---
title: "Corpus Hermeticum and the Asclepius"
author: "Hermes Trismegistus (attributed)"
translator: "G. R. S. Mead"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Hermetica & Gnostics"
section: 45 of 45
url: https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/45/
cite: "Hermes Trismegistus (attributed), tr. G. R. S. Mead, Corpus Hermeticum and the Asclepius, section 45. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/45/"
---

# 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.

## 45. The Perfect Sermon (Asclepius) · Part XV

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/45/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/corpus-hermeticum-mead/45/#p-N

[¶0] 1. Now when they came forth from the holy place, they turned their faces towards the south when they began their prayers to God.

[¶1] For when the sun is setting, should anyone desire to pray to God, he ought to turn him thitherwards ; so also at the rising of the same, unto that spot which lies beneath the sun.

[¶2] As they were just beginning to recite the prayer, Asclepius did whisper:

[¶3] [Asc.] Let us suggest to father, Tat,—what he did bid us do, —that we should say our prayer to God with added incense and with unguents.

[¶4] Whom when Thrice-greatest heard, he grew distressed and said:

[¶5] 2. [Tris.] Nay, nay, Asclepius; speak more propitious words! For this is like to profanation of [our] sacred rites,—when thou dost pray to God, to offer incense and the rest.

[¶6] For naught is there of which He stands in need, in that He is all things, or all are in Him.

[¶7] But let us worship, pouring forth our thanks. For this is the best incense in God’s sight,—when thanks are given to Him by men.

[¶8] 3. [We give] Thee grace, Thou highest [and] most excellent! For by Thy Grace we have received the so great Light of Thy own Gnosis.

[¶9] O holy Name, fit [Name] to be adored, O Name unique, by which the Only God is to be blest through worship of [our] Sire,—[of Thee] who deignest to afford to all a Father’s piety, and care, and love, and whatsoever virtue is more sweet [than these], endowing [us] with sense, [and] reason, [and] intelligence;—with sense that we may feel Thee; with reason that we may track Thee out from the appearances of things ; with means of recognition that we may joy in knowing Thee.

[¶10] 4. Saved by Thy Power divine, let us rejoice that Thou hast shown Thyself to us in all Thy Fullness. Let us rejoice that Thou hast deigned to consecrate us, [still] entombed in bodies, to Eternity.

[¶11] For this is the sole festival of praise worthy of man,—to know Thy Majesty.

[¶12] We have known Thee; yea, by the Single Sense of our intelligence, we have perceived

[¶13] Thy Light supreme,—O Thou true Life of life, O Fecund Womb that giveth birth to every nature!

[¶14] 5. We have known Thee, O Thou completely filled with the Conception from Thyself of Universal Nature!

[¶15] We have known Thee, O Thou Eternal Constancy!

[¶16] For in the whole of this our prayer in worship of Thy Good, this favour only of Thy Goodness do we crave;—that Thou wilt keep us constant in our Love of knowing Thee, and let us ne’er be cut off from this kind of Life.

[¶17] With this desire we [now] betake us to [our] pure and fleshless meal.