Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. 1: Prolegomena

the expression of a truly vital endeavor of immense interest and value to all who are disposed to make friends with it. For by following this ray of the Trismegistic Refers to Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary "thrice-greatest" Egyptian sage to whom these mystical writings were attributed. tradition, we may allow ourselves to be drawn backward in time toward the "holy of holies" of the Wisdom of Ancient Egypt. The sympathetic study of this material may well prove to be an initiatory process toward understanding that ancient Gnosis original: "Archaic Gnosis"; Gnosis refers to direct, experiential knowledge of spiritual truths..

Therefore, although these volumes are intended to show those qualified to judge that everything has been set forth properly according to the approved methods of modern research, they are also designed for those who are not experts in such matters, but who are able to feel and think alongside the writers of these beautiful treatises original: "tractates".

The following abbreviations have been used to save space:

C. H. = Corpus Hermeticum The "Hermetic Body," the primary collection of Greek Hermetic writings..
D. J. L. = Mead (G. R. S.), Did Jesus Live 100 B.C.? An Inquiry into the Talmud Jesus Stories, the Toldoth Jeschu A medieval Jewish life of Jesus., and Some Curious Statements of Epiphanius: being a Contribution to the Study of Christian Origins (London, 1903).
F. F. F. = Mead (G. R. S.), Fragments of a Faith Forgotten. Some Short Sketches among the Gnostics, mainly of the First Two Centuries: a Contribution to the Study of Christian Origins based on the most recently recovered Materials (London, 1900; 2nd ed. 1906).
G. = Gaisford (T.), The Anthology of John Stobæus original: "Joannis Stobæi Florilegium" (Oxford, 1822), 4 vols.; John Stobæus's Two Books of Physical and Ethical Extracts original: "Io. Stob. Ec. Phys. et Ethic. Libri Duo" (Oxford, 1850), 2 vols.
H. = Hense (O.), John Stobæus's Anthology, Third Book original: "I. Stob. Anth. Lib. Tert." (Berlin, 1894), 1 vol., incomplete.
K. K. = "The Virgin of the World" (Greek: Kore Kosmou).
M. = Meineke (A.), John Stobæus's Anthology original: "Joh. Stob. Flor." (Leipzig, 1855, 1856), 3 vols.; John Stobæus's Two Books of Physical and Ethical Extracts original: "Joh. Stob. Ec. Phys. et Ethic. Lib. Duo" (Leipzig, 1860), 2 vols.
P. = Parthey (G.), The Poemandres of Hermes Trismegistus, Revised According to the Reliability of the Manuscripts original: "Hermetis Trismegisti Pœmander ad Fidem Codicum Manu Scriptorum recognovit" (Berlin, 1854).
Pat. = Patrizzi (F.), New Philosophy of the Universe original: "Nova de Universis Philosophia" (Venice, 1593).
P. S. A. = "The Perfect Sermon, or Asclepius."