THE HERMETIC POIMANDRES

brought forth irrational living creatures from the downward-tending elements. For it did not contain the Logos Word/Reason. The air brought forth winged creatures, and the water brought forth swimming ones. Earth and water were separated from one another, just as the Nous Divine Mind willed. And it brought forth from itself the four-footed animals, creeping things, wild beasts, both tame and savage. The Father of all, the Nous Divine Mind, being life and light, gave birth to a human equal to himself, whom he loved as his own offspring. For he was all-beautiful, having the image of the Father; truly, God also loved his own form. And he delivered to him all his own creations. Having understood the creation of the creator in the Father, he also wished to create. He was permitted by the Father, having come into the creative sphere. Having observed the creations of his brother, he understood all the authority of them. They loved him, and each shared of its own order with him. Having learned their essence and having partaken of their nature, he wished to break through the circumference of the circles and to understand the power of the one set over the fire. And the one who has all authority over the mortal cosmos and the irrational animals looked down through the harmony, breaking the power, and showed the downward-tending nature the beautiful form of God. Seeing it, [Nature]—which has all the energy of the administrators within itself, along with the form of God—smiled with love, as though seeing the form of the most beautiful human