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German & Latin Page · Branch 305 of 504
4 How Nature Destroys, Corrupts, and Alters Minerals
German & Latin
1723 pp 239–240Und gleichwie alle Menschen aus eines vollkommenen reinen Menschen reinen Saamen herkommen, welche doch unterschiedliche Gestalt, complexiones, qualitates und morbos accidentales erlanget: also obschon alle Menschen aus einem einigen Saamen entsprungen; so siehet man doch, daß ein Mensch dem andern in seiner complexion nimmer gleichet. Also auch die Metalla werden alle aus einem einigen Saamen als dem Universal-Acido geboren, diese aber werden durch die unterschiedliche matrices in unterschiedliche complexiones und Gestalten oder Formen ausgehecket, und erlangen also nicht materialiter sondern accidentaliter ihren Unterscheid. Sie sind alle Metalla und aus metallischen Saamen geboren, aber das accidens scheidet eines von dem andern, wie die Menschen ratione accidentiae, nicht aber naturae unterschieden sind. Denn einer ist ein melancholicus, der andere ein sanguineus, der 3te ein phlegmaticus, der 4te ein cholericus, der 5te hat von diesen einem zu viel oder zu wenig. Also ist Saturnus melancholisch, die ☽ phlegmatisch, der ♂ cholerisch, die ♀ sanguinisch, solche bedürffen denn eine temperirte Medicin, damit sie durch solche auch in ein Temperament oder ☉ische Materie gebracht werden, und ad statum naturae perfectiorem artificialiter erhoben werden. Solches thun die Philosophi durch ihre Medicin und curiren die refinirte metalla und nicht die mineras in ☉ und ☽.
The Golden Chain of Homer: 4 How Nature Destroys, Corrupts, and Alters Minerals
1723 pp 239–240All human beings descend from the pure seed of a perfect, pure human being, yet they have acquired different forms, temperaments, qualities, and accidental diseases. Although all sprang from one seed, we see that no person is ever identical with another in temperament. So too all metals are born from a single seed, the universal acid. Through different matrices, however, they are hatched into different temperaments, shapes, or forms, and thus acquire their differences accidentally rather than materially. They are all metals, born from metallic seed; an accident distinguishes one from another, just as human beings differ in respect of accident, rather than nature. One is melancholic, another sanguine, the third phlegmatic, the fourth choleric, and the fifth has too much or too little of one of these. Thus Saturn is melancholic, the moon phlegmatic, Mars choleric, and Venus sanguine. They therefore need a tempered medicine to bring them into a balanced temperament, or solar matter, and raise them by art to a more perfect state of nature. The philosophers accomplish this through their medicine, curing refined metals into gold and silver, rather than ores.
Socrates
Reading The Golden Chain of Homer · 4 How Nature Destroys, Corrupts, and Alters Minerals · B2C04S013 · 1723 pp 239–240
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
The two-book alchemical work of 1723 in German with a new English translation, 399 notes, eight historical diagrams, chapter outlines, keyword essays, a glossary, bibliography, subject index, and 400 discussion questions.
Historical Text and Translation
Anonymous, Aurea Catena Homeri. Frankfurt and Leipzig: Johann Georg Böhme, 1723. Traditionally attributed to Anton Joseph Kirchweger; the attribution remains uncertain. Historical diagrams from the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung copy digitized by e-rara.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
The supplied edition identifies the 1723 German source and historical diagrams as public-domain material. Its new English translation and editorial apparatus are published with the site owner’s authorization. The complete original files are retained unchanged.