Books: Ancient Egyptian Folklore Is Source of "Hermetica"

Ancient Egyptian history, mythology, and poetry still reveal truths about human nature. In "Hermetica," Paul Kiritsis reinvents Egyptian literature by retelling myths, creating new poetry, and giving stunning insights into culture and life.

What did the ancient Egyptians understand that we have forgotten? How did their literature differ from ours? Find out in Paul Kiritsis's new collection Hermetica: Myths, Legends, Poems. The book is both a collection of poetry and Kiritsis's own rendition of epic ancient myths and legends. Its title reflects both its sources in Hermetic literature and its concern with alchemy, primarily the alchemy of love.

Hermetica begins with numerous poems divided into categories of alchemica, astrologica, mythologica, philosophica, musica and erotica. Next come several mythical stories with messages relevant to the modern reader. Kiritsis pays tribute to the love story of Osiris and Isis, including the events leading to Osiris' death and resurrection. Several other stories are retold including "The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor," a popular story from Egypt's Middle Kingdom.

Kiritsis teaches his readers by using myths that reveal truths about human nature and shed light on issues still relevant today. While Greek mythology continues to influence Western Civilization, many Egyptian myths were suppressed because they were ancient sources for the Bible. These fascinating tales are a lost part of our cultural heritage. Kiritsis is self-creating a literary revival of these works that ultimately may fuel a new literary movement.

Paul Kiritsis states that he wrote Hermetica so readers will be "more aware of the literary worth of long gone civilizations and develop a greater appreciation of ancient folklore. I want people to think about where we fall in the wider scheme of things; our relation to the universe, to religion, to one another in general. I want people to train themselves in divergent thinking. We all need to learn how to see things from other people's perspectives."

Paul Kiritsis was born in Melbourne, Australia. He is fascinated by the cosmos within the human mind and the ways it defines itself. He enjoys studying mythology, theosophy, history, philosophy and English literature. He has completed degrees in the behavioral sciences and professional writing. Besides, Hermetica, Kiritsis is the author of Origin: Poems from the crack of dawn and the soon to be published Shades of Aphrodite, an autobiographical work.

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