Thrice Greatest Hermes, Volume II: The Sacred Sermons of the Trismegistic Wisdom

Thrice Greatest Hermes, Volume II by G. R. S. Mead is an extraordinary collection of the sacred sermons, dialogues, and fragments of the Trismegistic literature—texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary teacher of ancient Egypt, and spiritual archetype of divine wisdom. First published in 1906, this volume forms the heart of Mead’s trilogy on Hermetic philosophy and represents a pinnacle of scholarly devotion to the rediscovery of ancient Gnosis. With meticulous translation, insightful commentary, and philosophical depth, Mead presents the Hermetic corpus as a bridge between Hellenistic mysticism and universal spiritual truth.This second volume gathers the sermons and discourses that were preserved through centuries by early Christian theologians, Neoplatonic philosophers, and pagan scribes. These texts, most notably the Corpus Hermeticum and The Perfect Sermon (Asclepius), offer profound teachings on the nature of the cosmos, the structure of reality, the soul’s journey, and humanity’s divine origin. Each sermon is paired with Mead’s scholarly commentary, unraveling the symbolic language and metaphysical principles embedded within.The volume opens with Poemandres, the Shepherd of Men, one of the most influential Hermetic texts. This mystical revelation recounts a vision in which the seeker is initiated into the mysteries of creation, the descent of man, the unity of divine mind, and the soul’s return to the Light. Through poetic allegory, it explores the transformation of chaos into cosmos, the interplay of Light and Darkness, and the awakening of divine consciousness within humanity.Subsequent sermons—such as The General Sermon, The Sacred Sermon, The Cup or Monad, and The Secret Sermon on the Mountain—dive deeper into esoteric themes. Hermes teaches his disciples Tat and Asclepius about divine Mind (Nous), the Logos, reincarnation, the formation of the soul, the illusion of materiality, and the reality of the spiritual planes. These texts articulate a sacred science of purification, rebirth, and gnosis, urging the reader to renounce ignorance, embrace inner transformation, and remember the soul’s origin in the Divine.A highlight of this volume is the inclusion of The Perfect Sermon (Asclepius), a comprehensive treatise covering theology, cosmology, ethics, and ritual. This deeply mystical dialogue addresses the fall of mankind, the degeneration of the sacred sciences, the divine nature of speech and thought, and the power of ritual to align human will with cosmic order. Asclepius, Hermes’ trusted student, is entrusted with the highest secrets of creation, affirming that true wisdom lies not in intellectual speculation but in direct inner experience of the Divine.