RegardingWesternPaganismAndHermeticism

Contents

PrefaceRe-discoveringWesternPaganismAnInsightIntoPaganMysticismRegardingMyatt'sHermeticaTheDivinePymanderMyatt'sMonas-ANewTranslationofCorpusHermeticumIV

AppendixI-ConcerningandintheCorpusHermeticumAppendixII-AReviewOfMyatt's'ClassicalPaganismAndTheChristianEthos'

Preface

WepresenthereaselectionofrecentarticlesaboutWesternpaganismandhermeticism,indebtedasthosearticlesaretoMyatt'stranslationsoftextsfromtheancientCorpusHermeticismandhispost-2013writingssuchashisbookClassicalPaganismAndTheChristianEthos.Myatt'sthesisinthatbookisthatWesternpaganismisessentiallytheclassicalpaganismofAncientGreeceandRomeandrepresentstheethosofthecultureoftheWest,whichethostheHebraicreligionofChristianitysupplanted.

Asmentionedinoneofthearticlesincludedhere,theethosoftheWest

"istheethos,thepragmaticspirituality,andthenotionofbalance,harmony,elegance,andofbeauty,whichinfusesthecultureandthecivilizationofAncientGreeceandRome,andwhichculturesoenthusedthoseEuropeansartists,scholars,educators,potentates,andotherswhofromthe14thcenturyonbroughtabouttheRenaissanceandwhichRenaissance,whichre-discoveryofthecultureofancientGreeceandRome,gavebirthtoandinfusedourWestern'Faustian'civilization."

However,

"InrespectofrediscoveringthepaganspiritualityoftheWestafundamentalproblemhasbeenalackofknowledgeamongthoseinterestedinwhat,exactly,thatspiritualityis.Aproblemexacerbatedbypre-existingtranslationsofsomeoftheancientworksknowledgeofwhichisnecessaryinordertounderstandthatspirituality.WorkssuchastheOedipusTyrannusandtheAntigonebySophocles,theAgamemnonbyAeschylus,andthemysticaltextsoftheCorpusHermeticism."

WhichiswhytheauthorsofthearticlesincludedinthiscompilationhavestudiedMyatt'stranslationsofclassicalandhermetictexts,forhistranslations

"whenstudiedtogetherenableustoappreciateandunderstandtheclassical,pagan,ethosandthencetheethosoftheWestitself."

Since

"whatMyattdoesinhistranslations[oftheCorpusHermeticum]ispaintofpictureofclassicalandofHelleniccultureandespeciallyofHellenicmysticism;acultureandamysticismwhichispaganandbasedonindividuals,ontangiblethingssuchashonesty,andnotonmoralisticandreligiousandimpersonalabstractions.Thatis,herevealstheGreco-RomanethosthepaganethosunderlyingthehermetictextsandwhichisincontrasttothatofChristianitywithitslater,medievalandPuritanical,impersonalmoralizing."

Hencethiscompilation,andthereferencesthereintoMyatt'sClassicalPaganismAndTheChristianEthos,forinthatworkheprovidesexamplesfromclassicalliteratureandfromtheCorpusHermeticumofthedifferencebetweenthepaganethosofancientGreeceandRomeandtheethosofChristianity.

Forcontext,weincludeasanappendixMyatt'sessayConcerningandintheCorpusHermeticum.TheinternetsourcesreferencedinthearticleswerevalidasofNovember2017,andwehavetakenthisopportunityto,withtheconsentoftheauthors,updateseveralofthesources.

T.W.S.November2017ev

Re-discoveringWesternPaganism

Whenevertheterm'westernpaganism'iswrittenorheard,inourcontemporarysocieties,thereistendencyformanyreadersorlistenerstoconjureupeitherimagesofancient'superstitiousbarbarians'offeringsacrificestovariousgodssuchasOdin,orimagesofmoderndevoteesofwhathasbeentermed'contemporarypaganism'and'neopaganism'inrobesconductingorattendingromanticizedritualsandceremoniessuchasthosenowassociatedwiththeSummerSolsticeatStonehenge.

Inthisessay,however,inreferringtoWesternpaganismwearereferringtoaparticularandspiritualethostoadistinguishingcharacter,ornature,or'spirit'germanetoEuropeanlandsandthusto'theWest',whereby'spiritual'ismeantconcerningwhatisconsideredtobe,intuitivelyorotherwise,numinous,and/orconcerningthoseforcesorpowerswhicharebelievedtobe,orwhichmay,determineourfate,wyrd,destinyandthuswhichmaybringgoodfortuneormisfortunetous,ourfamily,andtoourcommunities.

Hence,whenwritingabout'theWest'wearenotwritingaboutthenationsofthemodernWestandthelife-stylesandpoliticsevidentinsuchmodernnationsastheUnitedStatesandBritain.WhatismeantisthecultureandthecivilizationofandassociatedwithEuropeanlands(andwithwhatarenowourformercoloniesormigrlands)embodiedandmanifestasthatcultureandcivilizationwasandisinthepaganismofclassicalGreeceandRome;intheritualpracticesandbeliefsofNorthEuropeanlandssuchasScandinaviaandancientBritain;inGreco-Romanart;inclassicalandEuropeanfolkmusic;inthephilosophyofthelikesofAristotle;inallegoriessuchasthoseofFaustandmythssuchasKingArthur,Wotan,andtheValkyries;intheGreco-RomanmysticismoftheCorpusHermeticum,andinmodernscienceandtechnology.

Thatis,wearewritingaboutaparticularcultureofaparticularpeople;ofindigenousEuropeans,amongwhosedescendantsarepeopleofsuchlandsasarenownamedGreece,Italy,Britain,Germany,Spain,France,Scandinavia,Poland,Russia,etcetera.

PartofthisancestralWestern,thisancestralEuropean,cultureisaparticularandspiritualethos,andonewhichthetermWesternpaganismcorrectlydescribes,withthisparticularpaganismhavingitsrootsinAncientGreeceandRomeandthusbeingdifferent,inethosandinpractise,fromwhatiscurrentlyknownconcerning,forexample,suchreligiouspracticesandbeliefsasthatofancientGermanictribes.This'Greco-Roman'paganismisthepaganismofHomer,Hesiod,Aeschylus,Sophocles,Aristotle,Seneca,andCicero;apaganismthatispragmaticallyspiritualwhosefoundationistherationalizationthatcertaindeedswerewiseandcertainotherdeedsunwise,withsuchunwisedeedssuchhubris,upsettingthatnaturalbalanceoftheCosmos()andthusliable(accordingtoancestraltradition)tocausemisfortune.ThusdidSophoclesexpressatruthofthistraditionwhenhewrotethat"hubrisisthegenesisoftyrants"sincetyrantsinvariablybringmisfortuneuponthepeopleand,eventually,uponthemselvesandquiteoftenontheirdescendants.Inaddition,andimportantly,elegance,thebeautiful()aswellasexcellence(arte,)andnobility()wereallassociatedwiththosewhodidwhatwasconsideredwiseandbalanced(,inAristotle).

Thisistheethos,thepragmaticspirituality,andthenotionofbalance,harmony,elegance,andofbeauty,whichinfusesthecultureandthecivilizationofAncientGreeceandRome,andwhichculturesoenthusedthoseEuropeansartists,scholars,educators,potentates,andotherswhofromthe14thcenturyonbroughtabouttheRenaissanceandwhichRenaissance,whichre-discoveryofthecultureofancientGreeceandRome,gavebirthtoandinfusedourWestern'Faustian'civilization.

APaganRenaissance

ThisRenaissance,however,didnotinanysignificantwayincludeapracticalreturntoclassicalpaganism.Insteadofgivingrisetoanew,anevolved,paganethosandthusdispensingwiththenotionofanthropomorphicdeitiesinterferinginthelivesofhumanbeingsitresultedinonlyminorchangestothegoverningreligiousethosmanifestasthatwasinChristianitywithitsquiteun-classical,ratherstark,notionsofHell-Fire,Damnation,Sin,andPrudery.Inotherwords,thegoverningspiritualitycontinuedtobeHebraic,derivedfromtheOldTestamentasamendedbythe'newcovenant'ofJesusofNazareth.

Whilelaudable,theattemptinrecenttimesbysomeEuropeanstorediscoverthepaganethosoftheirancestorsexemplifiedincertain(butnotall)neopagangroupsandweltanschauungenandthusdistancethemselvesfromHebraicspirituality,isnotandnevercanbe,inourview,effectiveinreconnectingustotheethosoftheWestfortworeasons.First,becausesuchattempts(atleastsofar)donotexemplify,donotmanifest,thespiritualethosoftheWest,foundedasthatisonthecultureandspiritualityofancientGreeceandRome.Second,becausetheygenerallydonottakeintoaccounthowtheethosoftheWesthasitselfbeendistortedbyaHebraicismthatisnotonlyspiritualbutisnow,andhasbeenforoveracentury,cultural.

ThisculturalHebraicismisamodeofthinkingandactioninwhichHebrewsancientandmodernandtheirbeliefs,andthoseoftheirfollowersanddisciples,aretakenasthetype,themoralideal,tobeaspiredtoandlauded.InthecaseofancientHebrewsandtheirbeliefs,thetype,theidealisevidentintheBible(bothOldandNewTestaments),andinlatter-dayinterpretationsoftheBible.InthecaseofmodernHebrewsandtheirdisciples,thetype,theideal,derivesfrom(a)thedogmaof'equalityofraces'ultimatelyderivedfromMarxism,sociology,andwhathasbeentermed'socialanthropology',withthebeliefbeingthatallethnicitieshavethesameabilities,intelligence,potential,andhumancharacterandfrom(b)thereligious-likeremembranceofandcompulsoryteachingregardingtheShoah,togetherwithahypocriticalchampioningofethnicawarenessandancestraltraditionsforallethnicitiesexceptnativeEuropean('White')peoples,whichethnicawarenessof,anditspromotionamong,nativeEuropeanpeoplesisconsidered'hatred','racist','extremist'andisincreasingcensoredandoutlawedinthelandsoftheWestwiththeHebraicreasoningbeingthatsuchethnicawarenessof,anditspromotionamong,nativeEuropeanpeoplesgaverisetocolonialism,tofascismandNationalSocialismandthustotheShoahwhichmust"neverbeforgotten"withnoWesterncountryeverallowedtoagainmakeancestralEuropeanbeliefs,andtheWesternethos,theraisond'treofanation-State.

InrespectofrediscoveringthepaganspiritualityoftheWestafundamentalproblemhasbeenalackofknowledgeamongthoseinterestedinwhat,exactly,thatspiritualityis.Aproblemexacerbatedbypre-existingtranslationsofsomeoftheancientworksknowledgeofwhichisnecessaryinordertounderstandthatspirituality.WorkssuchastheOedipusTyrannusandtheAntigonebySophocles,theAgamemnonbyAeschylus,andthemysticaltextsoftheCorpusHermeticism.

Whichproblemoftranslationiswhy,forexample,theAntigoneofSophocleshasbecometoberegarded(byallbutahandfulofscholars)assomekindofancientmoralitytaleorasjustadramaaboutaconflictbetweentwostronganddifferentcharacters,AntigoneandCreon;whyOedipusTyrannusisregarded(byallbutahandfulofscholars)asamoralitytaleabout"incest",andwhythetextsoftheCorpusHermeticismareregardedasimbuedwithaChristian-likemysticismandashavingbeeninfluencedbyboththeOldandNewTestaments.

Yetproperlyunderstoodinthenecessaryculturalcontext,theAntigone,asonetranslatornotedintheIntroductiontohistranslation,

"dealswiththerelationbetweenmortalsandgods.Theworkisanexplorationandexplanationoftheworkingsofthecosmos,andtheanswersgivenexpressthedistinctiveancientGreek'outlook'orethos.Thisethosispagan,anditsessencemaybesaidtobethattherearelimitstohumanbehaviour;thatsomeconductiswise,someconductisunwise.Unwiseconductinvitesretributionbythegods:itcanandoftendoesresultinpersonalmisfortune,inbadluck."{1}

DittoinrespectoftheOedipusTyrannus,andtheAgamemnonofAeschylus.RegardingtheCorpusHermeticism,aswehavepreviouslymentioned,certainnewtranslationsrestore:

"thesetextstotheWesternpagantraditionandmakethemrelevanttoourtimeswhenWesterncultureandourclassical,Greco-Roman,andpaganheritageisincreasinglysubsumedinschoolsandelsewherebyother,non-Western,culturesandreligions,withitnowbeingpoliticallyincorrecttopointoutthatWesternculturewithitsGreco-Romanpaganheritagehasprofoundlychangedtheworldforthebetterandisarguablysuperiortoallotherculturespastandpresent."{2}

Thatis,translationsofimportantclassicaltextsarenowavailablewhich,whenstudiedtogether,enableustoappreciateandunderstandtheclassical,pagan,ethosandthencetheethosoftheWestitself.{3}

Whichunderstandingmightprobablyshouldleadus,orsomeone,todevelopanew,anevolved,paganweltanschauungwhichdoesnotinvolveanthropomorphicdeitiesbutinsteadisbasedonanewontologyregardingourrelation,assentientbeings,toBeing,totheCosmos,ratherthanto'God'ortosome'gods'.SomethingperhapsprefiguredinGreektextssuchasthesewiththeirreasoned,pragmatic,andoftenquitewarrior-like,spirituality:

TheMuseshalltellofthemanyadventuresofthatmanofthemanystratagemsWho,afterthepillageofthathallowedcitadelatTroy,Sawthetownsofmanyapeopleandexperiencedtheirways:Hewhosevigour,atsea,wasweakenedbymanyafflictionsAshestrovetowinlifeforhimselfandreturnhiscomradestotheirhomes.Butnotevenhe,forallthisyearning,couldsavethosecomradesFortheyweredestroyedbytheirownimmaturefoolishness

HavingdevouredthecattleofHelios,thatsonofHyperion,Whopluckedfromthemthedayoftheirreturning.{4}

Youshouldlistento[thegoddess]FairnessandnotobligeHubrisSinceHubrisharmsunfortunatemortalswhileeventhemorefortunateArenotequaltocarryingthatheavyaburden,meetingastheydowithMischief.Thebestpathtotakeistheoppositeone:thatofhonourFor,intheend,FairnessisaboveHubrisWhichissomethingtheyoungcometolearnfromadversity.{5}

Thisperson,whomIpraise,neverceasedtobelievethatthegodsdelightinrespectfuldeedsjustasmuchasinconsecratedtemples,and,whenblessedwithsuccess,hewasneverpridefulbutrathergavethankstothegods.Healsomademoreofferingstothemwhenhewasconfidentthansupplicationswhenhefelthesitant,and,inappearance,itwashishabittobecheerfulwhendoubtfulandmild-manneredwhensuccessful.{6}

Clytaemnestra:

Becauseofthesegrievousthings,nooneshouldinvokeafatalcurseuponNorturntheirwrothtoward,HelenAsifshewassomeman-killerwhoalonedestroyedThelivesofthosemanyDanaanmenByhavingwroughtsuchafesteringwound[]

ThewifeofthiscorpsepresentsherselfhereAsthatmostancientfierceAvenger.ItisAtreus,heisofthatcruelfeast,Who,inpaymentforthat,hasaddedtohisyoungvictimsThisadultone[]

ButdonotsupposethathiskillingwasignobleFordidhenotbyhiscunningsetMisfortuneuponthisfamily?{7}

Creon:

Soeventhenyoudaredtoviolatetheselaws?

Antigone:

ItwasnotZeuswhoproclaimedthemtome,Nordidshewhodwellswiththegodsbelowthegoddess,JudgementLaydownforusmortalssuchlawsasthose.NeitherdidIsupposethatyouredictsHadsomuchstrengththatyou,whodie,Couldout-runtheunwrittenandunchangingCustomsofthegods:forthelifeofthesethingsIsnotonlyofyesterdayortoday,buteternal,Noonerememberingtheirbirth.{8}

AllofwhichexplainswhywelovetoalsoquotewhatacertainEnglishpoetwrotein1873CE:"theseparationbetweentheGreeksandusisdueprincipallytotheHebraisticculturewereceiveinchildhood."AllthosetalltalesfromtheBibleaboutvariousHebrewfolk

Rachael&RichardStirlingShropshireAutumnalEquinox2017ev

{1}Antigone.TranslatedbyDavidMyatt.

{2}RefertothearticleAnInsightIntoPaganMysticism,includedhere.

{3}Thesetranslationsdatingfrombetween1991and2017,andallofwhichareindependentofhisownmystical,ifpagan,'philosophyofpathei-mathos'arebyDavidMyatt,andincludethefollowingimportantclassicaltexts:

TheAgamemnonofAeschylus.ISBN-13:978-1484128220

SophoclesOedipusTyrannus.ISBN-13:978-1484132104

SophoclesAntigone.ISBN-13:978-1484132067

HomerTheOdyssey:Books1,2&3.ISBN-13:978-1495402227

CorpusHermeticum:EightTractates.AcompilationcontainingtranslationsofandcommentariesontractatesI,III,IV,VI,VIII,XI,XII,XII.ISBN-13:978-1976452369.

Thecommentariesonthetractatesareofespecialinterestinelucidatingthepaganismofthetexts.

HisGreektranslationsareavailablehere:https://perceiverations.wordpress.com/greek-translations/

{4}TheOdyssey.TranslatedMyatt.

{5}Hesiod.TranslatedMyatt,andquoted(withtheGreektext)inhiscommentaryonTractateIII.

{6}Xenophon.TranslatedMyatt,andquoted(withtheGreektext)inhiscommentaryonTractateI.

{7}Agamemnon.TranslatedMyatt.

{8}Antigone.TranslatedMyatt.

AnInsightIntoPaganMysticism

Inanarticlepublishedonhisblogonthe24thofMarch2017anddealingasitdoeswiththeancienttextsoftheCorpusHermeticum,DavidMyattexpoundsonhisdecisiontotranslatetheancientGreektermnotbytheconventionalEnglishterm'good'butbyaccordingtocontexthonourable,noble,nobility.{1}InsupportofhistranslationofhequotesSeneca:"summumbonumestquodhonestumest.Etquodmagisadmireris:unumbonumest,quodhonestumest,ceterafalsaetadulterinabonasunt."{2}

ThischoiceandhisunconventionaltranslationsofotherparticularancientGreekwordssuchasreallydoesgive,ashenotesinhisarticle,an"impressionaboutancientHermeticismwhichisratherdifferentfromthatconveyedbyothertranslations."

Thedifference,asothercommentatorsonMyatt'sHermeticatranslationshavenoted{3}andasMyattshowsinhisarticle,isbetweentakingthosetextsasexpressingaChristianethosandtakingthemasexpressingapaganaclassical,Greco-Romanethos.

ForthoseinterestedinWesternesotericismingeneralandHermeticisminparticularthisisaprofoundandimportantdifference.ItrestoresthesetextstotheWesternpagantraditionandmakesthemrelevanttoourtimeswhenWesterncultureandourclassical,Greco-Roman,andpaganheritageisincreasinglysubsumedinschoolsandelsewherebyother,non-Western,culturesandreligions,withitnowbeing'politicallyincorrect'topointoutthatWesternculturewithitsGreco-Romanpaganheritagehasprofoundlychangedtheworldforthebetterandisarguablysuperiortoallotherculturespastandpresent.

AlthoughMyattinhisarticleprovidesthreeilluminatingexamplesofthedifferencebetweenhis'pagan'(authentic)versionsandthe'Christian'interpolationsofothertranslators,Iwillprovidetwootherexamples.

ThefirstisfromtractXIwhichMyattentitlesFromPerceiveranceToHermes.

"Indulgingthebodyandrotten,youareunabletoapprehendthebeautiful,thenoble.Tobecompletelyrottenistobeunawareofthenuminous,whilehavingtheabilitytodiscover,tohavevolition,tohaveexpectations,isthedirect,thebetteritsownwaytonobility."

Copenhaver,hithertoextolledasprovidingthe'definitivetranslation',has:

"Whileyouareevilandaloverofthebody,youcanunderstandnoneofthethingsthatarebeautifulandgood.Tobeignorantofthedivineistheultimatevice,buttobeabletoknow,towillandtohopeisthestraightandeasywayleadingtothegood."{4}

ThesecondexampleisfromtractIV,whichMyattentitlesChaldronOrMonas.

SincethatBeingishonourable,thedesirewastoentrustsolelytothatBeingsuchacosmicorderonEarth[]Whatisapparentcanpleaseuswhilewhatisconcealedcancausedoubtwithwhatisbadoftenovertwhilethehonourableisoftenconcealedhavingasithasneitherpatternnorguise.

Copenhavertranslatesas:

"Becauseheisgooditwasnotforhimselfalonethathewishedtomakethisofferingandadornthisearth[]Visiblethingsdelightusbuttheinvisiblecausesmistrust.Badthingsaremoreopentosightbutthegoodisinvisibletowhatcanbeseen.Forthegoodhasneithershapenoroutline."

ItiseasytoseewhichtranslationechoesapaganethosasthelikesofSenecaandCicerounderstoodclassicalpaganismandwhichisredolentofaChristianorapseudo-Christianethos.

Insummary,MyattinhistranslationsofthetextsoftheCorpusHermeticumprovidestheordinaryreaderwithaninsightintoaneglectedWesternmystictradition.AneglectedtraditionbecausealltheothertranslationsavailableimpartinMyatt'swords"thesenseofreadingsomewhatdeclamatorysermonsaboutgod/Godand'thegood'

familiarfromoverathousandyearsofpersonspreachingaboutChristianity."

RichardStirlingShropshire2017

{1}SeeAppendixI{2}AdLuciliumEpistulaeMorales,LXXI,4.{3}RefertoMyatt'sMonas-ANewTranslationofCorpusHermeticumIV,includedbelow.{4}B.Copenhaver.Hermetica.CambridgeUniversityPress.1992

RegardingMyatt'sHermetica

IntheSpringofthisyear(2017)DavidMyattreleasedhisversionstranslationsandcommentariesofseveralmoreCorpusHermeticumtextstocomplementhisexisting,published,versionsoftractsI,III,IV,VIII,XI.ThenewadditionsweretractsVI,XII,andtheCantioArcanapart(sections17and18)oftractXIII.{1}

ThelatestadditionsbringinghistranslationsofHermeticatextstosevenfollowthesamemethodologyaspreviousversions.Thatis,hispenchantfortransliteratingcertainGreekwords,hisuseofoftenunusualEnglishwordsinplaceofthestandardtranslationsandmeaningsgiveninGreek-EnglishlexiconssuchasLSJ{2},andthetermsandexpressionsheinventsordigsupfromusuallyveryoldbooksofEnglishliterature.AllofwhichcombinetomakehistranslationsidiosyncraticandremarkablydifferentfromallprevioustranslationsintoEnglish,antiqueandmodern.Tohiscredit,heexplainsinhiscommentarysometimesinpedanticdetailhischoices,citinghisreasonsandoftenprovidingsomequotationinGreek,Latin,orEnglish.

Inregardtohistranslationsofhermetictexts,thisresultsintwothings.Intranslationswithatechnicalvocabularyrelatingtohermeticism,andintranslationswhichtransportsthereadertoanancientworld.Bothofthesecombinetobreathenewlifeintothetextsandthenceintohermeticismitself.Thus,farfrom,asMyattwritesinhisintroductiontotractVI,givingtheimpression"ofreadingsomewhatdeclamatorysermonsaboutgod/Godand'thegood'familiarfromoverathousandyearsofpersonspreachingaboutChristianity,"thehermetictextshehastranslatedgivetheimpressionofreadingaboutapaganmysticismthatmostreaderswillprobablybeunfamiliarwith.

Thuswhileothertranslatorswritemoralisticallyaboutgod,righteousness,truth,and'thegood',Myattpreviewsaworldofdivinities,ofrespectingthecustomsofthegods,ofhonesty,andnobility.AgoodexampleofthedifferenceisinMyatt'srenderingofpartoftheCantioArcana.Copenhaverwhofollowstheproto-ChristianinterpretationofearliertranslatorsandwhoserecenttranslationsoftheCorpusHermeticumareregardedas"thedefinitiveversions",has:

"Holyknowledge,youenlightenedme;throughyou,hymningtheintellectuallight,ItakejoyinthejoyofMind.Joinme,allyoupowers,andsingmethehymn.Youalso,continence,singmethehymn.Myjustice,throughmehymnthejust.Myliberality,throughmehymntheUniverse.Truth,hymnthetruth.Good,hymnthegood."(3}

Myatthas:

Numinousknowledge,fromyouanuminalunderstanding:Throughyou,asongofapprehendedphaos,Delightedwithdelightfulperceiverance.Joinme,allyouArts,insong.You,mastery,sing;andyou,respectfulofcustom,Throughmesingofsuchrespect.Sing,mycompanions,forAllThatExists:Honesty,throughme,singofbeinghonest,Thenoble,singofnobility.

InMyatt'sversiontherearethetwopreviouslymentionedthings.Atechnicalvocabularysuchasnuminal,phaos,perceiverance,Artsrequiringinterpretation,andnothingreminiscentofChristianity,suchas'hymn'and'holy'andbeing'good'.AsMyattwritesinhiscommentaryontheCantioArcanainrespectofhisuseofthetermssong,honestyandArts:

Song..Nota'hymn'intheChristiansense(whichthewordhymnnowsooftenimputes)butrathercelebratingthenuminous,andtheos,insong,verse(ode),andchant.

Honesty..Giventhatthosewhoareurgedtosingarepersonifications,thisisnotsomeabstract,disputable,'truth'butasoftenelsewhereinclassicalliterature,arevealing,adis-covering,ofwhatisrealasopposedtowhatisapparentorouterappearance.Inpersonalterms,beinghonestandtruthful.

Arts.AsatPoemandres31whichisalsoatraditionaldoxology()totheosthesenseof[here]isnot'powers',forces(orsomethingsimilarandequallyatvariancewithsuchalaudation)but'arts';thatis,particularabilities,qualities,andskills.Here,theseabilitiesandskillsthecraftrelatetoesotericsong;tobeabletobeaneffectivelaudatorinrespectoftheosand"everyPhysisofKosmos."

HisreferencetoeveryPhysisofKosmosistothebeginningoftheode:

LeteveryPhysisofKosmosfavourablylistentothissong

whichCopenhavertranslatesas"leteverynatureinthecosmosattendtothehearingofthishymn."

Thecommentarieswhichaccompanythetranslationsdeserveamention.EachofthemnotonlyoccupiesfarmorepagesthantheactualtranslationbuttheyrevealtheauthoraseruditewithpagesofquotationsfromancientGreekandLatinworksformostofwhichMyattprovideshisowntranslationandtheoccasionalquotationfromEnglishliterature.InthecaseofEnglishliteratureusuallytoexplainthemeaningoftheunusualEnglishwordsofphrasesheuses,quotingthelikesofChaucer,Coleridge,ElizabethBarrettBrowning,Chapman,andothers.

IneffectwhatMyattdoesinhistranslationsispaintofpictureofclassicalandofHelleniccultureandespeciallyofHellenicmysticism;acultureandamysticismwhichispaganandbasedonindividuals,ontangiblethingssuchashonesty,andnotonmoralisticandreligiousandimpersonalabstractions.Thatis,herevealstheGreco-RomanethosthepaganethosunderlyingthehermetictextsandwhichisincontrasttothatofChristianitywithitslater,medievalandPuritanical,impersonalmoralizing.Heincidentlyleavesuswithaninterestingquestion.WhichiswhethersuchpaganHellenicmysticisminfluencedChristianityinapositiveway.InacademiatheassumptionhasalwaysbeenthatChristianityandearlierJudaicmonotheisminfluencedhermeticismdespitethefactofevidencefrompapyrusfragmentsindicatingtheoppositeanddespitethefactthattheearliesttextsoftheOldTestamentwerewritteninGreekandnotinHebrew.{4}

MyatthimselfisoftheopinionthatpartsofancientGreekmysticismandcosmogonyasdescribedforinstanceintractIIIoftheCorpusHermeticumhaveinfluencedbothJudaismandChristianity.{5}

Suchcontroversialmattersaside,histranslationsoftractsfromtheCorpusHermeticismaredecidedlyiconoclasticandwhencomparedtothoseofothertranslatorssuchasCopenhaveridiosyncraticandassucharenotandprobablyneverwillbemainstreamatleastinacademia.Theymaythereforenevergainwidespreadacceptanceamongestablishedacademics.Doesthatmatter?Probablynotbecausehisactualandpotentialaudienceismuchgreater.WhichaudienceisofthoseinterestedinWesternmysticism,inWesternpaganism,andinGreco-Romancultureingeneral,andforsuchinterestedpartiesMyatthasdoneagreatservicesinceheplacesthehermetictextsfirmlyintothosemilieux.

Oneotherthingaboutthetranslationsandcommentariesdeservesamention.Aswellabeingavailableinprintedformhehasnotonlymadeallofthemavailableasfreedownloadsfromtheinternet{6}butalsoissuedthemunderaliberalCreativeCommonslicensewhichallowsotherstofreelycopyanddistributethem.

RachaelStirlingShropshire2017

{1}DavidMyatt.CorpusHermeticum:EightTractates.ISBN978-1976452369{2}H.G.Liddell,R.Scott,H.S.Jones.AGreek-EnglishLexicon.OxfordUniversityPress,1996.{3}B.Copenhaver.Hermetica.CambridgeUniversityPress.1992.{4}TheearliestwrittentextsoftheOldTestamentpapyrusfragmentsfoundinEgyptareinHellenisticGreekanddatefromaround250BCEandprecedebyoveracenturytheearliestfragmentswritteninHebrew(someoftheDeadSeaScrolls)whichdatefrom150BCEtoaround50BCE.{5}SeeMyatt'sintroductiontohistranslationoftractIII.{6}https://davidmyatt.wordpress.com/corpus-hermeticum/

TheDivinePymander

InJulyof2013DavidMyattpublishedhiscompletetranslationofandcommentaryonthePoemandrespartoftheCorpusHermeticum,achapteralsoknownasTheDivinePymander{1}.

TheDivinePymanderisoneofthestandardHermeticandGnostictexts,outliningasitdoesHermeticphilosophy,and,inMead's1906translation,hasbeenusedbytheTheosophicalSocietyandoccultgroupssuchasTheHermeticOrderofTheGoldenDawn,whoweavedpartofitintoanoccultritual.Thetextwasalsoused,againintranslation,bytheBritishoccultistAleisterCrowley,aspartofaconjurationinvolving'theholyguardianangel'.

Myatt'stranslationdiffersinalmosteveryrespectfromtheothertranslationsavailable,themostscholarlyofwhichisprobablythatofCopenhaverpublishedin1992{2}.OneoftheobviousdifferencesisMyatt'suse,inhistranslation,ofparticulartransliterations,especiallyhisuseof'theos'insteadof'god',logosinsteadof'Word',and'physis'insteadof'nature',thelaterofwhichisanimportantprincipleinMyatt'sownandsomewhatgnosticphilosophyofpathei-mathos.AnotherdifferenceishistranslationofcertainGreekterms,translationswhichhehimselfinhisIntroductiondescribesasidiosyncratic,althoughIwouldgosofarastosaytheyareiconoclastic.Forinstance,hetranslates'agios'notastheconventional'holy'butas'numinous',explaininghisreasonsinalongnoteinhiscommentary,writingthat,

"Correctlyunderstood,numinousistheunitybeyondourperceptionofitstwoapparentaspects;aspectsexpressedbytheGreekusageofwhichcouldbeunderstoodinagood(light)wayas'sacred',revered,ofastonishingbeauty;andinabad(dark)wayasredolentofthegods/wyrd/thefates/moraiinthesesenseoftheretributiveor(moreoften)theirbalancingpower/powersandthusgivingrisetomortal'awe'sincesucharestorationofthenaturalbalanceofteninvolvedorrequiredthedeath(andsometimesthe'sacrifice')ofmortals.Itisthenuminousinitsapparentduality,andasamanifestationofarestorationofthenatural,divine,balancewhichisevidentinmuchofGreektragedy,fromtheAgamemnonofAeschylus(andtheOrestiaingeneral)totheAntigoneandtheOedipusTyrannusofSophocles."DavidMyattMercvriiTrismegistiPymanderdepotestateetsapientiadei:ATranslationandCommentary(2013)

OtherdifferencesincludeMyatt'suseofobscureEnglishwords,suchasartisementsallofwhichheexplainsinhiscommentaryandhiscoiningofunusualandstrikingtermstotranslateanimportantGreekexpression,suchas'quidditasofsemblance'forwhatisusuallytranslated(bothbyMeadandCopenhaver)as'archetypeofform',withMyattwritinginhiscommentarythat,

"Thetransliteration'archetype'hereis,unfortunately,unsuitable,givenwhatthetermarchetypenowsuggestsandimplies(videJungianpsychology,forexample)beyondwhattheGreekofthetextmeans.Appropriatewordsortermssuchas'primal-pattern'or'protoform'areawkward,clumsy.Hencequidditas(11th/12thcenturyLatin),fromwhencecame'quiddity',atermoriginallyfrommedievalscholasticismwhichwasthenusedtomeanthenatural(primal)natureorformofsome-thing,andthushintsattheoriginalsenseof."

AGreekNotChristianText

Allthesedifferencesgiveadecidedlydifferenttonetothework.SomuchsothatMyatt'stranslationcomesacrossasadecidedlyGreek,almostpagan,workaboutmetaphysicsincontrasttotheotheravailabletranslationswhichmakeitappeartobeifnotsomesortofearlyChristiantextthenatextheavilyinfluencedbyandexpressingChristianideas.PartofthisisdowntowhatmanywillundoubtedlyseeasMyatt'scontroversialchoiceofEnglishwords,achoicewhichheoftenexplainsinhiscommentaryasavoidingimposing"afternearlytwothousandyearsofscripturalexegesisandpreaching,variousreligiouspreconceptionsonthetext".

Twosetsofquotationsfromfourdifferenttranslationsshouldillustratethis.Thefirstsetisfromtheveryendofthetext.

The17thcenturyEverardtranslation:

HolyisGodtheFatherofAllThings.HolyisGodWhoseWillisPerformedandAccomplishedbyHisOwnPowers.HolyisGod,thatDeterminethtobeKnown,andisKnownofHisOwn,orThosethatareHis.HolyartThou,thatbyThyWordhastestablishedallThings.

The1906Meadtranslation:

Holyareyou,OGod,theuniversals'Father.Holyareyou,OGod,whoseWillperfectsitselfbymeansofitsownPowers.Holyareyou,OGod,whowillethtobeknownandartknownbyyourown.Holyareyou,whodidyoubyWordmaketoconsistthethingsthatare.

The1992Copenhavertranslation:

Holyisgod,thefatherofall.Holyisgod,whosecounselisdonebyhisownpowers.Holyisgod,whomwishestobeknownandisknownbyhisownpeople.Holyareyou,whobythewordhaveconstitutedallthingsthatare.

The2013Myatttranslation:

AgiosoTheos,fatherofallbeings.AgiosoTheos,whosepurposeisaccomplishedbyhisownarts.AgiosoTheos,whosedispositionistoberecognizedandwhoisrecognizedbyhisown.Agioses,youwhobylogosformallbeing.

ItshouldbeexplainedthatMyattinhiscommentarywrites,

"Ihavegiven,asanintimation,atransliterationofthefirstpart,asthesearedoxologies,similartotheKyrieeleison[],andmuch(ifnotall)oftheirnuminous/sacred/mystical/esotericqualityandmeaningarelostwhentheyaretranslatedintoplainorintoarchaic,KJVtypeEnglish.Althoughtheyarebestread/recitedintheoriginalGreek,theLatinpreservesmuchofthenuminosityoftheseandothersuchdoxologies[.]approximatesto'Numinousis'[theos]."

MyattthenproceedstogivetheLatintranslationoftheGreek.

Thesecondsetofquotationsarefromthemiddleofthetext.

The17thcenturyEverardtranslation:

"Hearnowtherestofthatspeech,thousomuchdesiresttohear.WhenthatPeriodwasfulfilled,thebondofallthingswasloosedanduntiedbytheWillofGod;foralllivingCreaturesbeingHermaphroditical,orMaleandFemale,wereloosedanduntiedtogetherwithMan;andsotheMaleswereapartbythemselvesandtheFemaleslikewise.AndstraightwayGodsaidtotheHolyWord,.IncreaseinIncreasing,andMultiplyinMultitudeallyoumyCreaturesandWorkmanships.AndletHimthatisenduedwithMind,knowHimselftobeImmortal;andthatthecauseofDeathistheLoveoftheBody"

The1906Meadtranslation:

"Nowlistentotherestofthediscoursewhichyoudostlongtohear.Theperiodbeingended,thebondthatboundthemallwasloosenedbyGod'sWill.Foralltheanimalsbeingmale-female,atthesametimewithManwereloosedapart;somebecamepartlymale,someinlikefashion[partly]female.AndstraightwayGodspakebyHisHolyWord:Increaseyeinincreasing,andmultiplyinmultitude,yecreaturesandcreationsall;

andmanthathathMindinhim,lethimlearntoknowthathehimselfisdeathless,andthatthecauseofdeathislove."

The1992Copenhavertranslation:

"Heartherest,thewordyouyearntohear.Whenthecyclewascompleted,thebondamongallthingswassunderedbythecounselofgod.Alllivingsthings,whichhadbeenandrogyne,weresunderedintotwopartshumansalongwiththemandpartofthembecamemale,partlikewisefemale.Butgodimmediatelyspokeaholyspeech:'Increaseinincreasingandmultiplyinmultitude,allyoucreaturesandcraftworks,andlethim(who)ismindfulrecognizethatheisimmortal,thatdesireisthecauseofdeath."

The2013Myatttranslation:

"Nowlistentotherestoftheexplanationyouaskedtohear.Whenthecyclewasfulfilled,theconnexionsbetweenallthingswere,bythedeliberationsoftheos,unfastened.Livingbeingsallmale-and-femalethenwere,includinghumans,rentasunderthusbringingintobeingportionsthatweremasculouswiththeothersmuliebral.Directly,then,theosspokeanuminouslogos:propagatebypropagationandspawnbyspawning,allyoucreationsandartisements,andlettheperceiverhavetheknowledgeofbeingdeathlessandofErosasresponsiblefordeath."

TheSeptenarySystem

WhileMyatt'scommentaryisoftendenseandsometimesobscure,itisnotablefortworeasons.

First,itsscholarlynature,forhisquotations,inthecommentaryandinGreekorLatinandwithhisowntranslations,rangefromtheHomericHymntoDemeter,toSophocles,toXenophon,toCiceroandtheNewTestament,andincludewhattomostpeoplewillbeobscureworksfromthe'fathersoftheChristianchurch',includingMaximustheConfessor,Irenaeus,andCyrilofAlexandria.Occasionalgemsaretobefound,suchasMyatt'stranslationfromtheGreekofapassagefromtheDiscoursesofEpictetus:

"NeitheratyrannosnorsomeLordshallnegatemyintent;norsomecrowdalthoughIbejustone;norsomeonestrongeralthoughIbeweaker,sincesuchunhindranceisagift,toeveryone,fromtheos."

Second,andofinteresttomany,thecommentaryexplainsmuchaboutnotonly'theseptenarysystem'thehebdomadwhichformsanimportantpartofthehermeticPymandertext,butalsoaboutthe'anados',thejourneythroughthespherestothefinalgoalofimmortality.Thereareesotericgemsaplentyhere,anditisworthploughingthroughthecommentaryjusttofindthese.Forexample,inacommentonpart26ofthePymandertext,Myattwrites,

"[Itis]easytounderstandwhysomeconsideredtherewere,orrepresentedtheirunderstanding/insightby,'nine'(sevenplustwo)fundamentalcosmicemanations,orbyninerealmsorspheres[qv.thequotefromCiceroinsection17]thesevenofthehebdomad,plustheoneofthe'ogdoadicphysis'mentionedhere,plustheone(alsomentionedhere)ofwhatisbeyondeventhis'ogdoadicphysis'.However,asthistextdescribes,therearesevenrealmsorspheresaseven-foldpathtoimmortality,accessibletolivingmortalsandthentwotypesofexistence(notspheres)beyondthese,accessibleonlyafterthemortalshasjourneyedalongthatpathandthen,having'offeredup'certainthingsalongtheway(theirmortalethos),'handedovertheirbodytoitsdeath'.Ontologically,therefore,thesevenmightsomewhatsimplisticallybedescribedaspartakingofwhatis'causal'(ofwhatismortal)andthetwotypesofexistencebeyondthesevenaspartakingofasbeing'acausal'(ofwhatisimmortal).Thus,Pmandresgoesontosay,theformermortalnowimmortalmoveson(fromthisfirsttypeof'acausalexistence')tobecometheseforces(beyondtheogdoadicphysis)tothusfinally'unitewiththeos':."

AnIconoclasticWork

Althoughalreadyknownas"aBritishiconoclast"{3}forhisstrangeandpastinvolvementsandperegrinations,aswellasknownforhisidiosyncratictranslationsofSapphoandHeraclitus,DavidMyatt'stranslationofandcommentaryon'TheDivinePymander'willundoubtedlyconfirmthaticonoclasmandthatidiosyncrasy.

Histranslationismostdecidedlyiconoclastic,bringingasitdoesanewinsightintothetext,andbreathingasitdoesnewlifeintoitshermeticism,thusmakingitfarmoreaccessibleto,andunderstandable,bystudentsofgnosticism,hermeticism,andtheoccult;andalthoughgivenMyatt's(notalwaysdeserved)reputation,andhispastinvolvementsandperegrinationsitwillundoubtedlybeignoredbytheacademicestablishment,itsappealwillbetosuchstudentsandtoothersinterestedinthearcane.ItalsoservestocomplimentMyatt'sownphilosophyofpathei-mathos,elucidatingasitdoessomeofthemoreobscurepointsofMyatt'sontologicalspeculations.

R.ParkerJuly2013

{1}Myatt'stranslationandcommentaryisincludedhisbookCorpusHermeticum:EightTractates.ISBN978-1976452369.

{2}Copenhaver,B.Hermetica.CambridgeUniversityPress,1992.ThereisamajorissuewithCopenhaver'sbookinthatinhisnoteshegivesnottheactualGreektext(usingtheGreekcharacterset)buttransliterations(usingtheLatincharacterset)whichisannoyingforthosewhocanreadGreek.Myattinhisnotesandcommentary,andtohiscredit,eschewsthis'populist',dumbing-down,approach,andinaccordwithhundredsofyearsofscholarshipprovidestheGreektext.

{3}JonB.Perdue:TheWarofAllthePeople:TheNexusofLatinAmericanRadicalismandMiddleEasternTerrorism.PotomacBooks,2012.p.70

Myatt'sMonas

ANewTranslationofCorpusHermeticumIV

DavidMyatt'stranslationofandcommentaryonthefourthtractoftheCorpusHermeticum{1}continuesthestyleofhistwoprevioustranslationsofHermetictexts:transliterationsofsomeGreekwords(suchaslogosandtheos)andnotgivingsomeotherGreekwords(suchasand)thereusualmeaningssuchasarefound,forinstance,inthestandardGreek-EnglishLexiconofLiddell,Scott,andJones{2}.AswithhisotherHermetictranslationsthisresultsinMyatt'sversionreadinglikeanancientpagantextratherthanoneinfusedwithChristianorasceticideas,asthefollowingexamplesillustrate.

The1906Meadtranslation:

UnlessthoufirstshalthatethyBody,son,thoucanstnotlovethySelf.ButifthoulovestthySelfthoushalthaveMind,andhavingMindthoushaltshareintheGnosis.

The1992Copenhavertranslation,whichisquitesimilartoMead's:

Unlessyoufirsthateyourbody,mychild,youcannotloveyourself,butwhenyouhavelovedyourself,youwillpossessmind,andifyouhavemind,youwillalsohaveashareinthewaytolearn.

The2016Myatttranslation:

Myson,primarily,unlessyouhaveaprejudiceaboutthebodyYoucannothaveaffectionforyourself,andwhenyouhaveaffectionforyourselfYoucanacquireperceiveranceand,havingperceiverance,Youcanparticipateinepisteme.

Regardingepisteme,Myattwritesinhiscommentary:

Atransliterationof,whichcouldbeandhasbeenaccentedthus:pistm.Themeaningis'away',orameansoramethod,bywhichsomethingcanbeknown,understood,andappreciated.Inthiscase,perceiveration,whichtheartisan-creatorhaspositioned"half-waybetweenpsyches,asareward."Episteme,therefore,shouldbeconsideredatechnical,esoteric,termassociatedwithsomeoftheweltanschauungenthataredescribedintheCorpusHermeticum.Thus,inthePoemandrestractate,theanadosthroughthesevenspheresisanepisteme.

AContentiousChoice

OneofthemostcontentiousaspectsofMyattapproachishisview,describedinhisIntroduction,oftherelationofthetexttoancientEgyptianbeliefs;ofthetextsbeinginessencerepresentativeoftheGreekworld-viewwithonlyfewpassingEgyptianreferencessuchasusingthenameThoth.

WhilethisisalsotheviewoftheDominicanpriestAndr-JeanFestugiretheGreekscholarwhowithProfessorArthurNockeditedthestandardeditionofthetextusedbyMyattandothersmanymodernscholarshaveveeredtowardtheviewoftherebeingsomeEgyptian,andprobablyChristian,influence.

TheothercontentiousaspectishowMyatt,inthistractate,defines.As'honourable'insteadofthemoreusual'good'.Indefenceofhischoicehequotesapassage,inGreek,fromtheCorpusAristotelicumandprovideshisowntranslation,arguingthatthisexpressesthepaganGreekviewandisappositegivenwhattheEnglishtermgoodoftenimpliesduetothelegacyofChristianity.

Myatt'schoiceherecompletelychangesthetoneofthewholework,asevidentinthefollowingpassage:

The1906Meadtranslation:

ButtheywhohavereceivedsomeportionofGod'sgift,these,Tat,ifwejudgebytheirdeeds,havefromDeath'sbondswontheirrelease;fortheyembraceintheirownMindallthings,thingsontheearth,thingsintheheaven,andthingsabovetheheaven,iftherebeaught.AndhavingraisedthemselvessofartheysighttheGood;andhavingsightedIt,theylookupontheirsojournhereasamischance;andindisdainofall,boththingsinbodyandthebodiless,theyspeedtheirwayuntothatOneandOnlyOne.

The1992Copenhavertranslation:

Butthosewhoparticipateinthegiftthatcomesfromgod,OTat,areimmortalratherthanmortalifonecomparestheirdeeds,forinamindoftheirowntheyhavecomprehendedallthingsonearth,thingsinheavenandevenwhatliesbeyondheaven.Havingraisedthemselvessofar,theyhaveseenthegoodand,havingseenit,theyhavecometoregardthewastingoftimeherebelowasacalamity.Theyhavescornedeverycorporealandincorporealthing,andtheyhastentowardtheoneandonly.

The2016Myatttranslation:

Andyet,Thoth,thosewhopartentothatgiftfromtheosbecome,Whensetagainsttheirdeeds,immortalinsteadofmortalFortheywiththeirperceiveranceapprehendtheEarthly,theHeavenly,AndwhatisbeyondtheHeavens.Havinggonesofar,theyperceivewhatishonourable,and,havingsoperceived,Theyregardwhatprecededthisasadelay,asaproblemAnd,withlittleregardforwhateverisembodiedanddisembodied,TheystrivetowardtheMonas.

AlsonotablehereisMyatt'schoiceofThothfor,andMonasfor.CertainlythechoiceofTatbybothMeadandCopenhaverisunfortunategivenwhat'tat'meansinBritishEnglish.

Conclusion

OnceagainMyatthasprovidedarefreshinglydifferenttranslationofanimportantHermetictext,andonewhichaswithhisprevioustranslationsoftractsIandIII{3}bothreadswellandoffersadifferent,ificonoclasticandcontroversial,interpretationmostsuitabletostudentsofHermeticismandperhapsespeciallytostudentsoftheOccultgivenhowsuchhermetictextsformedandformoneofthefoundationsofWesternOccultism,bothduringtheRenaissanceandinourmoderntimes.

R.ParkerJuly2016

{1}IncludedinMyatt'sCorpusHermeticum:EightTractates.ISBN978-1976452369

{2}ClarendonPress,Oxford,1996.ISBN9780198642268.

{3}HispreviousHermeticatranslationsincludedthePoemandresandthetracts.

AppendixI

ConcerningandintheCorpusHermeticum

ThreeofthemanyGreektermsofinterestinrespectofunderstandingthevariedweltanschauungenoutlinedinthetextsthatcomprisetheCorpusHermeticumareandand,withconventionaltranslationsofthesetermsas'good'and'Mind'and'god'(orGod)impartingthesenseofreadingsomewhatdeclamatorysermonsaboutgod/Godand'thegood'familiarfromoverathousandyearsofpersonspreachingaboutChristianityinterspersedwithdefinitivephilosophicalstatementsabout'Mind',asifa"transcendentintelligence,rationality,"ora"Mentalorpsychicfaculty"orboth,orsomethingsimilar,ismeantorimplied.

ThusthebeginningoftractateVI-,,,,-anddealingasitdoeswithbothand,hasbeentranslated,byMead,as"Good,OAsclepius,isinnoneelsesaveGodalone;nay,rather,GoodisGodHimselfeternally,"[1]andbyCopenhaveras"Thegood,Asclepius,isinnothingexceptingodalone,orrathergodhimselfisalwaysthegood."[2]

Inrespectof,atypicalexampleisfromPoemandres12-,,,,,.ThebeginningofthisistranslatedbyMeadas"ButAll-FatherMind,beingLifeandLight,didbringforthManco-equaltoHimself,withwhomHefellinlove,asbeingHisownchildforhewasbeautifulbeyondcompare,"andbyCopenhaveras"Mind,thefatherofall,whoislifeandlight,gavebirthtoamanlikehimselfwhomhelovedashisownchild.Themanwasmostfair:hehadthefather'simage."

Similarly,inrespectofPoemandres22-,,,-whichistranslatedbyMeadas"I,Mind,myselfampresentwithholymenandgood,thepureandmerciful,menwholivepiously.[Tosuch]mypresencedothbecomeanaid,andstraightwaytheygaingnosisofallthings,andwintheFather'slovebytheirpurelives,andgiveHimthanks,invokingonHimblessings,andchantinghymns,intentonHimwithardentlove,"andbyCopenhaveras"Imyself,themind,ampresenttotheblessedandgoodandpureandmerciful-tothereverent-andmypresencebecomesahelp;theyquicklyrecognizeeverything,andtheypropitiatethefatherlovinglyandgivethanks,praisingandsinginghymnsaffectionatelyandintheorderappropriatetohim."

AsexplainedinvariousplacesinmycommentaryontractatesI,III,IV,VIII,andXI,andintwoappendices[3],Iinclinetowardtheviewthat-givenwhatsuchEnglishtermsas'thegood',Mind,andgodnowimpute,oftenasaresultoftwothousandyearsofChristianityandpost-Renaissance,andmodern,philosophy-suchtranslationstendtoimposeparticularandmoderninterpretationsonthetextsandthusdonotpresenttothereadertheancientethosthatformsthebasisofthevariedweltanschauungenoutlinedinthetextsoftheCorpusHermeticum.

Toavoidsuchimpositions,andinanendeavourtoexpressatleastsomethingofthatancient(andinmyviewnon-Christian)ethos,Ihave-forreasonsexplainedintherelevantsectionsofmycommentary-transliteratedastheos[4],asperceiveration,oraccordingtocontext,perceiverance;andas,accordingtocontext,nobility,noble,orhonourable[5].WhichiswhymyreadingoftheGreekofthethreeexamplesaboveprovidesthereaderwithasomewhatdifferentimpressionofthetexts:

Asclepius,thenobleexistsinno-thing:onlyintheosalone;indeed,theosis,ofhimselfandalways,whatisnoble.[6]

Perceiveration,asLifeandphaos,fatherofall,broughtforthinhisownlikenessamostbeautifulmortalwho,beinghischild,heloved.

I,perceiveration,attendtothoseofrespectfuldeeds,thehonourable,therefined,thecompassionate,thoseawareofthenuminous;towhommybeingisahelpsothattheysoonacquireknowledgeofthewholeandareaffectionatelygracioustowardthefather,fondlycelebratinginsonghisposition.

But,asInotedinrespectofintheOnEthosAndInterpretationappendix,whethertheseparticularinsightsofminearevalid,otherswillhavetodecide.Butthey-andmytranslationsofthetractatesingeneral-certainly,atleastinmyfallibleopinion,conveyanimpressionaboutancientHermeticismwhichisratherdifferentfromthatconveyedbyothertranslations.

DavidMyattMarch2017

Extractfromaletterinreplytoacorrespondentwho,inrespectoftheCorpusHermeticum,enquiredaboutmytranslationoftermssuchasand.Ihave,forpublicationhere,addedafootnotewhichreferencesmytranslationsofandcommentariesonfivetractatesoftheCorpusHermeticum.

Notes

[1]G.R.SMead.Thrice-GreatestHermes.TheosophicalSociety(London).1906.

[2]B.Copenhaver.Hermetica.CambridgeUniversityPress.1992

[3]MytranslationofandcommentaryontractatesI,III,IV,VIIIandXIareavailableinmybookCorpusHermeticum:EightTractates.ISBN-13:978-1976452369

[4]Tobepedantic,whenismentionedinthetextsitoftenliterallyrefersto'the'theossothatatthebeginningoftractateVI,forexample,thereferenceisto'thetheos'ratherthanto'god'.

[5]Inrespectof'thegood'--as'honourable',qv.Seneca,AdLuciliumEpistulaeMorales,LXXI,4,"summumbonumestquodhonestumest.Etquodmagisadmireris:unumbonumest,quodhonestumest,ceterafalsaetadulterinabonasunt."

[6]Thesuggestionseemstobethat'thetheos'istheorigin,thearchetype,ofwhatisnoble,andthatonlythroughandbecauseoftheoscanwhatisnoblebepresencedandrecognizedforwhatitis,andoftenrecognizedbythosewhoare,orthatwhichis,aneikonoftheos.HencewhyintractateIVitissaidthat"theeikonwillguideyou,";whyintractateXIthat"Kosmosistheeikonoftheos,Kosmos[theeikon]ofAion,theSun[theeikon]ofAion,andtheSun[theeikon]ofmortals,"andwhyinthesametractateitissaidthat"thereisnothingthatcannotbeaneikonoftheos,"andwhyinPoemandres31theosissaidto"engenderallphysisaseikon."

AsInotedinmycommentary-qv.especiallythementionofMaximusofConstantinopleinrespectofPoemandres31-Ihavetransliterated.

AppendixIIAReviewOfMyatt'sClassicalPaganismAndTheChristianEthos

IntheFallof2017DavidMyattreleasedextractsfromhisforthcomingbookClassicalPaganismAndTheChristianEthosandwhichextractsleddozensofindividualsinterestedinMyatt'sworkstoeagerlyawaitthepublicationofthebookitselfgiventhatsuchextractsseemedtoimplythatheintendedtocreateamodern,Western,paganismfoundedonthewarriorethosofancientGreeceandRome,withMyattinhisextractwritingthat

"suchamodernpaganusweltanschauungmayalsobeameanstoreconnectthoseinthelandsoftheWest,andthoseinWesternmigrlandsandformercoloniesoftheWest,withtheirancestralethos,forthemtothusbecome,orreturntobeing,aliving,dwelling,partaconnexionbetweenthepastandthefutureofwhatisstillaliving,andevolving,culture.Perhapsthefutureofthatculturedependsonwhethersufficientindividualscanlivebythehighpersonalstandardsofsuchamodernpaganusweltanschauung."

However,whenMyattissuedthefirstdraftofthecompletebookinearlyNovember2017someindividualswere

disappointedsincethepromised'modernpaganusweltanschauung'seemedtobejustawatered-downversionofhismysticalphilosophyofpatheimathos.Myatt,asishiswont,thenoverseveralweeksrevisedthisdraftmanytimes{1}culminatingonNovember9th2017inaprintedversionaso-called'secondedition'togetherwithanupdated'gratisopenaccess'pdfversioncontainingthesametextandwhichhemadeavailableonhisinternetblog.{2}

AsMyattnotesintheIntroductiontotheprintededition:"ForthisSecondEdition,Ihaveclarifiedandextendedthetextinseveralplaces,addedarevisedversionofmyessayFromAeschylusToTheNuminousWayasanAppendix,andtakentheopportunitytocorrectsometypos."

Astheblurbforthebookstates,itis

"astudyinthedifferencebetweenChristianityandthepaganismofAncientGreeceandRome,evidentasthatpaganismisinthewritingsofHomer,Aeschylus,Sophocles,Ciceroandmanyotherclassicalauthors.Astudywhichincludesdevelopingthatpaganisminametaphysicalway,beyondthedeitiesofclassicalmythos,thusmakingsuchpaganismrelevanttothemodernWesternworld.AmoderndevelopmentwhichinvolvesananalysisofthetextsoftheCorpusHermeticum."

ThefinalpublishedworkdoesindeeddevelopGreco-Romanpaganisminametaphysicalway,withMyattwritinginchapter3that

"thequintessenceofsuchaweltanschauung,ofthepaganusethos,isthatethicsarepresencedinandbyparticularlivingindividuals,notinsomewrittentextwhetherphilosophicalorotherwise,notbysomeproposedschemata,andnotinsomerevelationfromsomedeity.Whichpaganusethics,whenevolvedcombinedwiththepaganusmysticismevidentintheCorpusHermeticumandtheculturalpathei-mathosofthepasttwomillenniapresencedthroughtheinsightofempathyleadsustoamodernpaganusweltanschauung."

Heconcludeshisstudybywritingthat

"thepaganusweltanschauung,ancestraltothelandsoftheWest,thathasemergedisonewhich,shornoftechnical,Greek,andmetaphysicalterms,manymayfindfamiliaroralreadybeintuitivelyawareof[]

[This]awarenessofalltheseconnexionsisawarenessof,andarespectfor,thenuminous,fortheseconnexions,beingacausal,areaffective:thatis,weareinclinedbyourphysis(whetherweapprehenditornot)tohaveaninfluenceonthatwhich,orthosewhom,theconnexionistoorfrom.Forwhatwedoordonotdo,consciouslyorotherwise,affectsorcanaffectthecosmosandthustheotherlivingsbeingswhichexistinthecosmos,anditisaconsciousawarenessofconnexionsandacausalaffects,withtheircausalconsequences,whichreason,perceiverance,andempathymakeusorcanmakeusawareof.Whichawarenessmayinclineustowardacting,andliving,inanobleway,withwhatisnobleknownorexperienced,discovered,throughandbecauseof(i)thepersonalvirtueofhonour,evidentashonourisinfairness,mannersandabalanceddemeanour,and(ii)thewordlessknowingofempathy,manifestasempathyisincompassionandtolerance."

ForthecruxofhisargumentisthatWesternpaganismdiffersfundamentallyfromandisbetterthanarevealedreligionsuchasChristianitybecauseinthatpaganismethicsare"presencedinandbyparticularlivingindividuals,notinsomewrittentextwhetherphilosophicalorotherwise,notbysomeproposedschemata,andnotinsomerevelationfromsomedeity,"incontrasttoChristianitywhoseethicscanbediscoveredbyhavingtointerpret"thewordofGod"asfoundinthetextsoftheOldandNewTestaments.Headdsthat"arelianceonwrittentexts,asinChristianity,maywellbeamistake."

HismodernpaganmetaphysicsthereforebalancestheGreco-RomanhumanidealwhichMyattwritescanbeexpressedinoneGreekphrase:withtheinsightsresultingfrommillenniaofpatheimathos,expressedinStudiaHumanitatis,inwhathecalls'thecultureofpathei-mathos'.{3}

Asaresult,thebookrepletewithcopiousquotationsinAncientandHellenisticGreekiscuriouslyinterestingexplainingmuchaboutGreco-Romanpaganismandhermeticism,aswellasaboutChristianity.YetitisdifficulttoknowwhotheintendedreadersaresincemanyofthoseinterestedinWesternpaganismasanewwayoflifeorasamodern,non-Christian,spiritualitymayfindittooacademicortooboring;whilethoseacademicallyinterestedinsuchmatterswilldoubtlessturntootherauthorsgivenMyatt'sexperientialFaustianquests,hisiconoclasm,hisoftenunderservedreputation,andthushisexclusionfromacademia.

PerhapsMyattintendedthebookforthosefewindividualswhocanorwhoaspire"tolivebythehighpersonalstandardsofsuchamodernpaganusweltanschauung"becausesuchapaganismmayreconnectsomeof"thoseinthelandsoftheWest,andthoseinWesternmigrlandsandformercoloniesoftheWest,withtheirancestralethos".

R.S&K.S.November,2017

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Thebeginningofthetwenty-sixthchapterofthebookDeVitaCoelitusComparandabyMarsiliiFicinipublishedin1489CE.

Quomodoperinferiorasuperioribusexpositadeducantursuperiora,etpermundanasmateriasmundanapotissimumdona.[How,whenwhatisloweristouchedbywhatishigher,thehigheriscosmicallypresencedthereinandthusgifted

becausecosmicallyaligned.]

AsFicinigoesontoexplainEstigiturnonsolumcorporeus,sedvitaeinsuperetintelligentiaeparticeps.Quamobrempraetercorpushocmundisensibusfamiliaritermanifestumlatetineospirituscorpusquoddamexcedenscaducisensuscapacitatemtheworld(mundus)andbyextensionweourselvesaspartoftheworldarenotonlymaterial(corporeal)butalsoimbuedwiththevitae[Life;Being;]andtheintelligentiae[apprehension]ofthatwhichisabove;andthatbeyondobviousouterappearancesthereisahidden,aninner,animating[spiritus]aspectwhichourlower,moremundane,sensesareunawareof.

Which-basedasitisonthewritingsofearlierauthorssuchasIamblichus-isasuccinctsummaryofoneofthefundamentalprinciplesofGreco-Romanpaganmysticism:thatasFicinidescribedinearlierchapters,suchasinchaptersixteeninrespectofimages/objects/talismanstheanimatingforcesofthecosmos,assymbolizedbythesevenclassicalplanetsandthetwelveclassicalheavenlyconstellations,notonlyaffectusbutcanbeconsciouslypresenced,drawndowninabeneficialway,intoobjectsandintoourselves.

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