Isiac Tablet of Cardinal Bembo, The

THIS curious relic of an age long past cannot fail to attract the attention of every earnest student of the Mysteries; its beauty of design, its careful execution, its obvious antiquity, its certain connection with that most incomprehensible scheme of religion-the Egyptian, all combine to fascinate the mind and stimulate the intellect in a search for the explanation of the purpose and meaning of this very elaborate pictorial work of Art.

Mysterious in its conception, of unknown origin, and of peculiar workmanship, this Tablet merits examination and research.

Excerpt

"The universe is regulated from the Paternal Foundation through three triads; this Foundation is variously called-The IYNX, Soul of the World, The Pantomorphous Redeemer, and by Philo, The Constructive Wisdom, and exists in the perfection of triads of Pater, Potentia, and Mater or Mens, the Father, the Power, and the Mother, or Design: co-existing with Faith, Truth, and Love.

The order, disposition, administration, and functions of the Divine Powers are also shewn here, which are typified by the companions and officers of the Divine and Supreme Mens, the Great Potentia, and of the Paternal Iynx. Here are seen the Rectores Mundorum, Rulers of the Worlds, each with his notable symbols, whether of air, or of fire, or of material things. Here are also the Patres Fontium, the Fathers of the Fountains, Sources, Origins, Causes, whose care and duty it is, to decide and preserve the Principia, the dominions, the elements of all things, and the inviolable Laws of Nature."

Here, the curious reader may perceive the Zonia, and the Azonia, divinities not bound to any certain sphere, each with proper ornaments, and relegated to male and female forms. Indeed the formation of the Tablet is such that it must also be effectual as an amulet against evil influences.

He then describes the divisions of the Tablet, which need not be repeated here, and points out eight special points of notice in the figures, the head-dress, clothing, wands, and weapons, hieroglyphics, the actions implied, the position, erect or seated, and the form, sometimes animal, at others human, in other cases, combined.

"The Egyptians considered the Divinity in two manners, as an Eternal Existence, self-constituted and quite apart from terrestrial concerns, or in connection with created objects which it governs by ministering spirits, and secondary powers They admitted a Triple essence of Deity, and also a triform secondary divinity, as they had learned of Hermes Trismegistus. This Divinity imprinted his seal upon all earthly things, both living and dead. Upon this same essential plan was this Tablet constructed."

This system of Philosophy and Theosophy which Kircher associates with the Isiac Tablet, is of an extremely occult character. It is almost identical with that form which is ascribed to Zoroaster, as founder of the Chaldean or Chaldaic system. It has many points in common with the Kabbalistic scheme of the ancient Hebrews, which is known to us chiefly through the medium of the Zohar and Sepher Yetzirah. (A large portion of the former work is now for the first time being translated into English and published by Mr. S. L. MacGregor Mathers, and the latter has been translated from the original Hebrew versions by myself.) This Sepher Yetzirah, as Eliphas Levi pointed out, throws much light on this Tablet. The Chaldean doctrines are fully described by T. Stanley the Elder, in his History of Philosophy, 1740.

The Eternal Being is first, with an Emanation of Light and Fire; then powers Æviternal and Incorporeal, in three orders: 1st, Intelligible; 2nd, Intelligible and Intellectual; and 3rd, Intellectual; and lastly Mortals.

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