The Hermetic Writings, Volume 1

PROLOGUE: 1 b

Hermes speaks of himself as the writer of the documents recording his conversations. Are we meant to think Hermes sat down to write a verbal report after speaking? It seems the author wanted to utilize the veneration for ancient books supposedly written by the god Thoth, temporarily abandoning the fiction of a spoken dialogue to link his document to that sacred class of literature.

inreligiosae mentis est multorum conscientia publicare. (It belongs to an irreligious mind to publish [these things] to the awareness of the masses). The doctrine revealed by Hermes to chosen disciples must be kept secret. See Asclepius III. 32 b: "Hide the divine mysteries within the secrets of your breast."

Conversely, the author of Asclepius I (12 b) speaks bitterly of the envy and malice of teachers who exclude others from the "true philosophy." In Corpus Hermeticum I, the prophet is commanded to preach to all who will listen.

adytum (sanctuary). What is the "sanctuary" (ἄδυτον) where Hermes instructs his disciples? It is not likely a public temple's "Holy of Holies." If the author had wanted to link him to temple worship, he might have portrayed him as a priest in the service of his grandfather, the god Thoth-Hermes. Therefore, the adytum is likely a private room set aside for solitary prayer and contemplation, where the teacher occasionally admitted select companions for religious conferences. Such a chamber would be similar to those used by the Therapeutae (an ancient contemplative Jewish group).