Address to Klea concerning Gnosis and the Search for Truth

Thrice-Greatest Hermes, Vol. 1, by G.R.S. Mead, [1906], at sacred-texts.com

p. 261

CONCERNING ISIS AND OSIRIS

ADDRESS TO KLEA CONCERNING GNOSIS AND THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH ¹

I. 1. ² While all who have mind, O Klea, should ask for all their blessings from the Gods—let us, by pursuing after them, pray to obtain from them those [blessings] of gnosis ³ concerning them, as far as ’tis within the reach of men; in that there’s nothing greater for a man to get, nor more majestic for a God to give, than Truth.

2. Of other things their God gives men what they require, whereas of mind and wisdom He gives a share ⁴ to them—since He [Himself] possesses these and uses [them].

For the Divine is neither blest through silver and through gold, nor strong through thunderings and lightnings, but [blest and strong] by gnosis and by wisdom.

3. And thus most finely of all things which he hath said about the Gods—sounding aloud:

Yea have they both a common source and one [fair] native land;
But Zeus came into being first and he knew more—

hath Homer made pronouncement of the primacy of Zeus as more majestic, in that in gnosis and in wisdom it ⁵ is older.

4. Nay, I believe that the good fortune of æonian life—the which the God hath gotten for his lot—is

p. 262

that by reason of His gnosis the things in genesis should not entirely die; for when the knowing of existing things and being wise is taken from it, freedom from death is Time—not Life.

Footnotes

261:1 I have added some sub-headings as an indication of contents.

261:2 I have numbered the paragraphs for greater convenience of reference.

261:3 ἐπιστήμης.

261:4 A play on δίδωσιν and μετα-δίδωσιν.

261:5 Sc. the primacy.