TEE.TH +,,-* ,# ,PE"$T',. $.D &E.&E

Tat&

T3OU has &ell e6!laine$ these things, .athe) Teach me futhemoe these things, fo

thou sayest, that Siene an$Art &ee the o!eations of the Rational, %ut no& thousayest, that Beasts ae uneasona%le, an$ fo &ant of Reason, %oth ae, an$ ae calle$

Butes, so that %y this eason, it must nee$s follo&, that uneasona%le Ceatues

!atake not of Science, o At, %ecause they come shot of Reason)

8)Herm&It must nee$s %e so, Son)

:) Tat& #hy then, O .athe, $o &e see some uneasona%le li(ing Ceatues use %oth

Science an$ At9 as thePismiresteasue u! fo themsel(es foo$ against #inte, an$

.o&ls of the Ai like&ise make them 4ests, an$ fou1foote$ Beasts kno& thei o&n

Dens

;) These things they $o, O Son, not %y Science o At, %ut %y 4atue9 .o Science an$

At ae things that ae taught, %ut none of these Bute Beasts ae taught any of these

things)

G) But these things %eing 4atual unto them, ae &ought %y 4atue, &heeas, At an$

Science $o not ha!!en unto all, %ut unto some)

H) As 'en ae 'usitians, %ut not all9 neithe ae all Aches, o 3untsmen, o the est,

%ut some of them ha(e leane$ something %y the &oking of Science, o At)

) Afte the same manne also, if somePismires$i$ so, an$ some not, thou mightest

&ell say, they gathe thei .oo$ acco$ing to Science an$ At)

) But %eing, they ae all le$ %y 4atue, to the same thing, e(en against thei #ills, it

is manifest they $o not $o it %y Science o At)

K) .o o!eations, O Tat, %eing un%o$ily ae in Bo$ies, an$ &ok %y %o$ies)

5L) #heefoe, O Tat, in as much as they ae un%o$ily, thou must nee$s say, they ae

immotal)

55) But inasmuch as they cannot act &ithout Bo$ies, I say they ae al&ays in a Bo$y)

58) .o those things that ae to anything, o fo the cause of anything ma$e su%ject to

=o(i$ence o 4ecessity, cannot !ossi%ly emain i$le of thei o&n !o!e o!eation)

5:) .o that &hich is, shall e(e %e, fo %oth the Bo$y, an$ the -ife of it, is the same)

5;) An$ %y this eason, it follo&s, that the Bo$ies also ae al&ays, %ecause I affim

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The Divine Pymander of Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus_Translation by John Everard