Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. II (the Corpus Hermeticum) — G. R. S. Mead (1906)

I have accordingly preferred this as the main title, and added " The Asclepius " as an alternative.

THE OLD LATIN TRANSLATION AND THE GREEK
ORIGINAL

Of the Greek original we have quotations or references by Lactantius (see viii. 1 and 3; xxv. 4: xxvi. 1 ; xli. 2), Johannes Laurentius Lydus (see xix. 3 ; xxviii. 1 ; xxxix. 1, 2), and Stobaeus (see xxvii. 4).

If we compare these Greek quotations with our Latin translation, we shall find, not only that the Latin is an exceedingly free rendering of the Greek, showing many expansions and contractions, and often missing the sense of the original, but also that even in Greek there were probably several recensions of the same text.1 1 See R. 195, 2.

Indeed, the free rendering of our translation is of such a nature that it is impossible to base upon it any certain conclusions as to the date of the original or its precise worth in the history of religion.1

That, however, our Latin translation is an ancient one is proved by Augustine's verbal quotations from it (see xxiii. 1 ; xxiii. 3-xxiv. 2 ; xxiv. 3 ; xxvii. 1-4). It was thus in existence about 400 A.D. at least.2

Tradition, however, has assigned to it a far higher antiquity, attributing it to no less distinguished a writer than Appuleius, and so referring it to the first half of the second century.

This attribution has, of course, for long been questioned by modern criticism, and Keitzenstein, though he does not discuss the subject, accepts the adverse verdict and refers us to a " Pseudo- Appuleius."

Hildebrand, whose minute acquaintance with Appuleius' peculiar style and neologisms is a guarantee of his competence, has thoroughly gone into the matter ; and though he sums up against tradition, it is in a half-hearted way. The translation, if not by Appuleius, is at any rate in old African Latin, and there is nothing in the style which absolutely forbids the possibility of its being by the author of The Golden Ass and the initiate of Isis. The strongest point, other than philological, against tradition is that Augustine does not say the translation was by Appuleius; but this seems to me to be unworthy of serious consideration.

It is, of course, difficult to turn possibilities into probabilities, but I see no reason why the Greek original of our Sermon should not be assigned to the

1 The so-founded opinions of Bernays and Zeller are characterized by Reitzenstein (p. 195) as of as little value as the opinions which made the whole of our literature dependent on New Platonism.

2 Augustine's date is 354-430 A.D.

earlier Hermes-Asclepian dialogues as well as to any others. That it was one of the most famous is evident by its wide quotation, and by the fact that several recensions of the Greek text were in circulation.

OF THE WRITER AND THE PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE

The Latin translator retains a number of the original Greek technical terms, and if we could only rely on his translation giving us the substance of the original in all cases, we should be presented in several passages with phenomena which would persuade us that the writer of the original intended his readers to think he was an Egyptian, and that his native nomenclature was other than Greek, as is also the case in C. E. (xvi.).

For instance, in vii. 2, " the man ' essential,' l as say the Greeks," — but this may be a gloss of the Latin translator.

Again, in x. 2 : " So that . . . * World ' seems most fitly called c Cosmos ' in Greek," — which seems to be the original.

Yet again, the " multifarious reasoning " of xii. 3 reminds us strongly of "the philosophizing of the Greeks — the noise of words," in C. If., xvi. 2.

On the other hand, the phrase, " which we in Greek (grcece) believe to be the Cosmos," would seem to make the original author forget his Egyptian role.

While " its bottom ... is called in Greek A-eides," coupled with " in Greek they are called Hades ... in Latin Inferi " (xvii. 3), may be assigned to a gloss of the translator.

In xxiv. 1, however, the sentence, "Dost thou not know, Asclepius, that Egypt is the image of the Heaven ?

. . . This land of ours is shrine of the whole world "

—coupled with the rest of the chapter, and Ch. xxv.

i Cf. C. H., xiii. (xiv.) 14