Canon Status
Not canonical in any tradition.
Date & Provenance
Composed in Greek in the 2nd–3rd century CE.
Language & Manuscripts
Armenian manuscripts (6 copies, 13th–16th centuries). Greek manuscript in the Bodleian Library (Codex Clarkianus 11).
Why It Matters for Study
Presents a collection of Hermetic definitions and teachings on the nature of the divine, the cosmos, and the human being. Important for understanding the philosophical content of Hermeticism.
" God is the mind of the cosmos, and the cosmos is the body of God." — Definitions of Hermes to Asclepius (paraphrase)
Read the Text & External Resources
Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.
- " God is the mind of the cosmos, and the cosmos is the body of God." — Definitions of Hermes to Asclepius (paraphrase) " God is the mind of the cosmos, and the cosmos is the body of God." — Definitions of Hermes to Asclepius (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
Mahé, J.-P. Hermès en Haute-Égypte. Presses de l'Université Laval, 1978–1982.
Salaman, C., van Oyen, D., & Wharton, W. D. The Way of Hermes. Inner Traditions, 2000.
Definitions of Hermes — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_Hermes_Trismegistus_to_Asclepius|Background and discussion.;; Hermetica II — Cambridge University Press|https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/hermetica-ii/|Litwa's translation and commentary.