Theos-Talk Archives (January 2005 Message tt00970)

HPB drew a lot of her information concerning theosophical origins from 
her friend, Alexander Wilder. You might check out "New Platonism and 
Alchemy: A Sketch of the Doctrines and Principal Teachers of the 
Eclectic or Alexandrian School; also an Outline of the Interior 
Doctrines of the Alchemists of the Middle Ages. Wizard's Book Shelf 
republished this 1869 article in 1975 and is probably still available 
from Wizards. Much of what she says in the section of the Key you quote 
below can be found in this article--and, if my memory serves me right; 
the reference to Diogenes and Pot-Amun also.

--j





fnord wrote:

>Hi!
>
>In the first section of the Key of Theosophy, the first footnote saids:
>
>"Though Theosophy, or the Eclectic Theosophical system, is generally attributed to the third century, yet, if Diogenes Laertius is to be credited, its origin is much earlier, as he attributed the system to an Egyptian priest, Pot-Amun, who lived in the early days of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The same author tells us that the name is Coptic, and signifies one consecrated to Amun, the God of Wisdom. Theosophy is the equivalent of Brahm-Vidya, divine knowledge."
>
>Well, the thing is the quote is'nt in the Lives of the Philosophers, and i didn't find any reference to any other Diogenes's work, anywhere. Someone know the source of that quote?
>
>Thanks
>
> 
>



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