Ancient Egyptian Influences on the Hermetica
“Most scholars now agree that the traditional wisdom of the Egyptian priests and their knowledge of Egyptian myth were among the elements that made up the Hermetica…“
Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt (Oxford University Press, 2004), Geraldine Pinch
The Hermetica, a collection of Greek texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, has long been studied for its profound philosophical and religious insights. Traditionally, scholars viewed these texts primarily through the lens of Greek philosophy and early Christian thought.
However, recent studies have revealed that many of the concepts found within the Hermetica have deep roots in ancient Egyptian religion and mythology. This article explores these connections, highlighting the influence of Egyptian creation myths and theological ideas on the Hermetica.
Egyptian Creation Myths and the Concept of Divine Speech
“Creation could be seen as a process of differentiation, in which one original force was gradually divided (without necessarily diminishing itself) into the diverse elements that made up the universe…“
Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt (Oxford University Press, 2004), Geraldine Pinch
Ancient Egyptian texts describe creation as involving the formation of a body, the transfer of a divine essence, and the animation of the body through the breath of life. This process eventually led to the notion that all living beings are, in some sense, manifestations of the creator deity.
The creator was often referred to as “the One Who Made Himself into Millions” or “He Who Made Himself into Millions of Gods”. This concept underscores the Egyptian belief that creation was a process of differentiation, where a single original force was divided into the diverse elements of the universe without diminishing itself.
In Egyptian mythology, intellectual powers were personified as deities that enabled creation. Sia (perception), Hu (authoritative speech), and Heka (magic) were crucial in this process. The power of Hu, in particular, allowed the creator to bring things into being by naming them.
For instance, in Coffin Texts spell 335, Hu and Sia are said to be with their “father” Atum every day. This concept parallels the idea found in the Hermetica, where creation is also achieved through the spoken word, called logos.
Hermes: “Since the Creator made the whole cosmos, not with hands but by the Word, understand that he is present and always is, creating all things, being one alone, and by his will producing all beings.“
Corpus Hermeticum, Tractate IV
“… the demiurgic nous, master of truth and wisdom, when it comes into the sphere of generation, and leads into the light the invisible power of the hidden words, is called Amun in the language of the Egyptians; but when it executes everything unerringly and artfully and truly, then it is called Ptah – which the Greeks translate as Hephaestus, applying it only to [the god’s] quality as artisan; while as giver of blessings it is called Osiris. And it has other names corresponding to its other powers and activities.“
Iamblichus in his De mysteriis
Iamblichus’ account of Egyptian theology in his De mysteriis begins by explaining the supreme divine power as a triad — the One, the Monad that proceeds from the One, and Essence (or the First Intelligible) deriving in turn from the Monad.
“These then are the most ancient origins of all things, which Hermes places before the ethereal and the empyrean and the heavenly gods.“
Iamblichus in his De mysteriis
The god Ptah also exemplifies the creative mind in Egyptian mythology. Sia and Hu were identified as the heart and tongue of Ptah, highlighting how Egyptians believed that the heart was the organ of thought and feeling. Ptah was said to have made the world after planning it in his heart and executing the plan through his tongue’s commands.
This reconciliation of separate creation myths, such as those of Atum of Heliopolis and Ptah of Memphis, is elaborated in the Memphite Theology and hymns to Ptah, drawing a direct comparison to the opening of St. John’s gospel: “In the beginning was the Word (logos), and the Word (logos) was with God and the Word (logos) was God“.
The Hermetica and Egyptian Theology
“It is certainly no coincidence that we find the same fundamental idea of a divine, personified Intelligence coupled with a divine, personified Word in the first of the Hermetica, where Poimandres as the divine Intelligence (Nous) is assisted by a personified Word (Logos) in the creation of the universe.“
Poimandres: The Etymology of the Name and the Origins of the Hermetica” by Peter Kingsley in Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 56 (1993)
The Hermetica’s connection to Egyptian theology is not merely superficial. Peter Kingsley (1993) notes that the Corpus Hermeticum must be understood within its Egyptian context. The texts frequently employ Egyptian motifs and theological concepts, such as the personification of divine intellect (Nous) and the divine word (Logos), which closely resemble the roles of Sia and Hu in Egyptian tradition.
Kingsley also highlights the association of Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom, with Sia. By the Graeco-Roman period, Thoth was often identified as ‘Sia Lord of Hermoupolis’, underscoring the deep integration of Egyptian intellectual traditions into the Hermetic texts.
This integration extends to the depiction of God as a shepherd, a concept deeply rooted in Egyptian religion, where gods like Re were seen as shepherds of humanity. The idea of a divine shepherd in Hermetic texts has often been linked to Jewish and Christian traditions, but its roots can be traced back to Egyptian religion. Re, the sun god, was known as “the good shepherd of men,” attentive to the needs of his flock, and Thoth, as Re’s minister, played a similar role.
From Akhenaten to Hermetic Monotheism
“The idea of the world as the embodiment of a soul-like god and of God as a soul animating the world remains central in Egyptian theology even after the New Kingdom and the flourishing of its theological discourse. We are dealing here with the origin of a conception of the divine which was to become supremely important in late antiquity: the “cosmic god,” the supreme deity in Stoicism, Hermeticism, and related movements…“
From Akhenaten to Moses: Ancient Egypt and Religious Change (Oxford University Press, 2014), Jan Assmann
Jan Assmann (2014) discusses the evolution of Egyptian monotheism, tracing its development from the radical exclusivism of Akhenaten to the more inclusive theology that saw all gods as manifestations of a single divine source.
This “cosmotheistic” perspective, where the world is viewed as the embodiment of a soul-like god, profoundly influenced Hermetic and Neoplatonic traditions. The Hermetica reflects this monistic theology, presenting a unified divine principle from which all existence emanates.
“The spiritual powers depend on the spheres, and men upon the spiritual powers. Thus all things and all men are dependent upon God.“
Corpus Hermeticum
The Egyptian concept of “All-Oneness” or “the One and the millions” appears in Greek texts as “the One and the All,” and in Latin as “una quae es omnia” (Assmann, 2014).
Assmann also explores how Egyptian theology addressed the correlation between god and gods. The formula “All gods are One” reflects a cosmotheistic and hypercosmic monotheism characteristic of Hellenistic and late antique religiosity.
This theological discourse was crucial in shaping the religious and philosophical ideas of the Hermetica, which articulated the notion of a single divine source manifesting as multiple gods and entities. The enduring influence of this idea can be seen in various religious and philosophical movements of late antiquity, including Stoicism and Neoplatonism.
Cultural Exchange and Intellectual Synthesis
“Yet, the fact that many images and concepts, as formulated in the Hibis texts, reappear very similarly in Apocalyptic, Gnostic, Hermetic, Orphic, and Magical texts – in addition to the philosophical works of Plato, Iamblichus, and Plotinus – deserves serious attention. The additional fact, moreover, that many of these texts either were written in Egypt (i.e. Gnostic, Hermetic, and Magical texts) or claim Egyptian origin (e.g. Plato’s Timaeus, Iamblichus’s De mysteriis, Plutarch’s De Iside et Osiride) should arouse even greater interest.“
Adoration of the Ram: Five Hymns to Amun-Re from Hibis Temple (Yale Egyptological Seminar, 2006), David Klotz
David Klotz (2006) emphasizes the complexity of cross-cultural exchanges in the ancient world. He notes that many concepts in the Hermetica, Gnostic, and Magical texts, which were written in Egypt or claim Egyptian origins, mirror authentic Egyptian religious ideas. This suggests a significant degree of intellectual and religious synthesis during periods of cultural exchange, particularly in the Roman period.
Klotz points out that images and concepts from Egyptian texts reappear in Apocalyptic, Gnostic, Hermetic, Orphic, and Magical texts, as well as in the philosophical works of Plato, Iamblichus, and Plotinus. This indicates a broad dissemination and adaptation of Egyptian religious ideas across various traditions.
The fact that many of these texts were either written in Egypt or claimed Egyptian origin underscores the importance of Egypt as a source of religious and philosophical thought during this period of heightened cultural exchange.
Conclusion
The Hermetica is a rich tapestry woven from various intellectual and religious traditions, with ancient Egyptian mythology and theology playing a crucial role. The concepts of creation through divine speech and the idea of humanity being made in the image of the creator predate Genesis and are deeply embedded in Egyptian thought.
Modern scholarship increasingly recognizes the Hermetica’s Egyptian roots, affirming that these texts authentically reflect the wisdom and mystical traditions of ancient Egypt.
References Pinch, Geraldine. Egyptian Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Goddesses, and Traditions of Ancient Egypt. Oxford University Press, 2004. Kingsley, Peter. "Poimandres: The Etymology of the Name and the Origins of the Hermetica." Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, vol. 56, 1993. Assmann, Jan. From Akhenaten to Moses: Ancient Egypt and Religious Change. Oxford University Press, 2014. Klotz, David. Adoration of the Ram: Five Hymns to Amun-Re from Hibis Temple. Yale Egyptological Seminar, 2006.
