Poimandres

Poimandres (Greek: Ποιμάνδρης; also known as Poemandres, Poemander or Pimander) is a chapter in the Corpus Hermeticum. Originally written in Greek, the title was formerly understood to mean "Man-Shepherd" from the words ποιμήν and ἀνήρ, but recent studies on its etymology have shown that it is actually derived from the Egyptian phrase Peime-nte-rê meaning "Knowledge of Re" or "Understanding of Re".[1][2] It is also a sort of deity or attribute of God as nous.

To quote (John Everard translation):

Then said I, "Who art Thou?"
"I am," quoth he, "Poemander, the mind of the Great Lord, the most Mighty and absolute Emperor: I know what thou wouldest have, and I am always present with thee."

And in the G. R. S. Mead translation:

And I do say: Who art thou?
He saith: I am Man-Shepherd [Ποιμάνδρης], Mind of all-masterhood; I know what thou desirest and I’m with thee everywhere.

And in the translation by Salaman, Van Oyen and Wharton:[3]

"Who are you?" said I.
He said, "I am Poimandres the Nous of the Supreme. I know what you wish and I am with you everywhere."

See also

References

  1. ↑ From Poimandres to Jacob Böhme: gnosis, hermetism and the Christian tradition, pgs 47, 48
  2. ↑ Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English Translation, p 95
  3. ↑ Salaman, Van Oyen, Wharton and Mahé,The Way of Hermes, p. 17

External links


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