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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.22 · The Generation of Plants

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Facing Pages · Branch 177 of 504

I.22 · The Generation of Plants

German & Latin

1723 pp 125

So bald nun der Same in die Erde kommt, welche feuchte, nitrosisch und saltzig ist, wie oben erwiesen, so wird der Samen durchs Wasser oder die Erd-Feuchte, oder durch den Regen etc. angefeuchtet, und durch die Salia resolviret, geschwillet und springet auf und zergehet zu einem milchichten und schleimichten Wasser, wie zu sehen, wenn man einen Samen in ein solches Wasser einweichet von Salpeter und Saltz, daß er anfangt erstlich zu schwellen, dann aufzubrechen, endlich zu Schleim zu werden. Solcher Schleim ist dann die prima immediata materia alicujus vegetabilis und kan die vegetabilische Gur genennet werden. Solcher vegetabilische Safft oder Gur wird nun per calorem centralem & solis erhitzet und erwärmet, fanget an auszudämpffen über die Erden. Das allerflüchtigste nun gehet in die Lufft aus in das Chaos, das andere aber, so nicht so flüchtig, und zusammenziehender Art, das coaguliret sich durch die kalte Lufft in eine Wurtzel und Stengel, mit subtil, zart und weichen Blättlein, welches des Krauts anfängliche Geburt ist; der fixere Theil wird zur Wurtzel, der nicht so fix zum Stengel, und der noch flüchtiger, zu Blättern: aber alles anfänglich weich, zart, jung, noch voller Feuchte, und daher schwach.

1723 pp 125

The Golden Chain of Homer: I.22 · The Generation of Plants

1723 pp 125

As soon as the seed enters the earth, which is moist, nitrous, and salty, as demonstrated above, it is moistened by water, the moisture of the earth, rain, and so forth, and is dissolved by the salts. It swells, bursts open, and dissolves into a milky, slimy water. This may be seen when a seed is steeped in such a water of nitre and salt: first it begins to swell, then to break open, and finally to become slime. This slime is then the immediate first matter of a plant and may be called the vegetable Gur. This vegetable juice or Gur is heated and warmed by the central heat and that of the sun, and begins to send vapours above the earth. Its most volatile part passes into the air and the Chaos. The other part, which is less volatile and has a contracting nature, is coagulated by the cold air into a root and stalk, with fine, tender, soft little leaves. This is the plant’s initial generation. The more fixed part becomes the root, the less fixed the stalk, and the still more volatile the leaves; but at first everything is soft, tender, young, still full of moisture, and therefore weak.

1723 pp 125

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.