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

Thoth-Hermes, as we have seen, had been for the Egyptians from the earliest times the teacher of all ancient and hidden wisdom ; he was par excellence the writer of all sacred scripture and the scribe of the gods. We should then naturally expect that his dominating influence would play a leading part in the new development ; and this, indeed, is amply demonstrated by the evidence of the religious art of the time, which presents us with specimens of statues of the Greek type of Hermes, bearing at the same time either the feather of truth (the special symbol of Maat) on the head, or the papyrus-roll in the hand l — both symbols of Thoth in his dual character as revealer and scribe.

1 R. 3, nn. 1, 2.

Of the complex nature of the mystic and apocalyptic literature that thus came into existence we have very distinct testimony.1 In keeping with its Egyptian prototype it was all cast in a theological and theosophical mould, whether it treated of physics, or medicine, or astrology. Thus we learn that Tamphilus, the grammarian,2 was intimately acquainted with a Greek- Egyptian literature dealing with "sacred plants" and their virtues as determined by the influences of the thirty-six Decans ; this lore, he tells us, was derived from the "Books ascribed to the Egyptian Hermes." 3

PETOSIRIS AND NECHKPSO

Of still greater interest are the Greek fragments of Petosiris and Nechepso which have come down to us.4 These Greek fragments are to be dated at least before the end of the second century B.C.,5 and afford us striking parallels with our extant Trismegistic literature.

In them we find the Prophet Petosiris represented as the teacher and counsellor of King Nechepso, as Asclepius of Ammon in one type of our literature; while it is Hermes who reveals the secret wisdom to two younger gods, Asclepius and Anubis, as in our sermons he does to Asclepius and Tat.

As to Petosiris himself, Suidas (s.v.) tells us that he was an Egyptian philosopher who wrote on comparative

1 See R. 3-7, to whom I am indebted for the indications.

2 Of the school of Aristarchus (fl. 280-264). The great Lexicon of Pamphilus is supposed by some to have been the basis of that of Hesychius.

3 Apud, Galen, irepl a.v\S>v Qapp., vi. Procem. (torn. ix. p. 798 K).

4 See Riess, Philologus Supplem., Fragg. 27-29.

6 See Kroll, "Aus der Geschichte der Astrologie," Neue Jahrbb.f. Phil. u. Pad., vii. 559 ff.

Greek and Egyptian theology, making selections from the "Holy Books," and treating of astrology and the Egyptian Mysteries. Moreover, Proclus l tells us that Petosiris had an intimate knowledge of every order of the Gods and Angels, and refers to a hieratic formula of theurgic invocation to the greatest of the goddesses (Necessity), for inducing the vision of this Power, and the ritual of the manner of addressing her when she appeared, as handed on by the same Petosiris.

The mystical nature of this literature is still more clearly shown in what Vettius Valens2 tells us of Nechepso, who surpassed the Ammon of our literature and attained to direct knowledge of the Inner Way.

Vettius, in the first half of the first century A.D., laments that he did not live in those days of initiate kings and rulers and sages who occupied themselves with the Sacred Science, when the clear JSther spake face to face with them without disguise, or holding back aught, in answer to their deep scrutiny of holy things. In those days so great was their love of the holy mysteries, so high their virtue, that they left the earth below them, and in their deathless souls became " heaven-walkers " 3 and knowers of things divine.

Vettius then quotes from a Greek apocalyptic treatise of Nechepso, where the King tells us that he had remained in contemplation all night gazing into the aether ; and so in ecstasy he had left his body,4 and had then heard a heavenly Voice5 addressing him. This Voice was not merely a sound, but appeared as a