Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 126 of 204
Sulphur · Fire · Passage 2
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1616 · sequence pages 22–23
Latin
Hoc elementum est omnium quietissimum ac simile currui: cum trahitur currit, cum non trahitur stat quiete. Inest etiam omnibus rebus imperceptibiliter. In illo sunt rationes vitales et intellectus, quae distribuuntur in prima infusione vitae humanae, et hae dicuntur anima rationalis, qua sola homo a caeteris animalibus differt, et Deo assimilatur. Haec anima est ex illo purissimo igne elementali, in spiritum vitalem divinitus infusa, propter quam homo post creationem omnium rerum in particularem mundum seu microcosmum creatus est. In hoc subiecto omnium rerum Creator Deus, sedem et Maiestatem suam posuit, sicut in purissimo et quietissimo subiecto, quod a sola voluntate ac immensa sapientia divina gubernatur. Propterea abhorret Deus omnem impuritatem: nihil sordidum, compositum, maculatum appropinquare potest Deo. Ideo nullus mortalium Deum videre nec accedere naturaliter potest: nam ignis ille qui est in circumferentia divinitatis, in quo deportatur sedes et Maiestas Altissimi, est ita extensus, ut nullus oculus illum penetrare possit, quoniam ignis non patitur accedere compositum: ignis enim omnis compositi mors est et separatio.
English
This element is the most still of all. It resembles a cart: when drawn it runs; when not drawn it stands quietly. It is also present imperceptibly in all things. In it are the vital powers of reason and understanding, distributed at the first infusion of human life. These are called the rational soul, by which alone the human being differs from other animals and resembles God. This soul comes from that purest elemental fire and is divinely infused into the vital spirit. Because of it, after the creation of all things, the human being was created as a particular world or microcosm. In this subject God, the creator of all things, placed his seat and majesty, as in the purest and most tranquil subject, governed solely by divine will and immeasurable wisdom. God therefore abhors all impurity. Nothing filthy, compounded or stained can approach him. Thus no mortal can naturally see or approach God. For the fire surrounding divinity, in which the seat and majesty of the Most High are borne, extends so far that no eye can penetrate it. Fire does not permit a compound to approach, since fire is the death and separation of every compound.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Sulphur · Fire · Sulphur · Fire · 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.
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.