Poimandres ( el, Ποιμάνδρης; also known as ''Poemandres'', ''Poemander'' or ''Pimander'') is the first tractate in the ''
Corpus Hermeticum''.
Etymology
Originally written in
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
, the title was formerly understood to mean "Man-Shepherd" from the words
ποιμήν and
ἀνήρ, but recent studies on its etymology allege that it is actually derived from the Egyptian phrase ''Peime-nte-rê'' meaning "Knowledge of
Re" or "Understanding of Re".
Description
The character Poimandres can be considered to be a sort of
deity, or attribute of
God
In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...
as ''
nous'' or "mind" as expressed in the following translations.
John Everard translation:
:''Then said I, "Who art Thou?"''
:''"I am," quoth he, "Poemander, the mind of the Great Lord, the most Mighty and absolute Emperor: I know what thou wouldest have, and I am always present with thee."''
G. R. S. Mead translation:
:''And I do say: Who art thou?''
:''He saith: I am Man-Shepherd ''
οιμάνδρης', Mind of all-masterhood; I know what thou desirest and I'm with thee everywhere.''
Brian P. Copenhaver translation:
:''"Who are you?" I asked.''
:''"I am Poimandres," he said, "mind of sovereignty; I know what you want, and I am with you everywhere."''
Salaman, Van Oyen and Wharton translation:
[Salaman, Van Oyen, Wharton and Mahé,''The Way of Hermes'', p. 17]
:''"Who are you?" said I.''
:''He said, "I am Poimandres the
Nous of the Supreme. I know what you wish and I am with you everywhere."
See also
*
Hermes Trismegistus
Hermes Trismegistus (from grc, Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος, "Hermes the Thrice-Greatest"; Classical Latin: la, label=none, Mercurius ter Maximus) is a legendary Hellenistic figure that originated as a syncretic combination of t ...
**''
Hermetica
The ''Hermetica'' are texts attributed to the legendary Hellenistic figure Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. These texts may vary widely in content and purpose, but are usually subd ...
'', writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus
**
Hermeticism
Hermeticism, or Hermetism, is a philosophical system that is primarily based on the purported teachings of Hermes Trismegistus (a legendary Hellenistic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth). These teachings are containe ...
, philosophical systems based on the writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus
References
External links
''Pœmandres, the Shepherd of Men''– Translation by G.R.S. Mead, 1906.
– Translation by John Everard, 1650.
''Pimander''– Latin translation by Marsilio Ficino, Milano: Damianus de Mediolano 1493.
''The Theological and Philosophical Works of Hermes Trismegistus''– translation by John David Chambers, 1882.
*
ttp://www.w66.eu/elib/html/poimandres.html Ἑρμου του Τρισμεγιστου ΠΟΙΜΑΝΔΡΗΣ– Greek text of the 'Poimandres'
''Hermetis Trismegisti Poemander''– Complete Greek text of Poemander and Latin translation, G. Parthey (ed.), 1854.
* ''Corpus Hermeticum'' – Critical edition and French translation; 4 vols.; eds. A.D. Nock & A.-J. Festugière. Paris: Belles Lettres, 1946–1954.
{{Authority control
Creation myths
Hermetica