Hermes the Thrice-Great
All ye of our Order, bear witness to the secrets I have discovered, for they
tell a tale of our place in the world that is good and worthy to the ear.
Trust not that our Order began with Bonisagus and his magic, nor even the
cults of Rome; our Order is eternal, though like Almighty God it manifests
on earth in varied and mysterious ways.
Nowhere is it written from whence Hermes Trismegistos did
come. The Egyptians did call him a god, and wrote that he came from the sky;
but no true god was he, for it is known that he did die in the days before
Rome. Strong was Hermes in the magical arts, and from him all knowledge of
magic did flow.
In the days before Noah, Hermes did found an Order of learned
men, trained in the ancient rites of our Art. Skilled in prophesy, these men
of the first Order of Hermes, our eldest forefathers, foresaw the coming of
the Great Deluge, which God did send to punish man for his wickedness.
Fearing for the loss of their knowledge and their ceremonies, they used
their magic to build certain winding apartments beneath the ground at a
place called Syringes. On great stone pillars hidden in these secret vaults,
they transcribed the mysteries of their Order in the sacred tongue of
Hermes. Plato himself speaks of these secret halls in his Timaeus and
Critias.
After the Flood
While his followers perished in these vaults during the flood, Hermes
himself was able to hide aboard the Ark in the shape of a raven. Thus was
Hermetic Magic able to survive the Flood. It was Hermes who helped the sons
and grandsons of Noah to rebuild and repopulate the earth. He scribed a
great work called the Corpus Hermeticum, which consisted of forty-two texts
in all. Fifteen of these books detailed the Magical Arts, while the rest
were devoted to music, to medicine, to mathematics, and other worthy
knowledges. The most important of these was the Ma'ar, the book of Truth,
for Hermes was wise in the rule of law.
The sons of Noah divided the nations of the earth after the
flood, and with the help of Hermes did they build cities, for all the earth
was of one speech, and all men open to the ways of magic. Soon did the sons
of Noah and their sons build a great tower in the city of Babel, which they
would by magic raise unto Heaven, that they might might see the throne of
God. But God came down to see the tower they did build, and was displeased.
He confounded their tongues, and scattered them across the earth. Even did
he close the minds of men to magic, that they would not work as one any
longer.
Until this time, it is thought, all men had the Gift, and all
could learn the magic of Hermes. After the scattering of tongues, many could
no longer understand the mysteries, or were confused by them. It is likely
the birth of the exotic traditions began here, at Babel, called Babylon in
the Greek.
Soon after this time, and before the time of Abraham, Hermes
did look for those who could understand the mysteries, for even now did many
men fear them. And so did he find Menes, Pharoah of Egypt, a wise and goodly
man. The Pharoah called Hermes by name of Thoth, and proclaimed him a god,
for he had much knowledge and power. And Hermes taught the Pharoah many
things, even the Magical Arts, which the Pharoah was eager to learn. With
the wisdom of Hermes did the Pharoah do many great things; he united the
Kingdom of Egypt, he built the great City of White Walls. even did he hunt
many great beasts and turn them to stone.
The Egyptians
Hermes gave to the priests of Egypt the writings of the Corpus Hermeticum,
and even to them did he teach how to read and understand his work. And it
came to pass that all the scribes of Egypt did learn the sacred tongue of
Hermes, that they could communicate to each other without words, which men
had not done since Noah's time. And those who could grasp the mysteries did
Hermes take for himself, and so did he teach them, and they became the
second Order of Hermes, which men called the Priests of Thoth.
And Menes, Pharoah of Egypt, ruled well and honoured justice
and law. And so did the Priests of Thoth follow the laws which Hermes had
made. And there was peace and good harvests upon the land for all the days
of Menes the Pharoah. And when he died, his people worshipped him as a god,
and so Hermes built a great pyramid of stone, and made it to be a tomb, and
used great magics that the body of Menes should not age, or turn to dust.
And so even did the people of Egypt raise such pyramids for their favoured
Pharoahs for the rest of their days, and they did also study the Arts of
Necromancy, that they might keep their bodies as Hermes had done. And ever
still does the tomb of Menes shame even the largest fortress of Europe, and
even so the tombs of the other pharoahs, of which none approach the size of
that built by Hermes.
And it came to pass that Hermes was greatly saddened by the
death of Menes, for they had been as father and son. And so did Hermes think
to depart from Egypt. To his High Priest did he give a great gift, the Book
of Thoth, which was a work of the most powerful magics. Even did Hermes say
to his High Priest, Make thee a casket of shittim wood, and overlay it with
pure gold inside and out, and onto it place guards and wards of great
strength. And make thee a magical key of pure gold, that this key be the
only means to open the casket. Keep this key always, and let no other take
it from thee. And Hermes said, Place thou the book within the casket, and
let no one but thyself and thy successors read its pages, for it contains
great knowledge. And even did the High Priest obey the commands of Hermes,
and so the casket was hidden in the innermost sanctum of the temple, and
none but the High Priest himself was permitted its secrets.
And the secrets of the Book of Thoth were these; how to
attain everlasting youth and vigour on the earth; also did it teach men to
capture the spirits of demons and angels, that they might be placed inside
statues with help of herb and gem, even so they might speak and make
prophesy. And the secrets of transformation, that a man might forever
control the substance of the four elements, even was it written therein. And
all these secrets were known to the High Priest of Thoth, of the second
Order of Hermes.
And so it came to pass that Hermes departed Egypt and
travelled into the wilderness, and was not seen for many years. And the
Priests of Thoth taught the Corpus Hermeticum to the people of Egypt, and
practiced the Magical Arts, and built great cities and temples. Yet the
Priests of Thoth loved the mysteries more than the law, and so did they stop
teaching the Ma'ar, and even so did justice and truth fade from their
hearts. And the priests began to fight amongst themselves, even did they
argue with their elders, and neglect their duties. And without the strength
of law which binds men together, the Priests could accomplish nothing, for
as at Babel they had no common tongue.
And it came to pass that the Shepherd Kings from the East
invaded Egypt, and brought with them powerful sorcerers. And the Priests of
Thoth were not united, and so did they fight as children against the
sorcerers of the Hyksos. And the High Priests feared for the Book of Thoth,
and they took it from the inner sanctum and fled with it to a land where the
ancient mysteries are not covetted by men. Even do they await the return of
Hermes, that the book be again given to his chosen people.
And it was two hundred years upon the earth when Hermes
returned to Egypt. And he saw the rule of the Shepherd Kings, and how the
sorcerers of the Hyksos did raid his temples, and great was his anger. And
he spake unto the winds of the sky and the stones of the earth, and they did
raise for him an army against the invaders. And his army made war with the
Shepherd Kings, and did defeat them, and Hermes did humble the sorcerers of
the Hyksos with his power, and even did he cast them from his temples. Yet
his anger dwelt still with his priests, who had foresaken his laws, and he
said unto them, No more shall I teach thee, nor call thee my people.
The Prophesy
And Hermes did prophesy: Unto the people of Egypt shalt many hardships be
delivered, and thy knowledge will be forgotten. And I shalt inscribe upon an
Emerald Tablet the heart of the mysteries, and it shalt be forever hidden
from thee. And it shall come to pass that a learned man shall lead great
armies unto Egypt, and its people shall fall before him. And unto him shall
I grant the knowledge of the mysteries, and even will he build with them a
great empire.
Unto the desert did Hermes return, and never again was he
seen in Egypt. And his priests had not his wisdom nor the Book of Thoth to
guide them, and even did they move about like a beast without a head. And so
were many of the Arts forgotten, and even did the magicians of Egypt
practise false arts, that they might please their Pharoah. And it came to
pass that Moses came unto Egypt, and brought with him the wrath of God, and
there was much hardship in the land of Egypt. And the magicians tried to
stop the plagues and could not, for they were no longer true to the
mysteries.
And it came to pass, as was fortold by Hermes, a learned man
did lead great armies into Egypt. And this man was Alexander the Greek,
pupil of Aristotle, and wise in many things. And his armies did fall upon
the armies of Egypt, and devoured them like lions. And Alexandar did conquer
Egypt, and did built a city to bear his name.
And unto Alexander was brought Manetho, whose name means Gift
of Thoth, and he was a gifted scribe. Even did he scribe the long history of
Egypt, and even the forgotten mysteries did he translate into Greek. And
Alexander was much amazed at the wisdom of Hermes, and commanded a great
library be built to house the work of Manetho, for Alexandar loved wisdom.
And even did they build the library in Alexandria.
And Alexandar studied the mysteries and was desirous to learn
more, and so he did travel to the Oracle at the Oasis of Ammon, that he
might learn where Hermes had hidden the Emerald Tablet. And the Oracle was
strong in prophesy, and knew that unto Alexander would the tablet be given.
And so he did tell Alexandar of the crypt of Hermes, and even did he tell
him where to find it, and Alexandar made haste to journey there. And he went
into cave, and even did he look upon the body of Hermes. And the body did
look as if in sleep, yet no life did dwell therein. And at the feet of the
body was the tablet, and Alexandar did take it and depart. Thus was the
prophesy of Hermes fulfilled.
The history of Hermetic Magic between the destruction of
Alexandria and Bonisagus' interpretation of the Emerald Tablet is still
being debated.
Borrowed
Article Copyright Permission Pending
©
Eric Pommer 1997
