DiotimosReading Desk

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

Explore the Lexicon
The Golden Chain of HomerII.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Facing Pages · Branch 368 of 504

II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

German & Latin

1723 pp 293–294

Derowegen wer die Kohlen secundum ipsam Naturae Ordinis Regulam will wieder zu einem Oehl machen, der muß seines eigenen Oehls 2. 3. 4. ja bis 6. Partes nehmen zu einem Part Kohlen etc. Rec. ein Part Kohlen, pulverisire subtil, denn so reib darunter sein eigen dick stinckendes Oehl 3. oder 4. Part. gieß darauf sein eigenes Acidum 6. Partes, setze ins B. M. zu kochen alta Cucurbita mit Helm und Vorlage, so schliesset das Oehl die Kohlen auf, das Acidum aber solviret und extenuiret das Oehl, daß sie also zu einem flüchtigen Liquore werden, und zusammen per Retortam übersteigen. Wilt du nun solches noch flüchtiger haben, so gieß seinen eigenen Spiritum volatilem auf, digerire in B. M. denn so thue es wieder in die Retorte, so wird es schon geschwinder steigen, daß es mehr und mehr per Alembicum steiget, nachdem du ihm viel vom Spiritu volatili addiret hast. Also siehet man, wie ein Principium das andere coaguliret, solviret, incrassiret und subtilisiret, figiret und volatilisiret, wie vor gewiesen, und auf solche Manier werden die rechten Quint-Essentien gemacht, und nicht die schwachen extrahirten Tincturae per Spiritum vini. Das ist nun eine Probe, daß die Kohlen keine Faeces sind, sondern die fixere Tinctur cujusvis Rei; und so ein Part Kohlen solviret seyn, so solviren diese wieder mehr und mehr, bis sie das kohlichte Corpus in einen völligen Liquorem gebracht haben, denn die vorgegangene volatilische Partes müssen die nachgelassene fixere wieder solviren und volatilisiren.

1723 pp 293–294

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

1723 pp 293–294

Whoever wishes to make charcoal oil again according to nature’s own ordered rule must take two, three, four, or even six parts of its own oil to one part charcoal. Take one part charcoal, powder it finely, grind in three or four parts of its own thick stinking oil, and pour on six parts of its own acid. Set it to boil in the water bath in a tall cucurbit with head and receiver. Oil opens the charcoal; acid dissolves and thins the oil, making them a volatile liquor that passes over together through the retort. To make it still more volatile, pour on its own volatile spirit, digest in the water bath, and return it to the retort. It rises more quickly, increasingly passing through the alembic according to how much volatile spirit was added. Thus one principle coagulates, dissolves, thickens, subtilizes, fixes, and volatilizes another, as shown before. True quintessences are made this way, rather than the weak tinctures extracted with spirit of wine. This proves charcoal is no dregs but the more fixed tincture of any thing. Once one portion is dissolved, it dissolves more and more until the whole charcoal body is liquid: the preceding volatile portions must dissolve and volatilize the more fixed portions left behind.

1723 pp 293–294

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.