The Shelves · Philosophy
On the Mysteries (Reply of Abammon to Porphyry's Letter to Anebo)
Περὶ μυστηρίων
Conjecturedin Alexandria?Conjectured · Our reconstructionour placement
I · The entry, in his form
In the table of Philosophy
Conjectured · Our reconstructionour placementIamblichus of Chalcis, writing as the Egyptian priest Abammon
On the Mysteries
Περὶ μυστηρίων
Opening words not preserved.
Length: not counted
Above, his entry form, filled from what we know. Below, ours.
II · Does it survive? Where to read it
Survives whole
Was it in Alexandria?
ConjecturedOf the Egyptian milieu. Not written in Alexandria (Iamblichus taught in Syria). Included because it speaks as an Egyptian priest and is the classic defence of theurgy.
On the ledge: written in Egypt or in a tradition the city shaped; not known in the Library.
Read it today
- Greek text (Scaife Viewer) · the original · link checked 31 Oct 2026
- Thomas Taylor translation (1821, repr. 1895) · a translation · link checked 31 Oct 2026
III · In the show
- Iamblichus, Matter & Theurgy, episode 22, at 21 minutes 4 secondsTranscriptIamblichus, matter and theurgy (station 1 of The Path of the Theurgist).Not about Alexandria itself
- Iamblichus’ Background & Priest-King Lineage, episode 22, at 38 minutes 3 secondsTranscriptIamblichus' background and the Emesene priest-king lineage.Not about Alexandria itself
Correction
- What was said
- Iamblichus descended from the priest-kings of Emesa.
- What the sources say
- The Emesene descent is a modern inference from his name, plausible but unproven.
- Iamblichus, Theurgy & On the Mysteries, episode 22, at 41 minutes 9 secondsTranscriptIamblichus, theurgy and On the Mysteries; the Abamon persona.Known: attested
+ 38 more
- Gregory Shaw & Understanding Theurgy, episode 22, at 46 minutes 7 secondsTranscriptGregory Shaw recommended as the way in.Known: attested
- Ficino, Iamblichus & Theurgic Influence, episode 21, at 3 minutes 18 secondsTranscriptFicino keeps returning to On the Mysteries.Known: attested
- Iamblichean Theurgy & Merkaba Mysticism, episode 24, at 1 hour 6 minutes 30 secondsTranscriptIamblichean theurgy and Merkavah mysticism.Not about Alexandria itself
- Iamblichus’ Background & Priest-King Lineage, episode 22, at 38 minutes 3 secondsTranscript“Ambocus was a Syrian biographer of Pythagoras”Not about Alexandria itself
- Iamblichus, Theurgy & On the Mysteries, episode 22, at 41 minutes 49 secondsTranscript“he writes as um this priest Abon uh this Egyptian priest Abon um in response to Pfery”'Abon' is the caption's rendering of Abamon; 'Pfery' of Porphyry.Known: attested
- Iamblichus, Theurgy & On the Mysteries, episode 22, at 43 minutes 13 secondsTranscript“He didn't put his name on the [ __ ] thing. It's signed Abama, the priest Abama.”The attribution to Iamblichus rests on a note in the manuscript tradition reporting Proclus' judgement; modern editors accept it.Known: attested
- Authority, Attribution & Esoteric Legitimacy, episode 21, at 58 minutes 24 secondsTranscript“He talks about how our ancestors attributed rightly all the works of all the great works of philosophy and mathematics and astronomy and religion to uh to Hermes.”'He' is Iamblichus: De Mysteriis I.1, on the Egyptian custom of inscribing writings with Hermes' name — the ancient explanation of Hermetic pseudonymity.Known: attested
- Thoth, Divine Knowledge & Sacred Authorship, episode 21, at 1 hour 4 minutes 26 secondsTranscript“what amicus tried to do was say okay yes to a lot of this but also we need to incorporate the Egyptian stuff”'Amicus' is the caption's Iamblichus.Not about Alexandria itself
- Archetypal Self & Spiritual Identity, episode 18, at 1 hour 1 minute 23 secondsTranscript“the higher divine genius comes from Thomas Taylor's translation of the diamond in Eiamicus' on the mysteries”The Golden Dawn's 'Higher Divine Genius' traced to Taylor's 1821 translation: a reception doorway.Known: attested
- Plato’s Cratylus & Critique of Relativism, episode 30, at 1 hour 49 minutes 2 secondsTranscript“these 12 out of 35 of Plato's dialogues”Iamblichus' canon of twelve dialogues, recorded by the Alexandrian school of Olympiodorus (Anonymous Prolegomena 26).Not about Alexandria itself
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 6Read the reply to Porphyry. Read the reply to Porphyry.Known: attested
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 1Locate the aim of theurgy. Iamblichus answers Plotinus.Not about Alexandria itself
- Theurgy · De Mysteriis V: Worship fitted to the soulKnown: attested
- Theurgy · Chronology: Porphyry's doubtsPorphyry's doubts: the Letter to Anebo.Known: attested
- Theurgy · Chronology: Iamblichus' answerIamblichus' answer, writing as the priest Abamon.Known: attested
- Philosophy · Figures: Iamblichus, the border between Philosophy and TheurgyNot about Alexandria itself
- Theurgy develops in Neoplatonic ritual philosophy'Theurgy develops in Neoplatonic ritual philosophy' (3rd–5th c.).Not about Alexandria itself
- Platonism, Neoplatonism & New Distinctions, episode 22, at 2 minutes 13 secondsTranscriptPlatonism, Neoplatonism and the new distinction.Known: attested
- Theurgic Astrology & Natal Charts, episode 22, at 58 minutes 44 secondsTranscriptTheurgic astrology and the natal chart (station 5 of Astrology and Cosmic Order).Conjectured
- Tree of Life, Henads & Neoplatonic Influence, episode 24, at 51 minutes 24 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
- Neoplatonic Influence on Qabalah, episode 17, at 45 minutes 12 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
- Pagan theurgy and Neoplatonism influences, episode 16, at 22 minutes 21 secondsTranscriptPagan theurgy and Neoplatonic influences on the Golden Dawn (station 3 of Martinism and Reintegration).Known: attested
- Synthema, symbols, and hidden signatures, episode 34, at 29 minutes 54 secondsSynthemata, symbols and hidden signatures (station 3 of The Path of the Theurgist).Conjectured
- Platonism, Neoplatonism & New Distinctions, episode 22, at 2 minutes 13 secondsTranscript“he would have considered himself just a platonist just a philosopher”Right: the label is modern.Known: attested
- What the Egyptian mysteries may have taught, episode 4, at 50 minutes 29 secondsTranscript“they would they would insole statues with the god”The Egyptian opening of the mouth set behind Hermetic and theurgic statue-animation.Conjectured
- Path: Martinism and Reintegration, station 3See Christ as the theurgic model. Iamblichean theurgy, Proclus, Plotinus and Plato behind the Golden Dawn.Known: attested
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 2Purify before the work.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 3Carry the tokens.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 4Tell theurgy from goetia.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 5Ascend and return.Conjectured
- Mysticism · Ladders of AscentKnown: attested
IV · Sources and the living entry
Ancient references
- Iamblichus, On the Mysteries 8.1-5
Modern scholarship (3)
- E. C. Clarke, J. M. Dillon and J. P. Hershbell, Iamblichus: On the Mysteries (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003).
- G. Shaw, Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995).
- G. Fowden, The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Approach to the Late Pagan Mind (Cambridge, 1986)
Entry checked 31 Oct 2026 · no corrections · Suggest a correction ›
ΠΕΡΙ ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΩΝ