Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 161 of 204
On Sulphur · Passage 7
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1616 · sequence pages 64–65
Latin
Alchimista: Ex qua materia facit flores?
Vox: Custodes dant materiam et vasa, Sulphur vero digerit, et secundum digestionis varietatem et pondus varios flores et odores facit.
Alchimista: Domine, estne senex?
Vox: Amice, scito quod Sulphur est virtus omnium rerum, et est secundus natu, sed senior omnibus: fortis et dignior, sed puer obediens.
Alchimista: Domine, quomodo cognoscitur?
Vox: Miris modis, sed optime per rationem vitalem in animalibus, per colorem in metallis, per odorem in vegetabilibus: sine illo mater eius nihil operatur.
Alchimista: Estne solus haeres, vel si habet fratres?
Vox: Amice unicum tantum eiusmodi filium mater eius habet, fratres eius alii sunt malis associati; sororem habet, quam amat, et ab illa amatur vicissim, nam illi est sicut mater.
Alchimista: Domine, uniformisne est ubique?
Vox: Quoad naturam eius uniformis, sed in carceribus mutatur: cor eius tamen semper purum est, sed vestimenta eius maculata sunt.
Alchimista: Domine, fuitne etiam aliquando liber?
Vox: Maxime fuit, praesertim illis temporibus, quando fuerunt illi viri sapientes, quibus cum matre eius magna amicitia intercedebat.
English
Alchemist: From what matter does it make flowers?
Voice: The guards supply matter and vessels. Sulphur digests, making different flowers and scents according to the varying digestion and weight.
Alchemist: Sir, is it old?
Voice: Friend, know that sulphur is the power of all things. It is second-born, yet older than all: strong and worthier, yet an obedient child.
Alchemist: Sir, how is it recognised?
Voice: In wonderful ways, but best through the vital faculty in animals, through colour in metals and through scent in plants. Without it, its mother does nothing.
Alchemist: Is it the sole heir, or does it have brothers?
Voice: Friend, its mother has only one son of this kind. Its other brothers are associated with evils. It has a sister whom it loves and who loves it in return, for she is like a mother to it.
Alchemist: Sir, is it uniform everywhere?
Voice: In nature it is uniform, but it is changed in prison. Its heart is always pure, though its clothes are stained.
Alchemist: Sir, was it ever free?
Voice: Certainly, and especially in the times of those wise men who enjoyed great friendship with its mother.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · On Sulphur · On Sulphur · Passage 7
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.