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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 Homer23 What the Generation of Minerals Is and Which Principles Constitute Them

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English Page · Branch 222 of 504

23 What the Generation of Minerals Is and Which Principles Constitute Them

German & Latin

1723 pp 165–166

Ein Ding, das alles in allen ist, und soll seyn, das muß aller Dinge Natur und Eigenschafft in sich haben, es muß sich auch mit allen Dingen ohne Unterscheid vereinigen, vergesellschafften, copuliren und conjungiren. Diese beyde Saltze Nitrum und Sal sind in Ansehung und juxta communem Sententiam Chymicorum mineralisch, aber unrecht. Denn dieses probirets nicht, daß solche in und unter der Erden, aus den Bergen gegraben werden, daß sie deßwegen mineralisch seyn. Denn sie werden auch im Meer, See und andern Wassern auf der Erden, im Reich der Vegetabilien, wie oben probiret, gefunden; so müste dann auch folgen, so sie aus Animalien oder aus ihnen gezogen werden, sie animalisch; oder so sie im vegetabilischen Reich gefunden werden, ergo sie vegetabilisch wären. Nein, sondern, wie die Probe und der Effect weiset, daß sie in allen drey Reichen so wohl als in allen Universal-Subjectis gefunden werden. Wiederum so findet man in dem gantzen mineralischen Reich kein Saltz oder Subject, das dem animalischen Reich oder auch dem vegetabilischen homogen wäre ausser ihrer Transmutation, als diese beyde, welches keine evidente Alteration in denen Animalibus oder Menschen, oder auch in denen Vegetabilibus machte, als wie der Salpeter und Saltz: Denn Salpeter und Saltz kan der Mensch und alle Animalia, Salpeter und Saltz können die Vegetabilien geniessen, Salpeter und Saltz können die Mineralia geniessen ohne Schaden, jedoch ratione Gradus, Ponderis & Mensurae, quoniam omne nimium vertitur in vitium.

1723 pp 165–166

The Golden Chain of Homer: 23 What the Generation of Minerals Is and Which Principles Constitute Them

1723 pp 165–166

A thing that is, and is to be, all in all must contain the nature and property of every thing. It must be able without distinction to unite, associate, copulate, and conjoin with all things. These two salts, nitre and salt, are considered mineral according to the common opinion of chymists, but wrongly. Their being dug from mountains, in and under the earth, does not prove that they are therefore mineral. They are also found in the sea, lakes, other waters upon the earth, and the vegetable kingdom, as demonstrated above. By that reasoning, when they occur in or are extracted from animals they would have to be animal; when found in plants, they would therefore be vegetable. Rather, trial and effect show that they occur in all three kingdoms and all universal subjects. Furthermore, throughout the mineral kingdom no salt or subject except these two is homogeneous with the animal or vegetable kingdom without transmutation, and produces no evident alteration in animals, humans, or plants as nitre and salt do. Humans and all animals can receive nitre and salt; plants can receive them; minerals can receive them without harm—provided that degree, weight, and measure are observed, since every excess turns into a fault.

1723 pp 165–166

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.