Ancient Magic: a Survey of the Technical Hermetica Kristin Pfanku, M.A., SRC
Ancient Magic: A Survey of the Technical Hermetica Kristin Pfanku, M.A., SRC ess well known than the Philosophical as the Greeks and Romans influenced it more Hermetica of the Corpus Hermeticum, than two thousand years ago, magic was still La large number of ancient technical or very much alive in Greco-Roman Egypt, practical volumes on magic, alchemy, astrology, where the technical Hermetica were created. and a host of other subjects are also part of the This ancient sense of magic can be seen Hermetic legacy. In this survey, Professor Kristin in these technical Hermetica, the textual Pfanku introduces readers to the technical counterparts of the philosophical Hermetica. Hermetica and its wide array of themes. At first, Focusing primarily on esoteric magic, these texts seem very different from the sublime astrology, and the alchemy of the last century mysticism of the Philosophical Hermetica, bce to the third century ce, these works build however, modern scholarship indicates that both on Aristotle’s objective investigation and are part of a consistent whole, the Hermetic classification of phenomena, but mingled transmission of the wisdom of ancient Egypt. with this is a belief in universal forces that can The technical Hermetica begin here below be advantageous once one knows the esoteric, and ascend, while the Philosophical Hermetica magical knowledge. The technical Hermetica complete the journey above. As the Emerald show the human will and ability to penetrate Tablet of Hermes teaches, “As above, so below, and make use of the secret, hidden powers of and as below, so above, to accomplish the the natural and divine worlds.
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