Thanatology of the Corpus Hermeticum (c. 100-300): the philosophical concept of Death in the Hermetic Tractates
David Pessoa de LIRA
Original title: A Tanatologia do Corpus Hermeticum (c. 100-300): o conceito filosófico da Morte nos Tratados Herméticos
Published in The World of Tradition
Keywords: Corpus Hermeticum, Death, Hermetic Literature, Hermeticism, Marcus Aurelius’ Antoninus, Philosophy, Stoicism, Thanatology.
This article attempts to examine the idea of death, its problem, in the scope of hermeticism in Antiquity, having mainly as object of analysis the Corpus Hermeticum. In particular, the problem of death, in the Corpus Hermeticum, is treated from the ontological point of view. A history of ideas about death in the Corpus Hermeticum supposes an analysis of the underlying conception of the world by the Hermetic authors, and not just of their philosophy. Although this study is linked to an examination of ideas about the meaning of life and the conception of immortality, which are problems related to the theme of death, here it does not imply an analysis of these problems, but a conclusive indication that some Hermetic Tractates show the dilemma of death between dissolution and change from the reflection of the Stoic Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.
The Λόγος Τέλειος in Lactantius’ De Vita Beata: Philological Analysis of the Hermetic Fragmentum of the Divinæ Institutiones 7.18.4-5
David Pessoa de LIRA
Original title: O Λόγος Τέλειος em De Vita Beata de Lactâncio: análise filológica do Fragmentum Hermético das Divinæ Institutiones 7. 18. 4-5
Published in Mirabilia Journal 34
Keywords: Asclepius Latinus, Fragmentum Hermeticum, Hermetic Literature, Lactantius, Philology, Λόγος Τέλειος.
This article analyzes the fragmentum of the Λόγος Τέλειος in Lactantius's De Vita Beata, Divinæ Institutiones 7. 18. 4-5. Of particular interest here is the idea and argument of the Hermetic fragmentum Λόγος Τέλειος in contrast to the idea in its context in De Vita Beata. Although there has been significant research on the small apocalypse or prediction of Asclepius Latinus 26a, this article focuses on understanding the aspects that characterize the Λόγος Τέλειος without dwelling beforehand on the idea of prediction and the future, nor on the subsequent interpretations developed for future events in the Latin translation of the Asclepius Latinus. The Coptic ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ⲧⲉⲗⲉⲓⲟⲥ [Logos Teleios] (Nag Hammadi VI.8 (73,23-36)) corroborates various aspects of Λόγος Τέλειος. The first text helps to understand the second one reciprocally. Therefore, the comparative method is used here to demonstrate the similarities and differences between the Greek Λόγος Τέλειος, the Coptic ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ⲧⲉⲗⲉⲓⲟⲥ, the Asclepius Latinus 26a and the intervention in these texts in sources of fragmentum transmission. The comparative analysis shows some relevant results in the relationship between the Λόγος Τέλειος en De Vita Beata de Lactantius. As result, one could perceive that the Λόγος Τέλειος is a text that deals with periodic cataclysm and timelessness and its demonstradum is different from Lactantius’ conception.
