THE CORPUS HERMETICUM

THE HERMETICA

Hermes Trismegistus is accredited with writing THE HERMETICA, or CORPUS HERMETICUM. These texts were once believed to be ancient, but in the 17th century it was established that they were written in Alexandria in the first three centuries of the Christian Era. They may, however, have been elaborated from much earlier manuscripts. Some of these writings were translated by Arab scholars from Greek and Coptic manuscripts and were introduced into Europe via the Moors of Iberia in the 12th Century.

The main body of writings, however, was not translated until 1471, when Cosimo De Medici, the great patron of the Florentine Renaissance, instructed Marsilio Ficino to interrupt his translations of Plato to translate into Latin a Greek set of The Hermetica that he had obtained from Byzantium. Cosimo was determined that he should read the legendary writings of Hermes before he died. Ficino did not let him down. The recent development of printing allowed for the Hermetica's swift dispensation throughout Europe.

THE GREAT MIRACLE

The impact of The Hermetica on Renaissance philosophy was enormous. Here was an ancient body of theological, magical and medical writings of extraordinary beauty, intellectual power and spiritual authority, in which Jew, Christian and Muslim could find confirmations, amplifications and refinements of their own sacred teachings.

In The Hermetica, the CREATION MYTH becomes a much richer, more detailed and expressive allegory, an awesome ALCHEMICAL PROCESS. Hermes describes man as "the great miracle," capable of achieving godhood as an individual by transcending the stages of being that separate him from the DIVINE. Man is dignified as being truly made "in the image of God," being the microcosm that reflects the macrocosm. This is emphasized by Hermes' great dictum, "as above, so below," with its correlate "as within, so without." Everything in creation finds its reflection in Man. He therefore has at his disposal all the tools he needs to achieve his DIVINE DESTINY, should he choose to accept it.