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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 HomerII.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

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German & Latin Page · Branch 361 of 504

II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

German & Latin

1723 pp 286–288

Als zum Exempel, ein Kraut, Thier, Mineral hat vor dem Fall 1000fältige Krafft gehabt, diese Krafft und Tugend hat GOtt dem Kraute etc. bis auf etliche wenige genommen, und diese genommene hat er in den Schrancken seiner Schätze in das grosse Mysterium geschlossen und verborgen, damit sich der Mensch nicht wieder per hanc Scientiam boni & mali & ejus malam Applicationem zu einem GOtt machte, wenn er wüste solche zum Guten, und mehr zum Bösen zu appliciren, wie Adam sich närrisch verleiten ließ in Ubertretung des Baums Gutes und Böses. Und ihr solt wissen, daß GOtt gar keine Krafft der Natur benommen, sondern NB. er hat dem Menschen, als welcher in die Welt zum Herrn und Herrscher gemacht und solchem vor dem Fall die Wissenschafft alles Guten a primo Intuitu cujusque rei gegeben, dem Menschen, sag ich, hat er seinen Verstand von diesen natürlichen und übernatürlichen Sachen gantz und gar benommen und verrücket, daß er so wenig von Natur, so wenig ein Unvernünfftiger weiß und kennet, sondern er muß solches per longam Experientiam, per bonam vel malam Educationem, per subalternos Instructores lernen, sonsten a Natura & sua Nativitate an kennet und weiß er gar nichts. Nicht also, daß unter das Thier, Kraut oder Mineral Faeces sind gemischet worden, nein, weil es der Mensch nach seiner ersten Unschuld englischer Natur nimmermehr erkennen kan, er kan nicht ins Centrum der Creaturen mehr, wie zuvor, hinein sehen, sein Verstand und alle Sinne sind taub gemacht ex Praedestinatione Casus primi, daher weiß er auch die Creaturen nach keiner Gewißheit zu appliciren, sondern er macht nur lauter Conjecturen und keine Certitudinem per omnia, wenn ihn nicht der Schöpffer selbst per singularem Gratiam privilegiret.

1723 pp 286–288

The Golden Chain of Homer: II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

1723 pp 286–288

For example, an herb, animal, or mineral possessed a thousandfold power before the Fall. God took its power and virtue away except for a few, enclosing and hiding what was taken in the treasury of the great mystery, lest through this knowledge of good and evil and its evil application a person again make himself a god, knowing how to apply it for good and still more for evil, as Adam foolishly let himself be led astray in transgressing concerning the tree of good and evil. Yet know this: God deprived nature of no power at all. Rather, he deprived the human being—made lord and ruler in the world and given before the Fall knowledge of every good thing at first sight—of understanding of these natural and supernatural matters. I say he entirely removed and displaced that understanding, so that by nature a person knows no more than an irrational creature. He must learn through long experience, good or bad education, and subordinate instructors; by nature and birth he knows nothing. Dregs were not mixed into animal, herb, or mineral. Rather, after his first innocence of angelic nature, the human being can no longer recognize them or see into creatures’ centre as before. Understanding and senses were made deaf through the predestination of the first fall. He cannot apply creatures with certainty, making only conjectures and no certainty throughout, unless the Creator privileges him through special grace.

1723 pp 286–288

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.