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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Anonymous (traditionally attributed to Anton Joseph Kirchweger)

The Golden Chain of Homer

A New Translation from the German Edition of 1723

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The Golden Chain of HomerII.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

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English Page · Branch 325 of 504

II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

German & Latin

1723 pp 255–256

Jetzt erinnere sich der Leser, daß ich im ersten Theil gesagt, daß das grosse uralte Chaos sey in 4. Theile zertheilet worden, in den Himmel, Lufft, Wasser und Erde; solche 4. Theile sind abermal in ihnen selbst zertheilet und unterschieden worden in ihre Gradus subtilitatis & crassitudinis, wie in Cap. 2. Lib. I. von der Erden ausführlich zu sehen solche Gradus subtilisandi & incrassandi, wie dem Liebhaber selbst zu Nutzen durch vorgegangenen Proceß wollen zu verstehen geben, damit er sehe, wie daß allezeit das Subtilere von dem Gröbern steigt und sich scheiden lässet, welchem das Grobe auf dem Fusse folget, und diesem immer das Gröbere, und denn das Gröbste. Ich habe diesen Modum nur dieserwegen hieher gesetzt, damit jeder sehe, wie die Natur pulcherrimo Ordine durch ihre Stuffen und Gradus mediatim semper ascendendo & descendendo arbeitet, der Liebhaber hieraus Naturae laborem besser erkennen und mit Händen greiffen soll. Vid. P. I. C. 2. Denn gleichwie junge Studenten ihre Gradus comparationis haben, also hat es die Natur, nempe das Subtilissimum & Volatilissimum, das Volatilius & Subtilius, & das Subtile & Volatile; wiederum das Grossum und Fixum, das Grossius & Fixius, das Grossissimum & Fixissimum.

1723 pp 255–256

The Golden Chain of Homer: II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

1723 pp 255–256

Recall that in the first part I said the great primordial Chaos was divided into four parts: heaven, air, water, and earth. These were again divided and distinguished within themselves into degrees of subtlety and thickness. Such degrees of subtilizing and thickening can be seen at length in the chapter on earth, Book I, Chapter II. The preceding process is intended to explain them for the reader’s benefit, showing how the subtler always rises and separates from the coarser, the coarse following close after it, then the coarser, and finally the coarsest. I included this method only so that everyone may see nature work in the most beautiful order through its stages and middle degrees, continually ascending and descending. From this the reader should better recognize and grasp nature’s labour. See Part I, Chapter II. Just as young students have their degrees of comparison, nature has hers: the subtlest and most volatile, the more volatile and subtler, and the subtle and volatile; conversely, the coarse and fixed, the coarser and more fixed, and the coarsest and most fixed.

1723 pp 255–256

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.

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.