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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 Homer10 the Tree of Dulcification and the Mineral Arcanum

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10 the Tree of Dulcification and the Mineral Arcanum

German & Latin

1723 pp 394–396

O ihr Alchymisten! ich sage euch, befleissiget euch ja nicht den Sulphur zu extrahiren, ihr betrieget euch sehr, denn es ist nur pars metalli subtilisati, und nichts mehr. Es muß alles, ja das gantze corpus metalli solviret seyn und in ein liquidum kommen, übersteigen und ein spiritualisch Oleum dulce oder ein geistlich Saltz seyn, das da quoad Medicinam humanam nicht fix, sondern flüchtig NB. sey, damit es per Archeum stomachi gleich zu Rauch und Dampff könne gemacht werden, und in solcher Gestalt in das Geblüt, und mit solchem in alle Adern bis aufs Marck und Bein durchdringen könne; auch muß eine rechte Medicin seyn: Denn so die Medicin fix ist, so muß es der Archeus erst flüchtig machen und da vorarbeiten. Mache du es zuvor flüchtig und homogen, wilst du Todte in ihren letzten Zügen erquicken. Ob wohl ich fast im gantzen Buche gesagt habe von der fixation deren Medicinen, so ist es darum geschehen, weil alle und jede schreyen: fix, fix, und sie wissen oder mercken nicht, daß das animale selbst zu seinem nutriment alle Dinge flüchtig mache. Ihr sollet aber nicht verstehen, daß ich eine Medicin so höchst flüchtig verlange, als der Spir. vini, sondern also flüchtig, daß es nicht zu flüchtig, auch nicht zu fix ist, sondern halb und halb, und im Mittelstand, wie alle acida, und soll ein acidum seyn nominetenus qualitate, aber süß wie Zucker, weil die Natur sehr begierig allo dulci, cupide zu sich reisset. Also soll es seyn, wie auch hierinne vielfältig gelehret habe. Denn so die Medicina höchst flüchtig ist, wie ein Spir. vini, so gehet es per calorem angetrieben zu schnell durch alle Adern per poros cutis wieder aus, ohne schlechten effect; ists aber fix, und der Archeus kans nicht solviren, so ist es wieder nichts, denn so gehets per sedes aus; ists aber in medio statu, so hänget sichs an das Geblüte und vereiniget sich damit, gehet mit solchem alle Adern durch, und treibet meistens per urinam & sudorem alle morbos aus.

1723 pp 394–396

The Golden Chain of Homer: 10 the Tree of Dulcification and the Mineral Arcanum

1723 pp 394–396

O you alchymists! I tell you, do not strive to extract the sulphur: you greatly deceive yourselves, for it is only a part of the subtilized metal and nothing more. Everything—yes, the whole body of the metal—must be dissolved, brought into a liquid, made to pass over, and become a sweet spiritual oil or a spiritual salt. For human medicine it must be, mark well, volatile rather than fixed, so that the archeus of the stomach may immediately turn it into smoke and vapour, and in this form it may penetrate into the blood and with it through all the vessels to marrow and bone. It must be a true medicine; for if the medicine is fixed, the archeus must first make it volatile and do preparatory work upon it. Make it volatile and homogeneous beforehand if you wish to revive the dying in their last gasps. Although I have spoken of the fixation of medicines through almost the whole book, I did so because everyone cries “fixed, fixed,” and does not know or notice that the animal itself makes all things volatile for its nourishment. But you should not understand me to demand a medicine as supremely volatile as spirit of wine. It should be volatile in such a way that it is neither too volatile nor too fixed, but half of each and in the middle state, like all acids. It should be an acid nominally in quality, but sweet as sugar, because nature eagerly and greedily draws all sweetness to itself. Thus it should be, as I have also taught repeatedly here. For if a medicine is supremely volatile, like spirit of wine, heat drives it too quickly through all the vessels and out again through the pores of the skin without even a slight effect. But if it is fixed and the archeus cannot dissolve it, it is again useless, for it passes out in the stool. If it is in the middle state, however, it attaches and unites itself to the blood, travels with it through all the vessels, and expels all diseases chiefly through urine and sweat.

1723 pp 394–396

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.