The Shelves · Miscellaneous writings
Hieroglyphica
Ἱερογλυφικά
◇ Doubted: the attribution is disputed; the attribution is uncertain. Usually given to Horapollo of Phenebythis, a 5th-century grammarian who taught in Alexandria; which of two Horapollos is meant is debated.
I · The entry, in his form
In the table of Miscellaneous writings
Conjectured · Our reconstructionour placementHorapollo (translated into Greek by one Philippus)
late 5th century CE. An Egyptian grammarian who taught in Alexandria in the later 5th century and is the probable author of the Hieroglyphica, a Greek book on the meaning of hieroglyphs. Its rediscovery on Andros in 1419 fed the Renaissance's Hermetic Egypt.
Hieroglyphica
Ἱερογλυφικά
Opening words not preserved.
Length: not counted
◇ Doubted: the attribution is disputed; the attribution is uncertain. Usually given to Horapollo of Phenebythis, a 5th-century grammarian who taught in Alexandria; which of two Horapollos is meant is debated.
Above, his entry form, filled from what we know. Below, ours.
II · Does it survive? Where to read it
Survives whole
A manuscript found on Andros in 1419 reached Florence; printed by Aldus in 1505.
Was it in Alexandria?
Known · ProbableWritten in Alexandria.
On the table: written in Alexandria; no evidence it was in the Library.
Read it today
- Cory, The Hieroglyphics of Horapollo Nilous (1840) · original and translation · link checked 31 Oct 2026
III · In the show
- Egyptian Freemasonry & Esoteric Significance, episode 23, at 2 minutes 55 secondsTranscriptEgyptian Freemasonry and Cagliostro.Known: attested
- Modern Egyptian Traditions & Cultural Context, episode 29, at 57 minutes 32 secondsModern Egyptian traditions and cultural context (chapters only; no transcript).Known: attested
- Hermetic & Platonic Revival in Renaissance, episode 20, at 55 minutes 32 secondsTranscriptThe Hermetic and Platonic revival in Florence (station 2 of Foundations of Hermeticism).Known: attested
+ 8 more
- Secrecy and danger in historical occult practice, episode 6, at 10 minutes 27 secondsTranscript“these mini Alexandrias”Dee's and Trithemius's libraries.Known: attested
- Blavatsky’s Stance Against Ritual Magic, episode 17, at 20 minutes 13 secondsTranscript“It was Egypt, it was Greece, it was Alexandria, it was Athens, it was Syria.”Known: attested
- Path: Foundations of Hermeticism, station 2Follow the books to Florence. Follow the books to Florence.Known: attested
- Hermeticism · Chronology: The Renaissance revivalThe Renaissance revival.Known: attested
- Western Esotericism · Chronology: Ficino's PimanderFicino's Pimander, 1471.Known: attested
- Tarot Correspondences'Court de Gébelin claimed it as Egyptian in 1781': the tarot's Egypt is a legend the brief already labels.Known: attested
- Tree of LifeKircher's Oedipus Aegyptiacus printed the Tree that the Golden Dawn later used.Known: attested
IV · Sources and the living entry
Ancient references
- Suda ω 159
Modern scholarship (2)
- G. Boas, The Hieroglyphics of Horapollo (New York: Pantheon, 1950; repr. Princeton 1993).
- E. Iversen, The Myth of Egypt and Its Hieroglyphs in European Tradition (Copenhagen: Gad, 1961).
Entry checked 31 Oct 2026 · no corrections · Suggest a correction ›
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