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Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. 2 · 32 of 51

(XVII.) Of Asclepius to the King

CORPUS HERMETICUM (XVII.)

[OF ASCLEPIUS TO THE KING]

(Text: R. 354; Pat. at end of last piece.)

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Asclepius. If thou dost think [of it], O King, even of bodies there are things bodiless.

The King. What [are they]?—(asked the King.)

Asc. The bodies that appear in mirrors—do they not seem then to have no body?

The King. It is so, O Asclepius; thou thinkest like a God!—(the King replied.)

Asc. There are things bodiless as well as these; for instance, forms —do not they seem to thee to have no body, but to appear in bodies not only of the things which are ensouled, but also of those which are not ensouled?

The King. Thou sayest well, Asclepius.

Asc. Thus, [then,] there are reflexions of things bodiless on bodies, and of bodies too upon things bodiless—that is to say, [reflexions] of the Sensible on the Intelligible World, and of the [World] Intelligible on the Sensible.

Wherefore, pay worship to the images, O King, since they too have their forms as from the World Intelligible.

(Thereon His Majesty arose and said:)

The King. It is the hour, O Prophet, to see about the comfort of our guests. To-morrow, [then,] will we resume our sacred converse.

Footnotes

285:1 Cf. Plat., Soph., 229 D, 240 A, 246 B.

285:2 The corrector of B has changed the name Asclepius into Tat, as he has everywhere in C. H., ii. (iii.); R. 193, 1.

285:3 θείως.

286:1 Or ideas.

286:2 Cf. Plat., Soph., 241 B.

286:3 θεολογῄσομεν.

Asked of Guide

Why does Asclepius tell the King to 'pay worship to the images'?

Asclepius argues that images and mirror-bodies are visible manifestations of bodiless realities: “reflexions of the Sensible on the Intelligible World, and of the [World] Intelligible on the Sensible.” He presents forms and reflections as legitimate channels where the Intelligible shows itself within the Sensible, so images carry a share of the divine order.

Worship of images follows because they participate in the higher reality and make it present to human perception. This moves the passage toward Platonic concerns about forms; compare Plato’s Sophist where likenesses and appearances relate to true being in complex ways.

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.