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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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Facing Pages · Branch 369 of 504

II.5 · The Anatomy and Regeneration of Chaotic Water

German & Latin

1723 pp 294–295

Eine andere Probe, daß die Kohlen keine Faeces sind, welches jeder sehen kan, so laß ein Sal Tartari fliessen und trage Kohlen-Staub ein, was er vor eins will, so viel Sal Tartari annimmt, so wird das Sal Tartari recht schwartz-blau und grün werden, vor lauter Tinctur, gieß denn aus, stoß geschwind und gieß Spir. vini rectificatissimum auf, dieser wird sich in wenig Stunden färben und die Tinctur in sich ziehen. Aus diesem siehet man, was die Chymici insgemein verwerffen. Denn Rec. das blau-geflossene Sal Tartari, kochs wohl mit Brunnen-Wasser auf, filtrire es und praecipitire mit einem [unreadable: drei Säurezeichen] und andern Acidis den Sulphur nieder, so findest du am Grunde einen Sulphur, der dem Gold, Eisen, Kupffer, Antimonio und Sulphur an der Farbe mit Nichten weichet und der sich in Aqua Regis so hochgelbe als das Gold immer zeiget. Hieraus siehet man, was in den Kohlen stecket.

1723 pp 294–295

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

1723 pp 294–295

Another trial, visible to everyone, shows that charcoal is no dregs. Melt salt of tartar and add charcoal dust of any kind, as much as the salt receives. It becomes thoroughly black-blue and green, full of tincture. Pour it out, crush it quickly, and pour on most highly rectified spirit of wine. Within a few hours the spirit colours and draws in the tincture. Here one sees what chymists ordinarily discard. Take the blue-fused salt of tartar, boil it thoroughly with well water, filter, and precipitate its sulphur with one of the three acids indicated by unexpanded signs, or other acids. At the bottom you find a sulphur whose colour is no whit inferior to that of gold, iron, copper, antimony, and sulphur, and which shows itself in aqua regia as deep yellow as gold ever does. This reveals what lies in charcoal.

1723 pp 294–295

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.