--- title: "Corpus Hermeticum and the Asclepius" author: "Hermes Trismegistus (attributed)" translator: "G. R. S. Mead" languages: [en] shelf: "Hermetica & Gnostics" section: 24 of 45 url: https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/24/ cite: "Hermes Trismegistus (attributed), tr. G. R. S. Mead, Corpus Hermeticum and the Asclepius, section 24. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/24/" --- # Corpus Hermeticum and the Asclepius *Hermes Trismegistus (attributed), tr. G. R. S. Mead* Poimandres and the other Hermetic tractates, with the Latin Asclepius, in Mead's 1906 English. ## 24. XIII. (XIV.) The Secret Sermon on the Mountain · 2 of 3 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/24/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/24/#p-N [¶0] Power sixth I call to us,—that against Avarice, Sharing-with-all. [¶1] And now that Avarice is gone, I call on Truth. And Error flees, and Truth is with us. [¶2] See how [the measure of] the Good is full, my son, upon Truth’s coming. For Envy hath gone from us; and unto Truth is joined the Good as well, with Life and Light. [¶3] And now no more doth any torment of the Darkness venture nigh, but vanquished [all] have fled with whirring wings. [¶4] 10. Thou knowest [now], my son, the manner of Rebirth. And when the Ten is come, my son, that driveth out the Twelve, the Birth in understanding is complete, and by this Birth we are made into Gods. [¶5] Who then doth by His mercy gain this Birth in God, abandoning the body’s senses, knows himself [to be of Light and Life ] and that he doth consist of these, and [thus] is filled with Bliss. [¶6] 11. Tat. By God made steadfast, father, no longer with the sight my eyes afford I look on things, but with the energy the Mind doth give me through the Powers. [¶7] In heaven am I, in earth, in water, air; I am in animals, in plants; I’m in the womb, before the womb, after the womb; I’m everywhere! [¶8] But further tell me this: How are the torments of the Darkness, when they are twelve in number, driven out by the ten Powers? What is the way of it, Thrice-greatest one? [¶9] 12. Her. This dwelling-place through which we have just passed, my son, is constituted from the circle of the types-of-life, this being composed of elements, twelve in number, but of one nature, an omniform idea. For man’s delusion there are disunions in them, son, while in their action they are one. Not only can we never part Rashness from Wrath; they cannot even be distinguished. [¶10] According to right reason (logos), then, they naturally withdraw once and for all, in as much as they are chased out by no less than ten powers, that is, the Ten. [¶11] For, son, the Ten is that which giveth birth to souls. And Life and Light are unified there, where the One hath being from the Spirit. According then to reason (logos) the One contains the Ten, the Ten the One. [¶12] 13. Tat. Father, I see the All, I see myself in Mind. [¶13] Her. This is, my son, Rebirth—no more to look on things from body’s view-point (a thing three ways in space extended), . . . though this Sermon (Logos) on Rebirth, on which I did not comment ;—in order that we may not be calumniators of the All unto the multitude, to whom indeed the God Himself doth will we should not. [¶14] 14. Tat. Tell me, O father: This Body which is made up of the Powers, is it at any time dissolved? [¶15] Her. Hush, [son]! Speak not of things impossible, else wilt thou sin and thy Mind’s eye be quenched. [¶16] The natural body which our sense perceives is far removed from this essential birth. [¶17] The first must be dissolved, the last can never be; the first must die, the last death cannot touch. [¶18] Dost thou not know thou hast been born a God, Son of the One, even as I myself? [¶19] 15. Tat. I would, O father, hear the Praise-giving with hymn which thou didst say thou heardest then when thou wert at the Eight [the Ogdoad] of Powers. [¶20] Her. Just as the Shepherd did foretell [I should], my son, [when I came to] the Eight. [¶21] Well dost thou haste to “strike thy tent,” for thou hast been made pure. [¶22] The Shepherd, Mind of all masterhood, hath not passed on to me more than hath been writ down, for full well did He know that I should of myself be able to learn all, and hear what I should wish, and see all things. [¶23] He left to me the making of fair things ; wherefore the Powers within me, e’en as they are in all, break into song. [¶24] 16. Tat. Father, I wish to hear; I long to know these things. [¶25] Her. Be still, my son; hear the Praise-giving now that keeps [the soul] in tune, Hymn of Re-birth—a hymn I would not have thought fit so readily to tell, had’st thou not reached the end of all. [¶26] Wherefore this is not taught, but is kept hid in silence. [¶27] Thus then, my son, stand in a place uncovered to the sky, facing the southern wind, about the sinking of the setting sun, and make thy worship; so in like manner too when he doth rise, with face to the east wind. [¶28] Now, son, be still! [¶29] THE SECRET HYMNODY [¶30] 17. Let every nature of the World receive the utterance of my hymn! [¶31] Open thou Earth! Let every bolt of the Abyss be drawn for me. Stir not, ye Trees! [¶32] I am about to hymn creation’s Lord, both All and One. [¶33] Ye Heavens open, and ye Winds stay still; [and] let God’s deathless Sphere receive my word (logos)! [¶34] For I will sing the praise of Him who founded all; who fixed the Earth, and hung up Heaven, and gave command that Ocean should afford sweet water [to the Earth], to both those parts that are inhabited and those that are not, for the support and use of every man; who made the Fire to shine for gods and men for every act. [¶35] Let us together all give praise to Him, sublime above the Heavens, of every nature Lord! [¶36] ’Tis He who is the Eye of Mind; may He accept the praise of these my Powers! [¶37] 18. Ye Powers that are within me, hymn the One and All; sing with my Will, Powers all that are within me! [¶38] O blessed Gnosis, by thee illumined, hymning through thee the Light that mind alone can see, I joy in Joy of Mind. [¶39] Sing with me praises all ye Powers! [¶40] Sing praise, my Self-control; sing thou through me, my Righteousness, the praises of the Righteous; sing thou, my Sharing-all, the praises of the All; through me sing, Truth, Truth’s praises! [¶41] Sing thou, O Good, the Good! O Life and Light, from us to you our praises flow! [¶42] Father, I give Thee thanks, to Thee Thou Energy of all my Powers; I give Thee thanks, O God, Thou Power of all my Energies! [¶43] 19. Thy Reason (Logos) sings through me Thy praises. Take back through me the All into [Thy] Reason—[my] reasonable oblation ! [¶44] Thus cry the Powers in me. They sing Thy praise, Thou All; they do Thy Will.