The Eternal Hermes

Book excerpt: Hermes -- the fascinating, mercurial messenger of the gods, eloquent revealer of hidden wisdom, and guardian of occult knowledge -- has played a central role in the development of esotericism in the West. The enigmatic Hermes Trismegistus, legendary author of ancient Gnostic writings, was the father of the Hermetic tradition. Drawing upon rare books and manuscripts, this highly illustrated work explores the question of where Hermes Trismegistus came from, how he came to be a patron of the esoteric traditions, and how the figure of Hermes has remained lively and inspiring to our own day.