Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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English Page · Branch 88 of 204
Dialogue of Mercury, the Alchemist and Nature · Passage 5
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1607, Google scan PA10, PA11, PA12 · image locators
Latin
Alch.: Oho, iam me vocas Dominum quando tibi vivum tango: iam tibi inveni fraenum, expecta parum, mox meam cantilenam canes. Et coepit ad illum strenue loqui quasi cum ira: Tune es ille Mercurius Philosophorum? Merc., quasi timere respondit: Ego sum, mi Domine, Mercurius. Alch.: Quare ergo mihi obedire noluisti? Nec te fixare potui? Merc.: O magnifice Domine, rogo, parce mihi misero: nescivi enim quod sis tantus Philosophus. Alch.: Nonne hoc sentiebas ex meis laboribus, cum ita Philosophice tecum procedebam? Merc.: Ita est, mi Domine magnifice, attamen occultare me volui, sed video miser quod me occultare non possum coram Domino meo magnifico. Alch.: Iam ergo nosti Philosophum? Merc.: Maxime, mi Domine, video dominationem vestram magnificam Philosophum esse excellentissimum. Alch., laetus in corde suo dicit: Certe ego iam inveni quod quaesivi. Iterum ad Mercurium dicit voce terribili: Nu eia, iam ergo esto obediens, alias non bene tecum erit. Merc.: Libenter, mi Domine, si tantum possim: nam iam debilis valde sum. Alch.: Quid, iam te excusas? Merc.: Non, mi Domine, sed languesco. Alch.: Quid tibi nocet? Merc.: Alchymista mihi nocet. Alch.: Quid, tu adhuc me rides? Merc.: O Domine, non: de Alchymista loquor, tu autem Philosophus es. Alch.: O bene, bene, ita est. Sed quid fecit tibi Alchymista? Merc.: O mi Domine, multa mala fecit mihi, nam commiscuit me miserum rebus mihi contrariis, unde non possum pervenire ad vires meas et sum fere mortuus: cruciatus enim sum usque ad mortem fere.
English
Alchemist: Aha! Now you call me lord, when I touch you on the quick. I have found a bridle for you. Wait a little: soon you will sing my tune.
He began addressing Mercury forcefully, as though in anger.
Alchemist: Are you that Mercury of the philosophers?
Mercury, pretending fear: I am Mercury, my lord.
Alchemist: Then why would you not obey me? Why could I not fix you?
Mercury: Most magnificent lord, please spare a wretch like me! I did not know you were so great a philosopher.
Alchemist: Did you not realise it from my operations, when I treated you so philosophically?
Mercury: Indeed, my magnificent lord. Nevertheless, I wanted to hide myself. But I see, miserable creature that I am, that I cannot hide from my magnificent lord.
Alchemist: So now you recognise a philosopher?
Mercury: Certainly, my lord. I see that Your Magnificence is a most excellent philosopher.
Delighted in his heart, the alchemist said, “I have certainly found what I was looking for.” Then he addressed Mercury again in a terrible voice.
Alchemist: Come now! Be obedient, or it will go badly with you.
Mercury: Gladly, my lord, if only I can, for I am now very weak.
Alchemist: What? Making excuses already?
Mercury: No, my lord; I am exhausted.
Alchemist: What is harming you?
Mercury: The alchemist is harming me.
Alchemist: What? Are you still laughing at me?
Mercury: No, my lord! I am speaking of the alchemist. You are a philosopher.
Alchemist: Good, good, that is right. But what has the alchemist done to you?
Mercury: My lord, he has done me many injuries. He mixed my wretched self with things contrary to me, so that I cannot attain my strength and am almost dead. He has tortured me nearly to death.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Dialogue of Mercury, the Alchemist and Nature · Dialogue of Mercury, the Alchemist and Nature · Passage 5
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
The complete supplied Latin–English edition of the Twelve Treatises, Epilogue, Enigma, Parable, Dialogue of Mercury and Treatise of Sulphur, with original preliminaries, John French’s historical English address and its separately labelled modernisation, 101 annotations and the complete study apparatus.
Historical Text and Translation
The Twelve Treatises and their concluding texts follow the selected 1606 Herzog August Bibliothek witness. The Dialogue uses the 1607 Cologne printing; the author’s preface and Alsted epigram use Frankfurt 1611. Sulphur uses the 1616 Munich and Rome witnesses. John French’s 1650 address is separately identified as historical English reception.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
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The historical Latin texts and John French’s 1650 English address are in the public domain. The new translation, modernisation and editorial apparatus were prepared with AI assistance for Diotimos Editions in 2026 and are published with the site owner’s authorization.