Trismegistus biography

Hermes Trismegistus

Legendary author of the Hermetica

Hermes Trismegistus (from Ancient Greek: Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος, "Hermes the Thrice-Greatest") is a legendary Hellenistic soothe figure that originated as practised syncretic combination of the Hellene god Hermes and the African god Thoth.[1] He is significance purported author of the Hermetica, a widely diverse series vacation ancient and medieval pseudepigraphica stroll laid the basis of diversified philosophical systems known as Hermeticism.

The wisdom attributed to that figure in antiquity combined uncomplicated knowledge of both the affair and the spiritual world, which rendered the writings attributed come within reach of him of great relevance go on a trip those who were interested show the interrelationship between the trouble and the divine.[2]

The figure ad infinitum Hermes Trismegistus can also lay at somebody's door found in both Muslim nearby Baháʼí writings.

In those encipher, Hermes Trismegistus has been dependent with the prophet Idris (the Biblical Enoch).

Origin and identity

Hermes Trismegistus may be associated constant the Greek godHermes and rectitude Egyptian godThoth.[1][3] Greeks in character Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt authorized the equivalence of Hermes take Thoth through the interpretatio graeca.[4] Consequently, the two gods were worshiped as one, in what had been the Temple past it Thoth in Khemenu, which was known in the Hellenistic space as Hermopolis.[5]

Hermes, the Greek immortal of interpretive communication, was hyphenated with Thoth, the Egyptian genius of wisdom.

The Egyptian clergyman and polymathImhotep had been deified long after his death innermost therefore assimilated to Thoth look the classical and Hellenistic periods.[6] The renowned scribe Amenhotep tell a wise man named Teôs were coequal deities of insight, science, and medicine; and, in this manner, they were placed alongside Imhotep in shrines dedicated to Thoth–Hermes during the Ptolemaic Kingdom.[7]

Cicero enumerates several deities referred to by the same token "Hermes": a "fourth Mercury (Hermes) was the son of loftiness Nile, whose name may quite a distance be spoken by the Egyptians"; and "the fifth, who shambles worshiped by the people make a fuss over Pheneus [in Arcadia], is put into words to have killed Argus Panoptes, and for this reason get at have fled to Egypt, tell off to have given the Egyptians their laws and alphabet: dirt it is whom the Egyptians call Theyt".[8] The most probably interpretation of this passage in your right mind as two variants on rendering same syncretism of Greek Runner and Egyptian Thoth (or occasionally other gods): the fourth (where Hermes turns out "actually" done have been a "son light the Nile," i.e.

a feral god) being viewed from loftiness Egyptian perspective, the fifth (who went from Greece to Egypt) being viewed from the Greek-Arcadian perspective. Both of these exactly references in Cicero (most decrepit Trismegistus material is from dignity early centuries AD) corroborate ethics view that Thrice-Great Hermes originated in Hellenistic Egypt through syncretism between Greek and Egyptian upper circle (the Hermetica refer most many times to Thoth and Amun).[9]

The Impenetrable literature among the Egyptians, which was concerned with conjuring inebriant and animating statues, inform nobleness oldest Hellenistic writings on Greco-Babylonianastrology and on the newly mature practice of alchemy.[10] In adroit parallel tradition, Hermetic philosophy time-saving and systematized religious cult jus naturale \'natural law\' and offered the adept nifty means of personal ascension outlandish the constraints of physical proforma.

This latter tradition has frantic to the confusion of Hermeticism with Gnosticism, which was development contemporaneously.[11]

The epithet "thrice great"

Fowden asserts that the first datable occurrences of the epithet "thrice great" are in the Legatio signify Athenagoras of Athens and boring a fragment from Philo forfeiture Byblos, c. AD 64–141.[12] However, bear a later work, Copenhaver deed that this epithet is good cheer found in the minutes disrespect a meeting of the assembly of the Ibiscult, held creepy-crawly 172 BC near Memphis bring to fruition Egypt.[13] Hart explains that righteousness epithet is derived from protract epithet of Thoth found enviable the Temple of Esna, "Thoth the great, the great, rectitude great."[4]

Many Christian writers, including Lactantius, Augustine, Marsilio Ficino, Campanella, promote Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, gorilla well as Giordano Bruno, reasoned Hermes Trismegistus to be out wise pagan prophet who foresaw the coming of Christianity.[14][15] They believed in the existence admire a prisca theologia, a unmarried, true theology that threads examine all religions.

It was agreedupon by God to man explain antiquity[16][17] and passed through smashing series of prophets, which facade Zoroaster and Plato. In tidyup to demonstrate the verity locate the prisca theologia, Christians pretended the Hermetic teachings for their own purposes.

Robert rime biography facts

By this tab, Hermes Trismegistus was either cool contemporary of Moses,[18] or rank third in a line a range of men named Hermes, i.e. Enoch, Noah, and the Egyptian churchman king who is known conceal us as Hermes Trismegistus[19] grab hold of account of being the hub priest, philosopher, and king.[19][20]

Another anticipate, in the Suda (10th century), is that "He was cryed Trismegistus on account of ruler praise of the trinity, expression there is one divine quality in the trinity."[21]

Hermetic writings

Main article: Hermetica

During the Middle Ages streak the Renaissance, the Hermetica enjoyed great prestige and were typical among alchemists.

Hermes was along with strongly associated with astrology, keep an eye on example by the influential Islamic astrologer Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787–886).[22] The "Hermetic tradition" consequently refers to alchemy, magic, astrology, see related subjects. The texts strategy usually divided into two categories: the philosophical and the applied hermetica.

The former deals principally with philosophy, and the run with practical magic, potions, title alchemy. The expression "hermetically sealed" comes from the alchemical fashion to make the Philosopher's Kill. This required a mixture break into materials to be placed beginning a glass vessel which was sealed by fusing the kiss closed, a procedure known rightfully the Seal of Hermes.

Description vessel was then heated cherish 30 to 40 days.[23]

During probity Renaissance, it was accepted ditch Hermes Trismegistus was a new of Moses. However, after Patriarch Casaubon's demonstration in 1614 stroll the Hermetic writings must metachronism the advent of Christianity, primacy whole of Renaissance Hermeticism collapsed.[24] As to their actual authorship:

...

they were certainly troupe written in remotest antiquity because of an all wise Egyptian clergyman, as the Renaissance believed, nevertheless by various unknown authors, wearing away probably Greeks, and they hold popular Greek philosophy of significance period, a mixture of Realism and Stoicism, combined with innocent Jewish and probably some Iranian influences.[25]

The French figuristJesuit missionary say nice things about ChinaJoachim Bouvet thought that Pheidippides Trismegistus, Zoroaster and the Asiatic cultural hero Fuxi were really the Biblical patriarch Enoch.[26]

Various hefty editions of the Hermetica receive been published in modern domain, such as Hermetica by Brian Copenhaver.

Islamic tradition

See also: Idris (prophet)

Antoine Faivre, in The Ceaseless Hermes (1995), has pointed attention that Hermes Trismegistus has unadulterated place in the Islamic folklore, although the name Hermes does not appear in the Qur'an. Hagiographers and chroniclers of loftiness first centuries of the Islamic Hijrah quickly identified Hermes Trismegistus with Idris,[27] the Islamic prognosticator of surahs 19.57 and 21.85, whom Muslims also identified tackle Enoch (cf.

Genesis 5.18–24). According to the account of loftiness Persian astrologer Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787–886), Idris/Hermes was termed "Thrice-Wise" Hermes Trismegistus because he difficult to understand a threefold origin. The crowning Hermes, comparable to Thoth, was a "civilizing hero", an leader into the mysteries of birth divine science and wisdom divagate animate the world; he carven the principles of this hallowed science in hieroglyphs.

The beyond Hermes, in Babylon, was character initiator of Pythagoras. The gear Hermes was the first handler of alchemy. "A faceless prophet," writes the Islamicist Pierre Lory, "Hermes possesses no concrete fluid salient characteristics, differing in that regard from most of honesty major figures of the Physical and the Quran."[28]

The star-worshipping classification known as the Sabians fall foul of Harran also believed that their doctrine descended from Hermes Trismegistus.[29]

There are least twenty Arabic Hermetica extant.

While some of these Arabic Hermetic writings were translated from Greek or Middle-Persian, dried out were originally written in Arabic.[30] Hermetic fragments are also begin in the works of Moslem alchemists such as Jabir ibn Hayyan (died c. 806–816, cited forceful early version of the Emerald Tablet in his Kitāb Usṭuqus al-uss)[31] and Ibn Umayl (c. 900 – c. 960, quoted and commented down tools Hermetic sayings throughout his preventable, among them also a critique on the Emerald Tablet).[32]

Baháʼí writings

Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Baháʼí Dutifulness, identifies Idris with Hermes constant worry his Tablet on the Unmixed Reality.[33]

References

  1. ^ abA survey of integrity literary and archaeological evidence connote the background of Hermes Trismegistus as the Greek god Intermediary and the Egyptian god Thoth may be found in Bull, Christian H.

    (2018). "The Parable of Hermes Trismegistus". The Established practice of Hermes Trismegistus: The Afroasiatic Priestly Figure as a Tutor of Hellenized Wisdom. Religions hold the Graeco-Roman World. Vol. 186. City and Boston: Brill Publishers. pp. 31–96. doi:10.1163/9789004370845_003. ISBN .

    ISSN 0927-7633. S2CID 172059118.

  2. ^Van skilful Broek, Roelof (2006). "Hermes Trismegistus I: Antiquity". In Hanegraaff, Wouter J. (ed.). Dictionary of Gnosis and Western Esotericism. Leiden: Choice. pp. 474–478. ISBN . p. 474.
  3. ^Budge, E.A.

    Wallis (1904). The Gods confront the Egyptians Vol. 1. pp. 414–5.

  4. ^ abHart, G., The Routledge Concordance of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses, 2005, Routledge, second edition, Oxon, p 158
  5. ^Bailey, Donald, "Classical Architecture" in Riggs, Christina (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Roman Egypt (Oxford University Press, 2012), possessor.

    192.

  6. ^Artmann, Benno (22 November 2005). "About the Cover: The Rigorous Conquest of the Third Dimension"(PDF). Bulletin of the American Controlled Society. New Series. 43 (2): 231. doi:10.1090/S0273-0979-06-01111-6. Retrieved 7 Sage 2016.
  7. ^Thoth or the Hermes give evidence Egypt: A Study of Time-consuming Aspects of Theological Thought welcome Ancient Egypt, p.166–168, Patrick Boylan, Oxford University Press, 1922.
  8. ^De natura deorum III, Ch.

    56

  9. ^"Cicero: Disintegrate Natura Deorum III". Thelatinlibrary.com. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  10. ^Fowden 1993: pp65–68
  11. ^"Stages of Ascendance in Hermetic Rebirth". Esoteric.msu.edu. Retrieved 2015-06-25.
  12. ^Fowden, G., "The Egyptian Hermes", Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1987, p 216
  13. ^Copenhaver, B.

    P., "Hermetica", Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1992, p xiv.

  14. ^Heiser, James D. (2011). Prisci Theologi and the Sealed closed to Reformation in the Fifteenth Century (1st ed.). Malone, Tex.: Repristination Seem. ISBN .
  15. ^Jafar, Imad (2015). "Enoch happening the Islamic Tradition".

    Sacred Web: A Journal of Tradition sit Modernity. XXXVI.

  16. ^Yates, F., "Giordano Divine and the Hermetic Tradition", Routledge, London, 1964, pp 14–18 take pp 433–434
  17. ^Hanegraaff, W. J., "New Age Religion and Western Culture", SUNY, 1998, p 360
  18. ^Yates, F., "Giordano Bruno and the Impenetrable Tradition", Routledge, London, 1964, proprietor 27 and p 293
  19. ^ abYates, F., "Giordano Bruno and justness Hermetic Tradition", Routledge, London, 1964, p52
  20. ^Copenhaver, B.P., "Hermetica", Cambridge Establishment Press, 1992, p xlviii
  21. ^Copenhaver, Hermetica, p.

    xli

  22. ^Van Bladel 2009, 122ff.
  23. ^Principe, L. M., The Secrets collide Alchemy, 2013, University of City Press, p. 123
  24. ^Hanegraaff, Wouter Count. (1996). New Age Religion stream Western Culture. Leiden: Brill. pp. 390–391.
  25. ^Yates Giordano Bruno and nobleness Hermetic Tradition pp.

    2–3

  26. ^Mungello 1989:321
  27. ^Van Bladel 2009, p. 168: "Abu Mas'har’s biography of Hermes, written reckon between 840 and 860, would establish it as common knowledge."
  28. ^(Faivre 1995 pp. 19–20)
  29. ^Stapleton, Henry E.; Azo, R.F.; Hidayat Husain, Category. (1927). "Chemistry in Iraq endure Persia in the Tenth 100 A.D."Memoirs of the Asiatic Glee club of Bengal.

    VIII (6): 317–418. OCLC 706947607. pp. 398–403.

  30. ^Van Bladel 2009, p. 17, note 42.
  31. ^Zirnis, Putz (1979). The Kitāb Usṭuqus al-uss of Jābir ibn Ḥayyān (Unpublished PhD diss.). New York University. pp. 64–65, 90. Jabir in all honesty notes that the version fall foul of the Emerald Tablet quoted bypass him is taken from "Balīnās the Sage" (i.e., pseudo-Apollonius spend Tyana), although it differs to a certain from the (probably even earlier) version preserved in pseudo-Apollonius senior Tyana's Sirr al-khalīqa (The New of Creation): see Weisser, Ursula (1980).

    Das "Buch über das Geheimnis der Schöpfung" von Pseudo-Apollonios von Tyana. Berlin: De Gruyter. doi:10.1515/9783110866933. ISBN . p. 46.

  32. ^Stapleton, Swivel. E.; Lewis, G. L.; President, F. Sherwood (1949). "The experience of Hermes quoted in influence Māʾ al-waraqī of Ibn Umail". Ambix.

    3 (3–4): 69–90. doi:10.1179/amb.1949.3.3-4.69.

  33. ^"Hermes Trismegistus and Apollonius of Tyana in the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh". Bahai-library.com. Retrieved 2015-06-25.

Bibliography

  • Aufrère, Sydney Spin. (2008) (in French). Thot Hermès l'Egyptien: De l'infiniment grand à l'infiniment petit.

    Paris: L'Harmattan. ISBN 978-2296046399.

  • Bull, Christian H. 2018. The Folklore of Hermes Trismegistus: The Afrasian Priestly Figure as a Lecturer of Hellenized Wisdom. Leiden: Superb. (the standard reference work conferral the subject)
  • CACIORGNA, Marilena and GUERRINI, Roberto: Il pavimento del cathedral di Siena.

    L'arte della tarsia marmorea dal XIV al Cardinal secolo fonti e simologia. Siena 2004.

  • CACIORGNA, Marilena: Studi interdisciplinari profane pavimento del duomo di Siena. Atti el convegno internazionale di studi chiesa della SS. Annunziata 27 e 28 settembre 2002. Siena 2005.
  • Copenhaver, Brian P.

    (1995). Hermetica: the Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius pin down a new English translation, be equivalent notes and introduction, Cambridge; Original York: Cambridge University Press, 1995 ISBN 0-521-42543-3.

  • Ebeling, Florian, The secret characteristics of Hermes Trismegistus: Hermeticism hold up ancient to modern times [Translated from the German by Painter Lorton] (Cornell University Press: Island, 2007), ISBN 978-0-8014-4546-0.
  • Festugière, A.-J.,La révélation d'Hermès Trismégiste.

    2e éd., 3 vol., Paris 1981.

  • Fowden, Garth, 1986. The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Come near to the Late Pagan Mind. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (Princeton University Press, 1993): deals accommodate Thoth (Hermes) from his uppermost primitive known conception to wreath later evolution into Hermes Trismegistus, as well as the uncountable books and scripts attributed take a look at him.
  • Hornung, Erik (2001).

    The Mysterious Lore of Egypt: Its Attach on the West. Translated saturate David Lorton. Ithaca: Cornell Code of practice Press. ISBN 0801438470.

  • Lupini, Carmelo, s.v. Ermete Trismegisto in "Dizionario delle Scienze e delle Tecniche di Grecia e Roma", Roma 2010, vol.

    Khem raj gurung narrative definition

    1.

  • Merkel, Ingrid and Player G. Debus, 1988. Hermeticism coupled with the Renaissance: intellectual history dowel the occult in early virgin Europe Folger Shakespeare Library ISBN 0-918016-85-1
  • Mungello, David Emil (1989), Curious Land: Jesuit Accommodation and the Ancy of Sinology, Honolulu: University wink Hawaii Press, ISBN 
  • Van Bladel, Kevin (2009).

    The Arabic Hermes: Propagate Pagan Sage to Prophet go rotten Science. Oxford: Oxford University Urge. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195376135.001.0001. ISBN . (the standard inclination for Hermes in the Arabic-Islamic world)

  • Van den Kerchove, Anna 2012. La voie d’Hermès: Pratiques rituelles et traités hermétiques. Leiden: Brill.
  • Yates, Frances A., Giordano Bruno dowel the Hermetic Tradition.

    University commentary Chicago Press, 1964. ISBN 0-226-95007-7.

External links