The Hermetica or Corpus Hermeticum are Egyptian texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, possibly remains of gnostic traditions, dealing with magic and related concepts. These scriptures were rediscovered and repopularized in Italy during the Renaissance and have had profound influnce over alchemy and modern magic.
Hermetica: The Greek Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English Translation, with Notes and Introduction by Brian P. Copenhaver (Editor) ISBN 0521425433
... term b2 – 4ac is called the discriminant of the quadratic equation, because it discriminates between three qualitatively different cases:
If the ...