Definitions

We find the text From Hermes Trismegistus to Asclepius: Definitions in a text preserved in a sixth-century Armenian translation, but which in written form dates from the first century AD. The Definitions consist of a large number of concise formulations, which touch the heart of every sincere seeking person. They are little jewels of typical…

1. What is good? What bears no comparison. (148) Good is invisible, (149) but evil is conspicuous. (150) What is a female? A receptive fluidity. (151) What is a male? A seminal fluidity. 2. Nature in man is omniform, (152) and it is an energy (153) endowed with all qualities whose force is invisible and effects are conspicuous. An energy is a movement. (154) Matter is a wet essence; (155) a…

Hello fellow learners! This article is written specifically to present an English translation of footnote 177 in The Definitions of Hermēs Trismegistus to Asclepius, which can be found in “The Way of Hermes” by Clement Salaman, J. Mahé (and others). Footnote 177 cites HHE (Hermès en Haute-Égypte) p. 331-2 which shows a comparison to the pseudo-hermetic…

(DH 10) 2. Nature in man is omniform, (152)* and it is an energy endowed with all qualities whose force is invisible and effects are conspicuous. An energy is a movement. Matter is a wet essence; a body is a agglomeration of matter. *(152): AH 19-35 on God Pantomorphos: Gods and stars [19] ‘What gods do you…

**– Footnote (109) is omitted in Mahés translation so I placed [109**] into DH 8.4 where it seems the most appropriate. 4. The body increases and reaches perfection (104) due to nature; and soul fills up with Nous. (105) Every man has a body and a soul, but not every soul has Nous. (106) Consequently there are two types…

1. All beings cannot possibly exceed their own capacity. (97) Nature is everyone of the beings of this world; (98) there is a law which is in heaven above destiny, and there is a destiny which has come into being according to a just necessity; there is a law which has come into being according…

Hello fellow learners! This article is written specifically to present an English translation of footnotes 84 and 85 in The Definitions of Hermēs Trismegistus to Asclepius, which can be found in “The Way of Hermes” by Clement Salaman. Footnote 84 cites the French Paramelle-Mahé (1990-1991) p.123 n.12; while footnote 85 cites HHE (Hermès en Haute-Égypte) vol.2 p.294. Both…

1. But now, what is man? What else if neither body nor soul? (81) -Aye, dear Asclepius, who ever is not soul, is neither Nous nor body. For one thing is what becomes the body of man, and another thing what comes in addition to man. Then, what should be called truly a man, (82) O Asclepius, and what…

1. Just as the gods are God’s possession, so is man too; and man’s possession is the world: (69) if there were nobody to see it, what would be seen would not even exist. (70) Only man understands the intelligible things and sees the visible, for they are no aliens to him. (71) Man has at once the two natures, the…