Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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English Page · Branch 156 of 204
On Sulphur · Passage 2
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1616 · sequence pages 58–60
Latin
Descripsimus in Dialogo Mercurii cum Alchimista congregationem illam Alchimistarum, ubi consultabant ex qua materia et quomodo faciendus sit Lapis Philosophicus. Scriptum est etiam quomodo tempestatis infortunio sine Conclusione fere in universum Orbem dispersi sunt. Surrexit enim tempestas valida ventusque maximus, qui illos huc illuc dispersit, et aliquorum capita ita perflavit, ut ad hoc usque tempus sese nondum recolligere possunt, unde in illorum cerebris variae sortis muscae generantur. Erant autem inter illos variarum nationum ac conditionum homines, inter quos fuit etiam hic Alchimista, de quo in hoc Tractatu sermonem instituimus: erat alias vir bonus, sed sine Conclusione ex numero horum, qui casualiter Lapidem Philosophorum invenire proponunt: et erat socius illius Philosophi qui cum Mercurio certabat. Hic vero dicebat, si mihi ita accidisset cum Mercurio loqui, paucis verbis illum expiscatus fuissem; stultus iste alter, inquit, nescivit cum illo procedere. Mihi quidem nunquam Mercurius placuit, nec credo in illo aliquid boni esse: at Sulphur mihi probatur, quia in illis Comitiis optime de illo disputavimus, si non illa tempestas nos disturbasset, primam materiam id esse conclusissemus: quoniam in meo capite non solent esse res leves, caput meum plenum est profundarum imaginationum.
English
In the Dialogue of Mercury with the Alchemist I described that gathering of alchemists where they discussed from what matter, and how, the philosophers' stone should be made. I also wrote how, through the misfortune of a storm, they were scattered without a conclusion almost throughout the whole world. A violent storm and a very great wind arose, scattering them here and there. It blew so thoroughly through some of their heads that to this day they have not recovered themselves. Hence flies of various sorts are generated in their brains.
Among them were people of different nations and conditions, including the alchemist who is the subject of this treatise. He was otherwise a good man, but without a conclusion, one of those who propose to find the philosophers' stone by chance. He was a companion of the philosopher who disputed with Mercury. This man said: If I had happened to speak with Mercury, I would have fished him out with a few words. That other fool did not know how to deal with him. For my part, I have never liked mercury, and I do not believe there is anything good in it. But sulphur pleases me. At the assembly we discussed it excellently. Had the storm not disturbed us, we would have concluded that it is first matter. For light things do not usually occupy my head; my head is full of profound imaginings.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · On Sulphur · On Sulphur · Passage 2
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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.