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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 Homer4 How Nature Destroys, Corrupts, and Alters Minerals

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Facing Pages · Branch 304 of 504

4 How Nature Destroys, Corrupts, and Alters Minerals

German & Latin

1723 pp 238–239

und diese transmutation kan billig eine curation der metallischen Kranckheit genennet werden: als ♄ hat melancholiam, der ♃ contracturam, der ♂ bilem & amaritudinem, die ♀ eine hitzige Leber, der ☿ Epilepsiam, die ☽ hydropim. Solche morbos curiret ihre medicin in temperirter Sonnen-Natur. Denn die Metalle kommen mir nicht anders vor, als wie das Marck in Beinen, als ein Mensch hat melancholiam, so ist auch dessen Marck inficiret, als ein ander hat bilem, also ist das Marck auch damit inficiret, und ein Medicus appliciret seine medicin auf das Marck und nicht auf die Beine und das Fleisch, denn so er das Marck kan curiren, so curiret er gewiß andere morbos auch, weil das Marck das entlegenste des gantzen Leibes ist. So muß eine penetrante medicin seyn, die durch so viele digestiones und ventriculos bis in das Marck circuliret wird, da die meisten, zuförderst die Vegetabilia meistens in der 3ten oder 4ten Digestion stecken lassen und ihre Krafft in denen Adern dissipiret wiederum durch die emunctoria ausweichet und also nichts ins Marck penetriret.

1723 pp 238–239

The Golden Chain of Homer: 4 How Nature Destroys, Corrupts, and Alters Minerals

1723 pp 238–239

and this transmutation may rightly be called a cure of metallic disease. Thus lead has melancholy, tin contraction, iron bile and bitterness, copper a hot liver, mercury epilepsy, and silver dropsy. Their medicine, of a tempered solar nature, cures these diseases. For metals seem to me no different from marrow in bones. When a person has melancholy, their marrow too is infected; when another has bile, the marrow is likewise infected. A physician directs his medicine toward the marrow, rather than toward the bones and flesh. If he can cure the marrow, he will certainly cure the other diseases too, because marrow is the most remote part of the whole body. Hence the medicine must be penetrating, circulating through so many digestions and chambers until it reaches the marrow. Most medicines, especially vegetable ones, remain stuck at the third or fourth digestion; their force is dispersed in the veins and passes out again through the organs of evacuation, so that nothing penetrates to the marrow.

1723 pp 238–239

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.