{"collection":"Gnosticism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/gno/th3/th318.htm","path":"gno/th3/th318.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/gno/th3/th318.htm","text":"Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. 3, by G.R.S. Mead, [1906]\n(Patrizzi (p. 41) runs this on to the preceding without a break.\nText: Stob., Phys., xli. 4, under heading: \u201cOf the Same\u201d\u2014that is, \u201cOf Hermes\u201d; G. pp. 324, 325; M. i. 228, 229; W. i. 321, 322.\nM\u00e9nard, Livre IV., No. vi. of \u201cFragments of the Book of Hermes to Ammon,\u201d pp. 265, 266.)\n1. Soul, Ammon, then, is essence containing its own end within itself; in [its] beginning taking to itself the way of life allotted it by Fate, it draws also unto itself a reason like to matter, possessing \u201cheart\u201d and \u201cappetite.\u201d 1\n\u201cHeart,\u201d too, is matter; if it doth make its state accordant with the Soul\u2019s intelligence, it, [then,] becometh courage, and is not led away by cowardice.\nAnd \u201cappetite\u201d is matter, too; if it doth make its state accord with the Soul\u2019s rational power, it [then] becometh temperance, and is not\nmoved by pleasure, for reasoning fills up the \u201cappetite\u2019s\u201d deficiency.\n2. And when both [these] 1 are harmonized, and equalized, and both are made subordinate to the Soul\u2019s rational power, justice is born.\nFor that their state of equilibrium doth take away the \u201cheart\u2019s\u201d excess, and equalizes the deficiency of \u201cappetite.\u201d\nThe source of these, 2 however, is the penetrating essence of all thought, 3 its self by its own self, [working] in its own reason that doth think round everything, 4 with its own reason as its rule. 5\nIt is the essence that doth lead and guide as ruler; its reason is as \u2019twere its counsellor who thinks about all things. 6\n3. The reason of the essence, then, is gnosis of those reasonings which furnish the irrational [part] with reasoning\u2019s conjecturing, 7\u2014a faint thing as compared with reasoning [itself], but reasoning as compared with the irrational, as echo unto voice, and moonlight to the sun.\nAnd \u201cheart\u201d and \u201cappetite\u201d are harmonized upon a rational plan; they pull the one against the other, and [so] they learn to know in their own selves a circular intent. 8\n75:1 In a metaphorical sense,\u2014\u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u1f78\u03bd \u03ba\u03b1\u1f76 \u1f10\u03c0\u03b9\u03b8\u03c5\u03bc\u03af\u03b1; terms originally belonging to a primitive stage of culture, and often translated \u201canger and concupiscence\u201d\u2014positive and negative, denoting the \u201ctoo much\u201d and the \u201ctoo little\u201d of the animal nature, and to he paralleled with the \u03bd\u03bf\u1fe6\u03c2 and \u1f10\u03c0\u03af\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9\u03b1 of the rational nature. Cf. Ex. i. 5 and xviii. 3.\n76:1 Sc. virtues,\u2014courage and temperance.\n76:2 Sc. two virtues.\n76:3 \u1f21 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03bd\u03bf\u03b7\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u1f74 \u03bf\u1f50\u03c3\u03af\u03b1,\u2014that is, the essence which penetrates, or pervades, all things by means of thought.\n76:4 \u1f10\u03bd \u03c4\u1ff7 \u03b1\u1f50\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2 \u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03bf\u03b7\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u1ff7 \u03bb\u03cc\u03b3\u1ff3.\n76:5 Or power, or ruling principle.\n76:6 \u1f41 \u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03b9\u03bd\u03bf\u03b7\u03c4\u03b9\u03ba\u03cc\u03c2.\n76:7 \u03b5\u1f30\u03ba\u03b1\u03c3\u03bc\u03cc\u03bd.\n76:8 \u03b4\u03b9\u03ac\u03bd\u03bf\u03b9\u03b1.","title":"Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. 3: I. Excerpts by Stob\u00e6us: Excerpt XVII. Of Soul, IV.","type":"page"}