128 HERMES TRISMEGISTUS. 



is the thinking (a) Essence, being itself according to the 

 same in its own comprehending (&) Eeason, having power 

 over its own Eeason. But the Essence leads and governs 

 as ruler ; but the Eeason of it as the comprehending coun- 

 sellor. The Eeason then of the Essence is knowledge of 

 the ratiocinations, those affording a resemblance of ration- 

 ality to the irrational ; obscure indeed as regards rationality, 

 but rationality as regards the irrational, just as Echo is to- 

 Sound, and the shine of the Moon to the Sun. Vehemence 

 and Desire are arranged after a certain ratio (c) and attract 

 one another, and establish in themselves reciprocal mental 

 action (cl). 



XVIII. 



OF THE SAME (Stobceus, Physica, 806; Meincke, i. 229; 

 Patrit., p. 41. It is not said from what work of Hermes 

 this is taken). 



EVERY Soul is immortal and ever moveable. For we 

 have said in the generalities (e) that motions, some indeed 

 are from the Energies and some from the Bodies. We said 

 too that the . Soul was generated from a certain Essence, 

 not of matter, being a thing incorporeal, and being itself of 

 a thing incorporeal. For every generate thing of necessity 

 must be generated from somewhat. Upon the generation 

 of as many then as corruption follows, upon these of 

 necessity two motions follow: that of the Soul by which 

 it is moved and that of the Body by which it is increased, 

 decays and moreover also being decomposed is decom- 

 posed (/). This I define is the motion of corruptible 

 bodies. But the Soul is ever moveable, because it always 

 itself is moved and energizes motion in others. According 

 to this reason then, every Soul is immortal and ever move- 



(c) "hoyiafAov. (</) 



() ytvtxolc. (/) dvahvOsi/To; dvet'b.vereti. 



