Pagan Hermeticism

And so, O Asclepius, man is a miracle, a being worthy of reverence and honour. For he goes into the nature of a god as though he were himself a god; he has familiarity with the race of demons, knowing that he is of the same origin; he despises that part of his nature which is only human for he has put his hope in the divinity of the other part. Man is united to the gods by what he has of the divine, his intellect; all other creatures are bound to him by the celestial plan and he attaches them to himself by knots of love. This union of gods with men is not for all men but only for those who have the faculty of intellection. Thus alone among creatures, man is a double, one part like God, the other formed of the elements.

The Asclepius

Hermeticism is a pagan religion which activates fear and dread in its devotees. For example there are powerful time gods (decans) which must be appeased and placated. The philosopher Ficino was terrified of these time lords who held sway over human affairs. The pagan gods are nasty, capricious and addicted to correct ritual.

All of the Church Fathers were steeped in Neoplatonism. St Augustine (354-430) "I desire God and the soul. Nothing else, nothing whatsoever." Farming, politics, sailing and trade are 'rivers of Babylon."

This leads to an otherworldliness that forces us to choose between God and creation.
Some examples:

Simeon Stylites (born 409 AD)

Who erected a pillar approx 3 metres high, and dwelt on it four years; on a second of approx 5.5 metres high he lived three years; on a third of 10 metres high ten years; and on a fourth of 18 metres high, which the people built for him, he spent the last twenty years of his life. This occasioned him to be called stylites, from the Greek word stylos, a pillar. This pillar did not exceed three feet in diameter at the top, so that he could not lie extended on it: he had no seat with him; he only stooped or leaned to take a little rest, and bowed his body in prayer so often, that a certain person who counted these positions, found that he made one thousand two hundred and forty-four reverences in one day, which if he began at four o'clock in the morning and finished at eight o'clock at night, gives a bow to every three-quarters of a minute; besides which he exhorted the people twice a day. His garments were the skins of beasts, he wore an iron collar round his neck, and had a horrible ulcer in his foot. During his forty days' abstinence throughout Lent, he tied himself to a pole. He treated himself as the outcast of the world and the worst of sinners, worked miracles, delivered prophecies, had the sacrament delivered to him on the pillar, and died bowing upon it, in the sixty-ninth of his age, after having lived upon pillars for six and thirty years.
(Alban Butler)

Jorge
(character in Name of the Rose)

Venerable Jorge (the chief librarian) is protective of, and wishes to uphold the position of saints and the church in general by "preserving" (and concealing) books he considers challenging to the authority and power of the church. In this case we are particularly concerned with Aristotle's second book of poetics which looks at the use of comedy to arrive at an understanding of truth. Jorge keeps the volume hidden because the church's position depends on fear and reverence, and by its very nature comedy removes that reverence, allowing readers to see people differently and perhaps even as they really are. The church, at that time, wielded immense power and influence - financial, moral and political, and books which encouraged irreverence toward that institution and its position might lead to an undermining and disintegration of that position. The spread of ideas had to be carefully controlled since ignorance is power, and so Jorge took it upon himself to impregnate the pages with poison, therefore limiting the spread of the ideas contained in the book, and disguising the crimes to appear part of the apocalyptic curse, thus striking further fear into the minds and hearts of those around him. It is interesting to note, however, that the ideas and knowledge contained in the books are nonetheless respected and valued more highly than the lives of men.

Magic

The Hermetic tradition encourages the use of amulets and talismans. Astrological magic traps occult power from the planets and can help you escape from prison, get rid of rats and make someone fall in love with you. A red bracelet can protect you from the evil eye.

Spirit Guides

The Hermetic tradition encourages the occult practice of contacting the dead. Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891) was the founder of Theosophy and conducted numerous séances. Like most mediums, she had a 'control' or 'spirit' guide who supplied her with occult teaching that closely resembles Hermetic ideas.

In the Hermetic texts there is a tension between pessimistic gnosis and optimistic gnosis. In some passages the world is intrinsically evil. In other passages it is a 'blessed god'. This is the distinction between Gnosticism and Neoplatonism. This tension can be found in Plato.


	And so, O Asclepius, man is a miracle, a being worthy of reverence and honour. For he goes into the nature of a god as though he were himself a god; he has familiarity with the race of demons, knowing that he is of the same origin; he despises that part of his nature which is only human for he has put his hope in the divinity of the other part. Man is united to the gods by what he has of the divine, his intellect; all other creatures are bound to him by the celestial plan and he attaches them to himself by knots of love. This union of gods with men is not for all men but only for those who have the faculty of intellection. Thus alone among creatures, man is a double, one part like God, the other formed of the elements.
	The Asclepius

Hermeticism is a pagan religion which activates fear and dread in its devotees. For example there are powerful time gods (decans) which must be appeased and placated. The philosopher Ficino was terrified of these time lords who held sway over human affairs. The pagan gods are nasty, capricious and addicted to correct ritual.
All of the Church Fathers were steeped in Neoplatonism. St Augustine (354-430) "I desire God and the soul. Nothing else, nothing whatsoever." Farming, politics, sailing and trade are 'rivers of Babylon."
This leads to an otherworldliness that forces us to choose between God and creation. Some examples: Simeon Stylites (born 409 AD)
Who erected a pillar approx 3 metres high, and dwelt on it four years; on a second of approx 5.5 metres high he lived three years; on a third of 10 metres high ten years; and on a fourth of 18 metres high, which the people built for him, he spent the last twenty years of his life. This occasioned him to be called stylites, from the Greek word stylos, a pillar. This pillar did not exceed three feet in diameter at the top, so that he could not lie extended on it: he had no seat with him; he only stooped or leaned to take a little rest, and bowed his body in prayer so often, that a certain person who counted these positions, found that he made one thousand two hundred and forty-four reverences in one day, which if he began at four o'clock in the morning and finished at eight o'clock at night, gives a bow to every three-quarters of a minute; besides which he exhorted the people twice a day. His garments were the skins of beasts, he wore an iron collar round his neck, and had a horrible ulcer in his foot. During his forty days' abstinence throughout Lent, he tied himself to a pole. He treated himself as the outcast of the world and the worst of sinners, worked miracles, delivered prophecies, had the sacrament delivered to him on the pillar, and died bowing upon it, in the sixty-ninth of his age, after having lived upon pillars for six and thirty years. (Alban Butler)

Jorge (character in Name of the Rose)
Venerable Jorge (the chief librarian) is protective of, and wishes to uphold the position of saints and the church in general by "preserving" (and concealing) books he considers challenging to the authority and power of the church. In this case we are particularly concerned with Aristotle's second book of poetics which looks at the use of comedy to arrive at an understanding of truth. Jorge keeps the volume hidden because the church's position depends on fear and reverence, and by its very nature comedy removes that reverence, allowing readers to see people differently and perhaps even as they really are. The church, at that time, wielded immense power and influence - financial, moral and political, and books which encouraged irreverence toward that institution and its position might lead to an undermining and disintegration of that position. The spread of ideas had to be carefully controlled since ignorance is power, and so Jorge took it upon himself to impregnate the pages with poison, therefore limiting the spread of the ideas contained in the book, and disguising the crimes to appear part of the apocalyptic curse, thus striking further fear into the minds and hearts of those around him. It is interesting to note, however, that the ideas and knowledge contained in the books are nonetheless respected and valued more highly than the lives of men.


Magic The Hermetic tradition encourages the use of amulets and talismans. Astrological magic traps occult power from the planets and can help you escape from prison, get rid of rats and make someone fall in love with you. A red bracelet can protect you from the evil eye.

Spirit Guides The Hermetic tradition encourages the occult practice of contacting the dead. Helena Blavatsky (1831-1891) was the founder of Theosophy and conducted numerous séances. Like most mediums, she had a 'control' or 'spirit' guide who supplied her with occult teaching that closely resembles Hermetic ideas.
In the Hermetic texts there is a tension between pessimistic gnosis and optimistic gnosis. In some passages the world is intrinsically evil. In other passages it is a 'blessed god'. This is the distinction between Gnosticism and Neoplatonism. This tension can be found in Plato.