The idea of this Crater is interestingly exemplified in the Twelfth Book of Hermes Trismegistus, called “His Crater, or Monas,” as follows: 

“10. Tat. But wherefore, Father, did not God distribute the Mind to all men?

“11. Herm. Because it pleased him, O Son, to set that in the middle among all souls, as a reward to strive for.

“12. Tat. And where hath he set it?

“13. Herm. Filling a large Cup or Bowl (Crater) therewith, he sent it down, giving also a Cryer or Proclaimer.

“14.  And he commanded him to proclaim these things to the souls of men.

“15.  Dip and wash thyself, thou that art able, in this Cup or Bowl:  Thou that believeth that thou shalt return to him that sent this cup; thou that acknowledgest whereunto thou wert made.

“16.  As many, therefore, as understood the Proclamation, and were baptized, or dowsed into the Mind, these were made partakers of knowledge, and became perfect men, receiving the Mind.”

This striking passage explains the mystic “Baptism of Fire,” or Mind, whereby man became one with his Divine Monas, which is indeed his “Mother Vortex” or Source.]

[Footnote 105:  Proc. in Parm.]

[Footnote 106:  Proc. in Theol.  Plat., 171, 172.]

[Footnote 107:  Proc. in Tim., 167.]

[Footnote 108:  Proc. in Theol., 321.]

[Footnote 109:  Proc. in Crat.]

[Footnote 110:  Dionys., xiv.]

[Footnote 111:  Praep.  Evan., i. 10.]

[Footnote 112:  The names of these seven flames of the Fire, with their surface translations, are as follows:  Kali, Dark-blue; Karali, Terrible; Mano-java, Swift as Thought; Su-lohita, Deep-red colour; Su-dhumra-varna, Deep-purple colour; Ugra or Sphulingini, Hot, Passionate, or Sparkling; Pradipta, Shining, Clear.  These are the literal meanings; the mystic meanings are very different, and among other things denote the septenary prismatic colours and other septenaries in nature.]

[Footnote 113:  Hibbert lectures, 1887:  “Lecture on the Origin and Growth of Religion as illustrated by the Religion of the Ancient Babylonians,” pp. 179, 180.]

[Footnote 114:  See Schwartze’s Pistis-Sophia and Amelineau’s Notice sur le Papyrus Gnostique Bruce.]

[Footnote 115:  De Mysteriis Liber, vii. 4.]

[Footnote 116:  Compare also Herodot. ii, 54—­[Greek:  phonae anthropaeiae].]

[Footnote 117:  Lib. v.]

[Footnote 118:  Psel. 7.]

[Footnote 119:  Psel.  Schol. in Orac.  Magic, p. 70.]

[Footnote 120:  Theodoret gives [Greek:  ennoia].]

[Footnote 121:  A. Aphthartos Morphe.  B. Nous ton Holon. c.  Epinoia Megale.  D. Eikon. a.  Nous. b.  Phone. c.  Logismos. d.  Enthumesis. e.  Onoma. f.  Epinoia.]