The following excerpts come from:
The Hieroglyphics of Horapollo (trans. George Boas; Bolingen Series 23; Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993)
The text
is a translation of a fourth-century AD work, reputedly written by Egyptian
magus, Horapollo Niliacus.
ETERNITY
When they wish to symbolize Eternity,
they draw the sun and the moon, because they are eternal elements. But when
they wish to represent Eternity differently, they draw a serpent with its tail
concealed by the rest of its body. This the Egyptians call Ouraion, but
the Greeks a Basilisk. They make this of gold and put it on the [heads
of the] gods. [It symbolizes Eternity] because, of the three kinds of serpents,
this alone is immortal, the others being mortal. Should it blow upon any other
animal, even without biting it, its victim dies. Wherefore, since it seems to
have power over life and death, they put it on the heads of the gods. (p. 43)
WHAT THE STARS SIGNIFY
To symbolize the cosmic God, or fate, or
the number 5, they raw a star. God, since the forethought of God preordains
victory, by which the movement of the stars and the whole universe is accomplished.
For it seems to them that apart from God nothing at all exists. Fate, because
fate is determined by the arrangement of the stars. And the number 5, because in
spite of the host of heavenly bodies, the movement of only five determines the
economy of the cosmos. (p. 52)
WHAT A BABOON SIGNIFIES
When they mean the moon, or the
inhabited earth, or letters, or a priest, or anger, or a diver, they draw a baboon.
The moon, because this animal has a certain sympathy with the conjunction of
the goodness. For when the moon, moving into conjunction with the sun, is
darkened, then the male baboon does not look nor does he eat; but he is bowed
down to the earth in grief, as if lamenting for the rape of the moon. And the
female does not look either and suffers the same things as the male, and bleeds
from her genitals. For this reason up to now baboons have been fed in the
temples and taken care of [is explained because] these are not like other
beasts who die in one day. But a part of them dies on each day and is honoured with
funeral rites in the temples, while the rest of the body remains in its natural
condition. And when the seventy-second day is completed, the whole animal dies.
And letters, because there in Egypt, a race of baboons exist who know their
letters, in accordance wit which, when a baboon was first cared for in a temple,
the priest handled him a tablet and pen and ink. This was to attempt to find
out whether he was of the race which knew its letters and whether he cold
write. Moreover, the animal is sacred to Hermes, the god of letters. And a
priest, because by nature the baboon does not eat fish, nor even “fish-bread.”
And it is born circumcised, which operation the priests are accustomed to
perform. And anger, because this animal beyond all others is the most irascible
and irritable. And a diver, because the other animals which swim appear dirty,
but this one alone walks in the place which it has chosen, dives, and does not
carry off any mud. (pp. 52-53)
THE KING AS GUARDIAN
To show the king a guardian in another
way, they draw the serpent in a state of watchfulness. And instead of the name
of the king, they draw a guard. For he is the guardian of the whole world. And
in both ways is the king watchful. (p. 70)
THE ALMIGHTY (Pantocrator)
They symbolize the Almighty the
perfect animal, again drawing a complete serpent. Thus among them that which
pervades the whole cosmos is Spirit. (pp. 70-71)
THE RISING [SUN]
To indicate a sunrise, they draw two
crocodile’s eyes. Since the eyes of the crocodile emerge from the depths first
of the animal’s whole body. (p. 72)
A PREGNANT WOMAN
When they wish to signify a pregnant
woman, they draw a solar disk with stars, and the disk is cut in two. (p. 75)
WORK
A bull’s horn means work. (p. 75)
THE HOUR
A hippopotamus means an hour. (p. 75)
A LONG SPACE OF TIME
A stag’s horns grow out each year. A
picture of them means a long space of time. (p. 75)
BY A SCORPION AND A CROCODILE
When they wish to represent a man at
war with another, they draw a scorpion and a crocodile. For each destroys the other.
But if they wish to show that one has destroyed his opponent, they draw either
a crocodile or a scorpion. But if it has been quickly destroyed, they draw a
crocodile. If slowly destroyed, a scorpion, because it is slow to move. (p. 78)
FOREKNOWLEDGE OF AN ABUNDANT VINTAGE
When they wish to indicate
foreknowledge of an abundant vintage, they draw an owl. For if the owl hoots
before the time of the vintage, it means good wine. (p. 92)
Further
Reading:
Kevin L. Barney,
David Bokovoy on the Book of Abraham Facsimiles and the Semitic Adaptation of Existing Sources
B. H. Roberts Foundation, Book of Abraham Facsimiles: Q&A and Primary Documents
