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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 363 of 504

II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

German & Latin

1723 pp 289–290

Und dieses ist, warum GOtt zu Adam gesagt: Du bist gantz unverständig und unvernünfftig geboren, lerne durch saure Arbeit, Schweiß und Mühe, durch lange Experienz suche, probire alles, und das du findest gut und böse, das judicire, das unterscheide, durch solches wirst du aus langer Arbeit schon erkennen, ob es dir tauglich oder nicht. Und was nutzbar und tauglich ist, das wende zum Besten dir und allen deinen Adams-Brüdern; das Böse aber notire auch, aber nicht zum Schaden deines Nächsten, sondern damit andere durch Erkänntniß dessen auch meiden können. Denn wenn du zuvor, ehe Adam gefallen, so es GOttes Wille gewesen wäre, alles gleich primo Intuitu ohne einige Bemühung mit vollständiger Krafft hättest erkennen können, und ohne alle Conjectur und Irrwege gebrauchen aus eingeschossener Weisheit, das must du jetzt per Sudorem, Moerorem, durch deine saure Mühe und Schweiß experimentiren und suchen. Dieses ist die Faex, welche allen Adams-Kindern einen Pfahl in die Augen des Verstandes gestecket, dieses ist, was Adam durch den Apffel-Biß verschertzet, das ist die Freyheit und Aurea libertas, Privilegium humanae Naturae gewesen.

1723 pp 289–290

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

1723 pp 289–290

This is why God said to Adam: “You are born entirely without understanding or reason. Learn through hard labour, sweat, and toil; seek through long experience, test everything, judge and distinguish what you find good and evil. Through long work you will recognize whether it suits you. Apply what is useful and suitable for your good and that of all your brothers of Adam. Note evil too, but not to harm your neighbour: rather so that others, knowing it, may avoid it.” Before Adam fell, if God had willed, you could have recognized everything and its full power at first sight without effort, using it without conjecture or wandering through infused wisdom. Now you must experiment and seek through sweat and sorrow, hard toil and perspiration. This is the dreg that drove a stake into the eyes of understanding of all Adam’s children. This is what Adam forfeited through the bite of the apple: freedom and golden liberty, the privilege of human nature.

1723 pp 289–290

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.