Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica

BPH Newsletter autumn 2006

New publication by the BPH’s publishing house In de Pelikaan:
Obtainable from 8 December:
Roelof van den Broek, Hermes Trismegistus. Inleiding, teksten, commentaren. Amsterdam: In de Pelikaan, 2006 (Pimander. Texts and Studies published by the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica 15), 366 pp. ISBN 90 71608 220. Price: • 37,50

This is the first annotated scholarly translation in Dutch of such recently discovered hermetic texts as the Definitions of Hermes Trismegistus, a collection of brief observations which have been preserved in their entirety in Armenian and partly in Greek. Another important text to have been included is On the Ogdoad and Ennead, part of the Nag Hammadi codices. Especially the latter text is important for our knowledge of hermetism and settles the often debated question whether there existed hermetic communities in Alexandria in the first centuries CE with initiations, prayers, hymns, meals etc.

The edition of hermetic texts (I. Fragments from Stobaeus; II. Fragments of Vienna; III. The Hermetica of Oxford; IV. Greek and Latin Testimonia; V. The hermetic Definitions
VI. On the Ogdoad and Ennead) is preceded by a very comprehensive general introduction, in which Roelof van den Broek discusses the character of hermetism and hermetic views in Antiquity in great detail. The Introduction contributes towards a better understanding of the backgrounds and significance of hermetism at the time of its origin and departs from the most recent scholarly insights. Amongst the themes he considers are the relationship between technical and religious-philosophical Hermetica; place and time of origin of the hermetic texts; Hermetism in Antiquity: God, the androgynous creator; hermetic societies, Greek philosophy, Egyptian religion and Judaism in Alexandria; hermetism and gnostisicm; hermetism and Christianity.

This edition is the third in the series of hermetic text editions published by the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica. The other two are Corpus Hermeticum, introduced, translated (into Dutch) and annotated by Roelof van den Broek and Gilles Quispel, and Asclepius, introduced, translated (into Dutch) and annotated by Gilles Quispel. The guideline for the editors was the standard scholarly edition of Nock and Festugière; the commentaries by Roelof van den Broek and Gilles Quispel serve to place the texts in context.

As stated above, this new book has the added merit of a comprehensive introduction which considers Hermes Trismegistus and the place of Hermetism in the early centuries CE. Roelof van den Broek has incorporated in his introduction the accumulated scholarly insights on Hermes and Hermetism of the past twenty years, making this work also a reference tool for students of the Hermetica.

New online exhibition:
Books from the writing desk of Jan Amos Comenius (Komensky)
Please go to our homepage for an online exhibition of books by the Czech reformer Jan Amos Comenius (Nivnice, Moravia 1592-Amsterdam 1670), with special attention for his chiliastic interests, his Amsterdam period (he was a guest of the De Geer family in their house on the Keizersgracht) and his English circle of admirers (amongst whom Samule Hartlib).
Forthcoming publication and exhibition on Jacob Böhme: manuscripts and early printed books

The BPH Böhme project focuses on the history of the Böhme collection of manuscripts and early printed books brought together by the Amsterdam businessman, Abraham Willemsz. van Beyerland (1586/7-1648). Van Beyerland collected, translated and published the complete works of the German theosopher Jacob Böhme before the English and German collected editions appeared.
In March 2007 the BPH will publish Böhmes Weg in die Welt: die Geschichte der Sammlung A.W. van Beyerlands und seine Übersetzungen. This publication offers new research from Böhme scholars in both Germany and the Netherlands. The new publication will accompany a special exhibition in the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica in Amsterdam which will open also in March 2007.
More information will follow in the next newsletter.

Closures for 2006
Christmas closure
Please note that we are closed from 25 December 2006 through 1 January 2007. The library re-opens on Tuesday 2 January.