Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 98 of 204
Dialogue of Mercury, the Alchemist and Nature · Passage 15
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1607, Google scan PA27, PA28 · image locators
Latin
Alch.: Iam video ego quod nihil scio, sed non audeo dicere: nam perderem bonam existimationem et vicinus meus non impenderet amplius in me si sciret quod ego nihil sciam: ego tamen dicam quod scio certe, alias nemo vel panem mihi daret: multi enim illorum sperant a me multa bona. Natura: Etsi in longum pertrahes, quid postea erit? Interim et vicini quilibet repetent suos sumptus a te. Alch.: Alam spe omnes quousque potero. Natura: Et tandem quid ultimo? Alch.: Tentabo tacite varios labores, si succedet solvam: sin minus ibo in aliam provinciam et hoc idem agam. Natura: Et postea quid erit? Alch.: Ha, ha, ha, sunt multae provinciae, multi quoque avari, quibus magnam copiam promittam auri, idque brevissimo tempore, et sic dies diem sequetur, interim aut Rex, aut Asinus morietur, aut ego. Natura: Laqueus, merito, tales Philosophos manet: apage te et finem tibi et tali tuae Philosophiae mala cruce quam ocyssime impone: hoc enim unico consilio nec mihi nec proximo nec tibi ipsi fraudi eris. Finis.
English
Alchemist: I see now that I know nothing. But I dare not say so: I would lose my good reputation, and my neighbour would no longer spend money on me if he knew I knew nothing. I shall nevertheless say that I know for certain, or no one would give me even bread. Many of them expect great benefits from me.
Nature: Even if you drag things out, what will happen afterwards? Meanwhile, all your neighbours will demand their expenses back from you.
Alchemist: I shall feed them all with hope as long as I can.
Nature: And what will happen at the very end?
Alchemist: I shall quietly try various operations. If I succeed, I shall pay. If not, I shall go to another province and do the same thing.
Nature: And what then?
Alchemist: Ha, ha, ha! There are many provinces and many greedy people. I shall promise them a great abundance of gold in a very short time. One day will follow another; meanwhile, either the king will die, or the ass, or I.
Nature: A noose rightly awaits philosophers like that. Away with you! Put a swift end to yourself and that philosophy of yours on an accursed cross. Only by this counsel will you cease to deceive me, your neighbour and yourself.
Socrates
Reading A New Light of Alchemy · Dialogue of Mercury, the Alchemist and Nature · Dialogue of Mercury, the Alchemist and Nature · Passage 15
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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.