Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
A New Light of Alchemy
With the Dialogue of Mercury and the Treatise of Sulphur
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Facing Pages · Branch 107 of 204
Sulphur · Opening · Passage 1
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1616 · sequence pages 1–2
Latin
DE SULPHURE. SECUNDO PRINCIPIORUM.
DE SULPHURE. SECUNDO PRINCIPIORUM.
Sulphur non est postremum inter Principia, quoniam illud est pars Metalli, imo pars principalis Lapidis Philosophorum, et multi Sapientes varia et verissima de Sulphure reliquerunt. Imo ipse HEBER Libri Summae Perfectionis capite 28 dicit: Per Deum Altissimum ipsum illuminat omne corpus, quoniam est lumen a lumine, et tinctura. Nos autem antequam de illo simus tractaturi, visum est nobis, Primo originem principiorum describere, praesertim cum Sulphur pro principali Principiorum antiquitus habitum est. Unde autem Principia oriuntur, pauci hucusque ostenderunt, et difficile est iudicare de aliquo Principiorum, sicut et de quavis alia re, cuius origo et generatio ignoratur: quid enim de colore caecus? Quod igitur antecessores nostri omiserunt, id nos in hoc Tractatu adimplere proposuimus.
Sunt autem Principia rerum, praesertim Metallorum, secundum antiquos Philosophos, Duo: Sulphur et Mercurius. Secundum Neotericos vero, tria: Sal, Sulphur, et Mercurius. Origo autem horum Principiorum sunt quatuor Elementa, de quorum etiam origine nobis imprimis incipiendum est. Sciant ergo studiosi huius sanctae Scientiae, quatuor Elementa esse: et quodlibet horum quatuor, habet in suo centro aliud Elementum, a quo elementatur, et haec sunt quatuor Statua Mundi, ex Chao in Creatione Mundi, a Divina Sapientia separata, quae hanc machinam Mundi per suum actum contrarium, in aequalitate et proportione tenent, ac virtutum caelestium inclinatione omnes res infra et super terram producunt, de quibus suo loco; hic ad propositum primo de propinquiori Elemento Terra.
English
On Sulphur the Second of the Principles
On Sulphur, the Second of the Principles
Sulphur holds no low place among the principles. It is a part of metal, indeed a principal part of the philosophers' stone. Many wise men have left various and entirely true accounts of sulphur. Geber himself says in chapter 28 of the Summa of Perfection: By the Most High God, it illuminates every body, for it is light from light, and tincture.
Before treating it, however, I have thought it best first to describe the origin of the principles, especially since sulphur has from antiquity been considered the chief of them. Few have yet shown where the principles arise. It is hard to judge any principle, as it is any other thing, if its origin and generation are unknown. What can a blind man say about colour? I have therefore proposed to supply in this treatise what my predecessors omitted.
According to the ancient philosophers, the principles of things, especially metals, are two: sulphur and mercury. According to the more recent writers, however, they are three: salt, sulphur and mercury. These principles originate in the four elements, and we must begin by considering their origin too. Let students of this sacred science therefore know that there are four elements. Each has in its centre another element by which it is elemented. These are the world's four supports, separated from chaos by divine wisdom at the creation of the world. Through their contrary action they keep this fabric of the world in balance and proportion. Under the direction of heavenly powers they produce everything below and above the earth. These matters will be discussed in their place. Here, to our purpose, we begin with the element nearest us: earth.
Socrates
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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.
Rights
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.