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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 HomerI.19 · Volatile, Acid and Alkali

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English Page · Branch 147 of 504

I.19 · Volatile, Acid and Alkali

German & Latin

1723 pp 99–100

Daß die Theoria mit der Praxi illustriret werde, so mercke folgendes. Hier muß ich in gleicher ration einen Haupt-Fehler, so fast alle und jede vulgi Chymici begehen, entdecken. Wenn die Chymici wollen den Spiritum vini schärffen, so schärffen sie ihn in consuetudine per Sal Tartari oder Tartarum calcinatum. Jetzt frage ich einen Practicum: ob er vermeynet secundum regulam naturæ zu gehen auf diese Weise? Minime. Ratio hæc est, ut supra quoque dictum: das Alcali oder Sal Tartari ist ein Corpus fixum oder extremum, der Spiritus vini ist ein summum volatile und auch ein extremum. Hier sehen sie ja schnur-gerade, daß ein Mittel-Ding abgehet, weil der Spiritus vini mit dem Alcali sich nicht misciret, sondern über einander stehen, als wenn sie niemalen zusammen gehöret hätten, der Spiritus vini conjungiret sich nicht mit dem Alcali, oder ja so langsam, daß einem darüber Unkosten und Zeit genug werden verschwinden. Wiewol der Spiritus vini per plurimas cohobationes & repetitiones entweder sich auf das alcali figirt oder das alcali flüchtig macht; sed quanto Herculeo labore! Nun ist ja secundum ipsammet naturam besser, weil ich sehe, daß sich diese beyde sehr schwer oder nicht zusammen schicken, muß ich NB. ihr eigenes Medium suchen, welches ihnen entzogen ist; habito hoc medio, geschicht die Conjunction suavissime auf einmal, ja in einem Augenblick unscheidbar.

1723 pp 99–100

The Golden Chain of Homer: I.19 · Volatile, Acid and Alkali

1723 pp 99–100

To illustrate theory with practice, note the following. By the same reasoning I must expose a principal error committed by almost every common chymist. When chymists wish to sharpen spirit of wine, they habitually sharpen it with salt of tartar or calcined tartar. I now ask a practitioner: does he think he follows nature’s rule this way? Certainly not. The reason, as said above, is that alkali or salt of tartar is a fixed body, an extreme, while spirit of wine is a supreme volatile and also an extreme. They can see directly that an intermediate thing is missing: spirit of wine does not mix with alkali, but the two stand one above the other as though they had never belonged together. Spirit of wine does not unite with alkali, or only so slowly that considerable expense and time disappear in the process. Through numerous cohobations and repetitions spirit of wine may indeed either fix itself upon alkali or make alkali volatile—but with what Herculean labour! It is better to follow nature herself. Since I see that these two accommodate themselves with great difficulty or not at all, I must, take note, seek their own medium, which has been removed from them. Once this medium is obtained, conjunction occurs most gently all at once: inseparably in an instant.

1723 pp 99–100

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.