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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Parallel Edition

Baro Urbigerus

Aphorismi Urbigerani

The Complete 1690 Volume · With Circulatum Minus

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Aphorismi UrbigeraniXLIV–LXIII: Creation, Separation and the Third Way · Grand Elixir · Aphorism XLVII

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Facing Pages · Branch 69 of 194

XLIV–LXIII: Creation, Separation and the Third Way · Grand Elixir · Aphorism XLVII

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Original English

XLVII. This Heaven of the Philosophers, after it has separated it self from the Earth, containing our Philosophical Seed, and the Magnet of our Salt of Nature, and from the superfluous Waters, is call'd the Mercury simplex of the wise man: for whosoever attains it, at the same time attains also the Knowledg and Power of retrogradating Metals, Minerals, &c. so as to reduce them to their first Being, to perfect imperfect Bodies, and to vivifie dead ones, conserving always its own Property and Quality to it self, and to produce the Great Elixir according to the usual way of the Philosophers.

Modern English

XLVII. After this philosophers’ heaven has separated itself from the earth containing our philosophical seed and the magnet of our salt of Nature, and from the superfluous waters, it is called the wise man’s simple mercury. Whoever attains it also attains the knowledge and power to bring metals, minerals, and so forth back to their first being, perfect imperfect bodies, bring dead ones to life, and produce the great elixir according to the philosophers’ usual way. Throughout, the mercury preserves its own property and quality.

About This Reading Edition

The complete 1690 Aphorismi Urbigerani: historical frontispiece and Latin inscriptions, title and licence, dedication, all 101 grand-elixir aphorisms, the complete Circulatum Minus with its title, address and 31 vegetable aphorisms, and the full explanatory postscript with both printed endings. Original and modern English readings, fresh Latin translations, 115 annotations and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Baro Urbigerus, Aphorismi Urbigerani, London: Henry Faithorne, 1690; with Circulatum Minus Urbigeranum and the concluding postscript. The Getty Research Institute copy supplies the governing images; EEBO-TCP A25684 supplies the structured transcription witness, corrected against those images. The frontispiece signed W. F. is attributed in library catalogues to William Faithorne.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The historical text and engraving are public domain. The EEBO-TCP Phase 2 transcription is released under CC0; that waiver does not cover associated images. The engraving is credited to the Getty Research Institute copy digitised by Internet Archive. The supplied 2026 reading, translations and Diotimos editorial material are published with the site owner’s authorization.