Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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English Page · Branch 135 of 204
Sulphur · Fire · Passage 11
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1616 · sequence pages 34–35
Latin
Sed si homo in paradiso mansisset, in loco illius naturae convenienti, ubi Elementa incorrupta omnia virgo sunt, in aeternum immortalis esset; certum enim est, quando elementa pura in aequalitate virtutibus coniuncta sunt, subiectum hoc incorruptum esse, et talis debet esse lapis Philosophorum. Tali creationi humanae a veteribus illis Philosophis assimilatus est, sed moderni Philosophi omnia ad literam intelligentes, ad huius saeculi generationem corruptam intendunt.
English
Had the human being remained in paradise, in a place suited to his nature, where all elements are incorrupt and virgin, he would have been immortal for ever. It is certain that when pure elements are joined in equality of powers, their subject is incorruptible. Such must be the philosophers' stone. The ancient philosophers likened it to that human creation. Modern philosophers, however, taking everything literally, direct their attention towards this age's corrupt generation.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Sulphur · Fire · Sulphur · Fire · Passage 11
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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.