The Pimander of Hermes Trismegistus

loved her, and desired to be joined with her. The effect followed immediately upon the deed: she brought forth a form lacking reason original: "ratione carentem". In Hermetic thought, the physical body is "irrational" until inhabited by the divine mind. by her will. Nature embraced that in which she was wholly carried by love: she deeply entwined and mixed herself with him. For this reason, alone among all earthly living things, man is considered to be of a dual nature original: "duplicis naturae". The fundamental Hermetic doctrine that humans are both physical/mortal and spiritual/immortal.: mortal indeed because of the body, but immortal because of the substantial Man original: "hominem ipsum substantialem". This refers to the essential, divine spirit of humanity that existed before the physical world.. For he is immortal and holds authority over all things; but other living beings, which are mortal, suffer being subject to Fate. Therefore, the higher harmony The "Harmony" refers to the celestial mechanism of the seven planetary spheres. did not resist him; yet, having fallen into the harmony, he was put at risk and made a slave. He, fortified with the fertility of both sexes—having been made watchful by him who is ever-watchful—is contained by and subjected to his dominion.

TRISMEGISTUS. After these things, I said: "You yourself are the mind of my reason." Then Piman-
der said: "This is the mystery original: "mysterium". A sacred truth revealed through divine vision. which has remained hidden from the human race until this very day. For Nature, mingling herself with man, brought forth a miracle that surpassed the wonder of all other miracles. For when he [the Archetypal Man] had already been imbued with the harmony of those seven by him whom I just told you about—namely the Father and the Spirit—Nature herself did not resist. On the contrary, she immediately gave birth to seven men, corresponding to the natures of the seven governors The "seven governors" are the spirits of the planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon) who rule over the material world and human destiny.; they were both male and female in gender, and sublime."

And I spoke thus: "O Pimander, I am now seized with an ardent desire; I long to hear the rest besides. Therefore, I beseech you, do not desert me here." And he replied to me: PIMANDER.