Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 449 of 504
10 the Tree of Dulcification and the Mineral Arcanum
German & Latin
1723 pp 382–383Nun aber so einer eine sulphurische Solarische mineram, als die Solarische marcasit, Gold-Kieß, Gold-Schwefel &c. solviren will, wenn denn das Aqua Regis auch ziemlich starck ist, so solvirts hier kaum die Helffte, oder den dritten oder kaum den achten Theil, wo es zuvor das Gold gar solviret hat. Was ist die Ursache? Diese, das Aquafort ist ein acidum, der Sp. Salis aber oder [Salarmoniac] ist ein alcali: So ists ja bekant, daß wo acidum und alcali zusammen kommen, sie einander tödten, praecipitiren, dulcificiren und figiren, und also ein tertium Sal vel corrosivum heraus bringen, welches denn in liquido die Macht nicht hat, ein hartes corpus anzugreiffen. So es in coagulato ist, so figirets mehr als solviret. Ist nun 1. lb. Aquafort schwach, und viel Wasser dabey, so frists, praecipitirets und figirets sich an denen 8. Lothen [Salarmoniac] oder Spir. Salis gar todt, und greiffet fast gar nichts an; Ist es aber starck, so greiffts wohl an, allein das alcali ist doch zu viel. Das siehet man, so man steinige marcasit damit solviren will: Denn das Gold greiffet es freylich lieber an, weil es ein finirtes corpus von aller Steinigkeit und Sulphurität ist, und von allem Berg geschieden; Aber die marcasit und Kieß, ob man es auf der Saren noch so rein wüschet vom Berg, behält in sich durchaus per minima ihre steinigte Mutter, an welcher sich das acidum so wol als an dem Sulphure der marcasit figiret oder todt frisset, mithin gar nicht angreifft, also daß es ferner keine satisfaction im extrahiren oder solviren giebt. Denn je mehr ein corpus exsicciret und von aller humidität geschieden ist, je weniger kan ein humidum darinnen agiren, es sey denn, daß es doch in demselben grad noch gleiches humidum tanquam medium wieder aufgewecket wird, wie die Praxis lehret.
The Golden Chain of Homer: 10 the Tree of Dulcification and the Mineral Arcanum
1723 pp 382–383But suppose someone wishes to dissolve a sulphurous solar ore, such as solar marcasite, gold pyrites, gold sulphur, and so forth. Even when the aqua regia is fairly strong, it will scarcely dissolve half, a third, or even an eighth here, although previously it dissolved the gold completely. What is the cause? This: aqua fortis is an acid, whereas spirit of salt or sal ammoniac is an alkali. It is well known that when acid and alkali come together, they kill, precipitate, dulcify, and fix one another, and thus produce a third salt or corrosive. In the liquid state this lacks the power to attack a hard body; when coagulated, it fixes more than it dissolves. If one pound of aqua fortis is weak and contains much water, it consumes, precipitates, and fixes itself quite to death upon the eight loth of sal ammoniac or spirit of salt and attacks almost nothing. If it is strong, it does attack, but the alkali is still too much. This is seen when one tries to dissolve stony marcasite with it. It certainly prefers to attack gold, since gold is a body refined free of all stoniness and sulphurousness, and separated from all gangue. But marcasite and pyrites, however cleanly one washes away the gangue upon the dressing surface, retain their stony mother throughout their smallest parts. The acid fixes or consumes itself to death upon this, as upon the marcasite’s sulphur, and consequently does not attack it, so that it gives no further satisfaction in extraction or dissolution. For the more a body has been dried out and separated from all moisture, the less a moist substance can act within it, unless corresponding moisture is nevertheless awakened again in that same degree as a medium, as practice teaches.
Socrates
Reading The Golden Chain of Homer · 10 the Tree of Dulcification and the Mineral Arcanum · B2C10S014 · 1723 pp 382–383
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.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.
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.
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This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
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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.