Simon Magus: An Essay on the Founder of Simonianism Based on the Ancient Sources With a Re-Evaluation of His Philosophy and TeachingsMead, G. R. S. (George Robert Stow)
Religion
Simon Magus: An Essay on the Founder of Simonianism Based on the Ancient Sources With a Re-Evaluation of His Philosophy and Teachings
Mead, G. R. S. (George Robert Stow)
Simon, Magus, active 1st century
The idea of this Crater is interestingly exemplified in the Twelfth Book
of Hermes Trismegistus, called "His Crater, or Monas," as follows:
"10. _Tat._ But wherefore, Father, did not God distribute the Mind to
all men?
"11. _Herm._ Because it pleased him, O Son, to set that in the middle
among all souls, as a reward to strive for.
"12. _Tat._ And where hath he set it?
"13. _Herm._ Filling a large Cup or Bowl (Crater) therewith, he sent it
down, giving also a Cryer or Proclaimer.
"14. And he commanded him to proclaim these things to the souls of men.
"15. Dip and wash thyself, thou that art able, in this Cup or Bowl: Thou
that believeth that thou shalt return to him that sent this cup; thou
that acknowledgest whereunto thou wert made.
"16. As many, therefore, as understood the Proclamation, and were
_baptized_, or dowsed into the _Mind_, these were made partakers of
knowledge, and became perfect men, receiving the Mind."
This striking passage explains the mystic "Baptism of Fire," or Mind,
whereby man became one with his Divine Monas, which is indeed his
"Mother Vortex" or Source.]
[Footnote 105: _Proc. in Parm._]
[Footnote 106: _Proc. in Theol. Plat._, 171, 172.]
[Footnote 107: _Proc. in Tim._, 167.]
[Footnote 108: _Proc. in Theol._, 321.]
[Footnote 109: _Proc. in Crat._]
[Footnote 110: _Dionys._, xiv.]
[Footnote 111: _Praep. Evan._, i. 10.]
[Footnote 112: The names of these seven flames of the Fire, with their
surface translations, are as follows: Kâlî, Dark-blue; Karâlî, Terrible;
Mano-javâ, Swift as Thought; Su-lohitâ, Deep-red colour;
Su-dhûmra-varnâ, Deep-purple colour; Ugrâ or Sphulinginî, Hot,
Passionate, or Sparkling; Pradîptâ, Shining, Clear. These are the
literal meanings; the mystic meanings are very different, and among
other things denote the septenary prismatic colours and other
septenaries in nature.]
[Footnote 113: _Hibbert lectures_, 1887: "Lecture on the Origin and
Growth of Religion as illustrated by the Religion of the Ancient
Babylonians," pp. 179, 180.]
[Footnote 114: See Schwartze's _Pistis-Sophia_ and Amélineau's _Notice
sur le Papyrus Gnostique Bruce_.]
[Footnote 115: _De Mysteriis Liber_, vii. 4.]
[Footnote 116: Compare also _Herodot._ ii, 54--[Greek: phonae
anthropaeiae].]
[Footnote 117: _Lib._ v.]
[Footnote 118: _Psel._ 7.]
[Footnote 119: _Psel. Schol. in Orac. Magic_, p. 70.]
[Footnote 120: Theodoret gives [Greek: ennoia].]
[Footnote 121: A. Aphthartos Morphê. B. Nous tôn Holôn. c. Epinoia
Megalê. D. Eikôn. a. Nous. b. Phônê. c. Logismos. d. Enthumêsis. e.
Onoma. f. Epinoia.]
[Footnote 122: xi. 47.]
[Footnote 123: _Ibid._, xi. 18, 38.]
[Footnote 124: Wilson's Trans. i. pp. 55 _et seqq._]
[Footnote 125: Prabhavâpyaya: Pra-bhava=the forth-being or origin, and
Apy-aya=the return or reabsorption. It is the same idea as the Simonian
Treasure-house.]
[Footnote 126: Ayana simply means "moving."]
[Footnote 127: _Mânava-Dharma Shâstra_, i. 10.]
[Footnote 128: _Op. cit._, iv. 251.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account