HERMETIC FRAGMENTS
On the subject of the Hermetic books, James Campbell Brown, in his History
of Chemistry, has written: "Leaving the Chaldean and earliest Egyptian
periods, of which we have remains but no record, and from which no names of
either chemists or philosophers have come down to us, we now approach the
Historic Period, when books were written, not at first upon parchment or paper,
but upon papyrus. A series of early Egyptian books is attributed to Hermes
Trismegistus, who may have been a real savant, or may be a
personification of a long succession of writers. * * * He is identified by some
with the Greek god Hermes, and the Egyptian Thoth or Tuti, who was the moon-god,
and is represented in ancient paintings as ibis-headed with the disc and
crescent of the moon. The Egyptians regarded him as the god of wisdom, letters,
and the recording of time. It is in consequence of the great respect entertained
for Hermes by the old alchemists that chemical writings were called 'hermetic,'
and that the phrase 'hermetically sealed' is still in use to designate the
closing of a glass vessel by fusion, after the manner of chemical manipulators.
We find the same root in the hermetic medicines of Paracelsus, and the hermetic
freemasonry of the Middle Ages."
Among the fragmentary writings believed to have come from the stylus of
Hermes are two famous works. The first is the Emerald Table, and the
second is the Divine Pymander, or, as it is more commonly called, The
Shepherd of Men, a discussion of which follows. One outstanding point in
connection with Hermes is that he was one of the few philosopher-priests of
pagandom upon whom the early Christians did not vent their spleen. Some Church
Fathers went so far as to declare that Hermes exhibited many symptoms of
intelligence, and that if he had only been born in a more enlightened age so
that he might have benefited by their instructions he would have been a
really great man!
In his Stromata, Clement of Alexandria, one of the few chroniclers of
pagan lore whose writings have been preserved to this age, gives practically all
the information that is known concerning the original forty-two books of Hermes
and the importance with which these books were regarded by both the temporal and
spiritual powers of Egypt. Clement describes one of their ceremonial processions
as follows:
It is doubtful that the deity called Thoth by the Egyptians was
originally Hermes, but the two personalities were blended together and it is now
impossible to separate them. Thoth was called "The Lord of the Divine Books" and
"Scribe of the Company of the Gods." He is generally depicted with the body of a
man and the head of an ibis. The exact symbolic meaning of this latter bird has
never been discovered. A careful analysis of the peculiar shape of the
ibis--especially its head and beak--should prove illuminating.
"For the Egyptians pursue a philosophy of their own. This is principally shown by their sacred ceremonial. For first advances the Singer,
bearing some one of the symbols of music. For they say that he must learn two of
the books of Hermes, the one of which contains the hymns of the gods, the second
the regulations for the king's life. And after the Singer advances the
Astrologer, with a horologe in his hand, and a palm, the symbols of astrology.
He must have the astrological books of Hermes, which are four in number, always
in his mouth. Of these, one is about the order of the fixed stars that are
visible, and another about the conjunctions and luminous appearances of the sun
and moon; and the rest respecting their risings. Next in order advances the
sacred Scribe, with wings on his head, and in his hand a book and rule, in which
were writing ink and the reed, with which they write. And he must be acquainted
with what are called hieroglyphics, and know about cosmography and geography,
the position of the sun and moon, and about the five planets; also the
description of Egypt, and the chart of the Nile; and the description of the
equipment of the priests and of the place consecrated to them, and about the
measures and the things in use in the sacred rites. Then the Stole-keeper
follows those previously mentioned, with the cubit of justice and the cup for
libations. He is acquainted with all points called Pædeutic (relating to
training) and Moschophaltic (sacrificial). There are also ten books which relate
to the honour paid by them to their gods, and containing the Egyptian worship;
as that relating to sacrifices, first-fruits, hymns, prayers, processions,
festivals, and the like. And behind all walks the Prophet, with the water-vase
carried openly in his arms; who is followed by those who carry the issue of
loaves. He, as being the governor of the temple, learns the ten books called
'Hieratic'; and they contain all about the laws, and the gods, and the whole of
the training of the priests. For the Prophet is, among the Egyptians, also over
the distribution of the revenues. There are then forty-two books of Hermes
indispensably necessary; of which the six-and-thirty containing the whole
philosophy of the Egyptians are learned by the forementioned personages; and the
other six, which are medical, by the Pastophoroi (image-bearers),--treating of
the structure of the body, and of disease, and instruments, and medicines, and
about the eyes, and the last about women.
One of the greatest tragedies of the philosophic world was the loss of nearly
all of the forty-two books of Hermes mentioned in the foregoing. These books
disappeared during the burning of Alexandria, for the Romans--and later the
Christians--realized that until these books were eliminated they could never
bring the Egyptians into subjection. The volumes which escaped the fire were
buried in the desert and their location is now known to only a few initiates of
the secret schools. . . . . Go to: Thoth Hermes Index
