Sections: General Index Present Section: Index Work: Index Previous Next: 5. Fragments of the Book of Hermes to His Son Tatios
(p. 101)
4. THE DEFINITIONS
OF ASCLEPIOS
part i
asclepios to the king amon
I ADDRESS to thee, O King,
a comprehensive discourse, (1) which is, as it were, the sum
and epitome of all others.
Far from being in accordance with the opinion of the vulgar, it is
wholly adverse thereto. Even to
(p. 102)
thee, it may seem inconsistent with
certain of my discourses. My master, Hermes, who frequently conversed with me,
either alone, or in the presence of Tatios, was wont
to say that those who should read my writings would affirm their doctrine to be
quite simple and clear, while indeed, on the contrary, it is truly occult and
contains a hidden sense. And it has become yet more obscure since the Greeks
undertook to translate it from our language into theirs. This has been a source
of difficulty and perversion of sense. The character of the
Egyptian language, and the energy of the words it uses, enforce the
meaning on the mind. As much then as thou canst, O King, and indeed thou art
all-powerful, prevent this discourse from being translated, lest these
mysteries should reach the Greeks, and their manner of speech, adorned and
elegant in expression, should, perchance, weaken the vigour
and diminish the solemn gravity and force of these words. The Greeks, O King,
have new forms of language for producing argument, and their philosophy is
prodigal of speech. We, on the other hand, employ not words so much as the
great language of facts.
I will begin this discourse by invoking God, the Master of the Universe,
the Creator and the Father, Who contains all, Who is
All in One, and One in All. For the plenitude of all things is Unity, and in
Unity; nor is the one term inferior to the other, since the two are one. Bear
in mind this thought, O King, during the whole of my exposition. Vain is it to
seek to distinguish the All and the One by designating the multitude of things
the All, and not their Plenitude. Such a distinction is impossible, for the All
exists no longer if separated from Unity; and if Unity exists,
(p. 103)
it is in the Totality; now it indeed exists and never
ceases to be One, otherwise the Plenitude would be dissolved.
In the bosom of the
earth there are impetuous springs of water
and of fire; such are the three
natures of fire, water, and
earth, proceeding from a common
origin. Whereby it may be thought that there is one general fountain of
matter, bringing forth all abundantly and receiving existence from on
high. It is thus that heaven and earth are governed by their creator, that is,
by the sun, who causes essence to stream downwards, and matter to rise upwards,
and who draws to himself the universe, giving all to everything, lavish of the benefits of his radiance. It
is he who distributes beneficent energies not only in heaven and throughout the
air, but upon earth also, and even in the depths of the abyss. If there be an
intelligible substance, it must be the very substance of the sun, whose light
is the vehicle thereof. But what may be its constitution and primal fount, he
only knows. That by induction we may understand that which is hidden from our
sight, it would be necessary to be near him and analogous to his nature. But
that which he permits us to behold is no conjecture; it is the splendid vision
which illuminates the universal and supernal world.
In the midst of the universe is the sun established, like the bearer of
the crowns; and even as a skilful driver, he directs and maintains the chariot
of the world, holding it to its course. He keeps fast the reins of it, even
life, soul, spirit, immortality, and birth. He drives it before him, or,
rather, with him. And after this manner he forms all things, dispensing to
immortals eternal permanence. The, light, which from
(p. 104)
his outer part streams towards heaven, nourishes the
immortal spaces of the universe. The rest, encircling and illuminating the
entirety of the waters, the earth, and the air, becomes the matrix wherein life
germinates, wherein are initiated all births and metamorphoses, transforming
creatures, as by a spiral motion, and causing them to pass from one portion of
the world to another, from one species to another, and from one appearance to
another; maintaining the equilibrium of their mutual metamorphoses, as in the
creation of greater entities. For the permanence of bodies consists in
transmutation. But immortal forms are indissoluble, and mortal bodies
decompose; such is the difference between the immortal and the mortal.
This creation of life by the sun is as continuous as his light; nothing
arrests or limits it. Around him, like an army of satellites, are innumerable
choirs of Genii. These dwell in the neighbourhood of
the Immortals, and thence watch over human things. They fulfil
the will of the Gods by means of storms, tempests, transitions of fire, and
earthquakes; likewise by famines and wars, for the punishment of impiety. For
the greatest crime of men is impiety towards the Gods. The nature of the Gods
is to do good, the duty of men is to be pious, the
function of the Genii is to chastise. The Gods do not hold men responsible for
faults committed through mistake or boldness, by that necessity which belongs
to fate, or by ignorance; only iniquity falls under the weight of their
justice.
It is the sun who preserves and nourishes all creatures; and even as the
Ideal World which environs the sensible world fills this last with the
plenitude and universal variety of forms, so also the sun enfolding
(p. 105)
all in his light accomplishes everywhere, the birth and
development of creatures, and when they fall wearied in the race, gathers them
again to his bosom. Under his orders is the choir of the Genii, or rather the
choirs, for there are many and diverse, and their number corresponds to that of
the stars. Every star has its genii, good and evil by nature, or rather by
their operation, for operation is the essence of the genii. In some there is
both good and evil operation. All these Genii preside over mundane affairs,
they shake and overthrow the constitution of States and of individuals; they
imprint their likeness on our souls, they are present in our nerves, our
marrow, our veins, our arteries, and our very brain-substance, and in the
recesses of our viscera. At the moment when each of us receives life and being,
he is taken in charge by the genii who preside over births, and who are classed
beneath the astral powers. Perpetually they change, not always identical, but
revolving in circles. They permeate by the body two parts of the soul, that it
may receive from each the impress of his own energy.
But the reasonable part of the soul is not subject to the genii; it is designed for the reception of God,
who enlightens it with a sunny ray. Those who are thus illumined are few in
number, and from them the genii abstain; for neither genii nor gods have any
power in the presence of a single ray of God. But all other men, both soul and
body, are directed by genii, to whom they cleave, and whose operations they
affect. But reason is not like desire, which deceives and misleads. The genii,
then, have the control of mundane things, and our bodies
(p. 106)
serve them as instruments. Now, it is this control which
Hermes calls Destiny. (1)
The Intelligible World is attached to God, the
Sensible World to the Intelligible World, and through these two worlds, the sun
conducts the effluence of God, that is, the creative energy. Around him are the
eight spheres which are bound to him – the sphere of the fixed stars, the
six spheres of the planets, and that which surrounds the earth. To these
spheres the genii are bound, and to the genii, men; and thus are all beings
bound to God, who is the universal Father. The sun is the creator; the world is
the crucible of creation. The Intelligible Essence rules heaven, heaven directs
the gods, under these are classed the genii, who guide mankind. Such is the
divine hierarchy, and such is the operation which God accomplishes by gods and
genii for Himself. Everything is a part of God, thus God is all. In
creating all, He perpetuates Himself without any intermission, for the energy
of God has no past, and since God is without limits, His creation is without
beginning or end. (2)
FOOTNOTES
(101:1) This discourse, which usually concludes, not precedes, the
"Fragments," is sometimes
but erroneously attributed to Apuleius; see Hargrave Jennings' scholarly and exhaustive "Introductory Essay" to my Annotated
Edition of "The Divine Pymander." Robt. H. Fryar,
(106:1) Asclepios, throughout this discourse, preaches pure
Hermetic doctrine, which discourages all traffic with elementals, astrals, and
other daemonic influences, whether beneficent or the reverse, and instructs man
rather to seek the grace of the Holy Spirit, by aspiring evermore inwards and upwards, and abiding in
the reasonable and divine part of his nature. A. K.
(106:2) Compare with this declaration the opening passage of Section
III in the Book of Hermes to Tatios, and my note thereon. The Divine Olympos, or Mount of Energies, emits a continuous
(p. 107)
PART II
IF thou reflectest, O King, thou wilt perceive that there are
incorporeal corporealites. Which are they? Says the King. Corporealites which
appear in mirrors; are they not incorporeal?
It is true, Tat, says the King; thou hast a marvellous
fancy!
There are yet other incorporealities; for
instance, abstract forms, what say you to them? Are they not in themselves
incorporeal? Yet they are manifest in animated and inanimated
corporealities.
True again, Tat.
So then there is a reflexion of incorporealities upon corporealities,
and of corporealities on incorporealities.
In other words, the Sensible World and the Ideal World reflect each other.
Adore, then, the sacred images, O King, for they also are reflective forms of
the Sensible World.
Then the King rose and said, Methinks, prophet, it is time to look after
our guests; to-morrow, we can continue this theological controversy. (1)
FOOTNOTES
(107:1) As I read the above fragment, it is written in a spirit of mirth.
Tat is quibbling with the King, as the manner of their talk plainly shows.
Nevertheless, an undercurrent of occult meaning runs through the speech of the
son of Trismegistos. When he names the sacred images,
the allusion intended is to the cultus of the
Mysteries. A. K.
(p. 108)
PART III
WHEN a musician,
desiring to conduct a melody, is hindered in his design by the want of accord
in the instruments employed, his efforts end in ridicule, and provoke the laughter of the auditors. In vain he expends the
resources of his art, or accuses of falseness the instrument which reduces him
to impotence.
The great musician of Nature, the God who presides over the harmony of
song, and who controls the resonance of the instruments according to the rhythm
of the melody, is unwearying, for weariness reaches
not the gods. And if an artist conducts a concert of music, and the trumpeters
blow according to their ability, the flute-players express the delicate
modulations of the melody, and the lyre and violin accompany the song, who
would think of accusing the inspiration of the composer, or withhold from him
the esteem his work deserves, if some instrument should trouble the melody with
discord and hinder the auditors from seizing its purity? Even so, not without
impiety can we impeach Humanity, on account of the impotence of our own body.
For know that God is an Artist of untiring Spirit, always Master of His
science, always successful in His operations, and everywhere bestowing equal
benefits. If Phidias, the creative artisan, should
find the material on which it is necessary for him to work, refractory to his
skill, let us not blame him who has laboured to the
utmost of his power; neither let us accuse the musician of the faults of the
instrument, but rather complain of the defective chord, which, by lowering or
raising a note, has destroyed
(p. 109)
the concord; and the worse this is, the more does he
merit praise who succeeds in drawing from such a chord an accurate tone. Far
from reproaching him, the auditors will be all the better pleased with him. It
is thus, O most illustrious hearers, that our inward lyre must be attuned to
the intention of the musician.
I can even imagine that a musician, deprived of the aid of his lyre, and
being called upon to produce some great musical effect, might, by untried
means, supply the place of the accustomed instrument, and arouse thereby the
enthusiasm of his auditors. It is related of a cithara player, to whom Apollo
was favourable, that, being once suddenly checked in
his performance of a melody by the snapping of a string, the kindness of the
God supplied the want and magnified the talent of the artist; for by
providential help, a cicada interposed his song and executed the missing notes
which the broken cord should have sounded. The musician, reassured, and no more
troubled by the accident, obtained a triumph. I feel in myself, O most noble
hearers, something similar; for, but now, being convinced of my incapacity and
weakness, the power of the Supreme Being has supplied in my stead the melody
wherewith to praise the king. For the design of this discourse is to declare
the glory of royalties and their achievements. Forward, then! The musician
wills it, and for this the lyre is tuned! May the grandeur and sweetness of the
melody respond to the purpose of our song!
And since we have tuned our lyre to hymn the praise of kings, and to
celebrate their renown, let us first praise the good God, the supreme King of
the Universe. After Him we will glorify those who reflect His image, and hold
the sceptre of royalty. Kings
(p. 110)
themselves are glad that the song should descend
from above, degree after degree, that aspiration should draw nigh to Heaven
whence victory comes to them. Let, then, the singer praise the mighty God of the
universe, ever immortal, whose power is eternal as Himself, the first of
Victors, from Whom all triumphs come, succeeding one
another. Let us hasten to close our discourse, that we may offer praise to
kings, even to those who are the guardians of peace and of general security;
who hold from the Lord supreme their ancient power, and receive victory from
His hand; those whose sceptres shine resplendent to
herald the hardships of war, whose triumphs anticipate the conflict; and to
whom it is given not only to reign, but to overcome; whose very advance to
battle strikes the barbarian enemy with fear.
PART IV
THIS discourse ends
where it began, with the praise of the Supreme Being, and afterwards of the
most holy kings by whom we obtain peace. So that having commenced by
celebrating the Almighty greatness, it is to this greatness that we return in
terminating our speech. Even as the sun nourishes all germs, and receives the
promise of
(p. 111)
the
fruits which his rays, like divine hands, gather for the God; even as these
shining hands collect likewise the sweet odours of
plants, so also we, after having begun by the adoration of the Most High and
the effluence of His Wisdom, after having gathered into our souls the fragrance
of these heavenly flowers, must now collect the sweetness of this sacred
harvest which He, with fruitful rains, will bless. But even if we had ten
thousand mouths and ten thousand voices wherewith to glorify the God of all
purity, the Father of Souls, we should yet be powerless to celebrate Him
worthily; for new-born babes cannot, indeed, rightly extol their father, yet
since they do their utmost, they obtain indulgence. Or rather, the glory of God
is seen in this, that He is superior to all creatures; He is the Beginning, He
is the End, the Midst, and the Continuance of their Praise; in Him they
acknowledge their Parent, all-powerful and infinite.
It is the same also with our king. We, who are his children, love to
extol him; and we ask indulgence of our father, even when, before we asked, it
was granted to us. A father, far from turning away from his little ones, and
from his new-born infants, because of their feebleness, rejoices to see himself
recognised by them. The universal gnosis which communicates
life to all, and enables us to bless God, is itself a gift of God. For God,
being good, has in Himself the fulness
of all perfection; being immortal, He contains in Himself immortal tranquillity, and His eternal power sends forth into this
world a salutary benediction. In the hierarchy which He contains there are no differences nor variations; all the beings in Him are
wise, the same providence is in all, the same intelligence governs
(p. 112)
them, the same sentiment impels them to mutual goodness,
and the same love produces among them universal harmony.
Therefore,
let us bless God and after Him the kings who from Him receive the sceptre. And having inaugurated the praises of the kings
let us also glorify piety towards the Supreme. May He instruct us how to bless
Him, and may His aid assist us in this study. May our first and chief endeavour be to celebrate the fear of God and the praise of
the Kings. For to them is due our gratitude for the
fruitful peace which by their means we enjoy. It is the virtue of the King, and
his name only which obtains peace; he is called King because he advances chief
in royalty and power, and because he reigns by reason and peace. He is above
all barbarian royalties, his very name is a symbol of peace. The name alone of
the King suffices often to repel the foe. His images are as beacons of safety
in the tempest. For the very image of our King procures victory, confers
security, and renders us invulnerable.
[Patrizzi hesitates to ascribe the fragment entitled "Asclepios to King Ammon" to
the disciple of Hermes, thinking it unworthy of one who had enjoyed the
instructions of so great a man. Dr. Ménard
points out that despite the tirade against the Greeks and the Greek tongue in
the first section of this fragment, it was undoubtedly originally written in
that very language, as is proved by the reference made in the third section to βασιλεύς (the king), and the etymological derivation of the
word from βαίνειγ (to advance), and also by the allusions to Phidias, and to Eunomios, a
musician of Locris, in the second section. The
description of the sun as a charioteer, and the passing reference to "him
who bears the crowns," are also both suggested by Greek usages. In
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End of the
Definitions of Asclepios.
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