DiotimosReading Desk

Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Anonymous

Candida Phoenix Philosophica

The White Philosophical Phoenix

Explore the Lexicon
Candida Phoenix PhilosophicaPart I — Theorem VII

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

German & Latin Page · Branch 46 of 411

Part I — Theorem VII

Book Mode

German & Latin

30

Am andern seye auch gemeldet worden / daß dieser Spiritus eines durchauß gleichförmigen Wesens / und sothanes sein gleichförmiges Wesen jederzeit behalte / darneben jedoch aller Art / Kräffte / und Aigenschafften &c. fähig sey &c. welches ebenmässig nicht wol zu fassen. Als ist hierauff zu wissen / was massen nemblichen / solches alles philosophicè und nicht sophisticè zu verstehen. Insonderheit aber bleibts darbey / daß proprie und simpliciter darvon zu reden / keine Natur sey / die etwas würcket; Gleichwohl kan dieser Spiritus alhier / auch sonsten suo modo & secundum quid, nemblichen was die mineralische Natur anbelangt / die causa efficiens: Imgleichen mit Basilio ein übernatürlicher geistlicher Mercurius, genennet werden / wie unten im andern Theil auch Meldung geschehen / dahin sich dann wiederumb beruffen wird.

30

Candida Phoenix Philosophica: Part I — Theorem VII

30

Second, it has been said that this spirit is entirely uniform in being and always preserves that uniformity, yet is capable of every kind of power and property. This too is difficult to grasp. The answer is that all this must be understood philosophically, not sophistically. In particular, it remains true that, speaking properly and without qualification, there is no nature that acts. Yet this spirit may here, and elsewhere, be called in its own manner and in a qualified respect—namely, as regards mineral nature—the efficient cause; and likewise, with Basilius, a supernatural spiritual Mercury. This will also be mentioned in the Second Part, to which the reader is again referred.

30

About This Reading Edition

An anonymous Hermetic treatise of 1680, presented in its original German and Latin with a new English translation, 279 explanatory notes, the historical phoenix frontispiece, an introduction, reading guide, outline, glossary, bibliography, and original registers.

Historical Text and Translation

Anonymous, Candida Phoenix philosophica. Frankfurt am Main: Christian Hermsdorff, 1680. The chosen witness is the Wellcome Library copy digitized as b32993456; German and Latin, with French, Greek, and Hebrew passages retained.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The 1680 source is identified as public domain by the Wellcome/Internet Archive record. The supplied 2026 transcription, English translation, introduction, notes, reading guide, outline, glossary, bibliography, and editorial arrangement are published with the site owner’s authorization. The frontispiece is retained from the supplied edition and credited to its historical witness.