Asclepius

Hermes Trismegistus instructs Asclepius on the mystery of the holy union, the dual nature of man, the lament for Egypt's coming desolation, and the restoration of the world by the Father.

1Hearken, O Asclepius. The mystery which I shall now reveal unto thee is great. It is the mystery of the union — that is, the holy thing which the Father hath established between the male and the female, that the world may continue, and that the soul may know herself.

2For if thou wilt understand the mystery of the union, thou shalt understand also the mystery of God; for God Himself is the union of opposites, even of the male and the female within Him.

3Now man is twofold. He is mortal in his body, and immortal in his soul. The body he hath received from the elements; the soul he hath received from the Father. The body shall return to the elements; the soul shall return to the Father.

4Therefore man is a great wonder. He is greater than the angels, in that he hath both natures. The angels have only the spiritual nature; man hath the spiritual and the material. Through his spiritual nature he is kin unto the gods; through his material nature he is kin unto the beasts. Through both natures he is the link between heaven and earth.

5Now hearken, O Asclepius, unto a sad prophecy. There shall come a day — the day is not far off — when the gods shall withdraw themselves from the land of Egypt. The temples shall be empty; the rites shall be forgotten; the priesthood shall be silenced; the holy stones shall be broken.

6And foreigners shall come into the land. They shall bring with them strange gods. They shall fill Egypt with strangers. The native voice of Egypt shall fall silent. The hieroglyphs shall be unread. The mysteries shall be unknown.

7And the Nile shall be polluted with blood. The earth shall not bring forth her fruit. The seasons shall be confused. The stars shall change their courses. Pestilence and famine shall walk in the streets. Wars shall multiply. Brother shall slay brother.

8And men shall esteem the soul a thing of folly. They shall worship only the body. They shall live for the moment. They shall mock the wise; they shall reward the wicked; they shall prefer darkness to light.

9But take heart, O Asclepius. The Father shall not abandon His creation. After the time of darkness shall come a time of restoration. The Father shall send forth a Saviour. He shall come down from above. He shall restore the world. He shall renew the temples; He shall restore the rites; He shall awaken the priests.

10And in the latter days, even the souls of men shall be made glad. The wicked shall be brought to judgment; the righteous shall be exalted; the truth shall be made known. Egypt herself shall be raised up; for the Father remembereth her ancient glory.

11Now hearken yet further, O Asclepius. There are three places after death. There is the place of the wise — where the souls of the righteous are received, and where they ascend through the spheres unto the Father. There is the place of the wicked — where the souls of the impious are tormented for a season, that they may be purified. There is the place of the indifferent — where souls await their next descent into the body.

12Therefore live, O Asclepius, that thy soul may be of the wise. Honour the Father; honour the Mother; honour the Saviour. Live in temperance, in justice, in piety. Walk in truth; do mercy; love thy brother.

13And when thy time of departure cometh, fear not. The angels shall meet thee. The gates of the heavens shall open unto thee. Thou shalt ascend through the seven; thou shalt enter the eighth; thou shalt come unto the ninth. There thou shalt behold the silent Light, and shalt rest in the bosom of the Father, world without end.

14Glory be unto the Father, the Source of every soul. Glory be unto the Mother, the womb of every aeon. Glory be unto the Son, the Saviour of every world. Glory be unto the silent Light, in whom all things have their rest. Forever and ever. Amen.