Ritual , Secrecy , and Civil Society
Indeed , while in broad terms Ramsay adhered to the principles of the Emerald Tablet , he discreetly Christianized its theses by augmenting them with his own religious convictions , as shown in some of Mercury ’ s words : “ The imagination presented nothing then but just and pure ideas ; the passions , being in subjection to reason , raised no tumult in the heart , and the love of pleasure was always regulated by the love of order . The God Osiris , the Goddess Isis , and their son Orus , came often and conversed with men , and taught them the mysteries of wisdom .” 23
Here again , the leitmotifs of the heart and love appear . However , added to these is a distinctive vision of the Egyptian pantheon , reduced to three divinities , no doubt to evoke the Trinity .
The rest of the account tells of humanity ’ s fall after the serpent Typhon and his kin pierced the egg of the world , thus causing the corruption of mankind . From then on , Hermes Trismegistus , crowned king of Egypt , becomes the restorer of the initial religion , but as a precaution decides to hide its deepest mysteries under the form of hieroglyphs to prevent the unworthy from understanding them fully .
The other crucial episode in the novel is contained in the final pages : the meeting between Cyrus and the prophet Daniel . This is both an overview and a simplification of the theological and mythological systems expounded in all the prince ’ s journeys . The primary aim is to affirm once and for all that the first truth survives in all religious practices , even when the language and images used may seem a priori irreconcilable . Next , the prophet ’ s words allow the prince to understand that the biblical revelation is the least corrupt — the only one to which one can refer for an understanding of the metaphysical mysteries of the universe . Finally , Daniel announces the glorious destiny awaiting Cyrus : “ It is you , O Cyrus , who art ordained by THE MOST HIGH to be their deliverer ; Jerusalem will be re-peopled , the house of the Lord rebuilt , and the glory of the latter temple , which will one day be honoured with the presence of the Messiah , shall be greater than the glory of the former .” 24 In a final speech , which is reminiscent of the one that Mentor — revealed as Minerva — makes to Telemachus in Fénelon ’ s novel , Daniel prophecies , in a Quietist manner :
O Cyrus , religion is not a system of philosophical opinions , nor yet a history of miracles , or supernatural events , but a science that dilates the heart and fills it with godlike sentiments , a science which God reveals only to pure minds : to know the secrets of religion , to feel it ’ s [ sic ] energy , a superior power to man must descend into you , become absolute master of you , and ravish you from yourself : Your heart will then feel those truths which your understanding has now but a small glimpse of . The time for
23 Ramsay , The Travels of Cyrus , p . 101 . 24 Ramsay , The Travels of Cyrus , p . 268 .
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