16 HERMES TRISMEG1STUS. 



art superior to praises. Accept rational (a) sacrifices pure 

 from soul and heart intent upon Thee, unspeakable, 

 ineffable, invoked (ft) by silence ! To me, beseeching that 

 I stray not from the knowledge that is according to our 

 essence assent; and strengthen me, and with this grace 

 enlighten those who are in ignorance, brethren of my race, 

 but sons of Thee ! Wherefore I believe Thee, and bear 

 witness; I pass into Life and Light. Blessed art Thou, 

 Father ! Thy Man wisheth to be sanctified with Thee, as 

 Thou hast delivered to him the whole power (c) (i.e., to 

 be so). 



CHAPTER II. 



Of Hermes the Trismegistus, to Asclepius. 

 Catholic Discourse. 1 



1. EVERYTHING that is moved, Asclepius, is it not 

 moved in something and by something ? 



Asclepius. Most certainly. 



Hermes. Is there not necessity that that be greater in 

 which it is moved than that moved ? 



Asclepius. There is necessity. 



Hermes. Stronger therefore the motor 2 than that 

 moved ? 



(a) ?ioy;a?. (6) (pavovfteve. (c) IfoiWctj/. 



1 This chapter is extracted by Stobseus. (Physica, 384 ; Meineke, 

 i. 104). 



2 See post, ch. ix. 9. The question of motion was important with 

 the Platonists. In Phsedrus (245), Plato had written : " Every soul 

 is immortal, for the ever-moveable is immortal; but that moving 

 other and moved "by other, having cessation of motion, has cessation 

 of life. But the self-moving alone, since not failing itself, never 

 ceases being moved ; but to the other things, as many as are moved, 

 is fountain and beginning of motion. But a beginning (or principle, 



is ingenerate." 



