The Emerald Tablet
Tabula Smaragdina - The Foundation of Hermetic Wisdom
The Text of the Emerald Tablet
1. It is true, certain, and without falsehood, that whatever is below is like that which is above; and that which is above is like that which is below: to accomplish the one wonderful work.
2. As all things are derived from the One Only Thing, by the will and by the word of the One Only One who created it in His Mind, so all things owe their existence to this Unity by the order of Nature, and can be improved by Adaptation to that Mind.
3. Its Father is the Sun; its Mother is the Moon; the Wind carries it in its womb; and its nurse is the Earth.
4. This Thing is the Father of all perfect things in the world.
5. Its power is most perfect when it has again been changed into Earth.
6. Separate the Earth from the Fire, the subtle from the gross, gently and with great prudence.
7. It ascends from Earth to Heaven, and descends again, new-born, to the Earth, taking unto itself thereby the power of the Above and the Below.
8. Thus the splendor of the whole world will be thine, and all darkness shall flee from thee.
9. This is the strongest of all powers, the Force of all forces, for it overcometh all subtle things and can penetrate all that is solid.
10. For thus was the world created, and rare combinations, and wonders of many kinds are wrought.
11. Hence I am called Hermes Trismegistus, having the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world.
12. That which I had to say about the operation of the Sun is completed.
- Translation based on Isaac Newton's version and traditional Latin texts
Description and Nature
The Emerald Tablet (Latin: Tabula Smaragdina, Arabic: Lawh al-Zumurrudh) is a compact cryptic text that has served as the foundational document of Western alchemy and Hermetic philosophy for over a thousand years. Attributed to the legendary sage Hermes Trismegistus ("Thrice-Great Hermes"), it claims to contain the secret of the prima materia and the process for creating the Philosopher's Stone in veiled, allegorical language.
According to legend, the text was originally inscribed on a tablet made of emerald (or a green crystalline substance) using the Phoenician alphabet. The physical tablet was reportedly discovered by various figures across different traditions: Alexander the Great finding it in the hands of Hermes's mummified body in a cave near Hebron, Sarah (wife of Abraham) discovering it in Hermes's tomb, or Apollonius of Tyana extracting it from Hermes's crypt. These discovery narratives emphasize the text's antiquity and sacred transmission.
In reality, the earliest surviving text appears in Arabic works from the 6th to 8th centuries CE, likely composed in Hellenistic Egypt where Greek philosophy, Egyptian religion, and Jewish mysticism merged to create the Hermetic tradition. The text synthesizes cosmological, alchemical, and spiritual principles into a dense formula that has been interpreted and reinterpreted for centuries.
The Physical Tablet (According to Legend):
- Material: Emerald or green crystal; some accounts describe it as a single massive emerald, others as green stone or glass
- Inscription: Letters carved or incised into the surface; described as Phoenician, hieroglyphic, or a sacred script
- Size: Varied in accounts; small enough to hold in one's hands in some versions, much larger in others
- Discovery Location: Variously placed in Egypt, near Hebron, in Alexander's conquests, or in an underground temple
- Current Location: Unknown; the physical tablet (if it ever existed) has been lost, with only the text surviving through manuscript transmission
- Luminosity: Some accounts describe the emerald as glowing with inner light, readable in darkness
- Indestructibility: Said to be impervious to damage, explaining its survival across millennia
Hermes Trismegistus - The Thrice-Great
The Emerald Tablet is attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary figure who represents the syncretism of the Greek god Hermes (messenger of the gods, inventor of writing) with the Egyptian god Thoth (ibis-headed deity of wisdom, writing, and magic). This composite figure emerged in Hellenistic Egypt, where Greek and Egyptian cultures merged under Ptolemaic rule.
"Trismegistus" means "Thrice-Great" or "Three Times Greatest," a title perhaps referring to Hermes's mastery of three wisdoms: alchemy (operation of the Sun), astrology (operation of the Moon), and theurgy (operation of the Stars). Alternative interpretations connect the three to body, mind, and spirit, or to the three worlds (celestial, terrestrial, and subterranean) that Hermes rules as psychopomp.
The Hermetic Corpus
Beyond the Emerald Tablet, Hermes Trismegistus is credited with an enormous body of writings collectively called the Hermetica. The philosophical Hermetica, particularly the Corpus Hermeticum and the Asclepius, present dialogues on cosmology, theology, and the nature of the divine mind. The technical Hermetica include works on alchemy, astrology, and magic.
During the Renaissance, when the Corpus Hermeticum was translated into Latin by Marsilio Ficino (1463), European scholars believed these texts predated Plato and Moses, representing prisca theologia (ancient theology) from which all later wisdom derived. This belief elevated Hermes Trismegistus to supreme importance in Western esotericism, though scholars now date most Hermetic texts to the early centuries CE.
- The Kybalion (1908), expressing Hermetic tradition
Interpretation and Meaning
"As Above, So Below"
The opening declaration - "whatever is below is like that which is above; and that which is above is like that which is below" - has become the most famous expression of Hermetic philosophy. This principle of correspondence asserts that the macrocosm (universe, heavens, divine realm) and microcosm (human being, earth, material realm) mirror each other. Understanding one reveals understanding of the other.
This correspondence operates in multiple directions. The human being is a miniature universe, containing within themselves all cosmic principles. Conversely, the universe operates according to the same laws visible in human psychology and physiology. The alchemist works simultaneously on external matter and internal spirit, each transformation reflecting and enabling the other.
The One Thing
The tablet speaks of "the One Only Thing" from which all things derive and the process by which it can be refined. This One Thing has been interpreted as:
- Prima Materia: The first matter from which all substances derive, unformed potential waiting to be shaped by the Great Work
- The Philosopher's Stone: The perfected substance that can transmute other materials to their highest form
- Divine Mind: The unified consciousness from which creation emerges and to which enlightened minds return
- The Self: The unified personality that emerges from psychological integration (in Jungian interpretation)
Sun, Moon, Wind, and Earth
The tablet describes the One Thing's genealogy through elemental and celestial parents. The Sun (solar, masculine, active principle) is its father; the Moon (lunar, feminine, receptive principle) is its mother. The Wind (spirit, breath, mediating principle) carries it, and Earth (material realm, body) nurtures it. This quaternary framework maps onto numerous symbolic systems.
Alchemically, these correspond to Sulfur (Sun), Mercury (Moon), and Salt (Earth), with Wind/Air representing the volatile spirit that must be fixed. The process described - ascending to heaven and descending to earth - mirrors the alchemical operations of sublimation and condensation, as well as the spiritual journey of enlightenment and incarnation.
Separation and Conjunction
"Separate the Earth from the Fire, the subtle from the gross" describes the analytical phase of the Work - discrimination between pure and impure, essential and accidental, spiritual and material. This separation must be performed "gently and with great prudence," suggesting that violent or hasty approaches destroy what they seek to purify.
The subsequent ascending and descending describes conjunction - the reunification of separated elements at a higher level of integration. Having been separated and purified, the elements recombine with enhanced power, uniting the virtues of Above and Below in a single perfected substance or state of being.
Historical Influence and Legacy
Medieval Alchemy
When Arabic alchemical texts containing the Emerald Tablet were translated into Latin in the 12th century, they sparked intense interest in Western Europe. The tablet became the authoritative statement of alchemical principles, cited and commented upon by virtually every subsequent alchemical writer. Its cryptic nature invited endless interpretation, with each commentator finding their own system encoded in its verses.
Major alchemists including Albertus Magnus, Roger Bacon, and Thomas Aquinas (or pseudo-Aquinas) produced commentaries on the tablet. These interpretations connected its cosmology to Aristotelian natural philosophy, creating a synthesis that dominated late medieval and Renaissance thought about matter, transformation, and the relationship between physical and spiritual realms.
Renaissance Revival
The Renaissance saw a dramatic revival of interest in Hermetic literature. Marsilio Ficino's translation of the Corpus Hermeticum, commissioned by Cosimo de' Medici, placed Hermetic thought at the center of Renaissance intellectual culture. The Emerald Tablet's principles of correspondence and unity influenced artists, philosophers, and scientists alike.
The principle "as above, so below" provided theoretical grounding for astrology, supporting the belief that celestial events corresponded to terrestrial ones. It also supported the idea that humans, as microcosms, could understand and even influence the macrocosm through knowledge and practice. This empowering vision contributed to the Renaissance sense of human potential.
Isaac Newton's Translation
Among the many prominent figures who studied the Emerald Tablet, Isaac Newton devoted considerable attention to both alchemy and Hermetic philosophy. Newton produced his own translation of the tablet from Latin, preserved among his alchemical papers. While he published nothing on alchemy during his lifetime, these private writings show that the founder of modern physics took Hermetic principles seriously.
Some historians argue that Newton's concept of gravity as action at a distance, and his vision of a universe governed by universal laws, owes something to Hermetic ideas of cosmic correspondence and unified causation. The relationship between Newton's public science and private alchemy remains a subject of scholarly debate.
Modern Esotericism
The Emerald Tablet continues to influence modern esoteric movements. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Theosophy, and various New Age traditions draw on its principles. "As above, so below" has become a widely recognized phrase beyond specifically esoteric contexts, entering popular culture as a general principle of correspondence and reflection.
Symbolism and Esoteric Meaning
The Color Green
The tablet's emerald material connects to the color green's rich symbolic associations. Green represents life, growth, and nature; Venus, the planet of love and harmony; the heart chakra in some systems; and the "green lion" of alchemy - the corrosive yet vivifying substance that dissolves gold. The emerald's clarity suggests truth seen purely, wisdom crystallized into permanent form.
Vertical Circulation
The described motion - ascending to heaven and descending to earth - represents the circulation of spiritual energy through levels of being. What rises is purified by contact with the Above; what descends brings spiritual power into material manifestation. This vertical exchange unites the worlds and enables transformation.
The Three Parts
Hermes claims "the three parts of the philosophy of the whole world." These have been interpreted as the three traditional occult arts (alchemy, astrology, theurgy), the three levels of reality (physical, psychological, spiritual), or the three stages of the alchemical work (nigredo, albedo, rubedo). The triangular structure suggests completeness and stability.
Unity in Multiplicity
The tablet's central message concerns the underlying unity behind apparent multiplicity. All things derive from the One Thing; diversity is appearance, unity is reality. This non-dual philosophy connects Hermeticism to mystical traditions worldwide that teach the ultimate oneness of existence. The alchemist who realizes this unity gains power over transformation.
Modern Depictions and Cultural Impact
Literature
- The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho): References Hermetic principles throughout, with "as above, so below" appearing as thematic foundation
- Foucault's Pendulum (Umberto Eco): Extensive discussion of Hermetic tradition and its influence on Western occultism
- Various Fantasy Works: The tablet appears as a plot device or source of magical knowledge in numerous novels and games
Popular Culture
- "As Above, So Below" (2014 film): Horror film set in Paris catacombs, using the phrase as title and thematic element
- Television and Film: Hermetic principles appear in shows dealing with alchemy, magic, or occultism (Fullmetal Alchemist, etc.)
- Music: The phrase "as above, so below" appears in countless songs across metal, electronic, and other genres
Modern Esotericism
- The Kybalion (1908): Popular Hermetic text elaborating Seven Hermetic Principles derived partly from the tablet's teachings
- Golden Dawn Tradition: Incorporated Hermetic principles into ceremonial magic, influencing modern Wicca and occultism
- New Age Movement: Widely cites "as above, so below" in discussions of holistic reality and cosmic connection
Related Across the Mythos
Hermetic Tradition
Western Esotericism
As above, so below
Hermes Trismegistus
Legendary Sage
Thrice-Great Hermes
Hermes
Greek God
Messenger and guide
Cross-Cultural Parallels
Bibliography and Further Reading
- Copenhaver, Brian P. Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius. Cambridge University Press, 1992.
- Faivre, Antoine. The Eternal Hermes: From Greek God to Alchemical Magus. Phanes Press, 1995.
- Holmyard, E.J. "The Emerald Table." Nature 112 (1923): 525-526.
- Ruska, Julius. Tabula Smaragdina: Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der hermetischen Literatur. Heidelberg, 1926.
- Yates, Frances A. Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition. University of Chicago Press, 1964.
- Principe, Lawrence M. The Secrets of Alchemy. University of Chicago Press, 2013.
- Ebeling, Florian. The Secret History of Hermes Trismegistus: Hermeticism from Ancient to Modern Times. Cornell University Press, 2007.
- Fowden, Garth. The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Approach to the Late Pagan Mind. Cambridge University Press, 1986.
- Linden, Stanton J. The Alchemy Reader: From Hermes Trismegistus to Isaac Newton. Cambridge University Press, 2003.
- Newman, William R. and Anthony Grafton, eds. Secrets of Nature: Astrology and Alchemy in Early Modern Europe. MIT Press, 2001.