Thursday, March 26, 2009

The Way of the Hermetica I

The aim of this course is to introduce the core concepts of Hermeticism taking into
account a more modern, research perspective. This will include the teacher's own
published writings principally his "Tankhem mythos" - viz: "Tankhem"; "The Bull of
Ombos" and "Supernatural Assault in Ancient Egypt".

Students will:
Review and critique previous approaches to the topic.
Will gain a new understanding of the modern view of Hermeticism.
Will re-assemble and re-member, the lost fragments of the ancient Egyptian magical
religion.

Preparatory reading:
(NB: This reading matter is designed to stimulate debate in the student.
It's presence here does not necessarily imply full or any agreement with the contents.)

Manly P Hall "Secret Traditions of All Ages" - short section on Hermes Trismegistos

Walter Scott "The Hermetica" - abridged edition published by Solos Press.

Publisher's introduction omitting the section on Edgar Cayce. Although even this
illustrates some of the problems the student may encounter when approaching
the topic.
Translator's introduction.
This will be our core text and worth acquiring your own copy.

Essays and questions

1. Who was Manly P Hall. What are his influences, presuppositions and sources.
What do you make of his approach to Hermeticism?

2. Who is Adrian Gilbert? What are his influences and sources. What do you make of
his approach to Hermeticism.

3. Of the three, do you agree that Walter Scott is the most academic. Even so, try to
address the same questions as above.

4. Is the universe of the Hermetica helio or geo- centric? Is this the same as Plato's
Timaeus, with which it is often compared?

More advanced reading:

Plato "Timaeus"

Walter Scott, Hermetica - complete edition

ANTOINE FAIVRE, THE ETERNAL HERMES - From Greek God to Alchemical

Magus Informative on Greek and later aspects but little to say on the Egyptian
sources.

G R S Mead, Hermes Trismegistos

Iamblicus, On the Mysteries

Athanassiadi, Polymia (1993) "Persecution and response in Late Paganism: the

evidience of Damascius" JHS 113: 1-29

Kevin van Bladel, The Arabic Hermes: From Pagan Sage to Prophet of Science.
Oxford Studies in Late Antiquity. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.
Pp. xii, 278. ISBN 9780195376135.

Griffith & Thompson, The Leyden Papyrus- An Egyptian Magical Book.

To be read in conjunction with Morgan, M "Supernatural Assault in Ancient Egypt".

Fowden, Garth, The Hermetica

Copenhaver, Brian P, Corpus Hermeticum. More up to date translation based on a

better source text than Walter Scott although only covers the Corpus Hermeticum
(CH) and Ascelpius. Very useful introduction.