“If we have the curiosity to look in the dictionary, we are surprised to see that the word « Hermeticism » did not exist in the 19th century. We learn, however, that Hermetic comes from Hermes, which in Greek represents Mercury.
Hermetic also signifies « that which relates to Hermes, to the science of Hermes Trismegistus », to « alchemy ». His name, Trismegistus,
contains the notion three times greatest, that is to say
– Hermetic philosophy
– Hermetic art
– Hermetic medicine.
The name was given to a perfect closure, chiefly that which is obtained when the edges of a container, or a cover or anything else are fused, an invention with which Hermes Trismegistus is credited. In everyday language the word has gone on to mean anything that
is perfectly sealed.
The ancients also used Hermes’ name to designate a pedestal bearing the head of Mercury and, later, any other head that would be placed at a crossroads. This led to the term hermetic column, used in architecture to designate any column with a man’s head for a capital.
These various explanations may seem to be getting off the point but in fact will be very useful in helping us to understand a subject as vast as this one.”
Booklet n°8
A Christiane Buisset conference
20 pages format PDF
12,00 €
Editions du Pélican © CLS 2014