I

...had been imbued by him whom I told you of a little while ago—namely, the Father and the Spirit—Nature herself did not resist. Rather, she immediately brought forth seven men: sharing the natures of the seven governors septem gubernatorum: the planetary deities who rule over the material world, both masculine and feminine in gender original: "masculini pariter ac feminini"; referring to the original androgynous state of humanity and sublime. To this I myself replied: "O Pimander, I have just been struck by a burning desire; I long to hear the rest besides. Therefore, do not desert me here, I beseech you." But he said to me:

PIMANDER: Be silent, for I have not yet finished the first discourse.

TRISMEGISTUS: Behold, I am now silent.

PIMANDER: The generation of these seven (as I said) was brought about in this manner. For the female [element] was air and water was the means of union; from fire she took maturity, and from ether she received spirit, and Nature bound the bodies together to fashion them into the appearance of man. Not however from life and light did it proceed into soul and mind original: "mortēq3" (death); this is likely a scribal or printing error for "mentem" (mind), as Hermetic doctrine holds that Life becomes Soul and Light becomes Mind. Indeed, life bestowed the soul; light, finally, the mind. In this way all the members of the world remained through its senses until the end of the cycle of beginnings and kinds.

But hear now the rest of the discourse which you so greatly desired. When the cycle was finally completed, the bond of all things was loosened by the will of God. For all living creatures, which had been of both genders, were dissolved along with man. They were then made masculine in part, and likewise feminine. Immediately God cried out with a holy word: "Increase, multiply, and propagate, all you offspring and my works! And you moreover, to whom a portion of mind mentis: the divine intellect or 'Nous' that distinguishes humans from animals has been granted: recognize your race and consider your immortal nature. Know that love of the body is the cause of death. Learn the nature of all things."

With these things said, Providence providentia: the divine foresight that orders the universe, through Fate and Harmony, forged the mixtures and established the generations. From which all things were...