← Home
Iamblichus: On the Mysteries · 139 of 218 · tr. Thomas Taylor

Chapter IV

These things, therefore, having been accurately discussed, the solution of the doubts which you have met with in certain books will be manifest. For the books which are circulated under the name of Hermes contain Hermaic opinions, though they frequently employ the language of the philosophers: for they were translated from the Egyptian tongue by men who were not unskilled 305 in philosophy. But Chæremon, [137] and any others who have at all discussed the first causes of mundane natures, have unfolded the last rulers of these. And such as have written concerning the planets, the zodiac, the decans, horoscopes, and what are called powerful and leading planets, these have unfolded the partible distributions of the rulers. The particulars, also, contained in the Calendars comprehend a certain very small part of the Hermaic arrangements. And the causes of such things as pertain to the phases or occultations of the stars, or to the increments and decrements of the moon, are assigned by the Egyptians the last of all. The Egyptians, likewise, do not say that all things are physical. For they separate the life of the soul and the intellectual life from nature, not only in the universe, but also in us. And admitting intellect and reason to subsist by themselves, they say that generated essences were thus fabricated. They likewise arrange the Demiurgus as the primary father of things in generation; and they acknowledge the existence 306 of a vital power, prior to the heavens, and subsisting in the heavens. They also establish a pure intellect above the world, and one impartible intellect in the whole world, and another which is distributed into all the spheres. And these things they do not survey by mere reason alone, but through the sacerdotal theurgy, they announce that they are able to ascend to more elevated and universal essences, and to those that are established above Fate, viz. to God and the Demiurgus; neither employing matter, nor assuming any other thing besides, except the observation of a suitable time.
Themes
◆Cosmic Sympathycosmology

The Stoic and Plotinian doctrine that all parts of the cosmos are bound by hidden affinities, so that a movement in one part resonates through the whole; the metaphysical basis for astrology, magic, and divination.

The passage links celestial movements (phases of stars, moon) to human affairs through the Egyptians' attribution of causes.

All passages →
◆Demiurgecosmology

A secondary creator deity—often ignorant or malevolent—responsible for fashioning the material world, distinct from the supreme transcendent God.

The text explicitly describes the Demiurgus as the primary father of things in generation and establishes his existence prior to the heavens.

All passages →
◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The Egyptians are said to assign causes of celestial events the last of all, implying a concealment of higher knowledge.

All passages →
◆Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

The text outlines a structured hierarchy of rulers from mundane natures to God and the Demiurgus.

All passages →
◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The passage notes that the Egyptians conceal causes of celestial events until they are revealed through sacerdotal theurgy.

All passages →
◆Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

God is referred to as an active entity that can be ascended to and is established above Fate.

All passages →
◆Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

The text mentions specific celestial divisions such as planets, zodiac, decans, and horoscopes as part of Hermaic arrangements.

All passages →
◆Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The Egyptians are described as able to ascend to God and the Demiurgus through sacerdotal theurgy.

All passages →
◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

The text emphasizes ascending to more elevated and universal essences through theurgy rather than relying on matter alone.

All passages →
◆Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

The passage explicitly states that Egyptians survey higher essences through sacerdotal theurgy rather than mere reason alone.

All passages →
Related passages · 9 parallels
◆egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 43 (part 77)
“The reader has now before him the main points of the evidence concerning the Egyptians' notions about God, and the cosmic powers and their phases, and the anthropomorphic creations with which they peopled the other world, all of which have…”
Both passages discuss the mystical and theological concepts of ancient Egyptian traditions, particularly focusing on the nature of the divine, the structure of the cosmos, and the afterlife. They both explore the idea of a higher, abstract God alongside more anthropomorphic deities and the challenges in interpreting these concepts.
◆greek_mystery|Orphic Hymns|Hymn V. PROTOGONUS, Or the FIRST-BORN (part 2)
“For Phanes is not only among the intelligible Gods, but also among the intellectual ones; in the demiurgic order, and among the super-mundane and mundane Gods. And Night and Heaven in a similar manner: for the peculiarities of these are re…”
Both passages discuss the concept of a demiurgic figure responsible for the creation and ordering of the universe. They also explore the hierarchical structure of divine beings and their roles in both the intelligible and sensible worlds, showing a genuine conceptual parallel across different mystical traditions.
◆platonism|Plato: Republic|Section 1j
“That is true, Socrates; but so little seems to be known as yet about these subjects. Why, yes, I said, and for two reasons:--in the first place, no government patronises them; this leads to a want of energy in the pursuit of them, and they…”
Both passages discuss the nature of higher knowledge and the limitations of sensory perception in understanding celestial phenomena. They emphasize the need for intellectual and philosophical inquiry to grasp the true nature of the universe, transcending mere observation.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|Fifth Dialogueg
“This special human intelligence which influences all individuals is like the moon, which partakes of no other species but that one alone which always renews itself by the transmutation caused in it by the sun, which is the primal and univer…”
Both passages discuss the relationship between the divine and the material world, with a focus on the role of intellect and the cosmos. They share a mystical perspective on the nature of reality and the ascent to higher, universal essences.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XIII (part 2)
“The positivistic scientist finds himself in the presence of nature almost in the position of a savage in a library of rare and valuable books. For a savage a book is a thing of definite size and weight. However long he may ask himself wha…”
Both passages discuss the idea of hidden meanings or aspects of reality that are not immediately apparent. Passage A talks about the noumenon and the hidden contents of nature, while Passage B discusses the Hermaic opinions and the intellectual life separated from nature, both suggesting deeper layers of understanding beyond the superficial.
◆western_esoteric|Tertium Organum (P.D. Ouspensky)|Chapter XXII (part 14)
“How many arguments, how many religious struggles, how much of violence toward the thoughts of others would be rendered unnecessary and impossible if men would only understand that nobody possesses truth, but all are seeking for it, each in…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the divine and the difficulty of expressing the ultimate principle. They share a mystical approach to understanding the transcendent, emphasizing the limitations of human language and reason in describing the divine.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|Introductionc
“The original alliance between Christianity and the Science of the Magi, once demonstrated fully, will be a discovery of no second-rate importance, and we do not doubt that the serious study of Magic and the Kabalah will lead earnest minds t…”
Both passages discuss the integration of mystical or esoteric traditions with mainstream religious thought. Passage A explores the reconciliation of Christianity and magic, while Passage B discusses the synthesis of Hermetic philosophy with Egyptian religious practices and theurgy. Both highlight the interplay between different spiritual traditions and the quest for higher knowledge.
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic I: The Doctrine (Éliphas Lévi)|17. Astrologya
“STELLA OS INFLEXUS Of ALL THE ARTS which have originated in ancient magian wisdom astrology is now the most misunderstood. No one believes any longer in the universal harmonies of Nature and in the necessary interconnection of all effects…”
Both passages discuss the ancient practice of astrology and its connection to universal harmonies and celestial influences. They share the concept of the stars and planets having a profound impact on human life and destiny, though they come from different traditions (Hermeticism and Kabbalah).
◆western_esoteric|Transcendental Magic II: The Ritual (Éliphas Lévi)|9. The Ceremonial Of Initiatesb
“Taken literally and understood materially, such books could be only an inconceivable tissue of absurdities and scandals, as the school of Voltaire has demonstrated but too well. It is the same with all the ancient dogmas, the brilliant the…”
Both passages discuss the importance of understanding symbols and the deeper truths behind religious and mystical practices. They emphasize the need for initiation and the transcendence of natural weaknesses to achieve higher knowledge and spiritual power.