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Hermes Trismegistus is considered the founder of science, religion,

mathematics, geometry, alchemy, philosophy, medicine and magic. He is a


combination of the Egyptian God Thoth of wisdom, learning and
communications and the Greek God Hermes, messenger of the gods.

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Hermes Trismegistus is an important figure in the history of philosophy and


science, and is known for the legacy of writings that are attributed to him.

Hermes Trismegistus is a combination of Thoth and Hermes, which emerged


during the Hellenistic era. Known as “Thrice Great”, he created Hermeticism,
including alchemy, wrote the Emerald Tablets, which has the phrase “As
Above, So Below”, and influenced Leonardi and the Rosicrucians, amongst
others.

Here are 10 things Hermes Trismegistus is Known For:

1: Hermes Trismegistus is considered the Founder of Science, Religion, and


Philosophy

Amongst those who study the body of literary work left by Hermes
Trismegistus, he is regarded as the figure responsible for introducing science
and religion to the world, as well as math and geometry, medicine and magic.
His disciples became the priests of ancient Egypt, and he taught Pythagoras
and other early Greek philosphers.

2: Hermes Trismegistus is a Syncretic Combination of Thoth and Hermes

In 305 BC the Ptolemaic Kingdom was founded in Egypt by the Greeks.


During this time the two cultures became intermingled, and as the Greeks
practiced a habit of studying the gods of other cultures and determining the
equivalent in their own cosmology, it was determined that the Egyptian god
Thoth was the same being as their god Hermes. As a result, the name
Hermes Trismegistus started being used to describe the god who was both
Thoth and Hermes. You can read more about the combining of the two deities
here.

3: Hermes Trismegistus Rose to Prominence during the Hellenistic Period

The period of history between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC
and the beginning of the Roman Empire in 31 BC is called the Hellenistic
period, and it was during this time Hermes Trismegistus became a highly
regarded figure. The conquests of Alexander meant that Greek culture fused
with many other Mediterranean cultures. It was also a time of great interest
in philosophy and science.

4: Hermes Trismegistus is called “Thrice Great”

The syncretic combination of Hermes and Thoth was regarded as the


fountain of wisdom, and the master of masters during the Hellenistic period.
The name Hermes Trismegistus means “thrice great”, a phrase that is also
often used to describe him. It has been interpreted to mean that he knows the
three parts of the universe, which are alchemy, astrology, and theurgy.
Another understanding is that he is called Thrice Great because he is the
greatest philosopher, the greatest priest, and the greatest king.

5: Hermes Trismegistus Wrote the Famous Phrase “As Above, So Below”

The famous phrase was originally written by Hermes Trismegistus in the


second verse of the Emerald Tablets. It describes the Principle of
Correspondence, which is one of the 7 Hermetic Principles. It describes how
there are infinite planes of reality which reflect each other, and what is true
on one is also true on others. You can read more about the famous phrase
here.

6: Hermes Trismegistus is the Founder of Alchemy


The practice of alchemy has the aim of turning base metals such as lead into
gold. A precursor to modern chemistry, alchemists work in labs and believe
that with a magical substance called the Philosopher’s Stone they can
achieve this transformation. There is a deeper meaning as well, as turning
lead into gold is a metaphor for the liberation of the human spirit. Hermes
introduced alchemy into the world and his writings are the reference for
alchemists. You can read more about Alchemy here.

7: Hermes Trismegistus is the Author of Corpus Hermeticum

It is believed that he actually wrote thousands of books, most of which were


destroyed in the burning of the Library of Alexandria. Of the small body of
literature that remains and is attributed to them, one of the most important
books is called Corpus Hermeticum. It is a collection of various different
writings, and was compiled during the medieval ages. It is mostly presented
in the form of dialogues, and discusses the divine, mind, nature, and
cosmology.

8: Hermes Trismegistus Created the Emerald Tablets

The Emerald Tablets are mythical slabs of rock that contain writings that
Hermes created during his time as the king and high priest of Atlantis. The
actual physical slabs have been lost, and there is no official evidence that
they ever did exist. They have been described as being made out of a magical
substance which is impossible to break. Although the tablets seem to have
been lost, translations emerged during the 8th century, written in Arabic. It
consists of 12 chapters and describes alchemical principles of transformation,
and the Philosopher’s Stone, which is the magical substance alchemists
require in order to turn lead into gold. You can read more about the Emerald
Tablets here.

9: The teachings of Hermes Trismegistus have been studied by the


Rosicrucians and the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn
Amongst those who have found and studied the teachings left by Hermes
Trismegistus, there are notable organizations, whom have often been
secretive in nature. Amongst the most well-known groups are the
Rosicrucians. The group is a brotherhood dedicated to esoteric knowledge,
and was founded in 1313, and today exists as world-wide movement.

The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn is another secret society which
studies Hermeticism, and was founded in 1887. It is headquartered in
London, England, and was founded by Free Masons. It practices a system of
initiation and hierarchy, and its membership has included many well-known
occult figures such as Alistair Crowley. You can read more about the influence
of Hermeticism and Alistair Crowley here.

10: Hermes Trismegistus Influenced Famous Thinkers like Isaac Newton and
Leonardo De Vinci

The legacy of wisdom left by Hermes Trismegistus has been highly


influential on many other important thinkers throughout history. Notably
Leonardo De Vinci was a lifelong student of Hermeticism. Corpus
Hermeticum was translated to Latin in the 15th century, and was hugely
influential in the development of the Italian Renaissance in general, and
particularly on De Vinci, whose study of esoteric concepts were found in his
private journals.

Also Isaac Newton, the mathematician and scientist who is perhaps the most
influential thinker on modern science practiced alchemy, and was a member
of secret societies dedicated to studying Hermeticism.

https://mysteriumacademy.com/what-is-hermes-trismegistus-known-for/

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