THE BOOK OF MERCURY TRISMEGISTUS ON THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD, TRANSLATED FROM GREEK INTO LATIN BY MARSILIO FICINO THE FLORENTINE TO COSIMO DE' MEDICI, FATHER OF HIS COUNTRY.

THE PIMANDER BEGINS.

When I was meditating on the nature of things and raising the sharp point of my mind toward the heavens, the senses of my body were now put to sleep—just as it usually happens to those who are heavy with sleep due to fullness Referring to the drowsiness after eating. or exhaustion. Suddenly, I seemed to see someone of immense bodily size, who, calling me by name, shouted in this manner:

"What is it, O Mercury The Roman name for Hermes Trismegistus, used here by Ficino to translate the Greek name., that you desire to hear and behold? What is it that you wish to learn and understand?"

Then I said, "Who are you?"

He replied, "I am Pimander original: "Pimander". Derived from the Greek Poimandres, meaning 'Shepherd of Men,' representing the Divine Intellect or the Mind of God., the Mind of divine power. See now what you wish; I myself will be present with you everywhere."

I said, "I desire to learn the nature of things and to know God."

To this he replied, "Embrace me with your mind, and I will instruct you in all things that you desire."

When he had said these things, he changed his form and suddenly revealed the universe. For I beheld an immense spectacle—everything was indeed turned into a light that was exceedingly sweet and pleasant, which gladdened me wonderfully as I gazed upon it. A little later, a certain dreadful shadow, in a slanting revolution, glided downward into a watery na... original: "na..." The word is interrupted by the page break; likely "naturam" (nature).