문화적 컨텍스트에서 본 위작 문제스 서(書)의 기원에 대한 논쟁

Abstract

]The Corpus Hermeticum is the collection of ancient Egyptian (but classical Greek written) religious writings, which includes so-called Hermetic doctrines of 'All is one, all is from the One.' This work, in spite of the dominance of Christianity, had enormous influence on European culture, especially ancient and early modern, and had close relation to Platonism, Gnosticism, Neoplatonism, and occultism. At least before seventeenth century a great number of people had no doubt that Hermes Trismegistus, known as the author of the Corpus Hermeticum, had lived in ancient, preceding Plato, Egypt. In 1614 Isaac Casaubon, however, 'proved' the work was a 'forgery' made in between first century and third B.C. His criticism shows both sharp Renaissance and modern literary critical aspects and ideological and cultural motives. Casaubon, Protestant theologian, strongly wanted to protect Christianity from heterodoxy. After him, long and severe debates on whether the origins of the Corpus Hermeticum were Egyptian or Greek began and are even now continued. Through the case of the Corpus Hermeticum, we could note the following two points: First, some anachronic aspects in a text do not always prove the text is totally a forgery because there is still a possibility of the survival of some genuine ancient messages in it. Secondly, those who make forgery and believe it as authentic always have persuasive motives and reasons, and moreover, a forgery itself reveals a reality. In conclusion, although the act of forgery is certainly bad, it might be better to look at a forged text in cultural context than in moral one.(Pusan National University/cskwak@pusan.ac.kr)