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Hermetica #1
Hermetica: The Ancient Greek And Latin Writings Which Contain Religious Or Philosophic Teachings Ascribed To Hermes Trismegistus; Volume 1 of 4
Hermetica is an extraordinary collection of writings ascribed to Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary Egyptian prophet said to have designed the Great Pyramid. The arrival of The Hermetica in Italy about 1460 A.D. had a profound effect upon such influential thinkers as Marsilio Ficino and Pico della Mirandola, making it an important component of the intellectual ferment of the Renaissance. The Hermetica was also a source of inspiration to Jung.9
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 300
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About the author
Hermes Trismegistus
369 books447 followersHermes Trismegistus (Ancient Greek: Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος, "thrice-greatest Hermes"; Latin: Mercurius ter Maximus) is the purported author of the Hermetic Corpus, a series of sacred texts that are the basis of Hermeticism.
Alternate names: Hermès Trismégiste, Hermes Trismegistro, Hermes Trimegistro, Hermes Trismegisto, Hermes Trimegisto.
Alternate names: Hermès Trismégiste, Hermes Trismegistro, Hermes Trimegistro, Hermes Trismegisto, Hermes Trimegisto.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 26, 2020
(I'm reviewing Hermetica, Volume 1. Walter Scott's translation.)
Wow! I can't believe there are so few reviews of this book. I wonder whether I should take it as a disgrace or an honour. Probably both.
To begin, after reading the Hermetica, you will never EVER remain indifferent when someone will casually tell you about something being "hermetically" sealed. Your mind will suddenly leap into a realm of eternal wisdom. Be warned.
For those who, like me, love delving into ancient sacred texts—especially, but not limited to, Abrahamic Scriptures—the Hermetica is a must-read.
Did you know, for instance, that it is generally assumed that the prophet Idris referred to in the Quran as patient and trustworthy is none other than Hermes Trismegistus, and the Sabians his followers?
The Hermetica after all never tires of stressing the importance of the Oneness of God, of praising Him, of piety, and of the Judgement of all souls, which are fundamentals in Abrahamic religions. In addition to that, Islamic tradition considers Hermes to be the same person as the Hebrew prophet Enoch, so important in Jewish mysticism. Hermes is also the Greek name for Thot, the Egyptian god of wisdom and writing. And the Hermetica discusses the concept of the Word of God, which is what Jesus Christ is thought to embody.
Other similarities include the existence of a pure faith that transcends all religions, the ability to "see", or rather to feel connected to, God through the Eye of the Heart—both concepts being found in Sufism—and the idea of using words as sacrifices, as opposed to animals. In other words, we're dealing with an interreligious figure of extraordinary influence that somehow made it through the ages from the far and mythical Egyptian past. No wonder the Corpus Hermeticum played an important role during the Reinassance inspiring many artists and scientists.
The Hermetica however doesn't seem to present itself as "Scriptures". The author does pray that God will provide him with the best words, but the result is only a collection of dialogues, mostly between Hermes himself and his disciples. And there are many missing sections due to damage to the original manuscripts, a factor that further divests the book of scriptural air.
Westerners with a weak religious background, not used to religious rites, yet craving for spirituality and closeness to God might find the tenets exposed in this book highly relatable, being mostly philosophical and universal.
While reading the first sections I had the feeling that the author(s) had had enough of the religious conflicts present in Egypt at the time—which are discussed in the introduction by Scott—and was desperately seeking a way to draw near God without causing controversy, perhaps in the attempt to include other peoples. This is what to me makes the Hermetica so relevant to the present times.
To conclude, a few quotes:
Wow! I can't believe there are so few reviews of this book. I wonder whether I should take it as a disgrace or an honour. Probably both.
To begin, after reading the Hermetica, you will never EVER remain indifferent when someone will casually tell you about something being "hermetically" sealed. Your mind will suddenly leap into a realm of eternal wisdom. Be warned.
For those who, like me, love delving into ancient sacred texts—especially, but not limited to, Abrahamic Scriptures—the Hermetica is a must-read.
Did you know, for instance, that it is generally assumed that the prophet Idris referred to in the Quran as patient and trustworthy is none other than Hermes Trismegistus, and the Sabians his followers?
"Indeed, the believers, Jews, Christians, and Sabians—whoever truly believes in God and the Last Day and does good will have their reward with their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve." Quran 2:62.
The Hermetica after all never tires of stressing the importance of the Oneness of God, of praising Him, of piety, and of the Judgement of all souls, which are fundamentals in Abrahamic religions. In addition to that, Islamic tradition considers Hermes to be the same person as the Hebrew prophet Enoch, so important in Jewish mysticism. Hermes is also the Greek name for Thot, the Egyptian god of wisdom and writing. And the Hermetica discusses the concept of the Word of God, which is what Jesus Christ is thought to embody.
Other similarities include the existence of a pure faith that transcends all religions, the ability to "see", or rather to feel connected to, God through the Eye of the Heart—both concepts being found in Sufism—and the idea of using words as sacrifices, as opposed to animals. In other words, we're dealing with an interreligious figure of extraordinary influence that somehow made it through the ages from the far and mythical Egyptian past. No wonder the Corpus Hermeticum played an important role during the Reinassance inspiring many artists and scientists.
The Hermetica however doesn't seem to present itself as "Scriptures". The author does pray that God will provide him with the best words, but the result is only a collection of dialogues, mostly between Hermes himself and his disciples. And there are many missing sections due to damage to the original manuscripts, a factor that further divests the book of scriptural air.
Westerners with a weak religious background, not used to religious rites, yet craving for spirituality and closeness to God might find the tenets exposed in this book highly relatable, being mostly philosophical and universal.
While reading the first sections I had the feeling that the author(s) had had enough of the religious conflicts present in Egypt at the time—which are discussed in the introduction by Scott—and was desperately seeking a way to draw near God without causing controversy, perhaps in the attempt to include other peoples. This is what to me makes the Hermetica so relevant to the present times.
To conclude, a few quotes:
"O Egypt, Egypt, of thy religion nothing will remain but an empty tale, which thine own children in time to come will not believe; nothing will be left but graven words, and only the stones will tell of thy piety. And in that day men will be weary of life, and they will cease to think the universe worthy of reverent wonder and of worship. And so religion, the greatest of all blessings [...] will be threatened with destruction; men will think it a burden, and will come to scorn it."
"There [in the House of Knowledge] none is drunken, but all are sober, and they look up and see with the heart Him whose will it is that with the heart alone He should be seen. For He cannot be known by hearing, nor made known by speech; nor can He be seen with bodily eyes."
"Philosophy is nothing else than striving through constant contemplation and saintly piety to attain to knowledge of God; but there will be many who will make philosophy hard to understand, and corrupt it with manifold speculations."
"I deem it impossible that he who is the maker of the universe in all its greatness, the Father or Maker of all things, can be named by a single name, though it be made up of so many others; I hold that he is nameless, or rather, that all names are names of him. For he in his unity is all things; so that we must either call all things by his name, or call him by names of all things."
October 20, 2017
This complete translation of the Corpus Hermeticum by Walter Scott is a masterpiece. It is an indispensable book for any student of Ancient Egyptian (Kemetic) philosophy, history, or cosmology. The book includes detailed descriptions of the divine teachings of the Egyptian God of writing, magic, and wisdom, Tahuti (Toth aka Hermes Trismegistus), together with Latin and Greek versions of the text. Also, included in the book are accounts as to how and when the texts might have been compiled, along with the book’s seminal influence on European Renaissance.
Hermetica lays out the Ancient Egyptian’s concept of creation and the divine laws that govern nature (human, animal, and plant) and the Divine realms of the Kosmos. Though missing some important sections and passages due to damages to the original manuscripts, the book still conveys the essential Divine laws and principles of the Kemtic civilization.
Be ready to immerse yourself into deep philosophical and spiritual wisdom. The Hermetica is intricate and full of surprises!
A Must Read!
João Mendes
Author | Musician | Humanitarian
Co-Author of SOUND—The Fabric of Soul, Consciousness, Reality, and the Cosmos
Hermetica lays out the Ancient Egyptian’s concept of creation and the divine laws that govern nature (human, animal, and plant) and the Divine realms of the Kosmos. Though missing some important sections and passages due to damages to the original manuscripts, the book still conveys the essential Divine laws and principles of the Kemtic civilization.
Be ready to immerse yourself into deep philosophical and spiritual wisdom. The Hermetica is intricate and full of surprises!
A Must Read!
João Mendes
Author | Musician | Humanitarian
Co-Author of SOUND—The Fabric of Soul, Consciousness, Reality, and the Cosmos
February 18, 2012
Fantastic introduction and some very poetic and inspired translations of the corpus but, over all, this is considered to be an unreliable translation.
October 16, 2020
I read the translations of these texts first from G.R.S Mead, who translated them about 15 - 20 years earlier. Scott had some texts that had been discovered that Mead didn't have, but I felt that Mead pushed his Theosophical Society thinking too much into this translation. Having translated a text from one ancient language into a modern one myself I know how hard it is to not do this, but Scott I felt did a really goob job here. I see some Christianity in it, but that is most likely not because of anything other than Hermeticism and Christianity being secret pals.
July 24, 2016
Excellent read. I am finally seeing the interconnection between Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity. There are references to what I believe to the vedas as well as early books of the Bible. Fascinating read...
September 29, 2008
never comes up in conversation
September 14, 2022
A unified field theory of creation.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews