Download or read book The Arabic Hermes written by Kevin van Bladel and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-08-26 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first major study devoted to the early Arabic reception and adaption of the figure of Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary Egyptian sage to whom were ascribed numerous works on astrology, alchemy, talismans, medicine, and philosophy. Before the more famous Renaissance European reception of the ancient Greek Hermetica, the Arabic tradition about Hermes and the works under his name had been developing and flourishing for seven hundred years. The legendary Egyptian Hermes Trismegistus was renowned in Roman antiquity as an ancient sage whose teachings were represented in books of philosophy and occult science. The works in his name, written in Greek by Egyptians living under Roman rule, subsequently circulated in many languages and regions of the Roman and Sasanian Persian empires. After the rise of Arabic as a prestigious language of scholarship in the eighth century, accounts of Hermes identity and Hermetic texts were translated into Arabic along with the hundreds of other works translated from Greek, Middle Persian, and other literary languages of antiquity. Hermetica were in fact among the earliest translations into Arabic, appearing already in the eighth century. This book explains the origins of the Arabic myth of Hermes Trismegistus, its sources, the reasons for its peculiar character, and its varied significance for the traditions of Hermetica in Asia and northern Africa as well as Europe. It shows who pre-modern Arabic scholars thought Hermes was and how they came to that view.
Download or read book The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus written by Florian Ebeling and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2011-09-01 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Perhaps Hermeticism has fascinated so many people precisely because it has made it possible to produce many analogies and relationships to various traditions: to Platonism in its many varieties, to Stoicism, to Gnostic ideas, and even to certain Aristotelian doctrines. The Gnostic, the esoteric, the Platonist, or the deist has each been able to find something familiar in the writings. One just had to have a penchant for remote antiquity, for the idea of a Golden Age, in order for Hermeticism, with its aura of an ancient Egyptian revelation, to have enjoyed such outstanding success."—from the Introduction Hermes Trismegistus, "thrice-great Hermes," emerged from the amalgamation of the wisdom gods Hermes and Thoth and is one of the most enigmatic figures of intellectual history. Since antiquity, the legendary "wise Egyptian" has been considered the creator of several mystical and magical writings on such topics as alchemy, astrology, medicine, and the transcendence of God. Philosophers of the Renaissance celebrated Hermes Trismegistus as the founder of philosophy, Freemasons called him their forefather, and Enlightenment thinkers championed religious tolerance in his name. To this day, Hermes Trismegistus is one of the central figures of the occult—his name is synonymous with the esoteric. In this scholarly yet accessible introduction to the history of Hermeticism and its mythical founder, Florian Ebeling provides a concise overview of the Corpus Hermeticum and other writings attributed to Hermes. He traces the impact of Christian and Muslim versions of the figure in medieval Europe, the power of Hermeticism and Paracelsian belief in Renaissance thought, the relationship to Pietism and to Freemasonry in early modern Europe, and the relationship to esotericism and semiotics in the modern world.
Download or read book The Arabic Hermes written by Kevin van Bladel and published by OUP USA. This book was released on 2009-08-26 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the first major study devoted to the early Arabic reception and adaption of the figure of Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary Egyptian sage to whom were ascribed numerous works on astrology, alchemy, talismans, medicine, and philosophy. The ancient Greek Hermetica, with which the tradition begins, are products of Roman Egypt of the second and third century CE. Thereafter, in late antiquity, they found a wide readership, both among pagans and Christians. Their ongoing popularity depended on the notion that Hermes had lived in extremely ancient times, perhaps before the Deluge, and his antiquity endowed him with a pristine intellectual priority and made him attractive as an authority in religious arguments. Early Arabic literature beginning in the eighth century also includes detailed discussions of Hermes Trismegistus, both as a teacher of ancient legend and as the alleged author of works on the apocryphal sciences, especially astrology. Moreover, Hermes is imagined in Arabic as a prophet, lawgiver, and the founder of ancient religion. This book shows how the Arabic Hermes developed out of the earlier Greek and other late antique traditions into something new, which would in turn form the background to the later reception of the Greek Hermetica in the Italian Renaissance. Assembling information in Greek, Arabic, Syriac, and Coptic primary sources, The Arabic Hermes will be of great interest to scholars in many fields, including Classics, Arabic Studies, Iranian Studies, Egyptology, and Medieval Studies.
Download or read book The European Other in Medieval Arabic Literature and Culture written by N. Hermes and published by Springer. This book was released on 2012-04-09 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contrary to the monolithic impression left by postcolonial theories of Orientalism, the book makes the case that Orientals did not exist solely to be gazed at. Hermes shows that there was no shortage of medieval Muslims who cast curious eyes towards the European Other and that more than a handful of them were interested in Europe.
Download or read book The Divine Pymander written by Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus and published by BookRix. This book was released on 2019-01-09 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this Book, though so very old, is contained more true knowledge of God and Nature, than in all the Books in the World besides, except only Sacred Writ; And they that shall judiciously read it, and rightly understand it, may well be excused from reading many Books; the Authors of which, pretend so much to the knowledge of the Creator, and Creation. If God ever appeared in any man, he appeared in him, as it appears by this Book. That a man who had not the benefit of his Ancestors’ knowledge, being as I said before, The first inventor of the Art of Communicating Knowledge to Posterity by writing, should be so high a Divine, and so deep a Philosopher, seems to be a thing more of God than of Man; and therefore it was the opinion of some That he came from Heaven, not born upon Earth [Goropius Becanus]. There is contained in this Book, that true Philosophy, without which, it is impossible ever to attain to the height, and exactness of Piety, and Religion. According to this Philosophy, I call him a Philosopher, that shall learn and study the things that are, and how they are ordered, and governed, and by whom, and for what cause, or to what end; and he that doth so, will acknowledge thanks to, and admire the Omnipotent Creator, Preserver, and Director of all these things. And he that shall be thus truly thankful, may truly be called Pious and Religious: and he that is Religious, shall more and more know where and what the Truth is: And learning that, he shall yet be more and more Religious. The glory and splendour of Philosophy, is an endeavoring to understand the chief Good, as the Fountain of all Good: Now how can we come near to, or find out the Fountain, but by making use of the Streams as a conduct to it? The operations of Nature, are Streams running from the Fountain of Good, which is God. I am not of the ignorant, and foolish opinion of those that say, The greatest Philosophers are the greatest Atheists: as if to know the works of God, and to understand his goings forth in the Way of Nature, must necessitate a man to deny God. The Scripture disapproves of this as a sottish tenet, and experience contradicts it: For behold! Here is the greatest Philosopher, and therefore the greatest Divine.
Download or read book The Divine Pymander of Hermes Mercurius Trismegistus written by Hermes (Trismegistus.) and published by . This book was released on 1884 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Kybalion The Emerald Tablet of Hermes written by The Three Initiates and published by Quick Time Press. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 124 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Kybalion & The Emerald Tablet of Hermes compose two pillars of Hermetic thought. Combined here in one volume, these two works share true wisdom with those ready to receive it. "When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with wisdom." The Kybalion was first published anonymously in 1908 by "The Three Initiates." The true authorship of the work is unknown, although theories suggest it was written entirely or in part by William Walker Atkinson. Atkinson was a prolific writer and supported the New Thought movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries. New Thought included the belief that our realities can be manifested by mental effort, which is also suggested in Hermetic principles. Scholars point to similarities in style and content between The Kybalion and Atkinson's own The Arcane Teachings as evidence that he was one (or all) of "The Three Initiates." The Kybalion provides an introduction to the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus--Hermes "the Thrice-Greatest." This "Master of Masters" is said in The Kybalion to have lived 300 years on Earth, and believed by some to be the founder of both astrology and alchemy (precursors to astronomy and chemistry, respectively). Hermes Trismegistus was deified after his death as Toth by the ancient Egyptians, and Hermes by the Greeks. In both pantheons, this man-turned-god was considered a symbol of great wisdom. The Kybalion's explanation of Hermetic teachings are claimed to have been passed down orally for centuries, eventually reaching "The Three Initiates." The fundamental Hermetic traditions presented in The Kybalion consist of seven "working principles" Mentalism, Correspondence, Vibration, Polarity, Rhythm, Cause and Effect, and Gender. Within these seven principles is true wisdom, tied to no particular place and no particular religion. It is the "sacred flame" kept lit by a chosen few used to "re-light the lesser lamps of the outside world when the light of truth grew dim..." In short, these are the truths of the universe, regardless of era or creed. The Emerald Tablet of Hermes is a short, ancient text attributed to Hermes Trismegistus himself. Unlike The Kybalion, which aims to provide some explanation and instruction, the brief Emerald Tablet has been puzzling and fascinating scholars for over 1,000 years. Consisting of a mere 14 stanzas, the Emerald Tablet is said to contain the secrets of prima materia--the foundational material of the universe. The Emerald Tablet and its teaching influenced freemasonry and philosophy throughout history. The text of the tablet has been translated and commented on by a variety of scholars, including Sir Isaac Newton who was inspired by its teachings throughout his life and work. The earliest known version of the text comes from an Arabic work written between the 6th and 8th centuries by Balinas. He claimed to have found the tablet hidden in a vault beneath a statue of Hermes. Another story claims the tablet was written by Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve. And yet another says the tablet was uncovered and then reburied by Alexander the Great. The source and material of the physical tablet is unknown. It was reported to be a rectangular green stone, with text in raised bas-relief rather than engraved. Some even claim there never was a physical tablet at all, although several accounts claim it was on display in Egypt in 330 BCE. Whatever its origins and history, the work was first introduced to the West in the 12th century through Latin translations. Since then, this cryptic text has been translated and re-translated, pored-over and analyzed by philosophers, historians, and theologians alike.
Download or read book The Emerald Tablet of Hermes The Kybalion written by Hermes Trismegistus and published by Quick Time Press. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The The Emerald Tablet of Hermes & Kybalion compose two pillars of Hermetic thought. Combined here in one volume, these two works share true wisdom with those ready to receive it. "When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with wisdom." The Kybalion was first published anonymously in 1908 by "The Three Initiates." The true authorship of the work is unknown, although theories suggest it was written entirely or in part by William Walker Atkinson. Atkinson was a prolific writer and supported the New Thought movement of the 19th and early 20th centuries. New Thought included the belief that our realities can be manifested by mental effort, which is also suggested in Hermetic principles. Scholars point to similarities in style and content between The Kybalion and Atkinson's own The Arcane Teachings as evidence that he was one (or all) of "The Three Initiates." The Kybalion provides an introduction to the teachings of Hermes Trismegistus--Hermes "the Thrice-Greatest." This "Master of Masters" is said in The Kybalion to have lived 300 years on Earth, and believed by some to be the founder of both astrology and alchemy (precursors to astronomy and chemistry, respectively). Hermes Trismegistus was deified after his death as Toth by the ancient Egyptians, and Hermes by the Greeks. In both pantheons, this man-turned-god was considered a symbol of great wisdom. The Kybalion's explanation of Hermetic teachings are claimed to have been passed down orally for centuries, eventually reaching "The Three Initiates." The fundamental Hermetic traditions presented in The Kybalion consist of seven "working principles" Mentalism, Correspondence, Vibration, Polarity, Rhythm, Cause and Effect, and Gender. Within these seven principles is true wisdom, tied to no particular place and no particular religion. It is the "sacred flame" kept lit by a chosen few used to "re-light the lesser lamps of the outside world when the light of truth grew dim..." In short, these are the truths of the universe, regardless of era or creed. The Emerald Tablet of Hermes is a short, ancient text attributed to Hermes Trismegistus himself. Unlike The Kybalion, which aims to provide some explanation and instruction, the brief Emerald Tablet has been puzzling and fascinating scholars for over 1,000 years. Consisting of a mere 14 stanzas, the Emerald Tablet is said to contain the secrets of prima materia--the foundational material of the universe. The Emerald Tablet and its teaching influenced freemasonry and philosophy throughout history. The text of the tablet has been translated and commented on by a variety of scholars, including Sir Isaac Newton who was inspired by its teachings throughout his life and work. The earliest known version of the text comes from an Arabic work written between the 6th and 8th centuries by Balinas. He claimed to have found the tablet hidden in a vault beneath a statue of Hermes. Another story claims the tablet was written by Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve. And yet another says the tablet was uncovered and then reburied by Alexander the Great. The source and material of the physical tablet is unknown. It was reported to be a rectangular green stone, with text in raised bas-relief rather than engraved. Some even claim there never was a physical tablet at all, although several accounts claim it was on display in Egypt in 330 BCE. Whatever its origins and history, the work was first introduced to the West in the 12th century through Latin translations. Since then, this cryptic text has been translated and re-translated, pored-over and analyzed by philosophers, historians, and theologians alike.
Download or read book The Hermetica written by Timothy Freke and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2008-12-26 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first easily accessible translation of the esoteric writings that inspired some of the world's greatest artists, scientists, and philosophers. Here is an essential digest of the Greco-Egyptian writings attributed to the legendary sage-god Hermes Trismegistus (Greek for thrice-greatest Hermes), a combination of the Egyptian Thoth and the Greek Hermes. The figure of Hermes was venerated as a great and mythical teacher in the ancient world and was rediscovered by the finest minds of the Renaissance. The writings attributed to his hand are a time capsule of Egyptian and Greek esoteric philosophy and have influenced figures including Blake, Newton, Milton, Shelley, Shakespeare, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Jung. Providing a fascinating introduction to the intersection of the Egyptian and Hellenic cultures and the magico-religious ideas of the antique world, The Hermetica is a marvelous volume for anyone interested in understanding the West's roots in mystical thought.
Download or read book The Tradition of Hermes written by Christian H. Bull and published by . This book was released on 2014 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Way of Hermes written by and published by Inner Traditions. This book was released on 2004-01-30 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Paperback edition of the recent translation of the esoteric masterpiece, including the first English translation of The Definitions of Hermes Trismegistus to Asclepius • A resource for scholars and religious seekers alike • The Definitions of Hermes Trismegistus to Asclepius provides new insights into the actual workings of the gnostic spiritual path The Corpus Hermeticum, a powerful fusion of Greek and Egyptian thought, is one of the cornerstones of the Western esoteric tradition. A collection of short philosophical treatises, it was written in Greek between the first and third centuries C.E. and translated into Latin during the Renaissance by the great scholar and philosopher Marsilio Ficino. These treatises were central to the spiritual work of hermetic societies in Late Antique Alexandria (200-700 C.E.) and aimed to awaken gnosis, the direct realization of the unity of the individual and the Supreme. In addition to this new translation of The Corpus Hermeticum, which seeks to reflect the inspirational intent of the original, The Way of Hermes includes the first English translation of the recently rediscovered manuscript of The Definitions of Hermes Trismegistus to Asclepius, a collection of aphorisms used by the hermetic student to strengthen the mind during meditation. With the proper mental orientation, a state of pure perception can be achieved in which the true face of God appears. This document is of enormous value to the contemporary student of gnostic studies for its insights into the actual workings of this spiritual path.
Download or read book The Emerald Tablets of Thoth The Atlantean written by and published by Dog Ear Publishing. This book was released on 2002 with total page 205 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Spiritual, Occult and Historical significance of the "Emerald Tablets" is almost beyond belief of modern man. Written around 36,000 B.C. by Thoth, an Atlantean priest-king, this manuscript dates far back beyond reach of any Egyptian writings ever found. The author, Thoth, a Master-Teacher of the early Egyptians, put this treatise to writing in his native Atlantean language and Dr. Doreal, by use of his expertise as an Occultist and Master of time and space, was given the directive to retrieve these Tablets and translate them into English for the edification of modern man. The powerful and rhythmic verse of Thoth is wonderfully retained in Doreal's translation. Contained within the pages of Thoth's masterpiece of Spiritual and Occult Wisdom is the synthesis of the Ancient Wisdom Teachings, the guideline for initiates of all ages, revealing the Knowledge and Wisdom hitherto held secret, but now in this New Age, revealed to all Seekers on the Path of Light. Dr. M. Doreal, Ms.D., Psy.D., is the Spiritual; Teacher of a multitude of Seekers of Light, having founded a Metaphysical Church and College - The Brotherhood of the White Temple, Inc. He is the author of all of the Organization's writings and teachings, having been given permission for the Esoteric Wisdom to be remitted in a public forum by the Great White Lodge, the Elder Brothers of mankind who shape and form the Spiritual evolution of earth's inhabitants. The Brotherhood of the White Temple, Inc. is a correspondence school, accredited through the State of Colorado, and mails out to its world-wide membership weekly Lessons of Truth. Its four and one-half year College Course unveils the secrets of the Symbolism of all Mystery Schools, giving precisely and beautifully, the step by step progression all Seekers have searched for in their quest for Oneness with God, and for attainment of Cosmic Consciousness. "Read, Believe or not, but read, and the vibration found therein will awaken a response in your soul.' - Doreal
Download or read book Magic in Western Culture written by Brian P. Copenhaver and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-09-09 with total page 615 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The story of the beliefs and practices called 'magic' starts in ancient Iran, Greece, and Rome, before entering its crucial Christian phase in the Middle Ages. Centering on the Renaissance and Marsilio Ficino - whose work on magic was the most influential account written in premodern times - this groundbreaking book treats magic as a classical tradition with foundations that were distinctly philosophical. Besides Ficino, the premodern story of magic also features Plotinus, Iamblichus, Proclus, Aquinas, Agrippa, Pomponazzi, Porta, Bruno, Campanella, Descartes, Boyle, Leibniz, and Newton, to name only a few of the prominent thinkers discussed in this book. Because pictures play a key role in the story of magic, this book is richly illustrated.
Download or read book Arabic Humanities Islamic Thought written by Joseph E. Lowry and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2017-02-20 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The studies in this volume, which cover an unusually wide range of topics in the Arabic humanities and Islamic thought, explore the richness of the Arabic literary tradition and Islamic intellectual life from the beginnings of Islam to the present.
Download or read book The Emerald Tablet of Hermes written by Hermes Trismegistus and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2017-10-04 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Emerald Tablet of Hermes Also known as The Smaragdine Table, or Tabula Smaragdina by Hermes Trismegistus The Emerald Tablet, also known as the Smaragdine Table, or Tabula Smaragdina, is a compact and cryptic piece of the Hermetica reputed to contain the secret of the prima materia and its transmutation. It was highly regarded by European alchemists as the foundation of their art and its Hermetic tradition. The original source of the Emerald Tablet is unknown. Although Hermes Trismegistus is the author named in the text, its first known appearance is in a book written in Arabic between the sixth and eighth centuries. The text was first translated into Latin in the twelfth century. Numerous translations, interpretations and commentaries followed. The Tablet probably first appeared in the West in editions of the psuedo-Aristotlean Secretum Secretorum which was actually a translation of the Kitab Sirr al-Asar, a book of advice to kings which was translated into latin by Johannes Hispalensis c. 1140 and by Philip of Tripoli c.1243. Other translations of the Tablet may have been made during the same period by Plato of Tivoli and Hugh of Santalla, perhaps from different sources. The date of the Kitab Sirr al-Asar is uncertain, though c.800 has been suggested and it is not clear when the tablet became part of this work. Holmyard was the first to find another early arabic version (Ruska found a 12th centruy recension claiming to have been dictated by Sergius of Nablus) in the Kitab Ustuqus al-Uss al-Thani (Second Book of the Elements of Foundation) attributed to Jabir. Shortly after Ruska found another version appended to the Kitab Sirr al-Khaliqa wa San`at al-Tabi`a (Book of the Secret of Creation and the Art of Nature), which is also known as the Kitab Balaniyus al-Hakim fi'l-`Ilal (book of Balinas the wise on the Causes). It has been proposed that this book was written may have been written as early as 650, and was definitely finished by the Caliphate of al-Ma'mun (813-33).
Download or read book Hermetica II written by and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-06-21 with total page 755 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents in new English translations the scattered fragments and testimonies regarding Hermes Thrice Great that complete Brian Copenhaver's translation of the Hermetica (Cambridge, 1992). It contains the twenty-nine fragments from Stobaeus (including the famous Kore Kosmou), the Oxford and Vienna fragments (never before translated), an expanded selection of fragments from various authors (including Zosimus of Panopolis, Augustine, and Albert the Great), and testimonies about Hermes from thirty-eight authors (including Cicero, Pseudo-Manetho, the Emperor Julian, Al-Kindī, Michael Psellus, the Emerald Tablet, and Nicholas of Cusa). All translations are accompanied by introductions and notes which cite sources for further reading. These Hermetic texts will appeal to a broad array of readers interested in western esotericism including scholars of Egyptology, the New Testament, the classical world, Byzantium, medieval Islam, the Latin Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.
Download or read book Hermetica written by Brian P. Copenhaver and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1995-10-12 with total page 410 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Hermetica are a body of theological-philosophical texts written in late antiquity, but long believed to be much older. Their supposed author, Hermes Trismegistus, was thought to be a contemporary of Moses, and the Hermetic philosophy was regarded as an ancient theology, parallel to the received wisdom of the Bible. This first English translation based on reliable texts, together with Brian P. Copenhaver's comprehensive introduction, provide an indispensable resource to scholars in ancient philosophy and religion, early Christianity, Renaissance literature, and history, the history of science, and the occultist tradition in which the Hermetica have become canonical texts.
