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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1841 edition. Excerpt:...in the solitude of his Unity; for neither is the Intelligible immixed with him, nor is any other thing. He is established, the exemplar of the God who is the father of himself, self-begotten, the only father, who is truly good. For he is something greater, and the first, the fountain of all things, and the root of all primary Intelligible Existing forms. But out of this one, the self-ruling God made himself shine forth; wherefore he is the father of himself, and self-ruling: for he is the first Principle, and God of Gods. He is the Monad from the One, before essence, yet the first principle of essence, for from him is entity and essence; on which account he is celebrated as the chief of the Intelligibles. These are the most ancient principles of all things, which Hermes places first in order, before the ethereal and empyrean Gods, and the celestial. This" is the translation given in Mr. Cory's valuable collection of "Ancient Fragments," p. 283. "But, according to another division, he(Hermes) places the God Emeph, as the ruler of the celestial Gods; and says that he is Intellect, understanding himself, and converting other intelligences to himself. And before this he places the indivisible One, which he calls the first Effigies, denominating him Eicton; in whom, indeed, is the first Intellect, and the first Intelligible; and this One is venerated in Silence. Besides these, other rulers are imagined to exist, which govern the fabrication of things apparent; for the demiurge intellect, which properly presides over truth and wisdom, when it proceeds to generation, and leads forth into light the inapparent power of the secret reasons, is called Amon, according to the Egyptian tongue; and when it perfects all things not deceptively,...