“We stood upon a dark and rocky cliff that overhung the restless seas. In the sky above us was a certain glorious sun, encircled by that brilliant rainbow, which they of the Path of the Chamelion know.

“I beheld, until the heavens opened, and a form like unto the Mercury of the Greeks (1) descended, flashing like the lightning; and he hovered between the sky and the sea. In his hand was the staff (2) wherewith the eyes of mortals are closed in sleep, and wherewith he also, at will, re-awakeneth the sleeper; and terribly did the globe at its summit dart forth rays. And he bare a scroll whereon was written:

Lumen est in Deo,

Lux in homine factum,

Sive Sol,

Sive Luna,

Sive Stelloc errantes,

Omnia in Lux,

Lux in Lumine

Lumen in Centrum,

Centrum in Circulo,

Circulum ex Nihilo,

Quid scis, id ens. (3)

F.I.A.T. (4)

E.S.T. (5)

E.S.T.O(6)

E.RI.T. (7)

In fidelitate et veritate universas ab aeternitate. (8)

Nunc Hora.

Nunc Dies.

Nunc Annus,

Nunc Saeculum,

Omnia sunt Unum,

et Omnia in Omnibus.

A.E.T.E.R.N.I.T.A.S. (9)

Then Hermes cried aloud, and said:

“I am Hermes Mercurius, the Son of God, the messenger uniting Superiors and Inferiors. I exist not without them, and their union is in me. I bathe in the Ocean. I fill the expanse of Air. I penetrate the depths beneath.”

And the Frater who was with me, said unto me:

“Thus is the Balance of Nature maintained, for this Mercury is the beginning of all movement. This He, (10) this She, this IT, is in all things, but hath wings which thou canst not constrain. For when thou sayest ‘He is here’ he is not here, for by that time he is already away, for he is Eternal Motion and Vibration.”

Nevertheless in Mercury must thou seek all things. Therefore not without reason did our Ancient Fratres say that the Great Work was to “Fix the Volatile.” There is but one place where he can be fixed, and that is the Centre, a centre exact. “Centrum in trigono centri.” (11) The Centre in the triangle of the Centre.

If thine own soul be baseless how wilt thou find a standing point whence to fix the soul of the Universe?

“Christus de Christi,

Mercury de Mercurio,

Per viam crucis,

Per vitam Lucis

Deus te Adjutabitur!” (12) 

TRANSLATION OF AND NOTES ON DOCUMENT M

By C. H. FRATER, S.RM.D.

1. Hermes is Greek, Mercury is Roman.

2. Compare with v. 47 ODYSSEY: “Him promptly obeyed the active destroyer of Argus. Forth sped he, and under his feet he bound his ambrosial sandals. Then, taking his staff wherewith he the eyes of mortals closeth at will, and the sleeper at will reawakens.”

3. Translation: The Light is in God, the LVX hath been made into Man. Whether Sun, or Moon, or Wandering Stars, all are in Lux, the Lux in the Light, the Light in the Centre, the Centre in the Circle, the Circle from the Nothingness (Negative or Ain) What thou mayest be (i.e. what thou hast in thyself, the capability of being) that shalt thou be (or become).

4. Flatus. Ignis. Aqua. Terra. (Air. Fire. Water. Earth.)

5. Ether. Sal. Terrae. (Ether, the Salt of the Earth.)

6. Ether. Subtilis. Totius. Orbis. (The subtle Ether of the whole universe.)

7. Ether. Ruens. In. Terra. (The Ether rushing into the Earth.)

8. Let it be (or become). It is. Be it so. It shall be (or endure). In Universal faithfulness and truth from eternity. Now an hour, Now a day, Now a year, Now an age, all things are One, and All in All. ETERNITY.

9. These ten letters are Notaricons of: Ab Kether. Ex Chokmah. Tu Binah. Ex Chesed. Regina Geburah. Nunc Tiphareth. In Netzach. Totius Hod. Ad Yesod. Saeculorum Malkuth. (From the Crown, out of Wisdom—Thou, O Understanding art Mercy, Queen of Severity. Now the perfect Beauty, in the Victory, of all Splendour, for the Foundation, of the Ages of the Universe.)

10. Probably alludes to the Three Principles.

11. This was, I believe, but am not certain, the motto of our Frater Count Adrian a Meynsicht, otherwise known as Henricus Madathanus.

12. The Christ from the Christ. The Mercury from the Mercury, Through the Path of the Cross, Through the life of the Light, God shall be Thy Help.