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

But all these considerations, though interesting in themselves, do not immediately concern us, unless we are subjectively persuaded that the emendation of Patrizzi is firmly established. Should, however, this reading in any way be confirmed by objective evidence, we should have to reconsider the question of date by the light of it, though, I fear, with little chance of any definite result. For though the propaganda of Indian ideas by Apollonius could not have begun prior to the middle of the first century, we have in this fact no very sure criterion, for " India " must have been in the air, and strongly in the air, even prior to Apollonius' visit to India, or why should he have been induced to make so long and dangerous a journey ? Indeed, " India " had been in the air ever since the expedition of Alexander — that is, from the beginning of the Alexandrian period — the second quarter of the fourth century B.C. onwards.

1 Philos., Vit. Ap., iii. 51. Of. my Apollonius of Tyana, the
Philosopher Reformer of the First Century A.D. (London, 1901),
p. 88.

COEPUS HEEMETICUM XII. (XIII.)

ABOUT THE COMMON MIND

OF HERMES TO TAT

(Text: P. 99-113; Pat. 23b-25b.)

1 Hermes. The Mind, 0 Tat, is of God's very essence — (if such a thing as essence of God l there be) — and what that is, it and it only knows precisely.

The Mind, then, is not separated off from God's essentiality, but is united unto it, as light to sun.

This Mind in men is God, and for this cause some of mankind are gods, and their humanity is nigh unto divinity.

For the Good Daimon said : " Gods are immortal men, and men are mortal gods."

2. But in irrational lives Mind is their nature.
For where is Soul, there too is Mind ; just as
where Life, there is there also Soul.

1 That is, if we can use such a term with respect to God.

But in irrational lives their soul is life devoid of mind l ; for Mind is the in- worker of the souls of men for good ; — He works on them for their own good.

In lives irrational He doth co-operate with each one's nature ; but in the souls of men He counteracteth them.

For every soul, when it becomes embodied, is instantly depraved by pleasure and by pain.

For in a compound body, just like juices, pain and pleasure seethe, and into them the soul, on entering in, is plunged.2

3. O'er whatsoever souls the Mind doth, then, preside, to these it showeth its own light, by acting counter to their prepossessions, just as a good physician doth upon the body prepossessed by sickness, pain inflict, burning or lancing it for sake of health.

In just the selfsame way the Mind inflicteth pain upon the soul, to rescue it from pleasure, whence comes its every ill.

The great ill of the soul is godlessness 3 ; then

1 That is, of the mind manifested in xnan as distinguished from the general Mind.

Of. C. H., x. (xi.) 8, 9 : " And the soul's vice is ignorance " ; and § 20 : " What greater chastisement of any human soul, can there be, son, than lack of piety?" The only way of salvation from the bonds of Fate is thus " piety " or " godliness." See R. 102, 1, for references.

followeth fancy l for all evil things and nothing good.

So, then, Mind counteracting it doth work good on the soul, as the physician health upon the body.

4. But whatsoever human souls have not the Mind as pilot, they share in the same fate as souls of lives irrational.

For [Mind] becomes co-worker with them, giving full play to the desires towards which [such souls] are borne, — [desires] that from the rush of lust strain after the irrational ; [so that such human souls,] just like irrational animals, cease not irrationally to rage and lust, nor ever are they satiate of ills.

For passions and irrational desires are ills exceeding great; and over these God hath set up the Mind to play the part of judge and executioner.

5. Tat. In that case, father mine, the teaching (logos) as to Fate,2 which previously thou didst explain to me, risks to be over-set.

For that if it be absolutely fated for a man to fornicate, or commit sacrilege, or do some other evil deed, why is he punished, — when he hath done the deed from Fate's necessity ?

Her. All works, my son, are Fate's; and without Fate naught of things corporal — or good, or ill — can come to pass.

1 5<fa. 2 Heimarmene.