Section 1a

CORPUS HERMETICUM (XVIII.) [THE ENCOMIUM OF KINGS] (ABOUT THE SOUL’S BEING HINDERED BY THE PASSION OF THE BODY) (Text: R. 355-360; Pat. at end.) 1. [ Now ] in the case of those professing the harmonious art of muse-like melody—if, when the piece is played, the discord of the instruments doth hinder their intent, its rendering becomes ridiculous. For when his instruments are quite too weak for what’s required of them, the music-artist needs must be laughed at by the audience. For He, with all good will, gives of His art unweariedly; they blame the [artist’s] weakness. He then who is the Natural Musician-God, not only in His making of the harmony of His [celestial] songs, but also in His sending forth the rhythm of the melody of His own song[s] right down unto the separate instruments, is, as God, never wearied. For that with God there is no growing weary. 2. So, then, if ever a musician desires to enter into the highest contest of his art he can—when now the trumpeters have rendered the same phrase of the [composer’s] skill, and afterwards the flautists played the sweet notes of the melody upon their instruments, and they complete the music of the piece with pipe and plectrum—[if any thing goes wrong,] one does not lay the blame upon the inspiration of the music-maker. Nay, [by no means,]—to him one renders the respect that is his due; one blames the falseness of the instrument, in that it has become a hindrance to those who are most excellent—embarrassing the maker of the music in [the execution of] his melody, and robbing those who listen of the sweetness of the song. 3. In like way also, in our case, let no one of our audience for the weakness that inheres in body, blame impiously our Race. Nay, let him know God is Unwearied Spirit —for ever in the self-same way possessed of His own science, unceasing in His joyous gifts, the self-same benefits bestowing everywhere. 4. And if the Pheidias—the Demiurge—is not responded to, by lack of matter to perfect His skilfulness, although for His own part the Artist has done all he can, let us not lay the blame on Him. But let us, [rather,] blame the weakness of the string, in that, because it is too slack or is too tight, it mars the rhythm of the harmony. 5. So when it is that the mischance occurs by reason of the instrument, no one doth blame the Artist. Nay, [more;] the worse the instrument doth chance to be, the more the Artist gains in reputation by the frequency with which his hand doth strike the proper note, and more the love the listeners pour upon that Music- maker, without the slightest thought of blaming him. So will we too, most noble [Sirs], set our own lyre in tune again, within, with the Musician! 6. Nay, I have seen one of the artist-folk —although he had no power of playing on the lyre—when once he had been trained for the right noble theme, make frequent use of his own self as instrument, and tune the service of his string by means of mysteries, so that the listeners were amazed at how he turned necessitude into magnificence. Of course you know the story of the harper who won the favour of the God who is the president of music-work.