Pymander, books 1–2: The first book, and Poemander

Hermes Trismegistus HIS First Book.

I O my Son, write this first Book, both for Humanity sake, and for Piety towards God.

2. For there can be no Religion more true or just, than to know the things that are; and to acknowledge thanks for all things, to him that made them: which thing I shall not cease continually to do.

3. What then should a man do, O Father, to lead his life well; seeing there is nothing here true?

4. Be Pious and Religious, O my Son; for he that doth so, is the best and highest Philosopher; and without Philosophy, it is impossible ever to attain to the heighth and exactnes of Piety or Religion.

5. But he that shall learn and study the things that are; and how they are ordered and governed; and by whom, and […]r what cause, or to what end; will acknowledge thanks to the Work man, as to a good Father, an excellent Nurse, and a faithfull Steward, and he that gives thanks shall be Pious or Religious, and he that is Religious shall know both where the truth is, and what it is; and learning that, he will be yet more and more Reigious.

6. For never, O Son, shall, or can that Soul, which while it is in the Body lightens and li[…]ts up it self to know and comprehend that […] is Good and True, […]de back to the contrary: For it is infinitely enamoured thereof, and forgetteth all Evils; and when it hath learned and known its Father and Progenitor, it can no more Apostatize, or depart from that Good.

7. And let this, O Son, be the end of Religion and Piety; whereunto when thou art once arrived, thou shalt both live wel, and die blessedly, whilest thy Soul is not ignorant whither it must return, and flie back again.

8. For this onely, O Son, is the way to the Truth, which our Progenitors travelled in; and by which, making their Journey, they at length attained to the Good. It is a Venerable way, and plain, but hard and difficult for the Soul to go in, that is in the Body.

9. For first, it must war against its own self, and after much Strife and Dissention, it must be overcome of one part; for the Contention is of one against two, whilest it flies away, and they strive to hold and detain it.

10. But the victory of both is not like; for the one hasteth to that which is Good, but the other is a neighbor to the things that are Evil; and that which is Good, desireth to be set at Liberty; but the things that are Evil, love Bondage and Slavery.

11. And if the two parts be overcome, they become quiet, and are content to accept of it as their Ruler; but if the one be overcome of the two, it is by them led and carried to be pupunished by its being and continuance here.

12. This is, O Son, the Guide in the way that leads thither; for thou must first forsake the Body before thy end, and get the victory in this Contention and Strifefull life, and when thou hast overcome return.

13. But now, O my Son, I will by Heads run thorow the things that are: Understand thou what I say, and remember what thou hearest.

14. All things that are, are moved; onely that which is not, is unmoveable.

15. Every Body is changeable.

16. Not every Body is dissolveable.

17. Some Bodies are dissolveable.

18. Every living thing is not mortall.

19. Not every living thing is immortall.

20. That which may be dissolved is also corruptible.

21. That which abides alwayes is unchangeable.

22. That which is unchangeable is eternall.

23. That which is alwayes made, is alwayes corrupted.

24. That which is made but once, is never corrupted, neither becomes any other thing.

25. First, God, Secondly, the World; Thirdly, Man.

26. The World for Man, Man for God.

27. Of the Soul; that part which is Sensible is mortall, but that which is Reasonable is immortall.

28. Every Essence is immortall.

29. Every Essence is unchangeable.

30. Every thing that is, is double.

31. None of the things that are, stand still.

32, Not all things are moved by a Soul, but every thing that is, is moved by a Soul.

33. Every thing that suffers is Sensible; every thing that is Sensible suffereth.

34. Every thing that is sad rejoyceth also, and is a mortall living Creature.

35. Not every thing that joyeth is also sad, but is an eternall living thing.

36. Not every Body is sick; every Body that is sick, is dissolveable.

37. The Mind in God.

38. Reasoning (or disputing, of discoursing) in Man.

39. Reason in the Mind.

40. The Mind is voyd of suffering.

41. No thing in a Body true.

42. All that is incorporeall, is voyd of Lying.

43. Every thing that is made, is corruptible.

44. Nothing good upon Earth, nothing evill in Heaven.

45. God is good, Man is evil

46. Good is voluntary, or of its own accord.

47. Evill is unvoluntary, or against its will.

48. The Gods choose good things, as good things.

49. Time is a Divine thing.

50. Law is Humane.

51. Malice is the nourishment of the World.

52. Time is the Corruption of Man.

53. Whatsoever is in Heaven is unalterable.

54. All upon Earth is alterable.

55. Nothing in Heaven is servanted, nothing upon Earth free.

56. Nothing unknown in Heaven, nothing known upon Earth.

57. The things upon Earth, communicate not with those in Heaven.

58. All things in Heaven are unblameable, all things upon Earth are subject to Reprehension.

59. That which is immortal, is not mortal; that which is mortal, is not immortal.

60. That which is sown, is not alwayes begotten; but that which is begotten alwayes is sown.

61. Of a dissolveable Body, there are two Times, one from sowing to generation, one from generation to death.

62. Of an everlasting Body, the time is only from the Generation.

63. Dissolveable Bodies are increased and diminished.

64. Dissolveable matter is altered into contraries; to wit, Corruption and Generation, but Eternal matter into its self, and its like.

65. The Generation of Man is Corruption, the Corruption of Man is the beginning of Generation.

66. That which off-springs or begetteth another, is it self an off-spring or begotten by another.

67. Of things that are; some are in Bodies, some in their Ideas.

68. Whatsoever things belong to operation or working, are in a Body.

69. That which is immortal, partakes not of that which is mortal.

70. That which is mortall, cometh not into a Body immortall; but that which is immortall, cometh into that which is mortal.

71. Operations or Workings are not carried upwards, but descend downwards.

72. Things upon Earth, do nothing advantage those in Heaven; but all things in Heaven do profit and advantage the things upon Earth.

73. Heaven is capable, and a fit receptacle of everlasting Bodies, the Earth of corruptible Bodies.

74. The Earth is bruitish, the Heaven is reasonable or rational.

75. Those things that are in Heaven, are subjected or placed under it; but the things on Earth are placed upon it.

76. Heaven is the first Element.

77. Providence is Divine Order.

78. Necessity is the Minister or Servant of Providence.

79. Forrune is the carriage or effect of that which is without Order; the Idol of operation, a lying fantasie or opinion.

80. What is God? The immutable or unalterable Good.

81. What is man? An unchangeable Evil.

82. If thou perfectly remember these Heads, thou canst not forget those things which in more words I have largely expounded unto thee; for these are the Contents or Abridgment of them.

83. Avoyd all Conversation with the multitude or common People; for I would not have thee subject to envy, much lesse to be ridiculous unto the Many.

84. For the like alwaies takes to it self that which is like, but the unlike never argrees with the unlike: Such Discourses as these have very few Anditors, and peradventure very few will have; but they have something peculiar unto themselves.

85. They do rather sharpen and whet evil men to their maliciousnesse; therefore it behoveth to avoyd the multitude, & take heed of them, as not understanding the virtue and power of the things that are said.

86. How dost thou mean, O Father?

87. Thus, O Son, the whole Nature and Composition of those living things called Men, is very prone to Malieiousnesse, and is very familiar, and as it were nourished with it, and therefore is delighted with it. Now this Wight, if it shall come to Learn or know that the vvorld vvas once made, and all things are done according to Providence, and Necessity, Destiny, or Fate, bearing Rule over all: Will he not be much vvorse then himself? despising the vvhole because it vvas made. And if he may lay the cause of Evill upon Fate or Destiny, he vvill never abstain from any evillwork.

88. Wherefore we must look warily to such kind of people, that being in ignorance, they may be lesse evil for fear of that which is hidden and kept secret.

The end of the first Book.

THE Second Book CALLED Poemander.

MY Thoughts being once seriously busied about the things that are, and my Understanding lifted up, all my bodily Senses being exceedingly holden back, as it is vvith them that are very heavy of sleep, by reason either of fulnesse of meat or of bodily labor. Me thought I savv one of an exceeding great stature, and an infinite greatnesse call me by my name, and say unto me, What wouldest then hear and sée? or what wouldest thou understand, to learn, and know?

2. Then said I, Who art thou? I am, quoth he, Poemander, the minde of the great Lord, the most Mighty and absolute Emperor: I knovv vvhat thou vvouldst have, and I am alvvayes present vvith thee.

3. Then said I, I would learn the things that are, and understand the nature of them, and know God. How? said he. I answered, That I would gladly hear. Then he, Have me again in thy minde, and whatsoever thou wouldest learn, I will teach thee.

4. When he had thus said, he was changed in his Idea or Form, and straight-way in the twinckling of an eye, all things were opened unto me: And I saw an infinite sight, all things were become light, both sweet and exceedingly pleasant; and I was wonderfully delighted in the beholding it.

5. But after a little while, there was a darknesse made in part, coming down obliquely, fearfull and hideous, which seemed unto me to be changed into a certain moyst nature, unspeakably troubled, which yielded a smoke as from fire; and from whence proceeded a voyce unutterable, and very mournfull, but inarticulate; insomuch that it seemed to have come from the Light.

6. Then from that Light, a certain holy Word joyned it self unto Nature, and out-flew the pure and unmixed Fire from the moyst Nature upward on high: it was exceeding light, and sharp, and operative withall. And the Air which was also light, followed the Spirit and mounted up to Fire, (from the Earth and the Water) insomuch that it seemed to hang and depend upon it.

7. And the Earth, and the Water, stayed by themselves so mingled together, that the Earth could not be seen for the Water; but they were moved, because of the Spirituall Word that was carried upon them.

8. Then said Poemander unto me, Dost thou understand this U[…]on, and what it meaneth? I shall know, said I: Then said he, I am that Light the Minde, thy God, who am before that moyst Nature that appeared out of darknesse, and that bright and lightfull Word from the Minde, is the Son of God.

9. How is that, quoth I? Thus, replyed he, Understand it: That which in thée séeth, and heareth the Word of the Lord, and the Minde, the Father, God, differ not one from the other; and the union of these, is Life.

Trismeg. I thank thee, Pimand. But first conceive well the Light in thy minde, and know it.

10. When he had thus said, for a long time we looked stedfastly one upon the other; insomuch, that I trembled at his Idea or Form.

11. But when he nodded to me, I beheld in my minde the Light that is in innumerable, and the truely indefinite ornament or world; and that the fire is comprehended or contained in or by a most great Power and constrained to keep its station.

12. These things, I understood, seeing the word of Pimander; and when I was mightily amazed, he said again unto me, Hast thou seen in thy minde that Archetypall Form, which was before the interminated and infinite Beginning? Thus Pimander to me: But whence, quoth I, or whereof are the Elements of Nature made? Pimander. Of the Will and Counsell of God; which taking the Word, and beholding the beautifull World (in the Archetype thereof) imitated it, and so made this World, by the Principles and vitall Seeds or Soul-like productions of it self.

13. For the Minde Being God, Male and Female, Life & Light, brought forth by his word; another Minde, the Workman: Which being God of the Fire, & the Spirit, fashioned and formed seven other Governors, which in their Circles contain the Sensible World, whose Government or Disposition is called Fate or Destiny.

14. Straight way leaped out, or exalted it self from the downward-born Elements of God, the Word of God, into the clean and pure Workmanship of Nature, and was united to the Workman, Minde; for it was Consubstantia[…]; and so the downward-born Elements of Nature were left without Reason, that they might be the only Matter.

15. But the Workman, Mind, together with the Word, containing the Circles and Whirling them about, turned round as a Wheel his own Workmanships; and suffered them to be turned from an indefinite Beginning, to an undeterminable End; for they alwayes begin where they end.

16. And the Circulation, or running round of these, as the Minde willeth, out of the lower, or downward-born Elements brought forth unreasonable or bruitish Creatures, for they had no reason, the Air flying things, and the Water such as swim.

17. And the Earth and the Water were separated, either from other, as the Mind would; and the Earth brought forth from her self; such Living Creatures as she had, four-foo[…]ed and creeping Beasts, wild and tame.

18. But the Father of all things, the Minde being Life and Light, b[…]ought forth Man, like […]nto himself, whom he loved as his proper Birth; for he was all beauteous, having the Image of his Father.

19. For indeed God was exceedingly enamoured of his own Form or Shape, and delivered unto it all his own Workmanships: But he seeing and understanding the Creation of the Workman in the whole; would needs also himself fall to work, and so was separated from the Father, being in the sphere of Generation or Operation.

20. Having all Power, he considered the Operations or Workmanships of the Seven; but they loved him, and every one made him partaker of his own Order.

21. And he learning diligently, and understanding their Essence, and partaking their Nature, resolved to pierce, and break thorow the Circumference of the Circles, and to understand the Power of him that sits upon the Fire.

22. And having already all power of mortall things, or the […]iving, and of the unreasonable Creatures of the World, stooped down and peeped thorow the Harmony, and breaking thorow the strength of the Circles, so shewed and made manifest the downward-born Nature, the fair and beautifull Shape or Form of God.

23. Which when he saw, having in it self the unsatiable Beauty, and all the Operation of the Seven Governors, and the Form or Shape of God, he smiled for love, as if he had seen the Shape or Likenesse in the Water, or the shadow upon the Earth of the fairest Humane form.

24. And seeing in the Water a shape, a shape like unto himself, in himself he loved it; and would cohabit with it; and immediately upon the resolution, ensued the Operation, & brought forth the unreasonable Image or Shape.

25. Nature presently laying hold of what it so much loved, did wholly […]ap her self about it, and they were mingled, for they loved one another.

26. And for this cause, Man, above all things that live upon Earth, is double: mortall, because of his Body, and immortall, because of the substantiall Man: For being immortall, and having power of all things, he yet suffers mortall things, & such as are subject to Fate or Destiny.

27. And therefore being above all Harmony. he is made and become a servant to Harmony. And being Hermaphrodite, or Male and Female, and watchfull, he is governed by, and subjected to a Father, that is both Male and Female, and watchfull.

28. After these things, I said, Thou art my Minde, and I am in love with Reason.

29. Then said Pimander, This is the Mystery that to this day is hidden, and kept secret; for Nature being mingled with Man, brought forth a Wonder most wonderfull; for he having the Nature of the Harmony of the Seven, from him whom I told thee, the Fire and the Spirit; Nature continued not, but forthwith brought forth seven Men all Males and Females; and sublime, or on high, according to the Natures of the Seven Governors.

30. And after these things, O Pomander, quoth I, I am now come into a great desire, and longing to hear: Do not digress, or run out.

31. But he said Keep silence, for I have not yet finished the first speech.

32. Trism. Behold, I am silent.

33. Piman. The Generation therefore of these Seven, was after this manner. The Air being Feminine, and the Water desirous of Copulation, took from the Fire its ripenesse, and from the aether Spirit; and so Nature produced bodies after the Species and Shape of men.

34. And Man was made of Life and Light, into Soul and Minde: of Life, the Soul; of Light, the Minde.

35. And so all the Members of the Sensible World, continued unto the period of the end, bearing rule, and generating.

36. Hear now the rest of that speech, thou so much desirest to hear.

37, When that period was fulfilled, the bond of all things was loosed and untied by the Will of God; for all living Creatures being Hermaphroditicall, or Male and Female, were loosed & untied, together with Man; and so the Males were apart by themselves, and the Females likewise.

38. And straightwayes God said to the Holy Word, Encrease in encreasing and multiply in multitude all you my Creatures & Workmanships. And let him that is endued with Minde, know himself to be immortall; and that the cause of death is the love of the body, and let him learn all things that are.

39. When he had thus said, Providence by Fate and Harmony, made the mixtures, and established the Generations, and all things were multiplied according to their kinde; and he that knew himself, came at length to the Superstantiall of every way substantiall good.

40. But he, that through the Errour of Love, loved the Body, abideth wandering in darknesse, sensible, suffering the things of death.

41. Trism. But why do they that are ignorant, sin so much, that they should therefore be deprived of immortality.

42. Pimand. Thou seemest not to have understood what thou hast heard.

43. Trism. Peradventure I seem so to thee; but I both understand and remember them.

44. Pimand. I am glad, for thy sake, if thou understoodest them.

45. Trism. Tell me, Why are they worthy of death, that are in death?

46. Pimand. Because there goeth a […]ad and dismall darkness before its body; of which darknesse is the moist Nature; of which moist Nature, the Body consisteth in the sensible World, from whence death is derived: Hast thou understood this […]right?

47. Trism. But why, or how, doth he that understands himself, go or pass into God?

48. Pim. That which the Word of God said, say I: because the Father of all things consists of Life and light, whereof Man is made.

49. Trism. Thou sayest very well.

50. Pim. God and the Father is Light and Life, of which Man is made. If therefore thou learn and beleeve thyself to be of the Life and Light, thou shalt again passe into Life.

51. Trism. But yet tell me more, O my Minde, how I shall go into Life.

52. Pim. God saith, Let the Man endued with a Minde, mark, consider, and know himself well.

53. Trism. Have not all men a minde?

54. Pim. Take heed what thou sayest, for I the Minde come unto men that are holy and good, pure and mercifull, and that live piously and religiously; and my presence is a help unto them. And forthwith they know all things, and lovingly they supplicate and propitiate the Father; and blessing him, they give him thanks, and sing hymnes unto him, being ordered and directed by filiall Affection, and naturall Love: And before they give up their Bodies to the death of them, they hate their Senses, knowing their Workes and Operations.

55. Rather I that am the Minde it self, will not suffer the Operations or Works, which happen or belong to the body, to be finished and brought to perfection in them; but being the Porter and Door-keeper, I will shut up the entrances of Evill, and cut off the thoughtfull desires of filthy works.

56. But to the foolish, and evill, and wicked, and envious, and covetous, and murderous, and profane, I am far off; giving place to the revenging Demon, which applying unto him the sharpnesse of fire, tormenteth such a man sensible, and armeth him the more to all wickednesse, that he may obtain the greater punishment.

57. And such a one never ceaseth, having unfulfillable desires, and unsatiable concupiscences, and alwaies fighting in darknesse; for the Demon afflicts and tormenteth him continually, and increaseth the fire upon him more and more.

58. Trism. Thou hast, O Minde, most excellently taught me all things, as I desired; but tell me moreover, after the return is made, what then?

59. Pimand. First of all, in the resolution of the materiall Body, the Body it self is given up to alteration, and the form which it had, becometh invisible; and the idle manners are permitted, and left to the Demon, and the Senses of the Body return into their Fountains being parts, and again made up into Operations.

60. And Anger and Concupiscence go into the bruitish, or unreasonable Nature; and the rest striveth upward by Harmony.

61. And to the first Zone it giveth the power it had of increasing and diminishing.

62. To the second, the machination or plotting of evils, and one effectuall deceipt or craft.

63. To the third, the idle deceipt of Concupiscence.

64. To the fourth, the desire of Rule, and unsatiable Ambition.

65. To the fifth, prophane Boldnesse, and the[…] headlong rashnesse of Confidence.

66. To the sixth, Evil and ineffectuall occasions of Riches.

67. And to the seventh Zone, subtile Falshood, alwayes lying in wait.

68. And then being made naked of all the Operations of Harmony, it cometh to the eighth Nature, having its proper power, and singeth praises to the Father with the things that are, and all they that are present rejoyce, and congratulate the coming of it; and being made like to them with whom it converseth, it heareth also the Powers that are above the eighth Nature, singing praise to God in a certain voyce that is peculiar to them.

69. And then in order they return unto the Father, and themselves deliver themselves to the powers; and becoming powers, they are in God.

70. This is the Good, and to them that know to be deified.

71. Furthermore, why sayest thou, What resteth, but that understanding all men, thou become a guide, and way-leader to them that are worthy; that the kinde of Humanity or Mankinde, may be saved by God?

72. When pimander had thus said unto me, he was mingled among the Powers.

73. But I giving thanks, and blessing the Father of all things, rose up, being enabied by him, and taught the nature, of the Nature of the whole, and having seen the greatest sight or spectacle.

74. And I began to Preach unto men, the beauty and fairnesse of Piety and Knowledge.

75. O ye People, M[…]n, born and made of the Earth, which have given your selves over to drunkenesse, and sléep, and to the ignorance of God; be sober, and cease your surfeit, whereto you are allured, and invited by bruiti[…], and unreasonable sleep.

76. And they that heard me, came willingly, and with one accord; and then I said further.

77. Why, O men of the Off-spring of the Earth, why have you delivered your selves over unto death, having power to pertake of immortality? Repent and change your mindes you that have together walked in Error, and have been darkened in ignorance.

78. Depart from that dark light, be partakers of immortality, and leave or forsake corruption.

79. And some of them that heard me, mocking and scorning, went away, and delivered themselves up to the way of death.

80. But others casting themselves down before my feet, besought me, that they might be taught; but I causing them to rise up, became a guide of mankinde, teaching them the reasons how, and by what meanes they may be saved. And I sowed in them the words of Wisdom, and nourished them with Ambrosian water of immortality.

81. And when it was Evening, and the Brightnesse of the same began wholly to go down, I commanded them to go down, I commanded them to give thanks to God; and when they had finished their thanksgiving, every one returned to his own lodging.

82. But I wrote in my self, the bounty and beneficence of Pimander; and being filled with what I most desired, I was exceeding glad.

83. For the sleep of the Body was the sober watchfulnesse of the minde; and the shutting of my eyes the true sight, and my silence great with childe, and full of good; and the pronouncing of my words, the blossoms and fruits of good things.

84. And thus came to passe or happened unto me, which I received from my minde, that is, Pimander, the Lord of the Word; whereby I became inspired by God, with the Truth.

85. For which cause, with my Soul, and whole strength, I give praise and blessing unto God the Father.

86. Holy is God the Father of all things.

87. Holy is God, whose will is performed, and accomplished by his own powers.

88. Holy is God, that determineth to be known, and is known of his own, or those that are his.

89. Holy art th[…]u, that by thy Word hast established all things.

90. Holy art thou, of whom all Nature is the Image.

91. Holy art thou, whom Nature hath not formed.

92. Holy art thou that art stronger then all power.

93. Holy art thou that art greater then all excellency.

94. Holy art thou who art better then all praise.

95. Accept these reasonable Sacrifices from a pure soul, and a heart stretched out unto thée.

96. O thou unspeakable, unutterable, to be praised with silence.

97. I beséech thée, that I may never err from the knowledge of thée; look mercifully upon me, and enable me, and enlighten with this Grace, those that are in ignorance, the brothers of my kinde, but thy sons.

98. Therefore I beléeve thee, and bear witnesse, and go into the Life and Light.

99. Blessed art thou O Father; thy man would be sanctified with thée, as thou hast given him all power.

The End of the Second Book.