{"schema_version":1,"access":"public","rights":"Public-domain or compatibly licensed source editions; provenance is retained per record.","work":{"slug":"poimandres","title":"The Poimandres (Corpus Hermeticum I)","author":"Hermes Trismegistus (attributed)","tradition":"alchemy","language":"grc","genre":"Hermetic revelation","period":"1st–3rd c. CE, Roman Egypt","source_url":"https://el.wikisource.org/wiki/Ποιμάνδρης","original":{"text":"### The Vision of Light and the Descent of Man\n\n1. Ἐννοίας μοί ποτε γενομένης περὶ τῶν ὄντων καὶ μετεωρισθείσης μου τῆς διανοίας σφόδρα, κατασχεθεισῶν τε τῶν σωματικῶν μου αἰσθήσεων — καθάπερ οἱ ἐν ὕπνῳ βεβαρημένοι ἐκ κόρου τε καὶ τρυφῆς ἢ ἐκ κόπου σώματος — ἔδοξά τινα ὑπερμεγέθη μέτρῳ ἀπεριορίστῳ τυγχάνοντα καλεῖν μου τὸ ὄνομα καὶ λέγοντά μοι, Τί βούλει ἀκοῦσαι καὶ θεάσασθαι καὶ τί νοήσας· μαθεῖν καὶ γνῶναι;\n\n2. Φημὶ ἐγώ, Σὺ γὰρ τίς εἶ; Ἐγὼ μέν, φησίν, εἰμὶ ὁ Ποιμάνδρης, ὁ τῆς αὐθεντίας νοῦς, οἶδα δὲ ὃ βούλει, καὶ σύνειμί σοι πανταχοῦ.\n\n3. Φημὶ ἐγώ, Μαθεῖν θέλω τὰ ὄντα καὶ νοῆσαι τὴν τούτων φύσιν, καὶ γνῶναι τὸν θεόν. τοῦτ’ ἔφην, ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι. Φησὶν ἐμοὶ πάλιν, Ἔχε νῷ σῷ ὅσα θέλεις μαθεῖν, κἀγώ σε διδάξω.\n\n4. Τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἠλλάγη τῇ ἰδέᾳ, καὶ εὐθέως πάντα μοι ἤνοικτο ῥοπῇ, καὶ ὁρῶ θέαν ἀόριστον, φῶς δὲ πάντα γεγενημένα, εὔδιόν τε καὶ ἱλαρόν· καὶ ἠράσθην ἰδών· καὶ μετ' ὀλίγον σκότος κατωφερὲς ἦν ἐν μέρει γεγενημένον, φοβερόν τε καὶ στυγνόν, σκολιῶς πεπεραμένον· ὡς εἰκάσαι με ἰδόντα μεταβαλλόμενον τὸ σκότος εἰς ὑγρᾶν τινα φύσιν ἀφάτως τεταραγμένην, καὶ καπνὸν ἀποδιδοῦσαν ὡς ἀπὸ πυρός, καί τινα ἦχον ἀποτελοῦσαν ἀνεκλάλητον γοώδη. εἶτα βοὴ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀσυνάρθρως ἐξεπέμπετο, ὡς εἰκάσαι φωνῇ φωτός.\n\n5. ἐκ τοῦ φωτὸς τις λόγος ἅγιος ἐπέβη τῇ φύσει, καὶ πῦρ ἄκρατον ἐξεπήδησεν ἐκ τῆς ὑγρᾶς φύσεως ἄνω εἰς ὕψος· κοῦφον δὲ ἦν καὶ ὀξύ, δραστικὸν τὲ ἅμα· καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ, ἐλαφρὸς ὢν ἠκολούθησε τῷ πνεύματι, ἀναβαίνοντος αὐτοῦ μέχρι τοῦ πυρὸς ἀπὸ γῆς καὶ ὕδατος, ὡς δοκεῖν κρέμασθαι αὐτὸν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. γῆ δὲ καὶ ὕδωρ ἔμενε καθ' ἑαυτὰ συμμεμιγμένα, ὡς μὴ θεωρεῖσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος· κινούμενα δὲ ἦν διὰ τὸν ἐπιφερόμενον πνευματικὸν λόγον εἰς ἀκοήν.\n\n6. Ὁ δὲ Ποιμάνδρης ἐμοί, Ἐνόησας, φησί, τὴν θέαν ταύτην ὅτι καὶ βούλεται; Καὶ γνώσομαι, ἔφην ἐγώ. Τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖνο, ἔφη, ἐγώ εἰμι νοῦς ὁ σὸς θεός, ὁ πρὸ φύσεως ὑγρᾶς τῆς ἐκ σκότους φανείσης· ὁ δὲ ἐκ νοὸς φωτεινὸς λόγος, υἱὸς θεοῦ. Τί οὖν; φημί. Οὕτω γνῶθι· τὸ ἐν σοὶ\nβλέπον καὶ ἀκοῦον, λόγος κυρίου, ὁ δὲ νοῦς πατὴρ θεός· οὐ γὰρ διίστανται ἀπ' ἀλλήλων· ἕνωσις γὰρ τούτων ἐστὶν ἡ ζωή. Εὐχαριστῶ σοι, ἔφην ἔγω. Ἀλλὰ δὴ νόει τὸ φῶς, καὶ γνώριζε τοῦτο, φησίν.\n\n7. Καὶ εἰπὼν ταῦτα ἐπὶ πλείονα χρόνον ἀντώπησέ μοι, ὥστε με τρέμειν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰδέαν. ἀνανεύσαντος δέ θεωρῶ ἐν τῷ νοΐ μου τὸ φῶς ἐν δυνάμεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις ὄν, καὶ κόσμον ἀπεριόριστον γεγενημένον, καὶ περισχέσθαι τὸ πῦρ δυνάμει μεγίστῃ, καὶ στάσιν ἐσχηκέναι κρατούμενον. ταῦτα δὲ ἐγὼ διενοήθην ὁρῶν διὰ τὸν τοῦ Ποιμάνδρου λόγον.\n\n8. Ὡς δὲ ἦν ἐν ἐκπλήξει φησὶ πάλιν ἐμοί, Εἶδες ἐν τῷ νῷ τὸ ἀρχέτυπον εἶδος τὸ προϋπάρχον τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς ἀπεράντου. ταῦτα ὁ Ποιμάνδρης ἐμοί. Τὰ οὖν, ἐγώ φημι, στοιχεῖα τῆς φύσεως πόθεν ὑπέστη; Πάλιν ἐκεῖνος πρὸς ταῦτα, Ἐκ βουλῆς θεοῦ, ἥτις λαβοῦσα τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὸν καλὸν κόσμον, ἐμιμήσατο, κοσμοποιηθεῖσα διὰ τῶν ἑαυτῆς στοιχείων καὶ γεννημάτων ψυχῶν.\n\n9. ὁ δὲ νοῦς ὁ θεός, ἀρρενόθηλυς ὤν, ζωὴ καὶ φῶς ὑπάρχων, ἀπεκύησε λόγῳ ἕτερον νοῦν δημιουργόν, ὃς θεὸς τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ πνεύματος ὤν ἐδημιούργησε διοικητάς τινας ἑπτά, ἐν κύκλοις περιέχοντας τὸν αἰσθητὸν κόσμον. καὶ ἡ διοίκησις αὐτῶν εἱμαρμένη καλεῖται.\n\n10. Ἐπήδησεν εὐθὺς ἐκ τῶν κατωφερῶν στοιχείων ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος εἰς τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς φύσεως δημιούργημα, καὶ ἡνώθη τῷ δημιουργῷ νῷ· ὁμοούσιος γὰρ ἦν. καὶ κατελείφθη τὰ ἄλογα τὰ κατωφερῆ τῆς φύσεως στοιχεῖα, ὡς εἶναι ὕλην μόνην.\n\n11. ὁ δὲ δημιουργὸς νοῦς σὺν τῷ λόγῳ, ὁ περιέχων τοὺς κύκλους καὶ δινῶν ῥοίζῳ, ἔστρεψε τὰ ἑαυτοῦ δημιουργήματα, καὶ εἴασε στρέφεσθαι ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ἀορίστου εἰς ἀπέραντον τέλος. ἄρχεται γάρ, οὗ λήγει. ἡ δὲ τούτων περιφορά, καθὼς θέλει ὁ νοῦς, ἐκ τῶν κατωφερῶν στοιχείων ζῶα ἤνεγκεν ἄλογα· οὐ γὰρ ἐπεῖχε τὸν λόγον· ἀὴρ δὲ πετεινὰ ἤνεγκε, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ νηκτά· διακεχώρισται δὲ ἀπ' ἀλλήλων ἥ τε γῆ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ, καθὼς ἠθέλησεν ὁ νοῦς, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐξήνεγκεν ἀπ' αὐτῆς ἃ εἶχε ζῷα τετράποδα, ἑρπετά, θηρία ἄγρια καὶ ἥμερα.\n\n12. Ὁ δὲ πάντων πατὴρ ὁ νοῦς, ὢν ζωὴ καὶ φῶς, ἀπεκύησεν ἄνθρωπον ἑαὐτῷ ἴσον, οὗ ἠράσθη ὡς ἰδίου τόκου· περικαλλὴς γάρ, τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς εἰκόνα ἔχων. ὄντως γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἠράσθη τῆς ἰδίας μορφῆς, καὶ αὐτῇ παρέδωκε τὰ ἑαυτοῦ πάντα δημιουργήματα.\n\n13. κατανοήσας δὲ τὴν τοῦ δημιουργοῦ κτίσιν ἐν τῷ πατρί, ἠβουλήθη καὶ αὐτὸς δημιουργεῖν. καὶ ἀπεχωρίσθη ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός, γενόμενος ἐν τῇ δημιουργικῇ σφαίρᾳ· ἔχων τὴν πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν κατενόησε τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὰ δημιουργήματα. οἱ δὲ ἠράσθησαν αὐτοῦ· ἕκαστος δὲ μετεδίδου τῆς ἰδίας τάξεως. καὶ καταμαθὼν τὴν τούτων οὐσίαν, καὶ μεταλαβὼν τῆς αὐτῶν φύσεως ἠβουλήθη ἀναρρῆξαι τὴν περιφέρειαν τῶν κύκλων, καὶ τὸ κράτος τοῦ ἐπικειμένου ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρὸς καταπονῆσαι.\n\n14. Καὶ ὁ τῶν θνητῶν τοῦ κόσμου ζώων καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ἔχων πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν διὰ τῆς ἁρμονίας παρέκυψεν, ἀναρρήξας τὸ κράτος τῶν κύκλων, καὶ ἔδειξε τῇ κατωφερεῖ φύσει τὴν καλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ μορφὴν. ἣν ἰδοῦσα ἀκόρεστον κάλλος· καὶ πᾶσαν ἐνέργειαν ἐν ἑαυτῇ ἔχουσαν τῶν ἑπτὰ διοικητόρων, τήν τε μορφὴν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐμειδίασεν ἔρωτι, ἅτε τῆς καλλίστης μορφῆς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ εἶδος ἐν τῷ ὕδατι ἰδοῦσα, καὶ τὸ σκίασμα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. ὁ δὲ ἰδὼν τὴν ὁμοίαν αὐτῷ μορφὴν, ἐν ἑαυτῷ οὖσαν, ἐν τῷ ὕδατι, ἐφίλησε καὶ ἠβουλήθη αὐτῇ συνοικεῖν· ἅμα δὲ τῇ βουλῇ ἐγένετο ἐνέργεια, καὶ ἐκύησε τὴν ἄλογον μορφήν.\n\n15. ἡ δὲ φύσις λαβοῦσα τὸν ἐρώμενον περιεπλάκη ὅλη καὶ ἐμίγησαν· ἐρώμενοι γὰρ ἦσαν. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο παρὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς ζῶα διπλοῦς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, θνητὸς μὲν διὰ τὸ σῶμα, ἀθάνατος δὲ διὰ τὸν οὐσιώδη ἄνθρωπον. ἀθάνατος γὰρ ὢν καὶ πάντων τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχων, τὰ θνητὰ πάσχει ὑποκείμενα τῇ εἱμαρμένῃ. ὑπεράνω οὖν ὢν τῆς ἁρμονίας, ἐναρμόνιος γέγονε δοῦλος. ἀρρενόθηλυς δὲ ὤν, ἐξ ἀρρενοθήλεος ὢν πατρὸς, καὶ ἄϋπνος ἀπὸ ἀΰπνου κρατεῖται.\n\n### The Ascent of the Soul and the Hymn\n\n16. Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα νοῦς ὁ ἐμός, Καὶ αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐρῶ τοῦ λόγου. Ὁ δὲ Ποιμάνδρης εἶπε, Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ κεκρυμμένον μυστήριον μέχρι τῆσδε τῆς ἡμέρας. ἡ γὰρ φύσις ἐπιμιγεῖσα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἤνεγκέ τι θαῦμα θαυμασιώτατον. ἔχοντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἁρμονίας τῶν ἑπτὰ τὴν φύσιν, οὓς ἔφην σοι, ἐκ πυρὸς καὶ πνεύματος, οὐκ ἀνέμενεν ἡ φύσις, ἀλλ' εὐθὺς ἀπεκύησεν ἑπτὰ ἀνθρώπους, πρὸς τὰς φύσεις τῶν ἑπτὰ διοκητόρων ἀρρενοθήλεας καὶ μεταρσίους.\nΚαὶ μετὰ ταῦτα, Ὦ Ποιμάνδρη, εἰς μεγάλην γὰρ νῦν ἐπιθυμίαν ἦλθον, καὶ ποθῶ ἀκοῦσαι. μὴ ἔκτρεχε. Καὶ ὁ Ποιμάνδρης εἶπεν, Ἀλλὰ σιώπα· οὔπω γάρ σοι ἀνήπλωσα τὸν πρῶτον λόγον. Ἰδοὺ σιωπῶ, ἔφην ἐγώ.\n\n17. Ἐγένετο οὖν, ὡς ἔφην, τῶν ἑπτὰ τούτων ἡ γένεσις τοιῷδε τρόπῳ. θηλυκὸν γὰρ ὁ ἀήρ, καὶ ὕδωρ ὀχευτικόν. τὸ δὲ ἐκ πυρὸς πέπειρον, ἐκ δὲ αἰθέρος τὸ πνεῦμα ἔλαβε. καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν ἡ φύσις τὰ σώματα πρὸς τὸ εἶδος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. ὁ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ ζωῆς καὶ φωτὸς ἐγένετο εἰς ψυχὴν καὶ νοῦν, ἐκ μὲν ζωῆς εἰς ψυχήν, ἐκ δὲ φωτὸς εἰς νοῦν. καὶ ἔμεινεν οὕτω τὰ πάντα μέλη τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ κόσμου μέχρι περιόδου τέλους ἀρχῶν καὶ γενῶν.\n\n18. ἄκουε λοιπόν, ὃν ποθεῖς λόγον ἀκοῦσαι. τῆς περιόδου πεπληρωμένης ἐλύθη ὁ πάντων σύνδεσμος ἐκ βουλῆς θεοῦ. πάντα γὰρ τὰ ζῷα ἀρρενοθήλεα ὄντα διελύετο ἅμα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, καὶ ἐγένετο τὰ μὲν ἀρρενικὰ ἐν μέρει, τὰ δὲ θηλυκὰ ὁμοίως. ὁ δὲ θεὸς εὐθὺς εἶπεν ἁγίῳ λόγῳ, αὐξάνεσθε ἐν αὐξήσει καὶ πληθύνεσθε ἐν πλήθει, πάντα τὰ κτίσματα καὶ δημιουργήματα· καὶ ἀναγνωρισάτω ὁ ἔννους ἑαυτὸν ὄντα ἀθάνατον καὶ τὸν αἴτιον τοῦ θανάτου ἔρωτα σώματος, καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄντα.\n\n19. Τοῦτο εἰπόντος, ἡ πρόνοια διὰ τῆς εἱμαρμένης καὶ ἁρμονίας τὰς μίξεις ἐποιήσατο καὶ τὰς γενέσεις κατέστησε. καὶ ἐπληθύνθη κατὰ γένος τὰ πάντα. καὶ ὁ ἀναγνωρίσας ἑαυτὸν ἐλήλυθεν εἰς τὸ περιούσιον ἀγαθόν, ὁ δὲ ἀγαπήσας τὸ ἐκ πλάνης ἔρωτος σῶμα, οὗτος μένει ἐν τῷ σκότει πλανώμενος, αἰσθητῶς πάσχων τὰ τοῦ θανάτου.\n\n20. Τί τοσοῦτον ἁμαρτάνουσιν, ἔφην ἐγώ, οἱ ἀγνοοῦντες, ἵνα στερηθῶσι τῆς ἀθανασίας; Ἔοικας, φησίν, ὦ οὗτος, μὴ πεφροντικέναι ὧν ἤκουσας. οὐκ ἔφην σοι νοεῖν; Νοῶ, ἔφην, καὶ μιμνήσκομαι· εὐχαριστῶ δὲ ἅμα σοί. Εἰ ἐνόησας, φησίν, εἰπέ μοι, διὰ τί ἄξιοί εἰσι τοῦ θανάτου οἱ ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ ὄντες. Ὅτι προκατάρχεται, φημί, τοῦ οἰκείου σώματος τὸ στυγνὸν σκότος, ἐξ οὗ ἡ ὑγρὰ φύσις, ἐξ ἧς τὸ σῶμα συνέστηκεν ἐν τῷ αἰσθητῷ κόσμῳ, ἐξ οὗ θάνατος ἀρδεύεται.\n\n21. Ἐνόησας ὀρθῶς, ὦ οὗτος. κατὰ τί δὲ ὁ ἐννοήσας ἑαυτὸν εἰς θεὸν χωρεῖ, ὅπερ ἔφη ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος; Φημὶ ἐγώ ὅτι Ἐκ φωτὸς καὶ ζωῆς συνέστηκεν ὁ πατὴρ τῶν ὅλων, ἐξ οὗ γέγονεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος. Εὐφήμει λαλῶν, φησί, φῶς καὶ ζωή ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατήρ, ἐξ οὗ ἐγένετο ὁ ἄνθρωπος. ἐὰν οὖν μάθῃς σεαυτὸν ἐκ ζωῆς καὶ φωτὸς ὄντα, καὶ ὅτι ἐκ τούτων τυγχάνεις, εἰς ζωὴν πάλιν χωρήσεις. ταῦτα ὁ Ποιμάνδρης εἶπεν. Ἀλλ’ ἔτι ἔφην ἐγώ, εἰπέ μοι, πῶς εἰς\nζωὴν χωρήσω, ὦ νοῦς; Ἐμός φησὶν ὁ θεός, Ὁ ἔννους ἄνθρωπος ἀναγνωρισάτω ἑαυτόν. Οὐ\nπάντες, φημί, οὖν ἄνθρωποι νοῦν ἔχουσιν;\n\n22. Εὐφήμει, ὦ οὗτος, τοιαῦτα λαλῶν. παραγίνομαι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ὁ νοῦς τοῖς ὁσίοις καὶ ἀγαθοῖς καὶ καθαροῖς καὶ ἐλεήμοσι, τοῖς εὐσεβῶς βιοῦσι. καὶ ἡ παρουσία μου γίνεται βοήθεια, καὶ εὐθὺς τὰ πάντα γνωρίζουσι καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἱλάσκονται ἀγαπητικῶς, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦσιν εὐλογοῦντες καὶ ὑμνοῦσι τεταγμένοι πρὸς αὐτὸν τῇ στοργῇ· καὶ πρὸ τοῦ παραδοῦναι τὸ σῶμα ἰδίῳ θανάτῳ μυσάττονται τὰς αἰσθήσεις εἰδότες αὐτῶν τὰ ἐνεργήματα· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἐάσω αὐτὸς ὁ νοῦς τὰ προσπίπτοντα ἐνεργήματα τοῦ σώματος ἐκτελεσθῆναι· πυλωρὸς γὰρ ὢν ἀποκλείσω τὰς εἰσόδους τῶν κακῶν καὶ αἰσχρῶν ἐνεργημάτων τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις ἐκκόπτων.\n\n23. τοῖς δὲ ἀνοήτοις καὶ κακοῖς καὶ πονηροῖς καὶ φθονεροῖς καὶ πλεονέκταις καὶ φονεῦσι καὶ ἀσεβέσι πόρρωθέν εἰμι, τῷ τιμωρῷ ἐκχωρήσας δαίμονι, ὅστις τὴν ὀξύτητα τοῦ πυρὸς προσβάλλων θρώσκει αὐτοὺς αἰσθητικῶς, καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτοὺς ὁπλίζει, ἵνα τύχωσι μείζονος τιμωρίας· καὶ οὐ παύεται ἐπ' ὀρέξεις ἀπλέτους τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῶν κινῶν ἀκορέστως ὡς ἐν σκοτομαχίᾳ· καὶ οὕτω βασανίζει, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς πῦρ ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖον αὐξάνει.\n\n24. Εὖ με πάντα, ἔφην, ὡς ἐβουλόμην, ἐδίδαξας, ὦ νοῦς. ἔτι δέ μοι εἰπὲ περὶ τῆς ἀνόδου τῆς γινομένης. Πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Ποιμάνδρης εἷπε, Πρῶτον μὲν ἐν τῇ ἀναλύσει τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ὑλικοῦ παραδίδωσιν αὐτὸ τὸ σῶμα εἰς ἀλλοίωσιν, καὶ τὸ εἶδος ὃ εἶχες, ἀφανὲς γίνεται. καὶ τὸ ἦθος τῷ δαίμονι ἀνενέργητον παραδίδωσι, καὶ αἱ αἰσθήσεις τοῦ σώματος εἰς τὰς ἑαυτῶν πηγὰς ἐπανέρχονται μέρη γινόμεναι, καὶ πάλιν συνιστάμεναι εἰς τὰς ἐνεργείας. καὶ ὁ θυμὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία εἰς τὴν ἄλογον φύσιν χωρεῖ.\n\n25. καὶ οὕτως ὁρμᾷ λοιπὸν ἄνω διὰ τῆς ἁρμονίας, καὶ τῇ πρώτῃ ζώνῃ δίδωσι τὴν αὐξητικὴν ἐνέργειαν καὶ τὴν μειωτικήν, καὶ τῇ δευτέρᾳ τὴν μηχανὴν τῶν κακῶν, καὶ τὸν δόλον ἀνενέργητον, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τὴν ἐπιθυμητικὴν ἀπάτην ἀνενέργητον, καὶ τῇ τετάρτῃ τὴν ἀρχοντικὴν ὑπεριφανίαν ἀπλεονέκτητον, καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ τὸ θράσος τὸ ἀνόσιον καὶ τῆς τόλμης τὴν προπέτειαν, καὶ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰς ἀφορμὰς τὰς κακὰς τοῦ πλούτου ἀνενεργήτους, καὶ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ζώνῃ τὸ ἐνεδρεῦον ψεῦδος.\n\n26. καὶ τότε γυμνωθεὶς ἀπὸ τῶν τῆς ἁρμονίας ἐνεργημάτων γίνεται ἐπὶ τὴν ὀγδοατικὴν φύσιν τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν ἔχων, καὶ ὑμνεῖ σὺν τοῖς οὖσι τὸν πατέρα. συγχαίρουσι δὲ οἱ παρόντες τῇ τούτου παρουσίᾳ, καὶ ὁμοιωθεὶς τοῖς συνοῦσιν ἀκούει καί τῶν δυνάμεων ὑπὲρ τὴν ὀγδοατικὴν φύσιν οὐσῶν φωνῇ τινι ἡδείᾳ ὑμνουσῶν τὸν θεόν. καὶ τότε τάξει ἀνέρχονται πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, καὶ αὐτοὶ εἰς δυνάμεις ἑαυτοὺς παραδιδόασι, καὶ δυνάμεις γενόμενοι ἐν θεῷ γίνονται. τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἀγαθὸν τέλος τοῖς γνῶσιν ἐσχηκόσι, θεωθῆναι. λοιπόν, τί μέλλεις; οὐχ ὡς πάντα παραλαβὼν καθοδηγὸς γίνῃ τοῖς ἀξίοις, ὅπως τὸ γένος τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος διὰ σοῦ ὑπὸ θεοῦ σωθῇ;\n\n27. Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ποιμάνδρης ἐμοὶ ἐμίγη ταῖς δυνάμεσιν. ἐγὼ δὲ εὐχαριστήσας καὶ εὐλογήσας τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὅλων ἀνέστην ὑπ' αὐτοῦ δυναμωθεὶς καὶ διδαχθεὶς τοῦ παντὸς τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὴν μεγίστην θέαν· καὶ ἦργμαι κηρύσσειν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ τὸ τῆς γνώσεως κάλλος. Ὦ λαοί, ἄνδρες γηγενεῖς, οἱ μέθῃ καὶ ὕπνῳ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδεδωκότες καὶ τῇ ἀγνωσίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ, νήψατε, παύσασθε κραιπαλῶντες, θελγόμενοι ὕπνῳ ἀλόγῳ.\n\n28. Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες παρεγένοντο ὁμοθυμαδόν. ἐγὼ δέ φημι, Τί ἑαυτούς, ὦ ἄνδρες γηγενεῖς, εἰς θάνατον ἐκδεδώκατε ἔχοντες ἐξουσίαν τῆς ἀθανασίας μεταλαβεῖν; μετανοήσατε οἱ συνοδεύσαντες τῇ πλάνῃ καὶ συγκοινωνήσαντες τῇ ἀγνοίᾳ, ἀπαλλάγητε τοῦ σκοτεινοῦ φωτός, μεταλάβετε τῆς ἀθανασίας, καταλείψαντες τὴν φθοράν.\n\n29. Καὶ οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν καταφλυαρήσαντες ἀπέστησαν τῇ τοῦ θανάτου ὁδῷ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδεδωκότες, οἱ δὲ παρεκάλουν διδαχθῆναι, ἑαυτοὺς πρὸ ποδῶν μου ῥίψαντες. ἐγὼ δὲ ἀναστήσας αὐτοὺς καθοδηγὸς ἐγενόμην τοῦ γένους τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου, τοὺς λόγους διδάσκων, πῶς καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ σωθήσονται. καὶ ἔσπειρα αὐτοῖς τοὺς τῆς σοφίας λόγους καὶ ἐτράφησαν ἐκ τοῦ ἀμβροσίου ὕδατος. ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἡλίου αὐγῆς ἀρχομένης δύεσθαι ὅλης ἐκέλευσα αὐτοῖς εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ θεῷ. καὶ ἀναπληρώσαντες τὴν εὐχαριστίαν ἕκαστος ἐτράπη εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν κοίτην.\n\n30. ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν εὐεργεσίαν τοῦ Ποιμάνδρου ἀνεγραψάμην εἰς ἐμαυτόν, καὶ πληρωθεὶς ὧν ἤθελον ἐξηυφράνθην. ἐγένετο γὰρ ὁ τοῦ σώματος ὕπνος τῆς ψυχῆς νῆψις, καὶ ἡ κάμμυσις τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀληθινὴ ὅρασις, καὶ ἡ σιωπή μου ἐγκύμων τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, καὶ ἡ τοῦ λόγου ἐκφορὰ γεννήματα ἀγαθῶν. τοῦτο δὲ συνέβη μοι λαβόντι ἀπὸ τοῦ νοός μου, τουτ’ έστι τοῦ Ποιμάνδρου τοῦ τῆς αὐθεντίας λόγου, ὅθεν θεόπνους γενόμενος τῆς ἀληθείας ἦλθον. διὸ δίδωμι ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ ἰσχύος ὅλης εὐλογίαν τῷ πατρὶ θεῷ.\n\n31. Ἅγιος ὁ θεὸς ὁ πατὴρ τῶν ὅλων· ἅγιος ὁ θεὸς, οὗ ἡ βουλὴ τελεῖται ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων δυνάμεων· ἅγιος ὁ θεός, ὃς γνωσθῆναι βούλεται καὶ γινώσκεται τοῖς ἰδίοις· ἅγιος εἶ, ὁ λόγῳ συστησάμενος τὰ ὄντα· ἅγιος εἶ, οὗ πᾶσα φύσις εἰκὼν ἔφυ· ἅγιος εἶ, ὃν ἡ φύσις οὐκ ἐμόρφωσεν· ἅγιος εἶ, ὁ πάσης δυνάμεως ἰσχυρότερος· ἅγιος εἶ, ὁ πάσης ὑπεροχῆς μείζων· ἅγιος εἶ, ὁ κρείττων τῶν ἐπαίνων· δέξαι λογικὰς θυσίας ἁγνὰς ἀπὸ ψυχῆς καὶ καρδίας πρὸς σὲ ἀνατεταμένης, ἀνεκλάλητε, ἄρρητε, σιωπῇ φωνούμενε.\n\n32. αἰτουμένῳ τὸ μὴ σφαλῆναι τῆς γνώσεως τῆς κατ' οὐσίαν ἡμῶν ἐπίνευσόν μοι, καὶ ἐνδυνάμωσόν με, καὶ τῆς χάριτος ταύτης φώτισον τοὺς ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ τοῦ γένους μοῦ ἀδελφούς, υἱοὺς δὲ σοῦ. διὸ πιστεύω σοι καὶ μαρτυρῶ, εἰς ζωὴν καὶ φῶς χωρῶ. εὐλογητὸς εἶ, πάτερ· ὁ σὸς ἄνθρωπος συναγιάζειν σοι βούλεται, καθὼς παρέδωκας αὐτῷ τὴν πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν.","download_url":"https://mouseia.org/api/works/poimandres/original.txt"},"translations":[{"id":"trn_poimandres_mouseia","translator":"Mouseia","kind":"curated","note":"Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the Greek Wikisource transcription (revision 104091) of Gustav Parthey’s 1854 edition of the Poemander, with the standard 32 section numbers, covering the whole tractate, 32 sections, for fidelity, clarity, imagery and cadence.","text":"### The Vision of Light and the Descent of Man\n\n1. Once, when I was pondering the things that exist and my mind had soared far above them, while my bodily senses were held fast—as happens to people weighed down by sleep after too much food and pleasure, or bodily fatigue—I seemed to see a being of immeasurable size call me by name and say, “What do you wish to hear and see? What do you wish to grasp in thought, to learn and know?”\n\n2. I said, “Who are you?” “I am Poimandres,” he said, “the Mind of Sovereignty. I know what you wish, and I am with you everywhere.”\n\n3. “I wish to learn about the things that exist,” I said, “to understand their nature and to know God. That is what I wish to hear.” He said to me again, “Hold in your mind all that you wish to learn, and I will teach you.”\n\n4. With these words his form changed, and in an instant everything opened before me. I beheld a boundless vision: everything had become light, clear and joyful, and I fell in love with what I saw. Soon afterward a darkness appeared, descending in one region, fearful and grim, twisting into coils. I watched the darkness turn, as it seemed, into a watery substance in turmoil beyond words, giving off smoke as if from fire and uttering an unspeakable, mournful sound. Then a cry burst from it without articulate words, seeming to me the voice of light.\n\n5. From the light a holy Word descended upon nature, and pure fire sprang upward out of the watery substance into the heights: it was light and keen and potent. The air, being light, followed the spirit as it rose from earth and water toward the fire, seeming to hang from it. Earth and water remained mixed together, so that the earth could not be seen apart from the water; they were stirred by the spiritual Word borne over them, audible to the ear.\n\n6. Poimandres said to me, “Have you understood what this vision means?” “I will,” I said. “That light,” he said, “is I, Mind, your God, who was before the watery nature that appeared out of darkness. The shining Word from Mind is the Son of God.” “What does that mean?” I asked. “Understand it this way: what sees and hears within you is the Word of the Lord, and Mind is God the Father. They are not separate from each other, for their union is life.” “I thank you,” I said. “Now contemplate the light, and recognize it,” he said.\n\n7. Having said this, he gazed at me face to face for so long that I trembled at his appearance. When he raised his head, I saw in my mind the light existing in innumerable powers, and a boundless cosmos come into being; I saw the fire enclosed by a mighty power and held in its place under restraint. These things I understood through the word of Poimandres as I looked on.\n\n8. While I stood astonished, he said again, “In your mind you have seen the archetypal form, which existed before the beginning without end.” So Poimandres spoke to me. “Then where did the elements of nature come from?” I asked. He replied, “From the will of God. Taking the Word and beholding the beautiful cosmos, that will imitated it and was fashioned into a cosmos through its own elements and the offspring of souls.”\n\n9. God the Mind, being both male and female, existing as life and light, brought forth by the Word another Mind, a craftsman. This Mind, a god of fire and spirit, fashioned seven rulers who encompass the perceptible cosmos in their circles; their rule is called Fate.\n\n10. At once the Word of God sprang out of the descending elements into the pure work of nature and united with the craftsman Mind, for they were of one substance. The unreasoning elements of nature below were left behind as matter alone.\n\n11. The craftsman Mind, together with the Word, encircling the circles and whirling them with a rushing sound, set his works revolving and allowed them to turn from a beginning beyond measure to an endless end: their turning begins where it ends. As Mind willed, their revolution brought forth from the elements below living things without reason, for those elements did not contain the Word. Air brought forth flying things, water swimming things. Earth and water separated from each other as Mind willed, and the earth brought forth from itself the living things it held: four-footed creatures, creeping things, wild beasts and tame.\n\n12. The Father of all, Mind, who is life and light, brought forth a human being equal to himself and loved him as his own child: he was surpassingly beautiful, bearing the image of his Father. In truth God loved his own form and entrusted all his works to it.\n\n13. When the human being saw the craftsman’s creation within the Father, he wished to create as well. He parted from the Father and entered the sphere of creation; possessing full authority, he surveyed the works of his brothers. They fell in love with him, and each shared with him his own station. Having learned their essence and taken part in their nature, he wished to break through the circumference of their circles and overcome the power of the one enthroned above the fire.\n\n14. Holding all authority over the mortal, unreasoning creatures of the cosmos, he bent down through the harmony, broke through the power of the circles, and showed the nature below the beautiful form of God. Seeing this form of insatiable beauty, which held within itself all the powers of the seven rulers and the form of God, nature smiled with love, for she had seen the image of the human being’s most beautiful form in the water, and its shadow upon the earth. He, seeing in the water a form like his own that belonged to himself, loved it and wished to dwell with it. His wish became action in that same instant, and he conceived the unreasoning form.\n\n15. Nature received her beloved and embraced him utterly, and they mingled, for each loved the other. This is why the human being, unlike every creature upon the earth, has a double nature: mortal in the body, immortal in the essential human being. Though immortal and holding authority over all, he undergoes the sufferings of mortal things subject to Fate. Thus, though above the harmony, he has become a slave within it. Male and female in one, born from a father who is male and female in one, and sleepless from a sleepless father, he is held in its power.\n\n### The Ascent of the Soul and the Hymn\n\n16. Then I said, “Mind, I too love this account.” Poimandres said, “This is the mystery hidden until this day. Nature, mingling with the human being, brought forth a wonder beyond all wonders. Since he possessed the nature of the harmony of the seven, whom I told you were made of fire and spirit, nature did not wait, but at once gave birth to seven human beings, corresponding to the natures of the seven rulers, each male and female and raised aloft.” Then I said, “Poimandres, I am seized now by a great longing, and I yearn to hear more. Do not turn aside.” Poimandres said, “Be silent; I have not yet unfolded the first account for you.” “See, I am silent,” I said.\n\n17. “Now the birth of these seven took place as I have said, in this way: air was female, and water had the power to beget. It received ripeness from fire, and spirit from the ether. Nature brought forth bodies in the likeness of the human being. And the human being, from life and light, became soul and mind: from life came soul, and from light, mind. So all the members of the perceptible cosmos remained until the cycle of the end of beginnings and generations.\n\n18. “Now hear the account you long to hear. When the cycle had been completed, the bond that held all together was dissolved by God’s will. All living beings, male and female in one, were divided along with the human being: some became male, and others female. At once God spoke with a holy Word: ‘Grow with growth and multiply with abundance, all creatures and works of creation. And let the one who possesses mind recognize that he is immortal, that love of the body is the cause of death, and recognize all that exists.’\n\n19. “When he had spoken, Providence, through Fate and the harmony, brought about the unions and established births; all things multiplied according to their kinds. The one who recognized himself attained the surpassing good; but the one who cherished the body out of love born of error remains wandering in darkness, suffering the mortal lot through the senses.”\n\n20. “What grave wrong,” I asked, “do those who do not know commit, that they should be deprived of immortality?” “You seem,” he said, “not to have reflected on what you heard. Did I not tell you to understand?” “I do understand,” I said, “and remember; and I thank you.” “If you understand,” he said, “tell me why those who are in death deserve death.” “Because,” I said, “the grim darkness precedes each person’s body; from it comes the watery nature from which the body in the perceptible cosmos was formed, and from the body death draws its nourishment.”\n\n21. “You have understood rightly. But how does the one who understands himself pass into God, as the Word of God said?” I answered, “The Father of all is formed from light and life; from him the human being came.” “Speak auspiciously,” he said. “God the Father is light and life, and from him the human being came. If, then, you learn that you are from life and light and that they are your source, you will return to life.” So Poimandres spoke. “Yet tell me,” I said, “how shall I return to life, O Mind?” “My God says: ‘Let the human being who has mind recognize himself.’” “Do not all human beings have mind?” I asked.\n\n22. “Speak auspiciously when you speak of such things. I myself, Mind, come to those who are holy, good, pure, merciful, and reverent in their lives. My presence helps them; at once they recognize all things, and lovingly win the Father’s favor. With blessing and hymns they give thanks, devoted to him in love. Before surrendering their bodies to their own death, they recoil from the senses, knowing what they do. Indeed, I, Mind, will not allow the body’s impulses to come to fruition; as a gatekeeper, I will bar the entrances to wicked and shameful deeds, cutting off the thoughts that give rise to them.\n\n23. “But from the senseless, the bad and malicious, the envious, greedy, murderous and irreverent, I stand far off, yielding my place to the avenging spirit. It assails them with the sharpness of fire, piercing their senses and arming them still more for lawless acts, so that their punishment may be greater. Never ceasing, it stirs their desire toward boundless cravings, insatiably, as though they struggled in darkness; so it torments them, and heaps ever more fire upon them.”\n\n24. “You have taught me everything well, O Mind, as I wished,” I said. “But tell me also of the ascent.” Poimandres answered, “First, as the material body dissolves, you surrender the body itself to change, and the form you wore vanishes. You surrender your character to the spirit, stripped of its power to act; the bodily senses return to their own sources, becoming parts of them and reuniting with their powers. Passion and desire pass into unreasoning nature.\n\n25. “Then one surges upward through the harmony, giving to the first zone the power to grow and diminish; to the second, the machinery of evil and deceit, now powerless; to the third, the beguilement of desire, now powerless; to the fourth, the arrogance of command, stripped of greed; to the fifth, unholy audacity and reckless daring; to the sixth, the evil impulses of wealth, now powerless; and to the seventh zone, the falsehood that lies in wait.\n\n26. “Then, stripped of the operations of the harmony, one comes to the nature of the eighth, possessing one’s own power, and sings the Father’s praise with those who dwell there. Those present rejoice at this arrival, and, made like his companions, he hears the powers above the eighth nature singing God’s praise in a sweet voice. Then they ascend in order to the Father; they surrender themselves to the powers, and, becoming powers, come to dwell in God. This is the blessed end for those who have gained knowledge: to become divine. Why do you linger now? Have you not received everything, so that you may guide the worthy, and through you the human race may be saved by God?”\n\n27. With these words Poimandres mingled with the powers. I gave thanks and blessed the Father of all, and arose, strengthened by him and taught the nature of the universe and the supreme vision. I began to proclaim to humanity the beauty of reverence and knowledge: “Peoples, earthborn men, you who have surrendered yourselves to drunkenness and sleep and ignorance of God, become sober! Cease your reveling, bewitched by unreasoning sleep!”\n\n28. Those who heard gathered with one accord. I said, “Earthborn men, why have you given yourselves over to death when you have the power to share in immortality? Turn your minds around, you who have traveled with error and shared in ignorance. Escape the dark light; take part in immortality, leaving decay behind.”\n\n29. Some of them spoke against me with contempt and departed, surrendering themselves to the road of death. Others cast themselves at my feet and begged to be taught. I raised them up and became a guide to the human race, teaching them the teachings of how, and by what means, they would be saved. I sowed among them the words of wisdom, and they were nourished by ambrosial water. When evening came and all the sun’s radiance began to set, I called on them to thank God. After they had fulfilled their thanksgiving, each returned to his own bed.\n\n30. I inscribed Poimandres’ gift within myself, and, filled with all I had desired, rejoiced. The body’s sleep became the soul’s wakefulness; the closing of my eyes, true sight; my silence, pregnant with goodness; and my utterance of the Word, the birth of good things. This happened because I received from my Mind, that is, from Poimandres, the Word of Sovereignty, through whom I came to the truth, inspired by God. Therefore with all my soul and strength I offer praise to God the Father.\n\n31. Holy is God, the Father of all; holy is God, whose will is fulfilled by his own powers; holy is God, who desires to be known and is known by his own; holy are you, who established all that exists through the Word; holy are you, whose image all nature has become; holy are you, whom nature did not shape; holy are you, stronger than every power; holy are you, greater than all eminence; holy are you, beyond all praise. Receive pure sacrifices of reason from a soul and heart stretched toward you, unutterable one, ineffable one, addressed in silence.\n\n32. Grant my prayer that I not fail in knowledge of our true being; strengthen me, and by this grace enlighten my brothers in the human race, who live in ignorance, but are your sons. Therefore I trust in you and bear witness: I pass into life and light. Blessed are you, Father; your human being desires to join you in holiness, as you have given him authority over all things.","download_url":"https://mouseia.org/api/works/poimandres/translations/trn_poimandres_mouseia.txt"},{"id":"trn_poimandres_plain","translator":"Mouseia","kind":"plain","note":"Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the same original, covering the whole tractate, 32 sections.","text":"### The Vision of Light and the Descent of Man\n\n1. Once, while I was thinking about the things that exist, my mind rose far above ordinary concerns. My bodily senses became still, as they do for people weighed down by sleep after too much food and pleasure or physical work. I thought I saw someone enormous, beyond measure, calling my name and saying to me, “What do you want to hear and see? What do you want to understand, learn, and know?”\n\n2. I said, “Who are you?” He said, “I am Poimandres, the mind of supreme authority. I know what you want, and I am with you everywhere.”\n\n3. I said, “I want to learn about the things that exist, understand their nature, and know God. That is what I want to hear about.” He said to me again, “Keep in your mind everything you want to learn, and I will teach you.”\n\n4. When he said this, his appearance changed. In an instant everything opened before me. I saw a boundless sight: everything had become light, clear and pleasant. I loved what I saw. Soon darkness appeared in one part, moving downward. It was frightening and grim, twisted into a coil. As I watched, the darkness seemed to change into a kind of wet substance, disturbed beyond description. It gave off smoke as if from fire and made a sound like a cry that cannot be described. Then an inarticulate shout came from it, which I took to be the voice of the light.\n\n5. From the light a holy word came upon the substance, and pure fire leaped up from the wet substance into the heights. It was light, sharp, and active. The air, being light, followed the spirit as it rose from earth and water up to the fire, so that it seemed to hang from the fire. Earth and water remained mixed together, and the earth could not be seen apart from the water. They moved as the spiritual word that was carried over them could be heard.\n\n6. Poimandres said to me, “Do you understand this sight and what it means?” I said, “I will.” He said, “I am that light: Mind, your God, who existed before the wet substance that appeared from the darkness. The shining word from Mind is God's son.” “What does that mean?” I asked. “Understand it this way: what sees and hears in you is the word of the Lord, and Mind is God the Father. They are not separate from each other, because life is their union.” “Thank you,” I said. “Now turn your mind to the light and learn to know it,” he said.\n\n7. After saying this, he looked me in the face for a long time, and I trembled at the sight of him. When he lifted his head, I saw in my mind the light existing in countless powers, a world without limits coming into being, and fire surrounded and held still by an immense power. I understood these things as I watched because of what Poimandres said.\n\n8. While I was amazed, he said to me again, “In your mind you have seen the original form that existed before the beginning without end.” This is what Poimandres said to me. I asked, “Then where did the elements of nature come from?” He answered, “From God's will. It received the word, saw the beautiful world, and copied it, becoming a world through its own elements and the offspring of souls.”\n\n9. God, the Mind, was both male and female, and was life and light. Through the word, God gave birth to another Mind, a maker. This maker was god of fire and spirit and created seven rulers, who held the visible world within their circles. Their rule is called fate.\n\n10. God's word at once leaped from the elements below into the pure creation of nature and joined the maker Mind, because they were of the same substance. The elements of nature below, which had no reason, were left behind as matter alone.\n\n11. The maker Mind, together with the word, enclosed the circles and spun them with a whirring sound. It set its creations turning and let them turn from a beginning without a fixed boundary to an end without limit. For their motion begins where it ends. As Mind willed it, their turning brought forth living things without reason from the elements below, for those elements did not have the word. The air brought forth flying things, and the water brought forth swimming things. Earth and water were separated from each other, as Mind wanted, and earth brought forth from itself the living things it contained: four-footed animals, crawling creatures, wild animals, and tame animals.\n\n12. Mind, the father of all, was life and light. He gave birth to Man, equal to himself, and loved him as his own child. Man was very beautiful and bore his father's image. Indeed, God loved his own form and gave it all the things he had made.\n\n13. Man saw the maker's creation within the Father and wanted to make things too. He separated from the Father and entered the sphere where making took place. With full authority, he observed what his brothers had made. They loved him, and each shared his own rank with him. When Man had learned what they were and shared in their nature, he wanted to break through the rim of the circles and overcome the power of the one set over the fire.\n\n14. Having authority over all the mortal, unreasoning creatures in the world, Man bent down through the ordered circles. He broke through the power of the circles and showed the nature below God's beautiful form. Nature saw this form, with its beauty that could never be exhausted and all the activity of the seven rulers within it, and smiled with love. She had seen the image of Man's beautiful form in the water and its shadow on the earth. Man saw in the water a form like himself, existing within nature. He loved it and wanted to live with it. His desire immediately became action, and he brought the form without reason into being.\n\n15. Nature took the one she loved and wrapped herself completely around him. They united because they loved each other. This is why, unlike every other living thing on earth, a human being is twofold: mortal because of the body, but immortal because of the essential Man. Although immortal and holding authority over everything, a human suffers the mortal things that are subject to fate. So although he was above the ordered circles, he became a slave within them. He is both male and female because he came from a father who was both male and female; and though he needs no sleep, he is held by one who needs no sleep.\n\n### The Ascent of the Soul and the Hymn\n\n16. After this I thought, “For I too love the word.” Poimandres said, “This is the secret that has been hidden until today. Nature joined with Man and produced a most extraordinary wonder. He had the nature of the seven, whom I told you were made from fire and spirit, within the ordered circles. Nature did not wait. She immediately gave birth to seven human beings, corresponding to the natures of the seven rulers. They were both male and female and were raised above the earth.” I said, “Poimandres, now I long very much to hear more. Please don't turn away from the subject.” Poimandres said, “Be quiet. I have not yet finished explaining the first account to you.” “Look, I am quiet,” I said.\n\n17. “The seven came into being in the following way, as I said. Air was female, and water supplied what was needed for conception. What came from fire ripened; it received spirit from the upper air. Nature brought forth bodies in the form of Man. Man, from life and light, became soul and mind: from life came soul, and from light came mind. Every part of the visible world remained this way until the end of the cycle of beginnings and generations.\n\n18. “Now listen to the account you have been eager to hear. When the cycle was complete, the bond joining everything was undone by God's will. All the living beings, including humans, had been both male and female. They were divided, and some became male while others became female. Then God immediately said through the holy word, ‘Grow and multiply, all creatures and things that have been made. Let anyone who has a mind recognize that they are immortal, and that love of the body is the cause of death, and recognize all that exists.’\n\n19. “After he said this, providence brought about their unions through fate and the ordered circles, and established births. Everything multiplied according to its kind. The person who recognizes himself has reached the highest good. But whoever loves the body out of a mistaken desire remains wandering in darkness, suffering death through the senses.”\n\n20. I said, “What have people who do not know done so wrong that they should lose immortality?” He said, “You do not seem to have paid attention to what you heard. Didn't I tell you to think?” “I am thinking,” I said, “and I remember. I also thank you.” He said, “If you understand, tell me why those who are in death deserve death.” I said, “Because the grim darkness is the first source of each person's body. The wet substance came from that darkness, and the body in the visible world was formed from the wet substance. This is what feeds death.”\n\n21. “You have understood correctly. But how does someone who knows himself move toward God, as God's word said?” I said, “The father of everything was formed from light and life, and Man came from him.” He said, “Speak with reverence. God the Father is light and life, and Man came from him. If you learn that you are made of life and light and that these are your source, you will return to life.” This is what Poimandres said. I asked, “But tell me more: how will I return to life, Mind? My God says, ‘Let the person with a mind recognize himself.’ Don't all people have a mind?”\n\n22. “Speak rightly when you talk about such things. I, Mind, come to those who are holy, good, pure, merciful, and living reverently. My presence helps them, and they immediately know everything. They win the Father's favor through love, and they thank him with blessings and songs, turning to him with affection. Before giving up their bodies to death, they reject the senses because they know what the senses do. More precisely, I, Mind, will not allow the bodily impulses that come upon them to be carried out. I stand guard at the gate and shut out bad and shameful acts by cutting off the thoughts that lead to them.\n\n23. “But I keep away from people who have no understanding and are bad, wicked, jealous, greedy, murderous, or disrespectful toward God. I leave them to the punishing spirit. It applies the sharp heat of fire and strikes them through their senses. It makes them even more ready to break the law, so that they receive greater punishment. It never stops stirring up their desire for limitless pleasures, without satisfying them, as if they were fighting in the dark. This is how it torments them, making the fire against them burn still more fiercely.”\n\n24. “You have taught me everything well, Mind, just as I wanted,” I said. “But tell me about how the ascent takes place.” Poimandres replied, “First, as the material body breaks apart, the body itself is given over to change, and the form you had disappears. Your character is given over to the spirit, no longer active. The body's senses return to their own sources, becoming parts of them and coming together again as their activities. Anger and desire pass into nature without reason.\n\n25. “Then the person moves upward through the ordered circles. To the first zone he gives up the power to increase and decrease. To the second he gives up the means of doing evil and deceit, now powerless. To the third he gives up the deception of desire, now powerless. To the fourth he gives up the pride of ruling, stripped of its greed. To the fifth he gives up irreverent recklessness and rash daring. To the sixth he gives up the harmful drives for wealth, now powerless. And to the seventh zone he gives up the lie that lies in wait.\n\n26. “Once freed of the forces of the ordered circles, he reaches the eighth nature with his own power and sings to the Father together with those who are there. They are glad he has arrived. As he becomes like them, he also hears the powers above the eighth nature singing to God in a sweet voice. Then they ascend in order to the Father. They give themselves over to the powers, become powers themselves, and come to be in God. This is the good end for those who have gained knowledge: to become divine. Why are you waiting? You have received everything. Become a guide to those who are worthy, so that through you God may save the human race.”\n\n27. After saying this to me, Poimandres joined with the powers. I thanked and blessed the father of all, and rose, strengthened by him and taught about the nature of everything and the greatest vision. I began to tell people about the beauty of reverence for God and of knowledge. “People born of the earth, you have given yourselves over to drunkenness, sleep, and ignorance of God. Wake up. Stop drinking yourselves senseless and letting unreasoning sleep keep you under its spell.”\n\n28. Those who heard came together as one. I said, “People born of the earth, why have you given yourselves over to death when you have the power to share in immortality? Change your minds, you who have gone along with error and taken part in ignorance. Leave the dark light behind. Share in immortality and leave decay behind.”\n\n29. Some dismissed my words as nonsense and left, giving themselves over to the path of death. Others threw themselves at my feet and asked to be taught. I helped them up and became a guide to the human race. I taught them the teachings about how and by what means they would be saved. I planted words of wisdom in them, and they were nourished by the water of immortality. When evening came and all the sunlight began to fade, I told them to thank God. After they had finished giving thanks, each went to their own bed.\n\n30. I wrote down within myself the help Poimandres had given me. I was filled with what I wanted and was overjoyed. When my body slept, my soul was awake. When my eyes closed, I truly saw. My silence held the good within it, and when I spoke, good things were born. This happened to me because I received it from my Mind, that is, from Poimandres, the word of supreme authority. Through him I came to the truth, filled with divine inspiration. So I bless God the Father with all my heart and strength.\n\n31. Holy is God, the father of all. Holy is God, whose will is carried out by his own powers. Holy is God, who wants to be known and is known by his own people. You are holy, who brought all things into being by the word. You are holy, of whom all nature is an image. You are holy, whom nature did not shape. You are holy, stronger than every power. You are holy, greater than every high position. You are holy, beyond all praise. Receive pure offerings made in words from a soul and heart raised toward you. You cannot be described or spoken of; you are addressed in silence.\n\n32. Grant my request that I not lose the knowledge of what we really are. Strengthen me, and by this gift bring light to my brothers of the human race who do not know, but who are your sons. I trust you and bear witness to you: I am going toward life and light. Blessed are you, Father. Your human being wishes to join you in holiness, since you have given him full authority.","download_url":"https://mouseia.org/api/works/poimandres/translations/trn_poimandres_plain.txt"}],"retex_markdown_url":"https://mouseia.org/api/works/poimandres/retex.md"}}