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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 Homer11 Chapter XI and Last: On the Alkahest, or Alka Est

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Facing Pages · Branch 466 of 504

11 Chapter XI and Last: On the Alkahest, or Alka Est

German & Latin

1723 pp 403–404

Haben sie nun diß Wasser scharff und geistlich gemacht, desto schnellern effect haben sie erlanget; Entgegen haben sie das Wasser grob und crud und gar corporalisch gelassen, also daß der Mercurius nicht mit zum Geist worden, desto unvollkommenere operation haben sie erlanget. Wenn sie nun also den Mercurium in ein solch geistlich Wasser gebracht, so haben sie ihn geheissen acetum acerrimum, acidum metallicum Philosophorum, acheronticum, infernalem, alias etiam circulatum majus. Nun sind auch etliche gewesen, welche den Mercurium ohne alles Saltz allein mediante igne zu Wasser gemacht, und weil solches nicht penetriren wolte, sind sie wieder genöthiget worden, saltzhafftige, durchdringende und scharffe Wasser um Hülffe anzuruffen, haben ihn mit animalischen oder vegetabilischen oder mineralischen, universalischen Wassern geschärffet; Etliche aber deren waren so furchtsam und scrupulös, wenn sie mineral-scharffe Wasser dazu gebrauchten, es möchte der Mercurius ein corrosiv werden, haben ihn allein mit animalischen und vegetabilischen Wassern geschärffet und damit ihre operationes ausgebrütet, nachdem es ihnen gelungen: Denn sie furchten, der Spiritus mit corrosiven geschärffet möchte lauter Basilisken ausbrüten. So nun einer verlanget ein solches menstruum zu verfertigen, der studire hieraus eines zusammen, welches ihm gefallen wird, wie dann hin und wieder in unterschiedlichen Autoribus öffentlich gedruckt solche Processe mit allen Handgriffen zu mehrerer Beyhülffe können nachgeschlagen werden, die denn nur unter einem andern Nahmen verdecket worden, der kan sich darüber befleißigen seinem Gehirn die Spitze zu bieten. FINIS.

1723 pp 403–404

The Golden Chain of Homer: 11 Chapter XI and Last: On the Alkahest, or Alka Est

1723 pp 403–404

The sharper and more spiritual they made this water, the swifter the effect they obtained. Conversely, if they left the water coarse, crude, and entirely bodily, so that mercury did not become a spirit along with it, their operation was correspondingly less perfect. When they had thus brought mercury into such a spiritual water, they called it the most penetrating vinegar, the philosophers' metallic acid, Acherontic or infernal, also known as the greater circulatum. Some also made mercury into water by fire alone, without any salt. Since it would not penetrate, they were again compelled to call upon saline, penetrating, sharp waters for assistance, sharpening it with animal, vegetable, mineral, or universal waters. But some were so fearful and scrupulous that, if they used sharp mineral waters, mercury might become a corrosive. They sharpened it only with animal and vegetable waters and hatched out their operations with these, according to their success. For they feared that a spirit sharpened with corrosives might hatch nothing but basilisks. If anyone wishes to prepare such a menstruum, let him study this account and put together one that pleases him. For additional assistance, processes of this kind, with all their manual operations, can be consulted here and there in various publicly printed authors, where they have merely been concealed under another name. He may apply himself to them and put his brain to the test. END.

1723 pp 403–404

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.