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(p. 1) 2. THE VIRGIN OF THE WORLD Part I
HAVING thus spoken, Heaven, crowned with stars, is placed above universal nature, O my son Horos, and nothing is wanting to it of that which
constitutes the whole world. It is necessary, then, that all nature should be adorned
and completed by that which is above her, for this Order could not proceed from
below to above. The supremacy (p. 2) of the greater mysteries over the lesser is imperative.
Celestial order reigns over terrestrial order, as being absolutely determined,
and inaccessible to the idea of death. Wherefore, the things below lament,
being filled with fear before the marvellous beauty
and eternal permanence of the heavenly world. For, indeed, a spectacle worthy
of contemplation and desire were these magnificences
of heaven, revelations of the God as yet unknown, and this sumptuous majesty of
night illumined with a penetrating radiance, albeit less than that of the sun,
and all these other mysteries which move above in harmonious cadence, ruling
and maintaining the things below by secret influences. And so long as the
Universal Architect refrained from putting an end to this incessant fear, to
these anxious investigations, ignorance enveloped the universe. But when He
judged good to reveal Himself to the world, He breathed into the Gods the
enthusiasm of love, and poured into their mind the splendour
which His bosom contained, that they might first be inspired with the will to
seek, next with the desire to find, and lastly with the power to readjust. Now, my wondrous child Horos, all this could
not happen among mortals, for as yet they did not exist; but it took place in
the universal Soul in sympathy with the mysteries of heaven. This was Hermes,
the Kosmic Thought. He beheld the universe of things,
and having seen, he understood, and having understood, he had the power to
manifest and to reveal. That which he thought, he wrote; that which he wrote,
he in great part concealed, wisely silent and speaking by turns, so that while
the world should last, these things might be sought. And thus, having enjoined
upon the Gods, his brethren, that they should follow in his train, he ascended
to the (p. 3) stars. But he had for successor his son, and the heir of
his knowledges, Tat, and a little later, Asclepios,
son of Imouthè, by the counsels of Pan and Hephaistos, (1) and all those for whom
sovereign Hermes then justified himself in the presence of those who surrounded
him, in that he had not delivered the integral theory to his son, on account of
his youth. But I, having arisen, beheld with mine eyes, which see the invisible
secrets of the beginnings of things (2) and at length, but with
certainty, I understood that the sacred symbols of the Kosmic
elements were hidden near the secrets of Osiris.
Hermes returned to heaven, having, pronounced an invocatory speech. It is not fitting, O my Son, that this recital be left incomplete; thou
must be informed of the words of (p. 4) Hermes
when he laid down his books. "O sacred books," he said, "of the
Immortals, ye in whose pages my hand has recorded the remedies by which
incorruptibility is conferred, remain for ever beyond the reach of destruction
and of decay, invisible and concealed from all who frequent these regions, until
the day shall come in which the ancient heaven shall bring forth instruments
worthy of you, whom the Creator shall call souls." Having pronounced upon his books this invocation, he wrapped them in
their coverings, returned into the sphere which belonged to him, and all
remained hidden for a sufficient space. And Nature, O my Son, was barren until the hour in which those who are
ordained to survey the heavens, advancing towards God, the King of all things,
deplored the general inertia, and affirmed the necessity of setting forth the
universe. No other than Himself could accomplish this
work. "We pray Thee," said they, "to consider that which
already is, and that which is necessary for the future." At these words, the God smiled benignant, and
commanded Nature to exist. And, issuing with His voice, the feminine came
forth in her perfect beauty. The Gods with amaze beheld this marvel. And the
great Ancestor, pouring out for Nature an elixir, commanded her to be fruitful;
and forthwith, penetrating the universe with His glance, He cried, "Let
heaven be the plenitude of all things, and of the air, and of the ether."
God spake,
and it was done. But Nature, communing with herself, understood that she might
not transgress the commandment of the Father, and, uniting herself to Labour, she produced a most beautiful daughter, whom she
called Invention, and to whom God accorded being. And having differentiated created forms, He filled (p. 5) them with mysteries, and gave the command of them to
Invention. Then, not willing that the upper world should be inactive, He saw fit to
fill it with spirits, in order that no region should remain in immobility and
inertia; and in the accomplishment of His work He used His sacred art. For,
taking of Himself such essence as was necessary and
mingling with it an intellectual flame, He combined with these other materials
by unknown ways. And having achieved by secret formulas the union of these
principles, He endowed with motion the universal combination. Gradually, in the
midst of the protoplasm, glittered a substance more subtle, purer, more limpid, than the elements from which it was generated.
It was transparent, and the Artist alone perceived it. Soon, it attained its
perfection, being neither melted by the fire, nor chilled by the breath, but
possessing the stability of a special combination, and having its proper type
and constitution. He bestowed on it a happy name, and, according to the
similitude of its energies, He called it Self-Consciousness. Of this product he formed myriads of Souls, employing the choicest part
of the mixture for the end which He had in view, proceeding with order and
measure, according to His knowledge and His reason. The souls were not
necessarily different, but the choicest part, animated by the Divine motion,
was not identical with the rest The first layer was superior to the second,
more perfect and pure; the second, inferior truly to the first, was superior to
the third; and thus, until sixty degrees, was completed the total number. Only,
God established this law, that all equally should be
eternal, being of one essence, whose forms He alone determines. He traced the limits of their sojourn on the heights (p. 6) of nature, so that they might turn the wheel according
to the laws of Order and of wise discretion, for the joy of their Father. Then,
having summoned to these splendid regions of ether the souls of every grade, He
said to them: "O souls, beautiful children of my breath and of my care,
you whom I have produced with my hands, in order to consecrate you to my
universe, hear my words as a law: – Quit not the place assigned to you by
my will. The abode which awaits you is heaven, with its galaxy of stars and its
thrones of virtue. If you attempt any transgression against my decree, I swear
by my sacred breath, by that elixir of which I formed you, and by my creative
hands, that I will speedily forge for you chains and cast you into
punishment." Having thus spoken, God, my Master, mingled together the rest
of the congenial elements, earth and water, and pronouncing certain powerful
and mystic words – albeit different from the first – He breathed
into the liquid protoplasm motion and life, rendered it thicker and more
plastic, and formed of it living beings of human shape. That which remained He
gave to the loftiest souls inhabiting the region of the Gods in the neighbourhood of the stars, who are called the Sacred
Genii. "Work," said He, "my children, offspring of my nature;
take the residue of my task, and let each one of you make beings in his image.
I will give you models." Therewith He took the Zodiac and ordained the world in conformity with
vital movements, placing the animal signs after those of human form. And after
having given forth the creative forces and generative breath for the whole
range of beings yet to come, He (p. 7) withdrew, promising to unite to every visible work
an invisible breath and a reproductive principle, so that each being might
engender its similar without necessity to create continually new entities. (1) And what did the souls do, O my Mother? And (p. 8) that this search might excite the anger of the Father,
they set themselves to carry out His commands. Therefore, taking the upper portion
of the protoplasm, that which was lightest, they created of it the race of
birds. The compound having now become more compact and assuming a denser
consistency, they formed of it the quadrupeds; while of the thickest part which
needed a moist vehicle for its support, they made fishes. The remainder, being
cold and heavy, was employed by the souls in the creation of reptiles. Forthwith,
O my Son, proud of their work, they were not afraid to transgress the Divine
law, and, in spite of the prohibition, they receded from their appointed
limits. Not willing to remain longer in the same abode, they moved ceaselessly,
and repose seemed to them death. (1) But,
O my Son – (thus Hermes informed me) – their conduct could not
escape the eye of the Lord God of all things; He minded to punish them, and to
prepare for them hard bonds. The Ruler and Master of the universe resolved then
for the penance of the souls, to mould the human organism, and having called me
to (p. 9) Him,
said Hermes, He spoke in this wise: – "O soul of my soul, holy
thought of my thought, how long shall earthly Nature remain sad? How long shall
the creation already produced continue inactive and without praise? Bring
hither before me all the Gods of heaven." Thus God spake, quoth
Hermes, and all obeyed His decree. "Look upon the earth," He said to
them, "and upon all things beneath." Straightway
they looked, and understood the will of the Lord. And when He spoke to them of
the creation of Man, asking of each what he could bestow upon the race about to
be born, the Sun first replied: – "I will illumine mankind."
Then the Moon promised enlightenment in her turn, adding that already she had
created Fear, Silence, Sleep, and Memory. Kronos
announced that he had begotten Justice and Necessity. Zeus said, "In order
to spare the future race perpetual wars, I have generated Fortune, Hope, and
Peace." Ares declared himself already father of Conflict, impetuous Zeal,
and Emulation, Aphrodite did not wait to be called upon: "As for me, O Master,"
she said, "I will bestow upon mankind Desire, with voluptuous Joy and
Laughter, that the penalty to which our sister Souls are destined may not weigh
on them too hardly." These words of Aphrodite, O my Son, were welcomed
gladly. "And I," said Hermes, "will endow human
nature with Wisdom, Temperance, Persuasion, and Truth; nor will I cease to ally
myself with Invention. I will ever protect the mortal life of such men
as are born under my signs, seeing that to me the Creator and Father has
attributed in the Zodiac, signs of Knowledge and Intelligence; above all, when
the movement (p. 10) which draws thereto the stars is in harmony with the
physical forces of each." (1) He
Who is Master of the world rejoiced at hearing these
things, and decreed the production of the human face. As for me – said
Hermes – I sought what material ought to be employed in the work, and
invoked the Lord. He commanded the Souls to give up the residue of the protoplastic substance, which having taken,
I found it entirely dried up. Therefore, I used a great excess of water
wherewith to renew the combination of the substance, in such wise that the
product might be resolvable, yielding, and feeble, and that Force should not be
added therein to Intelligence. When I had achieved my work it was beautiful,
and I rejoiced in seeing it. And from below I called upon the Lord to behold
what I had done. He saw it, and approved. Straightway He ordained that the
Souls should be incorporated; and they were seized with horror on learning what
should be their condemnation. These words, said (p. 11) The Souls were about to be imprisoned in bodies, whereat some sighed and
lamented, as when some wild and free animal suddenly enchained, in the first
moment of subjection to hard servitude and of severance from the beloved habits
of the wilderness, struggles and revolts, refusing to follow its conqueror, and
if occasion presents itself, slaying him. Others, again, hissed like serpents, or
gave vent to piercing cries and sorrowful words, glancing aimlessly from height
to depth. "Great Heaven," said one, "principle of our birth, ether,
pure airs, hands, and sacred breath of the sovereign God, and you, shining
Stars, eyes of the Gods, unwearying light of Sun and
Moon, our early brethren, what grief, what rending is this! Must we quit these
vast, effulgent spaces, this sacred sphere, all these splendors of the empyrean
and of the happy republic of the Gods, to be precipitated into these vile and
miserable abodes? What crime. O wretched ones, have we committed? How can we
have merited, poor sinners that we are, the penalties which await us? Behold
the sad future in store for us – to minister to the wants of a
fluctuating and dissoluble body! No more may our eyes distinguish the souls
divine! Hardly through these watery spheres shall we perceive, with sighs, our
ancestral heaven; at intervals even we shall cease altogether to behold it. By
this disastrous sentence direct vision is denied to us; we can see only by the
aid of the outer light; these are but windows that we possess – not eyes.
Nor will our pain be less when we hear in the air the fraternal breathing of
the winds with which no longer can we mingle our own, since that will have for
its dwelling, instead of the sublime and open world, the narrow prison of the
breast! But Thou, Who drivest us forth, and causest us from so (p.12) high a seat to descend so low, assign a limit to our
sufferings! O Master and Father, so quickly become indifferent to Thy
handiwork, appoint a term to our penance, deign to bestow on us some last
words, while yet we are able to behold the expanse of the luminous spheres. This prayer of the Souls was granted, my son Horos,
for the Lord was present; and sitting upon the throne of Truth, thus He
addressed them: – "O Souls; you shall be governed by Desire and Necessity; after me,
these shall be your masters and your guides. Souls, subjected to my sceptre which never fails, know that inasmuch as you remain
stainless you shall inhabit the regions of the skies. If among you any be found
to merit reproach, they shall inhabit abodes destined to them in mortal
organisms. If your faults be light, you shall, delivered from the bond of the
flesh, return to heaven. But if you become guilty of graver crime, if you turn
away from the end for which you have been formed, then indeed you shall, dwell
neither in heaven nor in human bodies, but thenceforth you shall pass into
those of animals without reason." (1) (p. 13) Having
thus spoken, O my son Horos, He breathed upon them,
and said, "It is not according to chance that I have ordained your
destiny; if you act ill, it will be worse; it will be better if your actions
are worthy of your birth. It is myself and not another
who will be your witness and your judge. Understand that it is because of your
past errors that you are to be punished and shut up in fleshly bodies. In
different bodies, as I have already told you, your re-births will be different.
Dissolution shall be a benefit, restoring your former happy condition. But if
your conduct be unworthy of me, your prudence, becoming blinded and guiding you
backwards, will cause you to take for good fortune that which is really a
chastisement, and to dread a happier lot as though it were a cruel injury. The
most just among you shall, in their future transformations, approximate to the (p. 14) divine,
becoming among men, upright kings, true philosophers, leaders and legislators, true
seers, collectors of salutary plants, cunning musicians, intelligent
astronomers, wise augurs, instructed ministrants: all beautiful and good
offices; as among birds are the eagles which pursue not nor devour those of
their own kind, and do not permit weaker ones to be attacked in their presence,
because justice is in the nature of the eagle; among quadrupeds, the lion, for
he is a strong animal, untamed by slumber, in a mortal body performing immortal
toils, and by nothing tired nor beguiled; among reptiles, the dragon, because
he is powerful, living long, innocent, and a friend of men, allowing himself to
be tamed, having no venom, and, leaving old age, approximating to the nature of
the Gods; among fishes, the dolphin, for this creature, taking pity on those
who fall into the sea, will carry them to land if they still live, and will
abstain from devouring them if dead, although it is the most voracious of all
aquatic animals." Having
spoken these words, God became an Incorruptible Intelligence (i.e., resumed
the unmanifest). After
these things, my son Horos, there arose out of the
earth an exceeding powerful Spirit, unencumbered with any corporeal envelope,
strong in wisdom, but savage and fearful; although he could not be ignorant of
the knowledge he sought, seeing the type of the human body to be beautiful and
august of aspect, and perceiving that the souls were about to enter into their
envelopes: – "What
are these," said he, "O Hermes, Secretary of the Gods?"
"These are men," replied Hermes. "It is a rash work," said
he, "to make man with such penetrating eyes, such a subtle tongue, such a
delicate (p. 15) hearing that can hear even those things which
concern him not, such a fine scent, and in his hands a sense of touch capable
of appropriating everything. O generating Spirit, thinkest
thou it is well that he should be free from care – this future
investigator of the fine mysteries of Nature? Wilt thou leave him exempt from
suffering – he whose thought will search out the
limits of the earth? Mankind will dig up the roots of plants, they will study
the properties of natural juices they will observe the nature of stones, they will dissect not only animals but themselves,
desiring to know how they have been formed. They will stretch forth their
daring hands over the sea, and, cutting down the timber of the wild forest,
they will pass from shore to shore seeking one another. They will pursue the
inmost secrets of Nature even into the heights, and will study the motions of
heaven. Nor is this enough; when nothing yet remains to be known than the
furthest boundary of the earth, they will seek even there the last extremities
of night. If they apprehend no obstacle, if they live exempt from trouble,
beyond reach of any fear or of any anxiety, even heaven itself will not arrest
their audacity; they will seek to extend their power over the elements. Teach
them, then, desire and hope, in such wise that they may know likewise the dread
of accident and of difficulty, and the painful sting of expectation deceived. Let
the curiosity of their souls have for balance, desire and fear, care and vain
hope. Let their souls be a prey to mutual love, to aspirations and
varied longings, now satisfied, now deceived, so that even the sweetness of success
may be an allurement to draw them towards misfortune. Let the weight of fevers
oppress them, and break in them all desire." Thou sufferest,
Horos, in hearing this thy mother's (p. 16) recital? Surprise and wonder seize thee in
presence of the evils which now fall upon poor humanity? That which thou art
about to hear is still more sad. The speech of Momos
pleased Hermes; he deemed his advice good, and he followed it. "O, Momos," said he, "the
nature of the divine breath which enwraps all things shall not be ineffectual!
The Master of the universe has charged me to be His agent and overseer. The
Deity of the penetrating eye (Adrastia) (1)
will observe and direct all events; and for my part, I will design a mysterious
instrument, a measure inflexible and inviolable, to which everything shall be
subject from birth even to final destruction, and which shall be the bond of
created entities. This instrument shall rule that which is on the earth, and
all the rest." It is thus – quoth Hermes – that I spoke to Momos; and
forthwith the instrument operated. Straightway the souls were incorporated, and
I was praised for my work. Then the Lord summoned anew the assembly of the Gods. They gathered
together, and He thus addressed them: – "Gods, who have received a sovereign and imperishable nature, and
the sway of the vast eternity, ye whose office it is to maintain unceasingly
the mutual harmony of things, how long shall we govern an empire unknown? How
long shall creation remain invisible to the sun and moon? Let each of (p. 17) us undertake his part in the universe. By the exercise
of our power let us put an end to the cohesion of inertia. Let chaos become a
fable, incredible to posterity. Inaugurate your great labours;
I will direct you." He said, and immediately the Kosmic unity,
until now obscure, was opened, and in the heights appeared the heavens with all
their mysteries. The earth, hitherto unstable, grew more solid beneath the
brightness of the sun, and stood forth adorned with enfolding riches. All
things are beautiful in the eyes of God, even that which to mortals appears
uncomely, because all is made according to the divine laws. And God rejoiced in
beholding His works filled with movement; and with outstretched hands grasping
the treasures of nature. "Take these," He said, "O sacred earth,
take these, O venerable one, who art to be the mother of all things, and
henceforth let nothing be lacking to thee!" With these words, opening His divine hands, He poured His treasures into
the universal font. But yet they were unknown, for the souls newly embodied and
unable to support their opprobrium, sought to enter into rivalry with the
celestial Gods, and, proud of their lofty origin, boasting an equal creation
with these, revolted. Thus men became their instruments, opposed to one
another, and fomenting civil wars. And thus, force oppressing weakness, the
strong burnt and massacred the feeble, and quick and dead were thrust forth
from the sacred places. Then the elements resolved to complain before the Lord of the savage
condition of mankind. For the evil being already very grievous,
the elements hastened (p. 18) to God the Creator, and pleaded in this wise – the fire being suffered to speak
first: – (1) "O Master," he said, "Maker of this new world, Thou whose
name, mysterious among the Gods, has hitherto been revered among all men; how
long, O Divinity, hast Thou decreed to leave human life without God? Reveal Thyself to the world which calls for Thee, correct its
savage existence by the institution of peace. Grant unto life, law, grant unto
night oracles; fill all things with happy auguries; let (p. 19) men fear the judgment of the Gods, and no man shall sin
any more. Let crimes receive their just punishment, and men will abstain from
unrighteousness. They will fear to violate oaths, and madness will have an end.
Teach them gratitude for benefits, so shall I devote my flame to pure offerings
and libations, and the altars shall yield Thee exhalations of sweet savours. For now I am polluted, O Master, because the
impious temerity of men forces me to consume flesh. They will not suffer me to
remain in my nature; they pervert and corrupt my purity!" The air spoke in its turn: – "I am defiled by the effluvium
of corpses, O Master; I am becoming pestilent and unwholesome, and from on high
I witness things which I ought not to behold." Then the water took up the word, and spoke on this wise, O my
illustrious son, and thus began: – "Father and wondrous Creator of all things, Divinity incarnate,
Author of Nature who brings forth all through Thee, command the waters of the
streams to be always pure, for now both rivers and seas are compelled to bathe
the destroyer and to receive his victims!" Then at the last the earth appeared, O my glorious son, and thus began: – "O
King, Chief of celestial choirs and Lord of their orbits, Master and Father of
the elements which lend to all things increase and decrease, and into which all
must return; behold how the impious and insensate tribe of man overspreads me,
O venerable One, since by Thy commands I am the habitation of all beings,
bearing them all and receiving into my bosom all that is slain; such is now my
reproach. Thy terrestrial world in which all creatures are contained (p. 20) is bereft of God. And because they revere nothing, they
transgress every law and overwhelm me with all manner of evil works. To my
shame, O Lord, I admit into myself the product of the corruption of carcases. But I, who receive all things, would fain also
receive God. Grant to earth this grace, and if Thou comest
not Thyself – for indeed I cannot contain Thee
– let me at least receive some holy efflux of Thee. Let the earth become
the most glorious of all the elements; and since she alone gives all things to
all, may she revere herself as the recipient of Thy favours." Thus the elements discoursed, and forthwith God filled the universe with
His divine voice. "Go," said He, "sacred offspring, worthy of
your Father's greatness, seek not to change anything, nor refuse to my
creatures your ministry. I will send you an efflux of myself, a pure Being who
shall investigate all actions, who shall be the dreadful and incorruptible
Judge of the living; and sovereign justice shall extend its reign even into the
shades beneath the earth. Thus shall every man receive his merited deserts." Thereupon the elements ceased from their complaints, and each of them
resumed its functions and its sway. And in what manner, O my mother, said Horos,
did the earth afterwards obtain this efflux of God? I will not recount this Nativity, said Isis; I dare not, O powerful Horos, declare the origin of thy race, lest men in the
future should learn the generation of the Gods. I will say only that the
Supreme God, Creator and Architect of the world, at length accorded to earth
for a season, thy father Osiris and the great Goddess
Isis, that they might bring the expected (p. 21) salvation. By them life attained its fulness; savage and bloody wars were ended; they
consecrated temples to the Gods their ancestors, and instituted oblations. They
gave to mortals law, nourishment, and raiment.
"They shall read," Hermes said, "my mystic writings, and
dividing them into two parts, they shall keep certain of them, and inscribe
upon columns and obelisks those which may be useful to man." Institutors
of the first tribunals, they established everywhere the reign of order and
justice. With them began the faith of treaties, and the introduction into human
life of the religious duty of oaths. They taught the rites of sepulture towards
those who cease to live; they interrogated the horrors of death; they shewed
that the spirit from without delights to return into the human body, and that
if the way of entry be shut against it, it brings about a failure of life.
Instructed by Hermes, they engraved upon hidden tables that the air is filled
with genii. Instructed by Hermes in the secret laws of God, they alone were the
teachers and legislators of mankind, initiating them in the arts, the sciences,
and the benefits of civilised life. Instructed by
Hermes concerning the sympathetic affinities which the Creator has established
between heaven and earth, they instituted religious representations and
sacred mysteries. And, considering the corruptible nature of all bodies, they
ordained prophetic initiation, so that the prophet who lifts his hands to the
Gods should be instructed in all things, and that thereby philosophy and magic
might provide nourishment for the soul, and medicine might heal the sufferings
of the flesh. Having
performed all these things, O my son, and seeing the world arrived at its fulness, Osiris and I were
recalled by the inhabitants of heaven; but we (p. 22) could not return thither without having first praised the
Lord, so that the celestial Vision might fill the expanse, and that the way of
a happy ascension might open before us, since God delights in hymns. O my mother, said Horos, teach me this hymn,
that I also may be instructed in it. Hearken, my son, answered
footnotes
(3:1) The
text of this passage presents great difficulties and uncertainties. The words
in Canter's edition, Άσκληπιός ό ίμούΘμς
σπανός και ́ηΦαίστου
Є́ονλαι̃ς,
Canter reads Asclepios, Ammon,
and Hephaistobulus. Patrizzi
changes ́ηΦαίστον
Єονλαι̃ς
into ́ηΦαιστοЄύλης,
and renders it Asclepios Imuthes,
Spanos and Hephaestobulus.
Others read πανός in place
of σπανός, which is
plausible enough, but at the same time they preserve ήΦαιστοЄ́ούλης,
and then ίμούΘης
becomes a surname of Asclepios, who would thus be son
of Pan and Hephaistoboulè, an absolutely
unknown goddess. But in another fragment we read, a little further on, Άσκληπιός ό ίμούΘμς
and Άσκληπιός ό ήΘαιστου,
and the word πάλιν
indicates that it refers to the same Asclepios, and
not to two persons of the same name. It may be, then, that Imouthè
was the name of his mother, as Fabricius supposes. Is
it not likely that it is the Greek form of "Mouth"? The Egyptian Asclepios was represented bald, according to Synésios; the word, which means bald, might then be
retained. But in this case, in order that the phrase may have a meaning, it
would be necessary to change Єονλαι̃ς
into Єονλαι̃ος,
and translate: – Asclepios, the bald Imouthès, and counsellor
of Hephaistos. (3:2) This
sentence is very obscure; the participles are in the masculine, as though the
author had forgotten that a goddess was speaking. I believe the text of the
passage must have been altered. (7:1) This recital of the
creation of the souls recalls the Timaeus of Plato. After all the Gods were born,
the Artificer of the universe thus addressed them: – "Gods of gods,
of whom I am the Creator and Father, and who, formed by me, are by my will
indissoluble, learn what I now say to you. (...) In order that mortal natures
may exist, and that the universe may be indeed universal, turn yourselves
according to your nature to the formation of animals, imitating the power which
I employed in the generation of yourselves. (...) I myself will deliver the
seeds and beginnings; and for the rest do you weave together the mortal and
immortal nature, constructing and producing animals." He said, and into
the same cup in which He had mingled and tempered the soul of the Universe, He
poured the residue, and mixed it in the same manner, but in less pure combinations
of a second and third order. And having constituted the universe, He allotted
souls to the stars in equal number, distributing each to each; and causing
every one to mount his vehicle. He displayed to them the nature of the
universe, and taught them the laws of Destiny. [It
may be added, also, that this legend, quaint and grotesque as it is in many of
its details, is, likewise, in accord with the Kabbala,
which recounts the pre-mundane history of the souls, their creation, their
transgression, and their punishment, in much the same fashion. The creation of
the visible world by the "working gods," or Titans, as agents for the
Supreme God, is a thoroughly Hermetic idea, recognizable in all religious
systems, and in accord with modern scientific research, which shews us
everywhere the Divine Power operating secretly through natural forces. A. K.] (8:1) In reading this
allegory, it must be borne in mind that the word "Soul" is used as a
general term for all Egos or Intelligences, whether Genii or Men. Further, that
in these Fragments, as in the Hebrew Scriptures, the same truths are repeated
under different symbols in different passages. Hence the creation of Nature and
of "differentiated forms" has already been otherwise depicted in a
previous paragraph; and the whole process of the evolution of the Soul has been
epitomized in the fable of the making of the protoplasm. The descent into
generation occurs, actually, when the Titans first begin the manipulation of
this protoplasm. The human body, although last in manifestation, is really the
first in the Divine intention, and is the ultimate cause of all the series of
objective forms. Hermetically speaking, there is nothing in the whole universe,
save Man. A. K. (10:1) Heeren sees in these metaphors an allusion to the creation
of Pandora in Hesiod. They recall also a passage in
the Pymander, wherein the Rulers
of the Seven Planets cause Man to participate in their nature; an idea
developed likewise by Macrobius in his commentary on
the Dream of Scipio – Lib. L., chap. xii. (10:2) Canter translates
this by atramentum,
which would signify initiation by writing; but it is possible that
the heads of the initiated persons were covered with a black veil, or perhaps
the veil of (12:1) It
has been questioned whether Hermetic doctrine affirms the Hindu theory of
transmigration, to wit – the possibility of the passage of the guilty Ego
into lower forms than that of man. We must, I hold, admit the orthodoxy of the
doctrine, which, when rightly understood, involves no paradox. In the Divine
Pymander, it is clearly set forth that if a human soul continue evil "it shall neither taste of
immortality nor be partaker of the good, but being drawn back it returneth into creeping things; and this is the
condemnation of an evil soul." Yet, Trismegistus
hastens immediately to explain and qualify this statement by adding that such a
calamity cannot befall any truly human soul – that is, a soul possessing
the divine Mind, however fallen from grace, for so long as the soul retains
this living fire it is the soul of a man, and man "is not to be
compared to any brute beast upon the earth, but to them that are above in
heaven, that are called Gods." But there is a condition so low and lost
that at length the divine flame is quenched, and the soul is left dark and
Godless, a human soul no longer. "And such a soul, O Son," says
Hermes, "hath no Mind; wherefore
neither must such an one be called (16:1) This
name appears to have been a marginal interpolation, inserted into the text by a
copyist. It serves as a key to what follows, Adrastia
(or Nemesis) being the personification of the necessary law (or inflexible
instrument) of which Hermes is about to speak. (18:1) In the Book of Enoch a similar legend
appears – "The Giants turned themselves upon men to devour them, and
began to do evil to birds and beasts of the field and reptiles and fish; and
they devoured with one accord their flesh and drank their blood. When the earth
lifted up her voice against the unjust, (...) and because of the perdition of
men, a cry arose that came even unto heaven. Therefore, Michael and Gabriel,
and Souryan and Ouryan,
looked forth from the height of heaven, and beheld the abundance of blood that
was shed upon the earth, and all the iniquity that was accomplished, and they
said one to another: – The voice of their cries ascends, the clamour of the earth is heard even at the gates of heaven,
and before you, O holy ones of the skies, the souls of men complain, saying
– Avenge us in the presence of the Lord. (VII. 14-15; VIII. 8-9; IX.
1-3). [See
also the first book of Ovid's Metamorphoses, V., VI., VII. In all these accounts it appears that mankind is
inspired to wickedness and impiety by the Giants, who are, in Hermetic
teaching, explained to be the lower mundane forces, or "fallen Angels."
They are, probably, the first created "souls" mentioned in an early
passage of the allegory, and are elsewhere spoken of as Demons. Almost all the
poets, whether Hebrew, Hellenic, Hindu, Persian, Norse, or Christian, celebrate
the revolt of the Giants against heaven. It is needless to remind the reader
that all these sacred fables have an esoteric and individual application,
related to the Microcosm within man, as well as to the Macrocosm or world
without. The text is manifestly imperfect. A. K.]
(p.
23) PART II
O MY illustrious son,
if thou wilt know anything further, ask it of me. And Horos said, Revered Mother, I would fain know how royal
souls are born. And (p. 24) king than the rest. (1) The sun, nearer to
God than is the moon, is greater and stronger than she, and to him she is
subject as much by rank as by power. The king is the last of the Gods and the
first of men. So long as he sojourns upon earth, his divinity is concealed, but
he possesses something which distinguishes him from other men and approximates
him to God. The soul in him comes from a loftier region than that from which
descend the souls of common men. Souls destined to reign upon the earth descend
thither for two causes. There are those who in former lives have lived
blameless, and who merit apotheosis; for such as these royalty is a preparation
for the divine state. Again, there are holy souls who, for some slight
infringement of the interior and divine law, receive in royalty a penance
whereby the suffering and shame of incarnation are mitigated. The condition of
these in taking a body resembles not that of others; they are as blessed as
when they were free. (2) As to the various characters of these kings, the variety is not in the
souls, for all are royal, but it is due to the nature
of the angels and genii who assist them. For souls destined to such offices are
not without ministers and escort. Heavenly justice, even while exiling them
from the abodes of the Blessed, treats them as their nature befits. When, then,
O my son Horos, the ministering angels and genii
appointed are warlike, the soul in their charge takes that character, (p. 25) forgetting its own, or rather laying it aside until
some future change of condition. If the guardian angels are of a gentle order,
then the soul follows its path in peace; if they are friends of judgment, the
soul loves to judge; if they are musicians, then the soul sings; if they love
truth, the soul is that of a philosopher. Thus the souls necessarily follow the
teaching of their guardians; falling into human bodies they forego their proper
estate, and while exiled from it they approximate to those intelligences by whom they have been embodied. Thine explanation is complete, my
mother, said Horos, but thou hast not yet informed me
in what manner noble souls are born. There are upon earth, O my son, different
offices. So also is it among souls; they occupy different stations, and that
soul which issues from a more exalted sphere is nobler than the rest; even as
he who is free among men, is nobler than the slave. Exalted and royal souls are
necessarily the masters of men. How are souls born male or female? Souls, my son Horos, are all equal in nature,
since they come from one region wherein the Creator has formed them. There are
not among them either males or females; this distinction exists only between bodies,
and not between incorporeal beings. But some are more energetic, some are
gentler; and this belongs to the air in which all things are formed. For an
airy body envelopes the soul; in it are the elements of earth, water, air, and
fire. Among females this combination contains more of cold and of moisture than
of dryness and heat, and the soul which is enfolded therein is watery and
disposed to softness. The contrary happens among males; their envelope contains (p. 26) more of dryness and of heat, less of cold and of moisture;
hence in bodies so formed the souls manifest greater vivacity and energy. And how, O my mother, are born the souls of the wise? And And Horos said: – For what reason, my mother,
are the minds of men who are not of our holy country less open than the minds
of those who belong to it? And
(p. 27) of the Bear; her loins are under the regions of heaven
nearest to the Bear; the midst of her body is beneath the centre of heaven.
Behold as a proof of these things, how they who dwell in the South have a
beautiful countenance and plentiful hair, while the orientals
have hands hardy in conflict and ready with the bow, for they are right-handed;
the westerns are strong and fight with the left hand, attributing to the left
side the functions which belong in others to the right; those who dwell beneath
the Bear are distinguished by the attributes of their feet, and by the beauty
of their legs; those who inhabit beyond the Bear in the climate of Italy and of
Greece are remarkable for the beauty of their loins, and hence their tendency
to prefer males. This part of the body also, being whiter than the rest,
produces men of a whiter hue. The hallowed region of our ancestors is in the
midst of the earth, and since the midst of the human body is the seat of the
heart, and the heart of the soul, this is why, my son, the men of this land,
beside the qualities which all men possess in common, have also a loftier
intelligence and wisdom, because the heart of the earth brings them forth and
nourishes them. Moreover,
my son, the south is the storehouse of the clouds; it is there they assemble,
and thence, it is said, flows our river ( (p. 28) The
central land alone, clear and serene, is favoured as
are those who inhabit her. She brings forth in a perpetual tranquillity,
she adorns and completes her offspring, she contends alone against all others, she triumphs, and like a worthy ruler partakes with the
vanquished the fruits of victory. Explain to me further, my august Mother, what it is that causes in
living men during long maladies, an alteration of discernment, of reason, even
of the soul itself. And (p. 29) if the body be disturbed and troubled by sickness or by
terror, the soul herself is tossed about like a man in the midst of tempestuous
waves.
FOOTNOTES
(24:1) This must not be understood in a vulgar sense of mere
earthly monarchy, but of souls whose destiny it is to be chiefs and leaders among
men, whether spiritually, intellectually, or politically. A. K. (24:2) This passage perhaps refers, though obscurely, to Avatars
of souls who have already attained beatitude, though not apotheosis. A. K. (26:1) I believe the
whole of the ensuing passage to be highly metaphorical, and to relate to the
occult distinctions and divisions of the seven great races of mankind. It is
not difficult to interpret the allusions. A. K.
(p. 30) PART
III
THOU hast given me
admirable instruction, O my most powerful Mother Isis, concerning the marvellous creation of Souls by God, and I am filled with
wonder; but thou hast not yet shewn me whither souls depart when set free from
bodies. Fain would I contemplate this mystery, and thank only thee for the
initiation. And O great and marvellous scion of the
illustrious Osiris, think not that souls on quitting the
body mix themselves confusedly in the vague immensity and become dispersed in
the universal and infinite spirit, without power to return into bodies, to
preserve their identity, or to seek again their primeval abode. Water spilt
from a vase returns no more to its place therein, it has no proper locality, it
mingles itself with the mass of waters; but it is not thus with souls, O most
wise Horos. I am (p. 31) initiated into the mysteries of the immortal
nature; I walk in the ways of the truth, and I will reveal all to thee without
the least omission. And first I will tell thee that water, being a body without
reason, composed of myriads of fluid particles, differs from the soul which is,
my son, a personal entity, the royal work of the hands and of the mind of God,
abiding herself in intelligence. That which proceeds
from Unity, and not from multiplicity, cannot mingle with other things, and in
order that the soul may be joined to the body, God subjects this harmonious
union to Necessity. Souls do not, then, return confusedly, nor by chance, into one and the
same place, but each is despatched into the condition
which belongs to her. And this is determined by that which the soul experiences
while yet she is in the tenement of the body, loaded with a burden contrary to
her nature. Hear: therefore, this comparison, O beloved Horos;
suppose that there should be shut up in the same prison, men, eagles, doves,
swans, hawks, swallows, sparrows, flies, serpents, lions, leopards, wolves,
dogs, hares, oxen, sheep, and certain amphibious animals, such as seals,
hydras, turtles, crocodiles, and that at the same moment all the creatures
should be liberated. All at once would escape; the men would seek cities and
the public places, the eagles the ether, where nature teaches them to live, the
doves the lower air, the hawks the higher expanse; the swallows would repair to
places frequented by men, the sparrows to the orchards, the swans to districts
where they could sing; the flies would haunt the proximity of the ground as high
only as human exhalations extend, for the property of flies is to live on these
and to flit over the surface of the earth; the lions and leopards would flee to
the mountains, the wolves to the solitudes; the dogs would follow the track of
man; (p. 32) the
hares would betake themselves to the woods, the oxen to the fields and meadows,
the sheep to the pastures; the serpents would seek the caves of the earth; the
seals and the turtles would rejoin their kind in the shallows and running
waters, in order to enjoy, conformably to their nature, alike the proximity of
the shore and of the deep. Each creature would return, conducted by its own
interior discernment, into the abode befitting it. Even so every soul, whether
human or inhabiting the earth under other conditions, knows whither she ought
to go; unless, indeed, some son of Typhon should
pretend that a bull may subsist in the waters or a turtle in the air. If, then,
even when immersed in flesh and blood, souls do not infringe the law of order,
although under penance, – for union with the body is a penance, –
how much more shall they conform thereto when delivered from their bonds and
set at liberty! Now this most holy law, which extends even unto heaven, is on this wise,
O illustrious child: behold the hierarchy of souls! The expanse between the
empyrean and the moon is occupied by the Gods, the stars, and the powers of
providence. Between the moon and ourselves, my son, is
the abode of the souls. The unmeasured air, which we call the wind, has in
itself an appointed way in which it moves to refresh the earth, as I shall by
and by relate. But this movement of the air upon itself impedes not the way of
the souls, nor does it hinder them from ascending and descending without
obstacle; they flow across the air without mingling in it, or confounding
themselves therewith, as water flows over oil. This expanse, my son, is divided
into four provinces, and into sixty regions. The first province from the earth
upwards comprehends four regions, and extends as far as certain summits or
promontories, which (p. 33) it is unable to transcend. The second province comprises
eight regions in which the motions of the winds arise. Be thou attentive, my
son, for thou hearest the ineffable mysteries of the earth,
the heavens, and of the sacred fluid which lies between. (1) In
the province of the winds fly the birds; above this there is no
moving air nor any creature. But the air with all the beings it contains
distributes itself into all boundaries within its reach, and into the four
quarters of the earth, while the earth cannot lift itself into the mansions of
the air. The third province comprehends sixteen regions filled with a pure and
subtle element. The fourth contains thirty-two regions, in which the air,
wholly subtle and diaphanous, allows itself to be penetrated by the element of
fire. Such is the order which, without confusion, reigns from depth to height;
– to wit, four general divisions, twelve intervals, sixty regions, and in
these dwell the souls, each according to the nature thereof. They are indeed
all of one substance, but they constitute a hierarchy; and the further any
region is removed from the earth, the loftier is the dignity of the souls which
dwell therein. And now it remains to be explained to thee, O most glorious Horos, what souls they are who abide in each of these
regions, and this I shall set forth, beginning by the most exalted. The expanse which stretches between earth and heaven is divided into
regions, my son Horos, according to measure and
harmony. To these regions our ancestors have given various names; some call
them (p. 34) zones, others firmaments, others spheres. Therein dwell the
souls who are freed from bodies, and those who have not yet been incorporated.
The stations which they occupy correspond with their dignity. In the upper
region are the divine and royal souls; the baser souls – they who float
over the surface of the earth – are in the lowest sphere, and in the
middle regions are the souls of ordinary degree. Thus, my son, the souls
destined to rule descend from the superior zones, and when they are delivered
from the body, thither they return, or even higher still, unless indeed they
have acted contrary to the dignity of their nature and to the laws of God. For,
if they have transgressed, the Providence on high causes them to descend into
the lower regions according to the measure of their faults; and in like manner
also it conducts other souls, inferior in power and dignity, from the lower
spheres into a more exalted abode. For on high dwell two ministers of the
universal In this wise the law of equity presides over the changes which take
place above, even as upon earth also it moulds and constructs the vessels in
which the souls are immured. This law is supplemented by two energies, Memory
and Experience. Memory directs in Nature the preservation and maintenance of
all the original types appointed in heaven; the function of Experience is to
provide every soul descending into generation with a body appropriate thereto;
so that passionate souls should have vigorous bodies; slothful souls sluggard
bodies; active souls active bodies; gentle souls gentle bodies; powerful souls
powerful bodies; cunning (p. 35) souls, dexterous bodies; – briefly, that every soul
should have a befitting nature. For it is not without just cause that winged
creatures are clothed with feathers; that intelligent creatures are gifted with
finer senses and superior to others; that beasts of the field are furnished
with horns, with tusks, with claws, or other weapons; that reptiles are endowed
with undulating and flexible bodies, and lest the moisture of their natures
should render them feeble, are armed either with teeth or with pointed scales,
so that they are, even less than others, in peril of death. As for fishes,
these timid souls have allotted to them for a dwelling-place that element in
which light is bereft of its double activity, for in the water, fire neither
illuminates nor burns. Each fish, swimming by the help of his spiny fins, flies
where he wills, and his weakness is protected by the obscurity of the deep.
Thus are souls immured in bodies resembling, themselves; in human shape, those
souls who have received reason; in flying creatures, souls of a wild nature; in
beasts, souls without reason, whose only law is force; in reptiles, deceitful
souls, for they attack not their prey face to face, but by ambush; while fishes
enshrine those timid souls who merit not the enjoyment of other elements. In every order of animals there are individuals who transgress the laws
of their being. In what way, my Mother? said Horos. And Isis answered: In this wise: – A man who acts against reason,
a beast which eludes necessity, a reptile which forgets its cunning, a fish
which loses its timidity, a bird which renounces freedom. Thou hast heard what
was to be said concerning the hierarchy of souls, their descent, and the
creation of bodies. O my son, in every order of souls there are found a (p. 36) few royal souls, and of divers characters: some fiery
some cold, some proud, some gentle, some crafty, some simple, some
contemplative, some active. This diversity belongs to the regions from whence
they descend into bodies. From the royal zone the royal souls go forth, but
there are many royalties; the royalty of spirit, of the flesh, of art, of science,
of the virtues. And how, said Horos, dost thou name these
royalties? O my son, the king of souls who have hitherto existed is thy father Osiris; the king of bodies is the prince of each nation, he
who governs. The king of wisdom is the Father of all things; the Initiator is
the thrice great Hermes; over medicine presides Asclepios, the son of Hephaistos;
force and power are under the sway of Osiris, and
after him, under thine, my son. Philosophy depends on
Arnebaskenis; poetry, yet again, on Asclepios, Imouthè’s
son. So that, if thou thinkest thereon, thou wilt
perceive that there are indeed many royalties and many kings. But the supreme royalty belongs to the highest region; lesser kingships
correspond to the spheres which bring them forth. Those who issue from the
fiery zone handle fire; those who come from the watery zone frequent liquid
spheres; from the region of art and learning those are born who
devote themselves to art and science; from the region of inactivity, those who
live in ease and idleness. All that is done and said upon earth has its origin in the heights, from whence all essences are
dispensed with measure and equilibrium; nor is there anything which does not
emanate from above and return thither. Explain to me this that thou sayest, O my
Mother. (p. 37) And What is, then, this combination, O my Mother? It is the union and admixture of the four elements, whence emanates a vapour which envelops the soul, penetrates into the body
and communicates to both its own character. Thus are produced varieties among
souls and bodies. If in the composition of a body, fire dominates, then the
soul being already of an ardent nature, receives thereby an excess of heat
which renders it the more energetic and furious, and the body the more
vivacious and active. If the air dominates, the body and soul of the creature
are thereby rendered unstable, errant and restless. The domination of the water
causes the soul to be mild, affable, bland, sociable, and easily moulded, because water blends and mixes itself readily with
all other things, dissolves them if it be abundant, moistens and penetrates
them if it be less in quantity. A body softened by too much humidity offers but
a weak resistance, a slight malady disintegrates it, and little by little
dissolves its cohesion. Again, if the earthy element be dominant, the soul is
obtuse, because the body lacks subtlety, nor can she
force a way through the density of its organism. Therefore, the soul remains (p. 38) indrawn upon herself, borne down by the burden
she supports, and the body is solid, inactive, and heavy, moving only with
effort. But if the elements be all in just equilibrium, then the whole nature is
ardent in its actions, subtle in its motions, fluent in its sensations, and of
a robust constitution. Of the predominance of air and fire birds are born,
whose nature resembles that of the elements which generate them. Men are
endowed with an abundance of fire united with but a
little air, and of water and earth equal parts. This excess of fire becomes
sagacity, seeing that intelligence is indeed a kind of flame, which consumes
not, but which penetrates. The predominance of water and earth with a
sufficient admixture of air and but little fire engenders beasts; those endued
with more fire than the rest are the more courageous. Water and earth in equal quantities
give birth to reptiles, which, being deprived of fire, have neither courage nor
truthfulness, while the excess of water renders them cold, that of earth,
sordid and heavy, and the lack of air makes all their movements difficult. Much
water with but little earth produces fishes; the absence of fire and air in
them causes their timidity, and disposes them to lie hidden, while the
predominance of water and earth in their nature approximates them by natural
affinity to earth dissolved in water. Moreover, by means of the proportional
increase of the elements composing the body is the body itself increased, and
its development ceases when the full measure is attained. And so long, my
beloved son, as equilibrium is maintained in the primitive combination and in
the vapours arising therefrom,
that is, so long as the normal proportion of fire, air, earth, and water
remains unchanged, the creature continues in (p. 39) health. But if the elements deviate from the proportion
originally determined – (I speak not now of the growth of activities, nor
of that resulting from a change of order, but of a rupture of equilibrium
whether by addition or diminution of fire or of other elements) – then
malady supervenes. And should air and fire, whose nature is one with that of
the soul itself, prevail in the conflict, then, through the dominance of those
elements, destroyers of the flesh, the creature abandons its proper state. For
the earthy element is the pabulum of the body, and the water wherewith it is
permeated contributes to consolidate it; but it is the aerial element which
confers motion, and the fire engenders all energies. The vapours
produced by the union and combination of these elements blending with the soul,
as it were by fusion, bear her along with them, and clothe her in their own
nature, whether good or evil. So long as she remains in this natural
association the soul keeps the rank she has attained. But if a change should
occur either in the combination itself or in any of its parts or subdivisions,
the vapours, altering their condition, alter likewise
the relations between soul and body; the fire and air, aspiring upward, draw
with them the soul, their sister, while the watery and terrestrial elements,
which tend earthwards like the body, weigh it down and overwhelm it.
FOOTNOTES
(33:1) This hint is enough to indicate that (37:1)
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