DiotimosReading Desk

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

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

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

German & Latin Page · Branch 338 of 504

II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

German & Latin

1723 pp 267–268

Als die Animalia und Vegetabilia durch das beygewachsene Recolaceum faulen und verwesen leichtlich, zuförderst so ihnen ab Extrinseco noch mehr zukommt, als der Regen, Schnee etc. Ebenmäßig verwesen die Mineralia, weil solches Humidum allenthalben secundum magis & minus beygemischet und anderwärts dazu kommt. Es erkenne der Leser, daß das Aqua recolacea des eingepflantzten Geistes oder Samens Hammer und Ambos ist, vermittelst er aufgewecket wird zu agiren, weil er in denen Wassern nimmermehr ruhen kan, sondern bringet allerhand Alterationes eine um die andere zu Tag; so aber der Geist coaguliret wird und figiret, durch welche Operation ihm das Humidum superfluum benommen und ausgetrocknet wird, wie bey den Mineralibus, Metallen, Steinen und Gläsern zu sehen, so wird der Geist eingeschläffert, concentriret und in seine höchste Krafft gebracht, allwo er so lange beständig und unverzehrlich bleibt, bis er wieder durch sein gleiches Humidum erwecket wird, und so dann solches coagulirtes Corpus wieder ad Primum zu resolviren trachtet, alsdenn kommt er wieder in seine Werckstatt zu seinem Werckzeug, durch welche er aus dem Regenerato eine Corruption machet, bis er wieder was anders daraus regeneriret.

1723 pp 267–268

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

1723 pp 267–268

Animals and plants readily putrefy and decay through the recolaceous portion grown with them, especially when more comes from outside, such as rain and snow. Minerals likewise decay because such moisture is everywhere mixed in to a greater or lesser degree and also arrives from elsewhere. Let the reader recognize recolaceous water as the implanted spirit or seed’s hammer and anvil, by which it is awakened to act. In waters it can never rest, but brings one alteration after another to light. When spirit is coagulated and fixed, however—an operation removing and drying away its superfluous moisture, as seen in minerals, metals, stones, and glasses—it is put to sleep, concentrated, and brought to its highest power. It remains permanent and inconsumable until awakened again by a like moisture. Then it strives to resolve that coagulated body back into the first state, returning to its workshop and tools. Through these it makes corruption from what was regenerated, until it regenerates something else from it.

1723 pp 267–268

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.