Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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English Page · Branch 71 of 204
Parable · Passage 2
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1606 pp. 155–157
Latin
Non longe illinc deducor ad pratum, in quo peculiaris hortus variis et spectatu dignissimis arboribus plantatus erat: inter complures arbores autem ostendit mihi septem arbores nominibus insignitas, ac inter has duas praecipuas, aliis eminentiores observavi, quarum una ferebat fructum instar solis lucidissimi et fulgentissimi, et folia eius erant instar auri: altera vero producebat albissimos liliis candidiores fructus, et folia eius erant sicuti argentum vivum. Vocabantur autem hae arbores a Neptuno una solaris arbor et altera lunaris. Et quamvis in hac insula omnia ad nutum essent, unicum tamen ipsi deerat, aqua non habebatur, nisi magna cum difficultate: erant quidam multi, qui partim tentabant illuc aquam fontis per canales deducere, partim etiam ex variis rebus eliciebant, sed frustraneus erat attentatus labor, quia illic locorum nullo poterat haberi medio: et si habebatur, inutilis tamen fuit et venenosa, nisi e radiis solis vel Lunae quod pauci praestare potuerunt, et qui in hoc perficiendo, nunquam ultra decem partes potuit attrahere. Erat enim eiusmodi aqua mirabilis, et crede mihi, quod oculis meis viderim et palparim aquae illius niveum candorem, et dum illam aquam contemplarer valde miratus sum: interim fatigatus illa consideratione, evanuit coram oculis meis Neptunus, et apparet mihi vir magnus, cuius fronti nomen Saturni erat insculptum.
English
Not far from there I was led to a meadow containing a special garden planted with many kinds of trees most worthy of contemplation. Among the many trees he showed me seven distinguished by names. Among these I observed two chief trees, taller than the others. One bore fruit like the most luminous, shining sun, and its leaves were like gold. The other produced very white fruit, whiter than lilies, and its leaves were like quicksilver. Neptune called one the solar tree and the other the lunar tree. Although everything on the island was available at a wish, one thing was lacking: water could be obtained only with great difficulty. Many people tried either to conduct spring-water there through channels or to draw it out of various things. Their efforts were vain, for it could be obtained there by no means. If obtained, it was nevertheless useless and poisonous unless drawn from the rays of sun or moon, which few could accomplish; and whoever accomplished this could never attract more than ten parts. The water was marvellous. Believe me: I have seen with my own eyes and touched its snowy whiteness. I was greatly astonished as I contemplated it. Meanwhile, as I tired from this contemplation, Neptune vanished before my eyes, and a great man appeared whose forehead bore the engraved name of Saturn.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Parable · Parable · 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.
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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.