Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. I — G. R. S. Mead (1906)

2 Compare the Story of the Spirit Double who came down unto Jesus when a boy, as told by Mary the Mother, in the Pistis Sophia, 121 : " He embraced thee and kissed thee, and thou also didst kiss him ; ye became one." Compare this with the common mystic belief of the time in the possibility of union with such a spiritual presence ; and also the possession by a daimon (\rjifw Saipovos), which is treated of at length by Keitzenstein, and particularly referred to this pasage in Hermas (R. 230).

3 Compare Pistis Sophia, 120 : "I was in doubt and thought it was a phantom tempting me."

4 On this Gebhardt and Harnack, in their edition (Leipzig,
1877), can only comment : " In visionibus angelicus pastor nusquam
memoratur."

stand out convincingly at the first glance, without needing the assistance of the large type in which Eeitzenstein (pp. 11, 12) has had them printed in his reproduction of the texts.

Most remarkable of all, however, is the similarity of ideas ; for " Hermas " as for " Hermes " the Shepherd is not only a shepherd but a " shepherd of men," even as in a different connection but in the same circle of ideas Peter and others were to become " fishers of men." l

Now, not only on general grounds is it difficult for any one who has carefully studied the two documents, to believe that the writer of the philosophic-mystical treatise not only had the Christian apocalyptic writing before him but took it as his point of departure ; but, even if we are still strongly dominated by what has hitherto been the traditional view in all such questions, and cling to the theory that when there is similarity the Christian scripture must necessarily have been first in the field, it is very difficult to believe that a copier of " Hermas " should have left no traces of an acquaintance with the very distinctive feature of the robe and staff and wallet of the shepherd, and of the conversation which follows in what, on this theory, would be the presupposed original.

THE POPULAR SYMBOLIC EEPRESENTATION OF
THE SHEPHERD

The mystical representation and thought-atmosphere of the writer or redactor of our present " Poemandres " are far removed from any direct traces of contact with the folk-consciousness, in which the appurtenances mentioned by " Hermas " were the typical literary description

1 Compare the interesting inscription from Sakkara quoted from Erinan (note, below).

" HERMAS " AND " HERMES " 373

of a shepherd since the time of Theocritus ; l not only so, but this was the symbolic representation of the " Shepherd of Men " in the general Hellenistic religious consciousness. Indeed, we find unquestionable proofs that Hermes was pre-eminently regarded as the " Good Shepherd," and a figure of him with staff and wallet and single robe was a great favourite in the popular cult.12

In one passage 3 in which mention is made of this wallet and staff, further details are given showing that these simple symbols were well understood. The right hand is raised, and the left holds staff and wallet. Moreover, the staff has a serpent entwined round it, and Hermes is clad in a single robe. Like Isis, he stands upon the world-sphere, which has also a serpent twined round it. Hermes here represents the Mind or Logos, the father-mother (staff and wallet) force of nature ; with the " left " he brings into generation, with the " right " he leads souls out of genesis, either to death, or regeneration. In this prayer, Hermes (as the sun) is called " the Shepherd who hath his fold in the West." 4

It is to be further remarked that Hermes is in the dress of the " Poor,"5 and of the " Naked."6

1 R. 11, n. 3.

2 Compare Wessely, Denkschr. d. K. K. Akad. (1888), 103, 2359 ff.

3 Ibid., 104, 2373.