Magnum miraculum est homo…. The Phenomenon of Man in the Light of Hermetic Excerpts: Lactantius, Div. inst. 7.13.3

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to present the question of human nature in a hermetic approach based on the source texts of Asclepius and Corpus Hermeticum. As the reference point for a research on hermetic anthropology serves one of the hermetic fragments found in Lactantius’ Divinae institutiones (i.e. Div. inst. 7.13.3), who focused on a characteristic feature of every human being: their dual nature – both divine and hylic. The analysis of Div. inst. 7.13.3 is preceded by a short study, based on the anthology by M.D. Litwa, of the range of influence of hermetic texts on literature from antiquity to the Middle Ages