108 HERMES TRISMEGISTUS. 



telligible Essence then, being with The God (a), has free 

 power (&) of itself, and of saving other saving itself, since 

 the same Essence is not under Necessity; but having 

 been abandoned by The God, it chooses the corporeal 

 nature, and the choice of it according to Providence be- 

 comes that of the World. But the irrational Whole (c) is 

 moved according to some reason, and the reason indeed 

 according to Providence, but the irrational according to 

 Necessity, and the things having occurred about the body 

 according to Fate. And this is the relation (d) of things 

 according to Providence and Necessity and according ta 

 Eate. 



YI. 



CONCERNING THE ECONOMY OF THE UNIVERSE OF HERMES. 



FROM THOSE TO AMMON. 

 (Stobceus, PTiysica, 183; Meinckc, i. 47; Patrit., p. 38). 



BUT that governing throughout the whole World is 

 Providence (e), but that keeping together and encompass- 

 ing it is Necessity, but Eate compelling (/) leads and 

 brings about all things (for the nature of it is the com- 

 pelling) cause of generation and destruction of life. The 

 World then first has the Providence (for first it happens 

 upon it) (g) ; but the Providence was expanded (li) in the 

 heaven. Wherefore also Gods are turned around it and 

 are moved having motion unwearied and ceaseless, and 

 Eate, wherefore also Necessity. And the Providence in- 

 deed provides, but Eate is the cause of the disposition of 

 the Stars. This is inevitable law, according to which all 

 things are ordained. 1 



(a) ^po; re>> 0tu. (ft) k^ova-iotv. (c) TO oi'hoyov -TTOCV. 



(d) 6 y\6'/o;, discourse. (e) Kpovottx.. (/) x,a,Tot,vcx.yx.u.( ! ov<joe.. 



(</) TTpUTOS y^P OIVTVIS TVy)(,<X.Vt. (A) 



1 See Poemandres, i. 9, and notes 4 and 5 there. 



