The Sacred Book of Hermes to Asclepius

The Sacred Book of Hermes to Asclepius is an important Hermetic astrological text, written in Greek, probably dating back to the 1st-4th centuries A.D., but surviving in Medieval manuscripts (post 13th century). It lists the 36 decans their secret names, their images, and instructions for their use which involve talismanic packets for healing purposes: for each the reader is instructed to engrave the image on a particular stone, to place a plant or herb under it, and to wear the whole as a talisman. The text also contains warnings to abstain from certain types of foods, whose energies will presumably hinder the intended effects. Some of the stones and herbs named in the text are not entirely known. Each decan governs a body part or organ, and thereby we can determine which one to use for a particular affliction or illness.



Full text on Academia.edu and the Hermetic Tablet, 2017.

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