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The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus: Hermeticism from Ancient to Modern Times

The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus: Hermeticism from Ancient to Modern Times

by JanAssmann (Foreword), Florian Ebeling (Author), David Lorton (Foreword)

  • New

    Paperback 2011

    $42.53

  • New

    Hardcover 2007

    $84.83
Synopsis

Perhaps Hermeticism has fascinated so many people precisely because it has made it possible to produce many analogies and relationships to various traditions: to Platonism in its many varieties, to Stoicism, to Gnostic ideas, and even to certain Aristotelian doctrines. The Gnostic, the esoteric, the Platonist, or the deist has each been able to find something familiar in the writings. One just had to have a penchant for remote antiquity, for the idea of a Golden Age, in order for Hermeticism, with its aura of an ancient Egyptian revelation, to have enjoyed such outstanding success. -from the Introduction

Hermes Trismegistus, thrice-great Hermes, emerged from the amalgamation of the wisdom gods Hermes and Thoth and is one of the most enigmatic figures of intellectual history. Since antiquity, the legendary wise Egyptian has been considered the creator of several mystical and magical writings on such topics as alchemy, astrology, medicine, and the transcendence of God. Philosophers of the Renaissance celebrated Hermes Trismegistus as the founder of philosophy, Freemasons called him their forefather, and Enlightenment thinkers championed religious tolerance in his name. To this day, Hermes Trismegistus is one of the central figures of the occult-his name is synonymous with the esoteric.

In this scholarly yet accessible introduction to the history of Hermeticism and its mythical founder, Florian Ebeling provides a concise overview of the Corpus Hermeticum and other writings attributed to Hermes. He traces the impact of Christian and Muslim versions of the figure in medieval Europe, the power of Hermeticism and Paracelsian belief in Renaissance thought, the relationship to Pietism and to Freemasonry in early modern Europe, and the relationship to esotericism and semiotics in the modern world.

$42.53

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
 Pages: 176
 Publisher: Cornell University Press
Published: Dec 2011
ISBN 10: 0801477492
ISBN 13: 9780801477492

Media Reviews

Demonstrating mastery of both primary texts and secondary sources, the author has constructed a convincing account of the origin, development, and influence of Hermeticism. . . . In addition to offering this very helpful guide, which includes lapidary synopses of the primary texts, the author is the first to recognize that by the early modern period two distinct subtraditions existed within Hermeticism, one philosophical-theological and the other alchemical. Recommended. -Choice (January 2008)


Florian Ebeling's The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus should be lauded for its innovative approach to the study of Hermeticism. The text is not only informative about areas of study often left neglected but also provides insight into the ideologies and processes that went into the development of various forms of Hermetic thought. -J. S. Kupperman, Journal of the Western Mystery Tradition (2007)


Hermeticism is a fascinating but famously difficult subject. Ranging widely in space and time, The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus skillfully introduces the reader to the many gods, philosophers, scholars, and authors who comprise the Hermetic tradition. In this excellent book Florian Ebeling makes accessible a rich chapter of intellectual history, hitherto basically the preserve of a small group of specialists. -Richard Jasnow, The Johns Hopkins University


The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus will be especially interesting to those studying the various intellectual strains in Western culture from late antiquity into the eighteenth century. Florian Ebeling has ventured something quite original, namely to distinguish the philosophical/theological emphases of the Italians who were interested in the hermetic corpus and the magico-alchemical concerns of the northern European readers of the corpus. -Gerald E. Kadish, Binghamton University (SUNY)


The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus is a thoroughly investigated work dealing with an otherwise all too seldom researched topic within the field of traditional Egyptology. Although Western culture is widely recognized as being greatly indebted to Judeo-Christian and Graeco-Roman traditions, ancient Egypt's contribution to European intellectual history has often been underestimated. Florian Ebeling's history of Hermeticism from ancient to modern times is a very welcome addition to the field. -Jean Revez, University of Quebec in Montreal


Hermeticism was one of the major undercurrents in western intellectual and religious history, hard to overestimate and present even there where one would not expect it in the first place. Florian Ebeling's book proves a reliable guide through its long trajectory, combining the virtues of clear analysis and breadth of perspective. -Martin Muslow, Rutgers University
Author Bio
Florian Ebeling is a Lecturer at Heidelberg University. David Lorton, an Egyptologist, is the translator of many books, including Erik Hornung's books The Secret Lore of Egypt and Akhenaten and the Religion of Light, both from Cornell. Jan Assmann is Professor Emeritus of Egyptology at Heidelberg University. His books include The Search for God in Ancient Egypt and Death and Salvation in Ancient Egypt, both from Cornell.