POIMANDRES - ΠΟΙΜΑΝΔΡΗΣ

HERMES TRISMEGISTUS POIMANDRES (ποιμάνδρης)
  
The Shepherd of Men

ἙΡΜΟΥ ΤΡΙΣΜΕΓΙΣΤΟΥ ΠΟΙΜΑΝΔΡΗΣGreek text: “Poimandres”, Corpus Hermeticum, vol. 1, ed. A.D. Nock, A.-J Festugière,. (Les Belles Lettres, Paris 1946 rpr. 1972) pp 7-19.

1. It once happened that as my mind was meditating on the things that are, my thought was raised to a great height, the senses of my body being held back - just as men who are weighed down with sleep after a fill of food, or from fatigue of body.

1 Ἐννοίας μοί ποτε γενομένης περὶ τῶν ὄντων καὶ μετεωρισθείσης μοι τῆς διανοίας σφόδρα͵ κατασχεθεισῶν μου τῶν σωματικῶν αἰσθήσεων͵ καθάπερ οἱ ὕπνῳ βεβαρη μένοι ἐκ κόρου τροφῆς ἢ ἐκ κόπου σώματος͵

I thought a Being more than vast, in size beyond all bounds, called out my name and says: What would you hear and see, and what have you in mind to learn and know?

ἔδοξά τινα ὑπερμεγέθη μέτρῳ ἀπεριορίστῳ τυγχάνοντα καλεῖν μου τὸ ὄνομα καὶ λέγοντά μοι͵ Τί βούλει ἀκοῦσαι καὶ θεάσασ θαι͵ καὶ νοήσας μαθεῖν καὶ γνῶναι,

2. And I do say: Who are you?

2 φημὶ ἐγώ͵ Σὺ γὰρ τίς εἶ;

He says: I am Man-Shepherd (Poemandres), Mind of all-masterhood; I know what you desirest and I’m with thee everywhere.

Ἐγὼ μέν͵ φησίν͵ εἰμὶ ὁ Ποιμάνδρης͵ ὁ τῆς αὐθεντίας νοῦς· οἶδα ὃ βούλει͵ καὶ σύνειμί σοι πανταχοῦ.

3. [And] I reply: I long to learn the things that are, and comprehend their nature, and know God. This is, I said, what I desire to hear.

3 φημὶ ἐγώ͵ Μαθεῖν θέλω τὰ ὄντα καὶ νοῆσαι τὴν τού των φύσιν καὶ γνῶναι τὸν θεόν· πῶς͵ ἔφην͵ ἀκοῦσαι βούλομαι.He answered back to me: Hold in your mind all you would know, and I will teach thee.

 φησὶν ἐμοὶ πάλιν͵ Ἔχε νῷ σῷ ὅσα θέλεις μαθεῖν͵ κἀγώ σε διδάξω.

4. with these words His aspect changed, and straightway, in the twinkling of an eye, all things were opened to me, and I see a Vision limitless, all things turned into Light - sweet, joyous [Light]. And I became transported as I gazed.

4 τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἠλλάγη τῇ ἰδέᾳ͵ καὶ εὐθέως πάντα μοι ἤνοικτο ῥοπῇ͵ καὶ ὁρῶ θέαν ἀόριστον͵ φῶς δὲ πάντα γεγε νημένα͵ εὔδιόν τε καὶ ἱλαρόν͵ καὶ ἠράσθην ἰδών.But in a little while Darkness came settling down on part [of it], awesome and gloomy, coiling in sinuous folds, so that methought it like unto a snake.

καὶ μετ΄ ὀλίγον σκότος κατωφερὲς ἦν͵ ἐν μέρει γεγενημένον͵ φοβε ρόν τε καὶ στυγνόν͵ σκολιῶς ἐσπειραμένον͵ ὡς ὄφει εἰκάσαι με·And then the Darkness changed into some sort of a Moist Nature, tossed about beyond all power of words, belching out smoke as from a fire, and groaning forth a wailing sound that beggars all description.

εἶτα μεταβαλλόμενον τὸ σκότος εἰς ὑγρᾶν τινα φύσιν͵ ἀφάτως τεταραγμένην καὶ καπνὸν ἀποδι δοῦσαν͵ ὡς ἀπὸ πυρός͵ καί τινα ἦχον ἀποτελοῦσαν ἀνεκ λάλητον γοώδη·[And] after that an outcry inarticulate came forth from it, as though it were a Voice of Fire.

εἶτα βοὴ ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀσυνάρθρως ἐξεπέμ πετο͵ ὡς εἰκάσαι φωνῇ πυρός͵5. [Thereon] out of the Light [...] a Holy Word (Logos) descended on that Nature. And upwards to the height from the Moist Nature leaped forth pure Fire; light was it, swift and active too.

5 ἐκ δὲ φωτὸς ..... λόγος ἅγιος ἐπέβη τῇ φύσει͵ καὶ πῦρ ἄκρατον ἐξεπήδησεν ἐκ τῆς ὑγρᾶς φύσεως ἄνω εἰς ὕψος· κοῦφον δὲ ἦν καὶ ὀξύ͵ δραστικὸν δὲ ἅμα͵

The Air, too, being light, followed after the Fire; from out of the Earth-and-Water rising up to Fire so that it seemed to hang therefrom.

καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ ἐλαφρὸς ὢν ἠκολούθησε τῷ πνεύματι͵ ἀναβαίνοντος αὐτοῦ μέχρι τοῦ πυρὸς ἀπὸ γῆς καὶ ὕδατος͵ ὡς δοκεῖν κρέμασθαι αὐτὸν ἀπ΄ αὐτοῦ·But Earth-and-Water stayed so mingled with each other, that Earth from Water no one could discern. Yet were they moved to hear by reason of the Spirit-Word (Logos) pervading them.

γῆ δὲ καὶ ὕδωρ ἔμενε καθ΄ ἑαυτὰ συμμεμιγμένα͵ ὡς μὴ θεωρεῖσθαι τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος· κινούμενα δὲ ἦν διὰ τὸν ἐπιφερόμενον πνευματικὸν λόγον εἰς ἀκοήν.
6. Then says to me Man-Shepherd: Did you understand this Vision what it means?
6 ὁ δὲ Ποιμάνδρης ἐμοί͵ Ἐνόησας͵ φησί. τὴν θέαν ταύτην ὅ τι καὶ βούλεται;

Nay; that shall I know, said I.
καὶ͵ Γνώσομαι͵ ἔφην ἐγώ.

That Light, He said, am I, your God, Mind, prior to Moist Nature which appeared from Darkness; the Light-Word (Logos) [that appeared] from Mind is Son of God.
Τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖνο͵ ἔφη͵ ἐγὼ Νοῦς ὁ σὸς θεός͵ ὁ πρὸ φύσεως ὑγρᾶς τῆς ἐκ σκότους φανείσης· ὁ δὲ ἐκ Νοὸς φωτεινὸς Λόγος υἱὸς θεοῦ.

What then? - say I.
Τί οὖν; φημί.

Know that what sees in thee and hears is the Lord’s Word (Logos); but Mind is Father-God. Not separate are they the one from other; just in their union [rather] is it Life consists.
Οὕτω γνῶθι· τὸ ἐν σοὶ βλέπον καὶ ἀκοῦον͵ λόγος κυρίου͵ ὁ δὲ νοῦς πατὴρ θεός. οὐ γὰρ διίστανται ἀπ΄ ἀλλήλων· ἕνωσις γὰρ τούτων ἐστὶν ἡ ζωή.

Thanks be to Thee, I said.
Εὐχαριστῶ σοι͵ ἔφην ἔγω.

So, understand the Light [He answered], and make friends with it.
Ἀλλὰ δὴ νόει τὸ φῶς καὶ γνώριζε τοῦτο.

7. And speaking thus He gazed for long into my eyes, so that I trembled at the look of him.
7 εἰπόντος ταῦτα ἐπὶ πλείονα χρόνον ἀντώπησέ μοι͵ ὥστε με τρέμειν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰδέαν·

But when He raised His head, I see in Mind the Light, [but] now in Powers no man could number, and Cosmos grown beyond all bounds, and that the Fire was compassed round about by a most mighty Power, and [now] subdued had come unto a stand.
ἀνανεύσαντος δέ͵ θεωρῶ ἐν τῷ νοΐ μου τὸ φῶς ἐν δυνάμεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις ὄν͵ καὶ κόσμον ἀπεριόριστον γεγενημένον͵ καὶ περιίσχεσθαι τὸ πῦρ δυνάμει μεγίστῃ͵ καὶ στάσιν ἐσχηκέναι κρατούμενον·

And when I saw these things I understood by reason of Man-Shepherd’s Word (Logos).
ταῦτα δὲ ἐγὼ διενοήθην ὁρῶν διὰ τὸν τοῦ Ποιμάνδρου λόγον.

8. But as I was in great astonishment, He says to me again: you did you behold in Mind the Archetypal Form whose being is before beginning without end. Thus spake to me Man-Shepherd.
8 ὡς δὲ ἐν ἐκπλήξει μου ὄντος͵ φησὶ πάλιν ἐμοί͵ Εἶδες ἐν τῷ νῷ τὸ ἀρχέτυπον εἶδος͵ τὸ προάρχον τῆς ἀρχῆς τῆς ἀπεράντου· ταῦτα ὁ Ποιμάνδρης ἐμοί.

And I say: Whence then have Nature’s elements their being?
Τὰ οὖν͵ ἐγώ φημι͵ στοιχεῖα τῆς φύσεως πόθεν ὑπέστη;

To this He answer gives: From Will of God. [Nature] received the Word (Logos), and gazing upon the Cosmos Beautiful did copy it, making herself into a cosmos, by means of her own elements and by the births of souls.
πάλιν ἐκεῖνος πρὸς ταῦτα͵ Ἐκ βουλῆς θεοῦ͵ ἥτις λαβοῦσα τὸν Λόγον καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὸν καλὸν κόσμον ἐμιμήσατο͵ κοσμοποιη θεῖσα διὰ τῶν ἑαυτῆς στοιχείων καὶ γεννημάτων ψυχῶν.

9. And God-the-Mind, being male and female both, as Light and Life subsisting, brought forth another Mind to give things form, who, God as he was of Fire and Spirit, formed Seven Rulers who enclose the cosmos that the sense perceives. Men call their ruling Fate.
9 ὁ δὲ Νοῦς ὁ θεός͵ ἀρρενόθηλυς ὤν͵ ζωὴ καὶ φῶς ὑπάρχων͵ ἀπεκύησε λόγῳ ἕτερον Νοῦν δημιουργόν͵ ὃς θεὸς τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ πνεύματος ὤν͵ ἐδημιούργησε διοικητάς τινας ἑπτά͵ ἐν κύκλοις περιέχοντας τὸν αἰσθητὸν κόσμον͵ καὶ ἡ διοίκησις αὐτῶν εἱμαρμένη καλεῖται.

10. Straightway from out the downward elements God’s Reason (Logos) leaped up to Nature’s pure formation, and was at-oned with the Formative Mind; for it was co-essential with it. And Nature’s downward elements were thus left reason-less, so as to be pure matter.
10 ἐπήδησεν εὐθὺς ἐκ τῶν κατωφερῶν στοιχείων [τοῦ θεοῦ] ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ Λόγος εἰς τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς φύσεως δημιούρ γημα͵ καὶ ἡνώθη τῷ δημιουργῷ Νῷ (ὁμοούσιος γὰρ ἦν)͵ καὶ κατελείφθη [τὰ] ἄλογα τὰ κατωφερῆ τῆς φύσεως στοιχεῖα͵ ὡς εἶναι ὕλην μόνην.

11. Then the Formative Mind ([at-oned] with Reason), he who surrounds the spheres and spins them with his whorl, set turning his formations, and let them turn from a beginning boundless unto an endless end. For that the circulation of these [spheres] begins where it doth end, as Mind doth will.
11 ὁ δὲ δημιουργὸς Νοῦς σὺν τῷ Λόγῳ͵ ὁ περιίσχων τοὺς κύκλους καὶ δινῶν ῥοίζῳ͵ ἔστρεψε τὰ ἑαυτοῦ δημιουργήματα καὶ εἴασε στρέφεσθαι ἀπ΄ ἀρχῆς ἀορίστου εἰς ἀπέραντον τέλος· ἄρχεται γάρ͵ οὗ λήγει· ἡ δὲ τούτων περιφορά͵ καθὼς ἠθέλησεν ὁ Νοῦς͵

And from the downward elements Nature brought forth lives reason-less; for He did not extend the Reason (Logos) [to them]. The Air brought forth things winged; the Water things that swim, and Earth-and-Water one from another parted, as Mind willed. And from her bosom Earth produced what lives she had, four-footed things and reptiles, beasts wild and tame.
ἐκ τῶν κατω φερῶν στοιχείων ζῷα ἤνεγκεν ἄλογα (οὐ γὰρ ἐπεῖχε τὸν Λόγον)͵ ἀὴρ δὲ πετεινὰ ἤνεγκε͵ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ νηκτά· διακε χώρισται δὲ ἀπ΄ ἀλλήλων ἥ τε γῆ καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ͵ καθὼς ἠθέ λησεν ὁ Νοῦς͵ καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐξήνεγκεν ἀπ΄ αὐτῆς ἃ εἶχε ζῷα τετράποδα καὶ ἑρπετά͵ θηρία ἄγρια καὶ ἥμερα.

12. But All-Father Mind, being Life and Light, did bring forth Man co-equal to Himself, with whom He fell in love, as being His own child; for he was beautiful beyond compare, the Image of his Sire. In very truth, God fell in love with his own Form; and on him did bestow all of His own formations.
12 ὁ δὲ πάντων πατὴρ ὁ Νοῦς͵ ὢν ζωὴ καὶ φῶς͵ ἀπε κύησεν Ἄνθρωπον αὐτῷ ἴσον͵ οὗ ἠράσθη ὡς ἰδίου τόκου· περικαλλὴς γάρ͵ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς εἰκόνα ἔχων· ὄντως γὰρ καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἠράσθη τῆς ἰδίας μορφῆς͵ παρέδωκε τὰ ἑαυτοῦ πάντα δημιουργήματα͵

13. And when he gazed upon what the Enformer had created in the Father, [Man] too wished to enform; and [so] assent was given him by the Father.
13 καὶ κατανοήσας δὲ τὴν τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ κτίσιν ἐν τῷ πυρί͵ ἠβουλήθη καὶ αὐτὸς δημιουρ γεῖν͵ καὶ συνεχωρήθη ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρός·

Changing his state to the formative sphere, in that he was to have his whole authority, he gazed upon his Brother’s creatures. They fell in love with him, and gave him each a share of his own ordering.
γενόμενος ἐν τῇ δημιουργικῇ σφαίρᾳ͵ ἕξων τὴν πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν͵ κατενόησε τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τὰ δημιουργήματα͵ οἱ δὲ ἠράσθησαν αὐτοῦ͵ ἕκαστος δὲ μετεδίδου τῆς ἰδίας τάξεως·

And after that he had well learned their essence and had become a sharer in their nature, he had a mind to break right through the Boundary of their spheres, and to subdue the might of that which pressed upon the Fire.
καὶ καταμαθὼν τὴν τούτων οὐσίαν καὶ μεταλαβὼν τῆς αὐτῶν φύσεως ἠβου λήθη ἀναρρῆξαι τὴν περιφέρειαν τῶν κύκλων͵ καὶ τὸ κράτος τοῦ ἐπικειμένου ἐπὶ τοῦ πυρὸς κατανοῆσαι.

14. So he who hath the whole authority o’er [all] the mortals in the cosmos and o’er its lives irrational, bent his face downwards through the Harmony, breaking right through its strength, and showed to downward Nature God’s fair form.
14 καὶ ὁ τοῦ τῶν θνητῶν κόσμου καὶ τῶν ἀλόγων ζῴων ἔχων πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν διὰ τῆς ἁρμονίας παρέκυψεν͵ ἀναρ ρήξας τὸ κύτος͵ καὶ ἔδειξε τῇ κατωφερεῖ φύσει τὴν καλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ μορφὴν͵

And when she saw that Form of beauty which can never satiate, and him who [now] possessed within himself each single energy of [all seven] Rulers as well as God’s own Form, she smiled with love; for ‘twas as though she’d seen the image of Man’s fairest form upon her Water, his shadow on her Earth.
ὃν ἰδοῦσα ἀκόρεστον κάλλος καὶ πᾶσαν ἐνέργειαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔχοντα τῶν διοικητόρων τήν τε μορφὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐμειδίασεν ἔρωτι͵ ὡς ἅτε τῆς καλλίστης μορφῆς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου τὸ εἶδος ἐν τῷ ὕδατι ἰδοῦσα καὶ τὸ σκίασμα ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.

He in turn beholding the form like to himself, existing in her, in her Water, loved it and willed to live in it; and with the will came act, and [so] he vivified the form devoid of reason.
ὁ δὲ ἰδὼν τὴν ὁμοίαν αὐτῷ μορφὴν ἐν αὐτῇ οὖσαν ἐν τῷ ὕδατι͵ ἐφίλησε καὶ ἠβουλήθη αὐτοῦ οἰκεῖν· ἅμα δὲ τῇ βουλῇ ἐγένετο ἐνέργεια͵

And Nature took the object of her love and wound herself completely around him, and they were intermingled, for they were lovers.
καὶ ᾤκησε τὴν ἄλογον μορφήν· ἡ δὲ φύσις λαβοῦσα τὸν ἐρώμενον περι επλάκη ὅλη καὶ ἐμίγησαν· ἐρώμενοι γὰρ ἦσαν.

15. And this is why beyond all creatures on the earth man is twofold; mortal because of body, but because of the essential man immortal.
15 καὶ διὰ τοῦτο παρὰ πάντα τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς ζῷα διπλοῦς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος͵ θνητὸς μὲν διὰ τὸ σῶμα͵ ἀθάνατος δὲ διὰ τὸν οὐσιώδη ἄνθρωπον·

Though deathless and possessed of sway o’er all, yet doth he suffer as a mortal doth, subject to Fate.
ἀθάνατος γὰρ ὢν καὶ πάντων τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχων͵ τὰ θνητὰ πάσχει ὑποκείμενος τῇ εἱμαρ μένῃ.

Thus though above the Harmony, within the Harmony he hath become a slave. Though male-female, as from a Father male-female, and though he’s sleepless from a sleepless [Sire], yet is he overcome [by sleep].
ὑπεράνω οὖν ὢν τῆς ἁρμονίας ἐναρμόνιος γέγονε δοῦλος ἀρρενόθηλυς δὲ ὤν͵ ἐξ ἀρρενοθήλεος ὢν πατρὸς καὶ ἄϋπνος ἀπὸ ἀΰπνου ..... κρατεῖται.

16. Thereon [I say: Teach on], O Mind of me, for I myself as well am amorous of the Word (Logos).
16 καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα͵ Νοῦς ὁ ἐμός· καὶ αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐρῶ τοῦ λόγου.
The Shepherd said: This is the mystery kept hid until this day.
ὁ δὲ Ποιμάνδρης εἶπε͵ Τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ κεκρυμμένον μυστήριον μέχρι τῆσδε τῆς ἡμέρας.

Nature embraced by Man brought forth a wonder, oh so wonderful. For as he had the nature of the Concord of the Seven, who, as I said to thee, [were made] of Fire and Spirit - Nature delayed not, but immediately brought forth seven “men”, in correspondence with the natures of the Seven, male-female and moving in the air.
ἡ γὰρ φύσις ἐπιμιγεῖσα τῷ Ἀνθρώπῳ ἤνεγκέ τι θαῦμα θαυμα σιώτατον· ἔχοντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἁρμονίας τῶν ἑπτὰ τὴν φύσιν͵ οὓς ἔφην σοι ἐκ πυρὸς καὶ πνεύματος͵ οὐκ ἀνέμε νεν ἡ φύσις͵ ἀλλ΄ εὐθὺς ἀπεκύησεν ἑπτὰ ἀνθρώπους͵ πρὸς τὰς φύσεις τῶν ἑπτὰ διοκητόρων͵ ἀρρενοθήλεας καὶ μεταρσίους.

Thereon [I said]: O Shepherd, ..., for now I’m filled with great desire and long to hear; do not run off.
καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα͵ Ὦ Ποιμάνδρη͵ εἰς μεγάλην γὰρ νῦν ἐπιθυμίαν ἦλθον καὶ ποθῶ ἀκοῦσαι· μὴ ἔκτρεχε.

The Shepherd said: Keep silence, for not as yet have I unrolled for thee the first discourse (logoi).
καὶ ὁ Ποιμάνδρης εἶπεν͵ Ἀλλὰ σιώπα. οὔπω γάρ σοι ἀνήπλωσα τὸν πρῶτον λόγον.

Lo! I am still, I said.
Ἰδοὺ σιωπῶ͵ ἔφην ἐγώ.

17. In such wise than, as I have said, the generation of these seven came to pass. Earth was as woman, her Water filled with longing; ripeness she took from Fire, spirit from Aether. Nature thus brought forth frames to suit the form of Man.
17 Ἐγένετο οὖν͵ ὡς ἔφην͵ τῶν ἑπτὰ τούτων ἡ γένεσις τοιῷδε τρόπῳ· θηλυκὴ γὰρ γῆ ἦν καὶ ὕδωρ ὀχευτικόν͵ τὸ δὲ ἐκ πυρὸς πέπειρον. ἐκ δὲ αἰθέρος τὸ πνεῦμα ἔλαβε καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν ἡ φύσις τὰ σώματα πρὸς τὸ εἶδος τοῦ Ἀν θρώπου.

And Man from Light and Life changed into soul and mind - from Life to soul, from Light to mind.
ὁ δὲ Ἄνθρωπος ἐκ ζωῆς καὶ φωτὸς ἐγένετο εἰς ψυχὴν καὶ νοῦν͵ ἐκ μὲν ζωῆς ψυχήν͵ ἐκ δὲ φωτὸς νοῦν͵

And thus continued all the sense-world’s parts until the period of their end and new beginnings.
καὶ ἔμεινεν οὕτω τὰ πάντα τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ κόσμου μέχρι περιόδου τέλους καὶ ἀρχῶν γενῶν.

18. Now listen to the rest of the discourse (Logos) which you dost long to hear.
18 ἄκουε λοιπόν͵ ὃν ποθεῖς λόγον ἀκοῦσαι.

The period being ended, the bond that bound them all was loosened by God’s Will. For all the animals being male-female, at the same time with Man were loosed apart; some became partly male, some in like fashion [partly] female. And straightway God spake by His Holy Word (Logos):
τῆς περιόδου πεπληρωμένης ἐλύθη ὁ πάντων σύνδεσμος ἐκ βουλῆς θεοῦ· πάντα γὰρ ζῷα ἀρρενοθήλεα ὄντα διελύετο ἅμα τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ ἐγένετο τὰ μὲν ἀρρενικὰ ἐν μέρει͵ τὰ δὲ θηλυκὰ ὁμοίως. ὁ δὲ θεὸς εὐθὺς εἶπεν ἁγίῳ λόγῳ͵

“Increase ye in increasing, and multiply in multitude, ye creatures and creations all; and man that hath Mind in him, let him learn to know that he himself is deathless, and that the cause of death is love, though Love is all.”
Αὐξάνεσθε ἐν αὐξήσει καὶ πληθύνεσθε ἐν πλήθει πάντα τὰ κτίσματα καὶ δημιουργήματα͵ καὶ ἀναγνωρισάτω ὁ ἔννους ἑαυτὸν ὄντα ἀθάνατον͵ καὶ τὸν αἴτιον τοῦ θανάτου ἔρωτα͵ καὶ πάντα τὰ ὄντα.

19. When He said this, His Forethought did by means of Fate and Harmony effect their couplings and their generations founded. And so all things were multiplied according to their kind.
19 τοῦτο εἰπόντος͵ ἡ πρόνοια διὰ τῆς εἱμαρμένης καὶ ἁρμονίας τὰς μίξεις ἐποιήσατο͵ καὶ τὰς γενέσεις κατέ στησε͵ καὶ ἐπληθύνθη κατὰ γένος τὰ πάντα

And he who thus hath learned to know himself, hath reached that Good which doth transcend abundance; but he who through a love that leads astray, expends his love upon his body - he stays in Darkness wandering, and suffering through his senses things of Death.
καὶ ὁ ἀναγνωρίσας ἑαυτὸν ἐλήλυθεν εἰς τὸ περιούσιον ἀγαθόν͵ ὁ δὲ ἀγαπήσας τὸ ἐκ πλάνης ἔρωτος σῶμα͵ οὗτος μένει ἐν τῷ σκότει πλανώμενος͵ αἰσθητῶς πάσχων τὰ τοῦ θανάτου.

20. What is the so great fault, said I, the ignorant commit, that they should be deprived of deathlessness?
20 Τί τοσοῦτον ἁμαρτάνουσιν͵ ἔφην ἐγώ͵ οἱ ἀγνοοῦντες͵ ἵνα στερηθῶσι τῆς ἀθανασίας;

Thou seem’st, He said, O you, not to have given heed to what you heardest. Did I not bid thee think?
Ἔοικας͵ ὦ οὗτος͵ τού των μὴ πεφροντικέναι ὧν ἤκουσας. οὐκ ἔφην σοι νοεῖν;

Yea do I think, and I remember, and therefore give Thee thanks.
Νοῶ καὶ μιμνήσκομαι͵ εὐχαριστῶ δὲ ἅμα.

If you did you think [thereon], [said He], tell me: Why do they merit death who are in Death?
Εἰ ἐνόησας͵ εἰπέ μοι͵ διὰ τί ἄξιοί εἰσι τοῦ θανάτου οἱ ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ ὄντες;

It is because the gloomy Darkness is the root and base of the material frame; from it came the Moist Nature; from this the body in the sense-world was composed; and from this [body] Death doth the Water drain.
Ὅτι προκατάρχεται τοῦ οἰκείου σώματος τὸ στυγνὸν σκότος͵ ἐξ οὗ ἡ ὑγρὰ φύσις͵ ἐξ ἧς τὸ σῶμα συνέ στηκεν ἐν τῷ αἰσθητῷ κόσμῳ͵ ἐξ οὗ θάνατος ἀρδεύεται.

21. Right was your thought, O you! But how doth “he who knows himself, go unto Him”, as God’s Word (Logos) hath declared?
21 Ἐνόησας ὀρθῶς͵ ὦ οὗτος. κατὰ τί δὲ ὁ νοήσας ἑαυτὸν εἰς αὐτὸν χωρεῖ͵ ὅπερ ἔχει ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος;

And I reply: the Father of the universals doth consist of Light and Life, from Him Man was born.
φημὶ ἐγώ͵ Ὅτι ἐκ φωτὸς καὶ ζωῆς συνέστηκεν ὁ πατὴρ τῶν ὅλων͵ ἐξ οὗ γέγονεν ὁ Ἄνθρωπος.

Thou sayest well, [thus] speaking. Light and Life is Father-God, and from Him Man was born.
Εὖ φῂς λαλῶν· φῶς καὶ ζωή ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατήρ͵ ἐξ οὗ ἐγένετο ὁ Ἄνθρωπος.

If then you learnest that you are yourself of Life and Light, and that you [happen’st] to be out of them, you shalt return again to Life. Thus did Man-Shepherd speak.
ἐὰν οὖν μάθῃς αὐτὸν ἐκ ζωῆς καὶ φωτὸς ὄντα καὶ ὅτι ἐκ τούτων τυγχάνεις͵ εἰς ζωὴν πάλιν χωρήσεις. ταῦτα ὁ Ποιμάνδρης εἶπεν.

But tell me further, Mind of me, I cried, how shall I come to Life again...for God doth say: “The man who hath Mind in him, let him learn to know that he himself [is deathless].”
Ἀλλ΄ ἔτι μοι εἰπέ͵ πῶς εἰς ζωὴν χωρήσω ἐγώ͵ ἔφην͵ ὦ Νοῦς ἐμός; φησὶ γὰρ ὁ θεός· ὁ ἔννους ἄνθρωπος ἀναγνωρισάτω ἑαυτόν.

22. Have not all men then Mind?
22 οὐ πάντες γὰρ ἄνθρωποι νοῦν ἔχουσιν;

Thou sayest well, O you, thus speaking. I, Mind, myself am present with holy men and good, the pure and merciful, men who live piously.
Εὐφήμει͵ ὦ οὗτος͵ λαλῶν· παραγίνομαι αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ὁ Νοῦς τοῖς ὁσίοις καὶ ἀγαθοῖς καὶ καθαροῖς καὶ ἐλεήμοσι͵

[To such] my presence doth become an aid, and straightway they gain gnosis of all things, and win the Father’s love by their pure lives, and give Him thanks, invoking on Him blessings, and chanting hymns, intent on Him with ardent love.
τοῖς εὐσεβοῦσι͵ καὶ ἡ παρου σία μου γίνεται βοήθεια͵ καὶ εὐθὺς τὰ πάντα γνωρίζουσι καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἱλάσκονται ἀγαπητικῶς καὶ εὐχαριστοῦσιν εὐλογοῦντες καὶ ὑμνοῦντες τεταγμένως πρὸς αὐτὸν τῇ στοργῇ͵

And ere they give up the body unto its proper death, they turn them with disgust from its sensations, from knowledge of what things they operate. Nay, it is I, the Mind, that will not let the operations which befall the body, work to their [natural] end. For being door-keeper I’ll close up [all] the entrances, and cut the mental actions off which base and evil energies induce.
καὶ πρὸ τοῦ παραδοῦναι τὸ σῶμα ἰδίῳ θανάτῳ μυσάττονται τὰς αἰσθήσεις͵ εἰδότες αὐτῶν τὰ ἐνεργήματα· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἐάσω αὐτὸς ὁ Νοῦς τὰ προσπίπτοντα ἐνερ γήματα τοῦ σώματος ἐκτελεσθῆναι. πυλωρὸς ὢν ἀποκλείσω τὰς εἰσόδους τῶν κακῶν καὶ αἰσχρῶν ἐνεργημάτων͵ τὰς ἐνθυμήσεις ἐκκόπτων.

23. But to the Mind-less ones, the wicked and depraved, the envious and covetous, and those who mured do and love impiety, I am far off, yielding my place to the Avenging Daimon, who sharpening the fire, tormenteth him and addeth fire to fire upon him, and rusheth upon him through his senses, thus rendering him readier for transgressions of the law, so that he meets with greater torment; nor doth he ever cease to have desire for appetites inordinate, insatiately striving in the dark.
23 τοῖς δὲ ἀνοήτοις καὶ κακοῖς καὶ πονηροῖς καὶ φθονεροῖς καὶ πλεονέκταις καὶ φονεῦσι καὶ ἀσεβέσι πόρρωθέν εἰμι͵ τῷ τιμωρῷ ἐκχωρήσας δαίμονι͵ ὅστις τὴν ὀξύτητα τοῦ πυρὸς προσβάλλων θρώσκει αὐτὸν αἰσθητικῶς καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτὸν ὁπλίζει͵ ἵνα τύχῃ πλείονος τιμωρίας͵ καὶ οὐ παύεται ἐπ΄ ὀρέξεις ἀπλέ τους τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχων͵ ἀκορέστως σκοτομαχῶν͵ καὶ τοῦ τον βασανίζει͵ καὶ ἐπ΄ αὐτὸν πῦρ ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖον αὐξάνει.

24. Well have you taught me all, as I desired, O Mind. And now, pray, tell me further of the nature of the Way Above as now it is [for me].
24 Εὖ μοι πάντα͵ ὡς ἐβουλόμην͵ ἐδίδαξας͵ ὦ Νοῦς͵ ἔτι δέ μοι εἰπὲ περὶ τῆς ἀνόδου τῆς γινομένης.

To this Man-Shepherd said: When the material body is to be dissolved, first you surrenderest the body by itself unto the work of change, and thus the form you hadst doth vanish, and you surrenderest your way of life, void of its energy, unto the Daimon. The body’s senses next pass back into their sources, becoming separate, and resurrect as energies; and passion and desire withdraw unto that nature which is void of reason.
πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Ποιμάνδρης εἷπε͵ Πρῶτον μὲν ἐν τῇ ἀναλύσει τοῦ σώματος τοῦ ὑλικοῦ παραδίδως αὐτὸ τὸ σῶμα εἰς ἀλλοίωσιν͵ καὶ τὸ εἶδος ὃ εἶχες ἀφανὲς γίνεται͵ καὶ τὸ ἦθος τῷ δαί μονι ἀνενέργητον παραδίδως͵ καὶ αἱ αἰσθήσεις τοῦ σώματος εἰς τὰς ἑαυτῶν πηγὰς ἐπανέρχονται͵ μέρη γινόμεναι καὶ πάλιν συνανιστάμεναι εἰς τὰς ἐνεργείας. καὶ ὁ θυμὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία εἰς τὴν ἄλογον φύσιν χωρεῖ.

25. And thus it is that man doth speed his way thereafter upwards through the Harmony.
25 καὶ οὕτως ὁρμᾷ λοιπὸν ἄνω διὰ τῆς ἁρμονίας͵

To the first zone [the Moon] he gives the Energy of Growth and Waning;
καὶ τῇ πρώτῃ ζώνῃ δίδωσι τὴν αὐξητικὴν ἐνέργειαν καὶ τὴν μειωτικήν͵

unto the second [Mercury], Device of Evils [now] de-energized;
καὶ τῇ δευτέρᾳ τὴν μηχανὴν τῶν κακῶν͵ δόλον ἀνενέργητον͵

unto the third, [Venus] the Guile of the Desires de-energized;
καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τὴν ἐπιθυμητικὴν ἀπάτην ἀνενέργητον͵

unto the fourth [the Sun], his Domineering Arrogance, [also] de-energized;
καὶ τῇ τετάρτῃ τὴν ἀρχοντικὴν προφανίαν ἀπλεονέκτητον͵

unto the fifth, [Mars] unholy Daring and the Rashness of Audacity, de-energized;
καὶ τῇ πέμπτῃ τὸ θράσος τὸ ἀνόσιον καὶ τῆς τόλμης τὴν προπέτειαν͵

unto the sixth [Jupiter], Striving for Wealth by evil means, deprived of its aggrandizement;
καὶ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰς ἀφορμὰς τὰς κακὰς τοῦ πλού του ἀνενεργήτους͵

and to the seventh zone [Saturn], Ensnaring Falsehood, de-energized.
καὶ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ζώνῃ τὸ ἐνεδρεῦον ψεῦδος.

26. And then, with all the energisings of the harmony stript from him, clothed in his proper Power, he cometh to that Nature which belongs unto the Eighth, and there with those-that-are hymneth the Father.
26 καὶ τότε γυμνωθεὶς ἀπὸ τῶν τῆς ἁρμονίας ἐνερ γημάτων γίνεται ἐπὶ τὴν ὀγδοατικὴν φύσιν͵ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν ἔχων͵ καὶ ὑμνεῖ σὺν τοῖς οὖσι τὸν πατέρα·

They who are there welcome his coming there with joy; and he, made like to them that sojourn there, doth further hear the Powers who are above the Nature that belongs unto the Eighth, singing their songs of praise to God in language of their own.
συγχαίρουσι δὲ οἱ παρόντες τῇ τούτου παρουσίᾳ͵ καὶ ὁμοιωθεὶς τοῖς συνοῦσιν ἀκούει καί τινων δυνάμεων ὑπὲρ τὴν ὀγδοατικὴν φύσιν φωνῇ τινι ἡδείᾳ ὑμνουσῶν τὸν θεόν·

And then they, in a band, go to the Father home; of their own selves they make surrender of themselves to Powers, and [thus] becoming Powers they are in God. This the good end for those who have gained Gnosis - to be made one with God.
καὶ τότε τάξει ἀνέρχονται πρὸς τὸν πατέρα͵ καὶ αὐτοὶ εἰς δυνάμεις ἑαυ τοὺς παραδιδόασι͵ καὶ δυνάμεις γενόμενοι ἐν θεῷ γίνονται. τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ἀγαθὸν τέλος τοῖς γνῶσιν ἐσχηκόσι͵ θεω θῆναι.
Why shouldst you then delay? Must it not be, since you have all received, that you shouldst to the worthy point the way, in order that through thee the race of mortal kind may by [thy] God be saved?
λοιπόν͵ τί μέλλεις; οὐχ ὡς πάντα παραλαβὼν καθο δηγὸς γίνῃ τοῖς ἀξίοις͵ ὅπως τὸ γένος τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος διὰ σοῦ ὑπὸ θεοῦ σωθῇ;

27. This when He’d said, Man-Shepherd mingled with the Powers.
27 ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ Ποιμάνδρης ἐμοὶ ἐμίγη ταῖς δυνά μεσιν.

But I, with thanks and belssings unto the Father of the universal [Powers], was freed, full of the power he had poured into me, and full of what He’d taught me of the nature of the All and of the loftiest Vision.
ἐγὼ δὲ εὐχαριστήσας καὶ εὐλογήσας τὸν πατέρα τῶν ὅλων ἀνείθην ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ δυναμωθεὶς καὶ διδαχθεὶς τοῦ παντὸς τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὴν μεγίστην θέαν͵

And I began to preach unto men the Beauty of Devotion and of Gnosis:
καὶ ἦργμαι κηρύσσειν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ γνώσεως κάλλος͵

O ye people, earth-born folk, ye who have given yourselves to drunkenness and sleep and ignorance of God, be sober now, cease from your surfeit, cease to be glamoured by irrational sleep!
Ὦ λαοί͵ ἄνδρες γηγενεῖς͵ οἱ μέθῃ καὶ ὕπνῳ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδε δωκότες καὶ τῇ ἀγνωσίᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ͵ νήψατε͵ παύσασθε δὲ κραιπαλῶντες͵ θελγόμενοι ὕπνῳ ἀλόγῳ.

28. And when they heard, they came with one accord. Whereon I say:
28 Οἱ δὲ ἀκούσαντες παρεγένοντο ὁμοθυμαδόν.

Ye earth-born folk, why have ye given yourselves up to Death, while yet ye have the power of sharing Deathlessness? Repent, O ye, who walk with Error arm in arm and make of Ignorance the sharer of your board; get ye out from the light of Darkness, and take your part in Deathlessness, forsake Destruction!
ἐγὼ δέ φημι͵ Τί ἑαυτούς͵ ὦ ἄνδρες γηγενεῖς͵ εἰς θάνατον ἐκδεδώ κατε͵ ἔχοντες ἐξουσίαν τῆς ἀθανασίας μεταλαβεῖν; μετα νοήσατε͵ οἱ συνοδεύσαντες τῇ πλάνῃ καὶ συγκοινωνήσαντες τῇ ἀγνοίᾳ· ἀπαλλάγητε τοῦ σκοτεινοῦ φωτός͵ μεταλάβετε τῆς ἀθανασίας͵ καταλείψαντες τὴν φθοράν.

29. And some of them with jests upon their lips departed [from me], abandoning themselves unto the Way of Death; others entreated to be taught, casting themselves before my feet.
29 καὶ οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν καταφλυαρήσαντες ἀπέστησαν͵ τῇ τοῦ θανάτου ὁδῷ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδεδωκότες͵ οἱ δὲ παρεκάλουν διδαχθῆναι͵ ἑαυτοὺς πρὸ ποδῶν μου ῥίψαντες.

But I made them arise, and I became a leader of the Race towards home, teaching the words (logoi), how and in what way they shall be saved. I sowed in them the words (logoi) of wisdom; of Deathless Water were they given to drink.
ἐγὼ δὲ ἀνα στήσας αὐτοὺς καθοδηγὸς ἐγενόμην τοῦ γένους͵ τοὺς λόγους διδάσκων͵ πῶς καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ σωθήσονται͵ καὶ ἔσπειρα αὐτοῖς τοὺς τῆς σοφίας λόγους καὶ ἐτράφησαν ἐκ τοῦ ἀμβροσίου ὕδατος.

And when even was come and all sun’s beams began to set, I bade them all give thanks to God. And when they had brought to an end the giving of their thanks, each man returned to his own resting place.
ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἡλίου αὐγῆς ἀρχομένης δύεσθαι ὅλης͵ ἐκέλευσα αὐτοῖς εὐχαρι στεῖν τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἀναπληρώσαντες τὴν εὐχαριστίαν ἕκαστος ἐτράπη εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν κοίτην.

30. But I recorded in my heart Man-Shepherd’s benefaction, and with my every hope fulfilled more than rejoiced. For body’s sleep became the soul’s awakening, and closing of the eyes - true vision, pregnant with Good my silence, and the utterance of my word (logos) begetting of good things.
30 ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν εὐεργεσίαν τοῦ Ποιμάνδρου ἀνεγρα ψάμην εἰς ἐμαυτόν͵ καὶ πληρωθεὶς ὧν ἤθελον ἐξηυφράνθην. ἐγένετο γὰρ ὁ τοῦ σώματος ὕπνος τῆς ψυχῆς νῆψις͵ καὶ ἡ κάμμυσις τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀληθινὴ ὅρασις͵ καὶ ἡ σιωπή μου ἐγκύμων τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ͵ καὶ ἡ τοῦ λόγου ἐκφορὰ γεννήματα ἀγαθῶν.

All this befell me from my Mind, that is Man-Shepherd, Word (Logos) of all masterhood, by whom being God-inspired I came unto the Plain of Truth. Wherefore with all my soul and strength thanksgiving give I unto Father-God.
τοῦτο δὲ συνέβη μοι λαβόντι ἀπὸ τοῦ νοός μου͵ τουτέστι τοῦ Ποιμάνδρου͵ τοῦ τῆς αὐθεντίας λόγου. θεό πνους γενόμενος τῆς ἀληθείας ἦλθον. διὸ δίδωμι ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ ἰσχύος ὅλης εὐλογίαν τῷ πατρὶ θεῷ.


31. Holy are you, O God, the universals’ Father.
31 ἅγιος ὁ θεὸς καὶ πατὴρ τῶν ὅλων.

Holy are you, O God, whose Will perfects itself by means of its own Powers.
ἅγιος ὁ θεὸς͵ οὗ ἡ βουλὴ τελεῖται ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων δυνά μεων.

Holy are you, O God, who willeth to be known and art known by your own.
ἅγιος ὁ θεός͵ ὃς γνωσθῆναι βούλεται καὶ γινώσκεται τοῖς ἰδίοις.

Holy are you,who did you by Word (Logos) make to consist the things that are.
ἅγιος εἶ͵ ὁ λόγῳ συστησάμενος τὰ ὄντα.

Holy are you, of whom All-nature hath been made an image.
ἅγιος εἶ͵ οὗ πᾶσα φύσις εἰκὼν ἔφυ.

Holy are you, whose Form Nature hath never made.
ἅγιος εἶ͵ ὃν ἡ φύσις οὐκ ἐμόρφωσεν.

Holy are you, more powerful than all power.
ἅγιος εἶ͵ ὁ πάσης δυνάμεως ἰσχυρότερος.

Holy are you, transcending all pre-eminence.
ἅγιος εἶ͵ ὁ πάσης ὑπεροχῆς μείζων.

Holy you art, you better than all praise.
ἅγιος εἶ͵ ὁ κρείττων τῶν ἐπαίνων.

Accept my reason’s offerings pure, from soul and heart for aye stretched up to Thee, O you unutterable, unspeakable, Whose Name naught but the Silence can express.
δέξαι λογικὰς θυσίας ἁγνὰς ἀπὸ ψυχῆς καὶ καρδίας πρὸς σὲ ἀνατεταμένης͵ ἀνεκλάλητε͵ ἄρρητε͵ σιωπῇ φωνού μενε.

32. Give ear to me who pray that I may ne’er of Gnosis fail, [Gnosis] which is our common being’s nature; and fill me with your Power, and with this Grace [of Thine], that I may give the Light to those in ignorance of the Race, my Brethren, and your Sons.
32 αἰτουμένῳ τὸ μὴ σφαλῆναι τῆς γνώσεως τῆς κατ΄ οὐσίαν ἡμῶν ἐπίνευσόν μοι καὶ ἐνδυνάμωσόν με͵ καὶ τῆς χάριτος ταύτης φωτίσω τοὺς ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ τοῦ γένους͵ μοῦ ἀδελφούς͵ υἱοὺς δὲ σοῦ.

For this cause I believe, and I bear witness; I go to Life and Light. Blessed are you, O Father. your Man would holy be as you art holy, even as you gave him your full authority [to be].
διὸ πιστεύω καὶ μαρτυρῶ· εἰς ζωὴν καὶ φῶς χωρῶ. εὐλογητὸς εἶ͵ πάτερ. ὁ σὸς ἄνθρωπος συναγιάζειν σοι βούλεται͵ καθὼς παρέδωκας αὐτῷ τὴν πᾶσαν ἐξουσίαν.

POIMANDRES (ποιμάνδρης) The Shepherd of Men


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