Vol. 3: I. Excerpts by Stob us: Excerpt XIII. Of the Whole Economy

Gnosticism and Hermetica EXCERPT XIII.

OF THE WHOLE ECONOMY (Patrizzi (p. 38) gives no title, but only the heading: “To the Same Ammon (Αμμωνα).”

Text: Stob., Phys., v. 16, under sub-heading: “Of the Whole Economy,” followed by: “Of Hermes from the [Sermons] to Ammon (Ἀμοῦν 1)”; G. p. 68; M. i. 47; W. i. 79, 80.

Ménard, Livre IV., No. i. of “Fragments of the Books of Hermes to Ammon”).

Now what supporteth the whole World, 2 is Providence; what holdeth it together and encircleth it about, is [called] Necessity; what drives all on and drives them round, 3 is Fate, bringing Necessity to bear on them (for that its nature is the bringing into play of [this] Necessity); [it 4 is] the cause of birth and death 5 of life.

So, then, the Cosmos is beneath the sway of [paragraph continues] Providence 1 (for ’tis the first to meet with it); but Providence [itself] 2 extends itself to Heaven.

For which cause, 3 too, the Gods revolve, and speed round [Heaven], 4 possessed of tireless, never-ceasing motion.

But Fate [extends itself in Cosmos]; for which cause, too, Necessity [encompasses the Cosmos]. 5 And Providence foreknows; but Fate’s the reason of the disposition of the Stars. 6 Such is the law that no one can escape, by which all things are ordered. 7