THE Fourteenth Book OF Hermes Trismegistus. Of Operation and Sense.

TAt. Thou hast well explain∣ed these things, Father: Teach me furthermore these things; for thou sayest, that Science & Art were the Opera∣tions of the rationall, but now thou sayest, that Beasts are un∣reasonable, and fot want of rea∣son, both are, and are called Bruits; so that by this Reason, it must needs follow, that un∣reasonable Creatures partake not of Science, or Art, because Page  207 they come short of Reason.

2. Herm. It must needs be so, Son.

3. Tat. Why then, O Fa∣ther, do we see some unreaso∣nable living Creatures use both Science and Art? as the Pis∣mires treasure up for themselves food against the Winter, and Fouls of the Air likewise make them Nests, and four-footed Beasts know their own Dens.

4. These things they do, O Son, not by Science or Art, but by Nature; for Science or Art are things that are taught, but none of these bruit Beasts are taught any of these things.

5. But these things being Na∣tural unto them, are wrought by Nature, whereas Art and Sci∣ence do not happen unto all, but unto some.

6. As men are Musitians, but Page  208 not all; neither are all Archers, or Huntsmen, or the rest, but some of them have learned some things by the working of Sci∣ence or Art.

7. After the same manner also, if some Pismires did so, and some not, thou mightest well say, they gather their Food according to Science and Art.

8. But being they are all led by Nature, to the same thing, even against their wills, it is manifest they do not do it by Science or Art.

9. For Operations, O Tat, being unbodily, are in Bodies, and work by Bodies.

10. Wherefore, O Tat, in as much as they are unbodily, thou must needs say they are immortal.

11. But as much as they can∣not act without Bodies, I say, they are always in a Body.

Page  209 12. For those things that are to any thing, or for the cause of any thing made subject to Providence or Necessity, cannot possibly remain idle of their own proper Operation.

13. For that which is, shall ever be; for both the Body, and the Life of it, is the same.

14. And by this reason, it follows, that the Bodies also are always; because I affirm, That this corporiety is always by the Act and Operation, or for them.

15. For although earthly bodies be subject to dissolution; yet these bodies must be the Places, and the Organs, and Instruments of Acts or Opera∣tions.

16. But Acts or Operations are immortall, and that which is immortall, is alwayes in Act, and therefore also Corpori•…ca∣tion if it be always.

Page  210 17. Acts or Operations do follow the Soul, yet come not suddenly or promiscuously, but some of them come together with being made man, being about bruitish or unreasonable things.

18. But the purer Operations do insensibly. in the change of time, work with the oblique part of the Soul.

19. And these Operations depend upon Bodies; and tru∣ly they that are Corporifying, come from the Divine Bodies into Mortall ones.

20. But every one of them acteth both about the Body and the Soul, and are present with the Soul, even without the Body.

21. And they are alwayes Acts or Operations, but the Soul is not always in a Mortall Body, for it can be without a Body, but Acts or Operations Page  211 cannot be without Bodies.

22. This is a sacred speech, Son, The Body cannot consist without a Soul.

23. Tat. How meanest thou that, Father?

24. Herm. Understand it thus, O Tat; When the Soul is separated from the Body, there remaineth that same Body.

25. And this same Body ac∣cording to the time of its abode, is actuated or operated in that it is dissolved, and becomes invi∣sible.

26. And these things the Bo∣dy cannot suffer without act or operation, and consequently there remaineth with the Body the same act or operation.

27. This then is the differ∣ence between an Immortall Bo∣dy, and a Mortall one, that the immortall one consists of one Matter, and so doth not the Page  212 mortall one; and the immor∣tall one Doth, but this Suffer∣eth.

28. And every thing that acteth or operateth, is stronger, and ruleth, but that which is actuated or operated, is ru∣led.

29. And that which ruleth, directeth, and governeth as free, but the other is ruled as ser∣vant.

30. Acts or Operations do not only actuate or operate, liv∣ing or breathing, or insouled (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Bodies, but also breath∣lesse Bodies or without Souls, Wood, and Stones, and such like; encreasing and bearing fruit, ripening, corrupting, rotting, •…utrifying, and break∣ing or working such-like things, and whatsoever inanimate Bo∣dies can suffer.

31. Act or Operation, O Son, Page  213 is called, whatsoever is, or is made or done; and there are al∣wayes many things made, or ra∣ther all things.

32. For the World is never widowed or forsaken of any of those things that are; but being alway carried or moved in it self, it is in labour to bring forth the things that are, which shall never be left by it to corruption.

33. Let therefore every act or operation be understood to be alwayes immortal, in what man∣ner of Body soever it be.

34. But some Acts or Opera∣tions be of Divine, some of cor∣ruptible Bodies, some univer∣sall, some peculiar, and some of the generals, and some of the parts of every thing.

35. Divine Acts or Opera∣tions therefore there be, and such as work or operate upon their proper Bodies, and these Page  214 also are perfect, and being upon or in perfect Bodies.

36. Particular, are they which work by any of the living Crea∣tures.

37. Proper, be they that work upon any of the things that are.

38. By this Discourse there∣fore, O Son, it is gathered that all things are full of Acts or O∣perations.

39. For if necessarily they be in every Body, and that there be many Bodies in the World, I may very well affirm, that there be many other Acts or Opera∣tions.

40. For many times in one Body, there is one, and a second, and a third, besides these univer∣sall ones that follow.

41. And universall Operati∣ons, I call them that are indeed bodily, and are done by the Sen∣ses and Motions.

Page  215 42. For without these it is impossible that the Body should consist.

43. But other Operations are proper to the Souls of Men, by Arts, Sciences, Studies, and Actions.

44. The Senses also follow these Operations, or rather are the effects or perfections (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) of them.

45. Understand therefore, O Son, the difference of Operati∣ons, it is sent from above.

46. But Sense being in the Body, and having its essence from it, when it receiveth Act or Operation, manifesteth it, making it as it were corporeall.

47. Therefore, I say, that the Senses are both corporeall and mortall, having so much exi∣stence as the Body; for they are born with the Body, and die with it.

Page  216 48. But mortal things them∣selves have not Sense, as not consisting of such an Essence.

49. For Sense can be no o∣ther than a corporeal apprehen∣sion, either of evil or good that comes to the Body.

50. But to Eternall Bodies there is nothing comes, nothing departs; therefore there is no Sense in them.

51. Tat. Doth the Sense therefore perceive or apprehend in every Body?

52. Herm. In every Body, O Son.

53. Tat. And do the Acts or Operations work in al things?

54. Herm. Even in things inanimate, O Son, but there are differences of Senses.

55. For the Senses of things rationall, are with Reason; of things unreasonable, Corporeal onely; but the Senses of things Page  217 inanimate, are passive onely, ac∣cording to Augmentation and Diminution.

56. But Passion and Sense de∣pend both upon one head, or heighth, and are gathered toge∣ther into the same by Acts or O∣perations.

57. But in living wights there be two other Operations that follow the Senses and Passions, to wit, Grief and Pleasure.

58. And without these, it is impossible that a living wight, especially a reasonable one should perceive or apprehend.

59. And therefore, I say, that these are the Ideas of Passions that bear rule, especially in rea∣sonable living wights.

60. The Operations work indeed, but the Senses do de∣clare and manifest the Operati∣ons, and they being bodily, are moved by the brutish parts of Page  218 the Soul; therefore, I say, they are both maleficiall, or doers of evil.

61. For that which affords the Sense to rejoyce with Plea∣sure, is straightway the cause of many evils happening to him that suffers it.

62. But Sorrow gives stron∣ger Torments and Anguish, therefore doubtlesse are they both maleficiall.

63. The same may be said of the Sense of the Soul.

64. Tat. Is not the Soul in∣corporeal, and the Sen•…e a Bo∣dy, Father? or is it rather in the Body?

65. Herm. If we put it in a Body, O Son, we shall make it like the Soul or the Operations. For these being unbodily, we say are in Bodies.

66. But Sense is neither O∣peration, nor Soul, nor any thing Page  219 else that belongs to the Body; but as we have said, and there∣fore it is not incorporeall.

67. And if it be not incor∣poreall, it must needs be a Bo∣dy; for we alwayes say, that of things that are, some are Bodies, and some incorporeall.