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The Divine Pymander… in XVII Books. London : printed by Robert White, for Tho. Brewster, and Greg. Moule, 1650 [i.e. 1649].
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HERMES TRISMEGISTUS
The Divine Pymander… in XVII Books. London : printed by Robert White, for Tho. Brewster, and Greg. Moule, 1650 [i.e. 1649].
Rare first edition of the English translation of one of the great esoteric works. It comprises the first 17 books of the Corpus Hermeticum by Hermes Trismegistus, one of the core texts of the ancient Egyptian gnosis. It was considered by scholars of the Renaissance to have been one of the oldest texts in the world, although they are now thought to have been created around the first century CE. Lost for more than a thousand years, these texts were eagerly sought by the Renaissance court of Cosimo de Medici; and via their translation into Latin by Cosimo’s chief scholar, Marsilio Ficino, the Corpus Hermeticum formed the basis of the Renaissance interest in alchemy, astrology and magic. Ferguson, Bibliotheca Chemica, vol I, p.389.
Octavo (140 x 92mm). Title with decorative woodcut borders, engraved initials, head- and tailpieces (very small marginal chip to C3 just affecting two numerals and one letter of catchword, H2 trimmed close at foot almost touching catchword, I1 with frayed fore-edge at margin with tiny hole and very short tear just into one word, occasional insignificant light spotting). Contemporary sheep (lightly rubbed, more heavily along joints and head- and tailcaps).
The Divine Pymander… in XVII Books. London : printed by Robert White, for Tho. Brewster, and Greg. Moule, 1650 [i.e. 1649].
Rare first edition of the English translation of one of the great esoteric works. It comprises the first 17 books of the Corpus Hermeticum by Hermes Trismegistus, one of the core texts of the ancient Egyptian gnosis. It was considered by scholars of the Renaissance to have been one of the oldest texts in the world, although they are now thought to have been created around the first century CE. Lost for more than a thousand years, these texts were eagerly sought by the Renaissance court of Cosimo de Medici; and via their translation into Latin by Cosimo’s chief scholar, Marsilio Ficino, the Corpus Hermeticum formed the basis of the Renaissance interest in alchemy, astrology and magic. Ferguson, Bibliotheca Chemica, vol I, p.389.
Octavo (140 x 92mm). Title with decorative woodcut borders, engraved initials, head- and tailpieces (very small marginal chip to C3 just affecting two numerals and one letter of catchword, H2 trimmed close at foot almost touching catchword, I1 with frayed fore-edge at margin with tiny hole and very short tear just into one word, occasional insignificant light spotting). Contemporary sheep (lightly rubbed, more heavily along joints and head- and tailcaps).
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Eugenio Donadoni
Senior Specialist, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts