TO THE MOST WISE AND

LEARNED LANCELOT CARLE, AND MOST

REVEREND BISHOP OF RIEZ, ANGELOS VERGIKIOS,

SENDS GREETINGS.

A large decorative drop cap 'E' within a square frame. The letter is entwined with floral and vine motifs, and inside the lower curve of the 'E' is a small figure of a seated person, possibly a scholar or deity.

HERMES the Thrice-Greatest original: "ΕΡΜΗΣ ὁ Τρισμέγιστος" (Hermes ho Trismegistos). A legendary figure of antiquity who was believed to be the author of the Hermetic Corpus, a series of texts on philosophy, magic, and theology., my most reverend master, was Egyptian by birth; but truly no one could say who his father or mother were. He flourished before the time of Pharaoh, as it seems to many of the chroniclers. Some suppose him to be the one called Thoth The Egyptian god of wisdom, writing, and magic. by the Egyptians; among whom Cicero The Roman statesman and philosopher (106–43 BCE). happens to be one.

But some also reckon him to be a contemporary of Inachos The mythological first king of Argos and a figure used in ancient chronologies to date the earliest periods of history. and of Pharaoh, a view which I do not support, for the following reason: they say that Thoth was king of the Egyptians, and likewise also Pharaoh; therefore, if Thoth were contemporary with him, both would have been reigning over the Egyptians at the same time.

But no one, neither among the chroniclers nor those who have recorded Egyptian history, agrees with this; so one might say he existed either before him or after him. Yet "after him" is stated by none of these sources. Therefore, regarding him—for indeed, the same things are said about him as are said about Moses It was a common belief among Renaissance scholars that Hermes Trismegistus was a contemporary of Moses or even the same person, representing a "primal theology" that predated Greek philosophy.—they say that he, traveling away from his own fatherland, traversed the whole world under the sun, striving for virtue and wisdom.

He endeavored to teach men to worship and honor only one God, the Creator demiurge: from the Greek demiourgos, meaning a "craftsman" or "public worker." In this context, it refers to the divine entity that fashioned the physical universe. and Lord of all, demonstrating at the same time the manner in which one ought to worship Him. ει-