Corpus HermeticumThe Corpus Hermeticum is a collection of 17 Greek writings whose authorship is traditionally attributed to the legendary Hellenistic figure Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. The treatises were originally written c. 100 – c. 300 CE, but the collection as known today was first compiled by medieval Byzantine editors.
HermeticaThe 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 by modern convention are usually subdivided into two main categories, the "technical" and "religio-philosophical" Hermetica.
Hermes TrismegistusHermes Trismegistus (from Ancient Greek: Ἑρμῆς ὁ Τρισμέγιστος, lit. 'Hermes the Thrice-Greatest') is a legendary Hellenistic period figure that originated as a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. He is the purported author of the Hermetica, a widely diverse series of ancient and medieval pseudepigraphica that laid the basis of various philosophical systems known as Hermeticism.
AlchemyBranch of natural philosophy15th century depiction of an Ouroboros from the alchemical treatise Aurora consurgens (Zurich, Rheinau 172).Alchemy (from the Arabic word al-kīmīā, الكیمیاء) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was once practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe.
HermesAncient Greek deity and herald of the gods HermesGod of boundaries, roads, travelers, merchants, thieves, athletes, shepherds, commerce, speed, cunning, language, oratory, wit, and messagesMember of the Twelve OlympiansHermes Ingenui (Vatican Museums), Roman copy of the second century BC after a Greek original of the 5th century BC.Asclepius (treatise)The Asclepius, also known as the Perfect Discourse (from the GreekLogos teleios), is a religio-philosophical Hermetic treatise. The original Greek text, which was likely written in Alexandria between 100 CE and 300 CE, is largely lost and only a few fragments remain. However, the full text is extant in an early Latin translation, and fragments from a Coptic translation have also been found among the documents discovered in Nag Hammadi.
Ancient GreekAncient Greek (Ἑλληνική, Hellēnikḗ [hellɛːnikɛ̌ː]) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (c. 1400 – c. 1200 BC), Dark Ages (c. 1200 – c. 800 BC), the Archaic or Homeric period (c. 800 – c. 500 BC), and the Classical period (c. 500 – c. 300 BC).
RenaissanceEuropean cultural period of the 14th to 17th centuriesThe Renaissance (UK: , US: ) was a European period of history and cultural movement taking place at the end of the Late Middle Ages and the beginning of the early modern era. It is variously defined as covering the 15th and 16th centuries or, more broadly, as lasting from the 14th century to the 17th.
Thothor Major cult centerHermopolisSymbolIbis, moon disk, papyrus scroll, reed pens, writing palette, stylus, baboon, scalesConsortMaat, Seshat, NehmetawyOffspringSeshatEquivalentsGreekHermesRomanMercury
LatinLatin (lingua Latina or Latinum) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area around Rome, Italy. Through the expansion of the Roman Republic, it became the dominant language in the Italian Peninsula and subsequently throughout the Roman Empire.
SyncretismSyncretism () is the combining or merging of various distinct beliefs or schools of thought, particularly religious ones. For instance, features and components of one religion are incorporated and absorbed into another. It can include assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in theology and mythology, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to multiple faiths.
Early modern periodHistorical period from c. 1500 to c. 1800*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.