Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
Swipe or use the arrow keys.
Facing Pages · Branch 118 of 204
Sulphur · Water · Passage 9
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1616 · sequence pages 13–14
Latin
Aquae igitur non generantur, sed ex Centro maris per poros terrae in universum mundum egredi scito; ex istis fundamentis naturalibus Philosophi invenerunt varia instrumenta ac ductus aquarum et fontanas, cum scitur naturaliter aquas non altius ascendi posse, nisi ut egrediuntur; et nisi ita essent in natura, ars nequaquam potuisset, quia ars imitatur naturam, et quod in natura non est, per artem non succedit; aqua, ut diximus, non altius ascendit, nisi ut assumitur. Exemplum habes illud instrumentum, quo vinum ex dolio evocatur. Conclusive igitur scias, non ex astris scaturigines generari, et omnes exitus aquarum, sed ex Centro maris quo iterum recurrunt, ac sic motum continuum observant. Si enim hoc non esset, nihil omnino neque in terra neque super terram generaretur, imo ruina mundi sequeretur.
English
Know, then, that waters are not generated but issue from the sea's centre through earth's pores into the whole world. From these natural foundations philosophers discovered various instruments, watercourses and fountains. It is naturally known that waters cannot rise higher than their point of departure. If this were not so in nature, art could by no means accomplish it, for art imitates nature, and what is absent from nature does not succeed through art. As I have said, water rises no higher than the level at which it is taken up. An example is the instrument used to draw wine from a cask. In conclusion, know that springs and all outflows of water are not generated by the stars, but come from the sea's centre, to which they return, thus maintaining a continuous motion. Without this, nothing at all would be generated in or upon earth; indeed, the world's destruction would follow.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Sulphur · Water · Sulphur · Water · Passage 9
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.
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.