Asclepius: “Are You Talking About Statues, Trismegistus?” A Lecture with Brian Cotnoir, Alchemist in Residence

• History
• Religion & Spirituality

“Statues, Asclepius, yes. See how little trust you have! I mean statues ensouled and conscious, filled with spirit and doing great deeds; statues that foreknow the future and predict it by lots, by prophecy, by dreams and by many other means; statues that make people ill and cure them, bringing them pain and pleasure as each deserves.” —Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius. Trans Brian Copenhaver.

Throughout early Hermetic, alchemical and Neo-Platonic writings, mention is made of statues en-souled with a god and alive, with some acting as priests in their own temple, others speak oracles and prophecies. But, there is no description of the method by which these statues were animated. Drawing from a variety of texts, such as the Greek Magical Papyri, the Corpus Hermeticum, and theurgic practices, tonight’s talk will attempt to provide a provisional outline for a process as well as an understanding of what was being attempted.