Artifacts > Emerald Tablet of Thoth

Emerald Tablet of Thoth

Background

Emerald Tablet of Thoth and Alexander the Great

The Emerald Tablet of Thoth

Background:

• Origin: The Emerald Tablet, also known as the Smaragdine Table or Tabula Smaragdina, is an ancient text attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a syncretic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth. The text is believed to date back to late antiquity, with origins possibly in the Hellenistic period, around the 2nd century CE.
• Content: The Emerald Tablet is a concise and cryptic piece of Hermetic literature, comprising a series of aphorisms that outline the principles of alchemy and the unity of the cosmos. The text is famous for phrases such as "As above, so below" and "The All is One."

Text and Themes:

• Unity and Correspondence: The tablet emphasizes the interconnectedness of all things in the universe, suggesting that what happens on a small scale (microcosm) reflects what happens on a large scale (macrocosm).
• Transformation and Alchemy: It outlines the process of alchemical transformation, both physically (transforming base metals into gold) and spiritually (the evolution of the soul).

Alexander the Great and the Emerald Tablet

Alexander's Influence:

• Cultural Exchange: Alexander the Great's conquests (334-323 BCE) significantly influenced the spread of Greek culture and facilitated cultural exchanges between Greece, Egypt, Persia, and beyond. His founding of the city of Alexandria in Egypt created a major center for learning and the amalgamation of different philosophical and religious traditions.
• Hermetic Tradition: Although the Emerald Tablet itself dates to a later period, the syncretism exemplified by Hermes Trismegistus is indicative of the cultural blending that occurred due to Alexander's empire. Hermeticism, which combines elements of Greek, Egyptian, and other philosophical traditions, flourished in Alexandria.

Alexandria and Hermeticism:

• Library of Alexandria: The Library of Alexandria, established during the Hellenistic period, became a repository for knowledge from various cultures. Scholars in Alexandria would have had access to a wide range of texts, including those that contributed to the development of Hermetic literature.
• Greek and Egyptian Fusion: The fusion of Greek and Egyptian thought in Alexandria laid the groundwork for Hermeticism. Thoth, an Egyptian deity associated with writing, knowledge, and magic, was merged with the Greek Hermes, the messenger god and patron of boundaries and transitions. This fusion is evident in the figure of Hermes Trismegistus, who is credited with the authorship of the Emerald Tablet.

Alexander's Role:

• Facilitator of Cultural Synthesis: While there is no direct connection between Alexander the Great and the Emerald Tablet, his conquests and the subsequent Hellenistic period created an environment where Greek and Egyptian traditions could merge. This cultural synthesis eventually led to the development of Hermeticism.
• Patron of Knowledge: Alexander's establishment of cities like Alexandria, which became centers of learning and scholarship, indirectly supported the preservation and transmission of knowledge that included Hermetic texts.

Conclusion

The Emerald Tablet of Thoth, attributed to the mythical Hermes Trismegistus, is a key text in Hermetic literature that emerged during a time of significant cultural and philosophical synthesis. While Alexander the Great did not directly contribute to the creation of the Emerald Tablet, his conquests and the resulting Hellenistic period facilitated the blending of Greek and Egyptian traditions. This environment of cultural exchange and the establishment of scholarly centers like Alexandria played a crucial role in the development of Hermeticism, of which the Emerald Tablet is a significant part. Alexander's legacy as a patron of knowledge and cultural synthesis indirectly supported the conditions under which the Hermetic tradition could flourish.

The Mystery of the Emerald Tablet

Figuier’s Account

In his 1854 work, Alchemy and the Alchemists, Figuier recounts a fascinating story: Tradition claims that Alexander the Great discovered a piece known as the Emerald Tablet in the tomb of Hermes, hidden deep within the Great Pyramid of Giza by Egyptian priests. According to this tradition, the tablet was an immense emerald slab, engraved by Hermes with a diamond-tipped tool.

Historical Inconsistencies

What’s peculiar about Figuier’s account is that it doesn't align with established traditions. Albertus Magnus, writing around 1200, makes no mention of the pyramid. He describes Alexander discovering Hermes' sepulchre during his travels, filled with treasures—not of metal, but golden writings on a tablet of zatadi, which others call emerald (translated by Thomas Thomson). Most variations of the story, which substitute Alexander for the original Apollonius of Tyana, place the event in Hebron, traditionally Adam’s tomb location. Figuier’s source remains untraced, suggesting he may have conflated Albertus Magnus’ narrative with an Arab-Egyptian tradition identifying the Great Pyramid as Hermes’ tomb. This possible conflation led to a unique twist in occult studies, as later writers, like William Henry in his 2006 book Mary Magdalene: The Illuminator, copied this version nearly verbatim from Levi's 1999 translation.

The Influence and Mystery of the Tablet

Swancer adds that the alleged writings on the Emerald Tablet had a significant impact on alchemy. However, no physical evidence of the tablet has ever surfaced. Our knowledge comes solely from written accounts and various translations by influential figures such as Roger Bacon, Michael Maier, Aleister Crowley, Albertus Magnus, Eric John Holmyard, Julius Ruska, and Carl Jung, who claimed to have encountered the tablet in dreams.

Variations and Translations

None of these translations are identical, and interpretations vary among writers. This fact can be misleading, as most modern European translators worked from one of two Latin translations derived from the earliest known Arabic copies. Except for Ruska, these translations often come from the Latin version included in the Secretum Secretorum of Pseudo-Aristotle, a later text than Hugh of Santalla's Latin translation from the Secrets of Nature by pseudo-Balinus. The Arabic texts, differing slightly, originate from two sources: the Secretum Secretorum version from Jabir ibn Hayyan (Geber in the West) and Hugh’s version from pseudo-Balinus, likely an Arabic translation of a Syriac version of a late antique Greek original.

The True Origin of the Text

The text's origin is relatively well-documented, and it's clear it wasn’t from an actual artifact in Hermes' tomb, partly because Hermes is a mythical figure. The frame story resembles other ancient wisdom tales, such as Cainan’s tablets of the Watchers in the Book of Jubilees, the Pillars of the Giants in the Kyranides, and the antediluvian scrolls of the Akhbar al-zaman. These stories were common literary devices, more fanciful than factual.

Swancer concludes, "It is all very intriguing, but in the end, there is no certainty that any of those who translated the tablet ever saw the actual tablet themselves. It seems more likely they worked with alleged transcripts of the original tablet, and there is a good chance much of the information was changed or corrupted over time through subsequent translations." The real question remains whether the text is an Arabic original or a translation of a Greek text. Pseudo-Balinus provides no clarity here, as it is uncertain whether the Emerald Tablet was originally part of his fifth-century work or added by a Syriac or Arabic translator. Scholars remain divided on this issue.

Alexander the Great and the Emerald Tablet

Conquest and Discovery

In 332 BCE, Alexander the Great conquered Egypt, becoming its pharaoh. This position granted him access to Egypt's vast treasures, including the legendary tomb of Hermes (also identified with Akhenaten). Believing it was his destiny to uncover ancient secrets, Alexander journeyed across the Libyan desert to the ancient temple at Siwa, where, according to Albertus Magnus and others, he discovered the Emerald Tablet.

Preservation and Translation

Alexander took the tablet and accompanying scrolls to Heliopolis. He placed the scrolls in the sacred archives and publicly displayed the Emerald Tablet. Immediately, construction began on the city of Alexandria, intended as a center for housing and studying Hermetic texts. Alexander assembled a panel of priests and scholars to prepare Greek translations of these ancient writings.

Description of the Tablet

A traveler who saw the tablet on display at Heliopolis described it as a precious stone resembling an emerald, with characters in bas-relief rather than engraved. The traveler noted its estimated age of over 2,000 years and speculated that the material had once been fluid like melted glass, molded, and hardened by an artist to achieve the genuine emerald's natural hardness.

The Tablet’s Journey

When Alexander left Egypt, it is suggested he took the original tablet with him, hiding it for safekeeping before his campaigns in Babylonia and India. Meanwhile, copies of the tablet became crucial documents in Alexandria. Scholars reportedly issued revised Greek translations in 290 BCE, 270 BCE, and 50 BCE.

Legacy and Preservation

Several papyri in the British Museum reference a canon of Egyptian teachings, including Hermes' writings, still existing during Clement of Alexandria's time (around 170 CE). Fortunately, before the successive destructions of Alexandria's libraries by Romans, Christians, and Muslims, copies of the Emerald Tablet had spread to Arabia. From there, they eventually reached Spain and Europe, preserving this ancient knowledge for future generations.

Sources

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