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Corpus Hermeticum II

Corpus Hermeticum II is a dialogue between Hermes and Asclepius on the nature of the cosmos, the movement of the spheres, and the nature of the human being.|||Greek text preserved in the same manuscripts as CH I.|||Composed in Greek in Alexandria, Egypt, in the 1st–3rd century CE.|||Not canonical in any tradition.|||Discusses the cosmos, the movement of the heavenly spheres, and the nature of the human being as a microcosm of the universe.|||Copenhaver, B. P. Hermetica. Cambridge University Press, 1992.|||Festugière, A.-J. La Révélation d'Hermès Trismégiste. Les Belles Lettres, 1944–1954.|||Corpus Hermeticum II — Sacred Texts|https://www.sacred-texts.com/gno/th1/index.htm|G. R. S. Mead's translation.;; Corpus Hermeticum — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Hermeticum|Background and discussion.|||" The cosmos is a sphere, and the human being is a lesser cosmos." — Corpus Hermeticum II (paraphrase)

Collection: Hermetic Literature Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition.

Date & Provenance

Composed in Greek in Alexandria, Egypt, in the 1st–3rd century CE.

Language & Manuscripts

Greek text preserved in the same manuscripts as CH I.

Why It Matters for Study

Discusses the cosmos, the movement of the heavenly spheres, and the nature of the human being as a microcosm of the universe.

" The cosmos is a sphere, and the human being is a lesser cosmos." — Corpus Hermeticum II (paraphrase)

Read the Text & External Resources

Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.

  • " The cosmos is a sphere, and the human being is a lesser cosmos." — Corpus Hermeticum II (paraphrase) " The cosmos is a sphere, and the human being is a lesser cosmos." — Corpus Hermeticum II (paraphrase)

External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.

Further Reading

Copenhaver, B. P. Hermetica. Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Festugière, A.-J. La Révélation d'Hermès Trismégiste. Les Belles Lettres, 1944–1954.
Corpus Hermeticum II — Sacred Texts|https://www.sacred-texts.com/gno/th1/index.htm|G. R. S. Mead's translation.;; Corpus Hermeticum — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Hermeticum|Background and discussion.