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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 215 of 504

I.22 · The Generation of Plants

German & Latin

1723 pp 160

Wenn nun einer denen wahren Principiis Solis nachsinnet, wie auch andern Metallen, oder aber er nehme die Mineram Solis, so ists eins, wie auch die andern Metallen, so kan ers durch den Spir. Nitri vel Salis gleich in primam Materiam werffen. Hieraus siehet der Liebhaber des Arsenici Qualität, wie geschwind ihm sein Gifft benommen und auch in eine bessere Qualität verändert wird. Also auch der andere, so er nur mit Schwefel abgebrannt wird, ist dessen Gifft so temperirt, daß er weit sicherer kan appliciret werden als sonst, auch wenn solche Giffte mit den nassen Sulphuribus corrigiret werden, als da sind Spiritus Nitri, Oleum Vitrioli, Oleum Sulphuris etc. Wir wollen hiermit ein Ende machen dieses langen Capitels, und ist hiemit das vegetabilische Reich angedeutet, welches ein rechter Hermaphrodit und Janus ist zwischen dem Animale und Minerale, und ohne welches das Minerale dem animalischen nimmer homogen werden kan, & vice versa. Es ist solcher Artist wohl nicht voll Saltz gemacht, der in Mineralibus ohne Vegetabili und mit dem Vegetabili ohne Animali eine für Menschen und Vieh taugliche Medicin gedencket zu machen. Wir wenden uns zu dem mineralischen Reich, als in welchem es grössere Stösse, als in vorigen Regnis, wird setzen.

1723 pp 160

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

1723 pp 160

If one considers the true principles of the sun, as also those of other metals, or instead takes the ore of the sun—it amounts to the same, as with the other metals—one can immediately throw it into its first matter through spirit of nitre or salt. From this the lover of the art sees the quality of arsenic: how swiftly its poison is removed and it is changed into a better quality. So also with the other material: if it is merely burned off with sulphur, its poison is so tempered that it can be applied far more safely than otherwise; likewise when such poisons are corrected with the wet sulphurs, such as spirit of nitre, oil of vitriol, oil of sulphur, and so forth. Let us end this long chapter. The vegetable kingdom has been indicated: it is a true hermaphrodite and Janus between the animal and mineral, without which the mineral can never become homogeneous with the animal, and conversely. A practitioner who thinks to make a medicine suitable for people and animals from minerals without the vegetable, and with the vegetable without the animal, is surely not well seasoned with salt. We turn to the mineral kingdom, where greater blows await than in the preceding kingdoms.

1723 pp 160

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.