Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. II (the Corpus Hermeticum) — G. R. S. Mead (1906)
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and disappear ; so that there nothing is which future is with God, who has the very Bounds of Time subject to Him. For 'tis not Time, but Time's Archetype and Paradigm, Eternity (or J£on), which is His Life.1 But in Eternity naught is past, and naught is future, but all is present only." 2
This passage of Philo is of the utmost importance for estimating the date of our treatises; for not only does it prove that the oldest forms of the Trismegistic literature were pre-Christian, but it further persuades us that our treatise, which belongs to a later type of this literature, may be dated as contemporary with Philo.
Chapter xi. in the Prolegomena, "Concerning the ^Eon-Doctrine," should be taken in close connection with this treatise, for it is not only introductory to it, but frequently refers directly to it.
For the rest, it is not necessary to attempt any detailed comments, since the instruction of the writer is clear enough for any careful reader to follow with ease after making himself acquainted with the general ideas in the preceding treatises. One or two notes on special points, however, may be attempted.
THE BOOT OF FORM
Thus in § 16, the sentence: "The Cosmos is all-formed (7ra^To/xo/o0o9), — not having forms external to itself, but changing them itself within itself," — reminds us of P. S. A., xix. 3: "The 'Thirty-six' who have the name of Horoscopes are in the self -same space as the fixed stars; of these the essence-chief, or prince, is he whom they call Pantomorph, or Omniform (TravTOfjioptyosiVel 0w7w/brmw),whofashioneth the various forms for various species " ; and also of P. S. A., xxxv. : " But they are changed as many times as there are moments in the hour of that revolving circle in which abides that God whom we have called All-form."
1 Cf. C. H., i. 6 ; the Union of the Logos and Mind — or First- Born Son and Father — is Life ; they are united in Mon.
2 Quod Deus Ira., § 6 ; M. i. 277 ; P. 298 (Ri. ii. 72, 73).
Compare also C. H., xiii. (xiv.) 12, where, speaking of the "Circle of the types of life," Hermes says it is "composed of elements, twelve in number, but of one nature, an omniform idea."
With this compare Hermes-Prayer iv., addressed to Thoth as the Logos:
"Thee I invoke alone, thou who alone in all the Cosmos dost impose order on gods and men, who dost transform thyself in holy forms, making to be from things that are not, and from the things that are, making the not to be."
But the main interest of our treatise is not that the Intelligible Cosmos or Logos can create and destroy and transmute all forms at will, but that man as the microcosm has potential in him this great magic power.
"BECOME ALL THINGS"
The daring instruction given to Hermes in §§ 19 and 20 is distinctly a discipline of the Egyptian Wisdom ; for though it is here set forth plainly and without circumlocution, as a straightforward intimate instruction, stripped of all mysterious hints or hesitating subterfuges,1 it is clearly in the same circle of ideas of which popular Egyptian theurgy had some inkling. But whereas the philosopher-mystic was bidden to do this for himself of his own volition and achievement, the theurgist had to beg some god to do it for him.
1 Or, as the writer of the Pistis Sophia would say, tv irapp-n o(^
" face to face without a parable."
Thus in the same Prayer, to which we have already referred, we read (§§ 2, 3):
"0 holy Thoth, the true sight of whose face none of the gods endures ! Make me to be in every creature's name [or ' true form '], — wolf, dog, or lion, fire, tree, or vulture, wall, or water, or what thou will'st, for thou art able so to do."
So also in P. S. A., vii., we have the same idea, for certainly the phrasing of the sentences suggests something beyond the ordinary powers of the mind or imagination.
" He mingles with the elements by reason of the swiftness of his mind. He plunges into the sea's depths by means of its profundity. He puts his values on all things.
" Heaven does not seem too high for him ; for it is measured by the wisdom of his mind as though it were quite near.