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

1 The text is to be found in James (M. R.), Apocrypha Aiiecdota,
ii. (Cambridge, 1897), in Texts and Studies ; F. F. F., pp.
432, 433.

2 De Is. et Os., xxxiii.

3 Of. this with K. K., 47, where Egypt is said to occupy the position of the heart of the earth.

4 Cf. K. .ST., 20 : " Ye brilliant stars, eyes of the gods."

6 Cited by Ebers, " Die Korperteile in Altagyptischen," Abh. d. k. bayr. Akad. (1897), p. Ill, where other references are given.

character ; and in the above-quoted passage he is called "he who holds himself hidden in his eye," or "he who veils himself in his pupil."

This pupil, then, concludes Eeitzenstein (p. 145), is the "mysterious black." Is this, then, the origin of this peculiar phrase ? If so, it would be connected with seeing, the spiritual sight, the true Epopteia.

THE PUPIL OF THE WORLD'S EYE

But Isis, also, is the black earth, and, therefore, the pupil of the eye of Osiris, and, therefore, also of the Chnum or Ammon identified with Osiris at Syene. Isis, therefore, herself is the "Pupil of the World's Eye" — the Koprj Koa-jmov.1

Keitzenstein would, therefore, have it that the original type of our treatise looks back to a tradition which makes the mystery-goddess Isis the disciple and spouse of the mysterious Chnum or Ammon, or Kneph or Kamephis, as Agathodaimon ; and, therefore, presumably, that the making of this Kamephis the disciple in his turn of Hermes is a later development of the tradition, when the Hermes-communities gained ascendancy in certain circles of the Isis-tradition.

This is very probable ; but dare we, with Keitzenstein, cast aside the " traditional " translation of Koprj KOO-JULOV, as "Virgin of the World," and prefix to our treatise as title the new version, " The Pupil of the Eye of the World"? It certainly sounds strange as a title to unaccustomed ears, and differs widely from any other titles of the Hermetic sermons known to us. But what does the "Virgin of the World" mean in connection with our treatise? Isis as the Virgin Mother is a

1 Compare also the Naassene document, § 8, in the " Myth of Man" chapter of the Prolegomena, where Isis is called " the sevenrobed and black-mantled goddess."

familiar idea to students of Egyptology1; she is Kar w, the " World- Virgin."

THE SON OF THE VIRGIN

And here it will be of interest to turn to a curious statement of Epiphanius2; it is missing in all editions of this Father prior to that of Dindorf (Leipzig, 1859), which was based on the very early (tenth century) Codex Marcianus 125, all previous editions being printed from a severely censured and bowdlerized fourteenth century MS.

Epiphanius is stating that the true birthday of the Christ is the Feast of Epiphany, "at a distance of thirteen days from the increase of the light [i.e. December 25]; for it needs must have been that this should be a figure of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and of His twelve disciples, who make up the thirteen days of the increase of the Light." The Feast of the Epiphany was a great day in Egypt, connected with the "Birth of the ^Eon,"— a phase of the "Birth of Horus." For Epiphanius thus continues:

" How many other things in the past and present support and bear witness to this proposition, I mean the birth of Christ ! Indeed, the leaders of the idolcults,3 filled with wiles to deceive the idol-worshippers who believe in them, in many places keep highest festival on this same night of Epiphany [ = the Manifestation to Light], so that they whose hopes are in error may not seek the truth. For instance, at

1 Cf. " Isis, the Queen of Heaven, whose most ancient and distinctive title was the Virgin Mother." Marsham Adams (F.), The Book of the Master, or the Egyptian Doctrine of the Light lorn of the Virgin Mother (London, 1898), p. 63.

2 tfor., li. 22.

3 And pre-eminently, therefore, for Epiphanius, the Egyptians.