Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. III — G. R. S. Mead (1906)
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When, however, Keitzenstein (p. 136) expressly states that the creation-story shows indubitable traces of two older forms, and that this is not a matter of surprise, as we find two (or more precisely four) different introductions,— we are not able entirely to follow him. It is true that these introductory statements are apparently at variance, but on further consideration they appear to be not really self-contradictory.
THE DIRECT VOICE AND THE BOOKS OF HERMES
The main representation is that the teacher of Isis is Hermes, who saw the world-creation, that is, the creation of our earth-system, and the soul-making, with his own spiritual sight (2). Isis has obtained her knowledge in two ways : either from the sacred Books of Hermes (4, 5) ; or by the direct spiritual voice of the Master (15). The intention here is plainly to claim the authority of direct revelation, for even the Books are not physical. They have disappeared, if indeed they ever were physical, and can only be recovered from the tablets of unseen nature, by ascending to the zones (5) where they are hidden ; and these zones are plainly the same as the soul-spaces mentioned in S. I. H.y 8.
At the same time there is mention of another tradition, which, though in later details purporting to be historic and physical, in its beginnings is involved in purely mythological and psychic considerations. When the first and most ancient Hermes ascended to Heaven, he left his Books in the charge of the Gods, his kinsmen, in the zones, and not on earth (3). On earth there succeeded to this wisdom a younger race, beloved of Hermes, and personified as his son Tat. These were souls as yet too young to understand the true science face to face. They were apparently regarded as the Tat (Thoth) priesthood of our humanity, who were subsequently joined by wisdom-lovers of another line of tradition, the Imuth (Asclepius) brotherhood, who had their doctrine originally from Ptah.1 This seems to hint at some ancient union of two traditions or schools of mystic science, perhaps from the Memphitic and Thebaic priesthoods respectively.2
What, however, is clear is that the writer professes to set forth a higher and more direct teaching than either the received tradition of the Isiac mystery-cult or of the Tat-Asclepius school. This he does in the person of Isis as the face to face disciple of the most ancient Hermes,3 thus showing us that in the Hermescircles of the Theoretics, or those who had the direct sight, though the Isis mystery- teaching was considered a tradition of the wisdom, it was nevertheless held to be entirely subordinate to the illumination of the direct sight.
1 Cf. Diog. Laert.,P?*ocera.,i.: " The Egyptians say that Hephaestus (Ptah) was the son of Neiltis (the Nile), and that he was the originator of philosophy, of that philosophy whose leaders are priests and prophets" — that is to say, a mystic philosophy of revelation.
2 Thus Suidas (s.v. "Ptah") says that Ptah was the Hephsestus of the Memphite priesthood, and tells us that there was a proverbial saying current among them : " Ptah hath spoken unto thee." This reminds us of our text : "As Hermes says when he speaks unto me."
3 The type of Isis as utterer of "sacred sermons," describing herself as daughter or disciple of Hermes, is old, and goes back demonstrably to Ptolemaic times. R. 136, n. 4 ; 137, n. 1.
KAMEPHIS AND THE DARK MYSTERY
In apparent contradiction to all this we have the following statement : " Now give good heed, son Horus, for thou art being told the mystic spectacle which Kamephis, our forefather, was privileged to hear from Hermes, the record-writer of all deeds, and I from Kamephis when he did honour me with the Black [Eite] that gives perfection" (19).1
Here Keitzenstein (p. 137) professes to discover the conflation of two absolutely distinct traditions of (i) Kamephis, a later god and pupil of Hermes, and (ii) Kamephis, an older god and teacher of Isis ; but in this I cannot follow him. It all depends on the meaning assigned to the words Trapa TOU TTGLVTCOV TT/OOyevea-repov, which Keitzenstein regards as signifying " the most ancient of all [gods]," but which I translate as " the most ancient of [us] all."