Diotimos Library · Renaissance Collection · Bilingual Edition
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
The 1599 German text with a new English translation, introduction, glossary, and notes.
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English Page · Branch 128 of 215
Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 121
Early New High German
p. 121oder aber zertrennet / also / das Sal/ Sulphur vnnd Mercurius, jedes abbesonders vnd vor sich alleine ist; oder sonsten anderer gestalt subtiliret worden; geseihet werden: Wohin / oder aber worein dann? Gewißlich nicht in sich selbst / sondern vielmehr in jhren/jhnen von der Natur hierzu deputirten Pri - materialischen Regeneration ACKER; welcher trawn ein ander REBIS oder doppelter Mercurius ist / als der jenige / so aus den Corporalischen Metallis, vn-Primaterialisch / von den Sophisten hero genommen wil werden. Derselbe jetzt angedeutete ist des Silbers vnd Goldes Allgemeine Mutter; Nicht der Vn- Primaterialische/ in oder aus den Metallis.
¶ Bleibet derowegen vnwiedersprechlich wahr / das / wann schon obgedachte Artisten, bis
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 121or else sundered — so that Sal, Sulphur and Mercurius each stands apart and by itself alone, or has otherwise been subtilized in some other fashion — be sown. Whither, or rather wherein, then? Assuredly not into itself, but far rather into that Pri-material Regeneration FIELD appointed to them for this by Nature; which is in truth another REBIS, or double Mercury, than the one that is to be fetched out of the Corporeal Metals, un-Pri-materially, by the Sophists. That one just indicated is the Common Mother of Silver and of Gold; not the Un-Pri-material one, in or out of the Metals.
¶ It therefore remains incontrovertibly true that, though the aforesaid Artists should go on to
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 121
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum argues that alchemy has one universal subject, that this subject cannot be extracted from the metals, and that nothing in the work can begin without recognizing it. This complete reader begins with the supplied seven-part introduction and orientation, then presents every printed page of the 1599 German treatise opposite its new English translation.
Historical Text and Translation
The German reading text is a fresh diplomatic transcription from 600 dpi images of the Magdeburg copy printed by Johann Bötcher in 1599. It preserves Khunrath’s capitalization, word division, authorial marginal keys, glosses, errata, and three unnumbered closing pages: the errata leaf, owl emblem, and colophon.
About Diotimos Editions
Diotimos Editions prepared the new English translation, introduction, notes, glossary, collation, and editorial apparatus. The translation follows Khunrath directly, retaining his technical vocabulary, changes of register, repetitions, rhetorical questions, and distinctions between German, Latin, and coined terms.
Rights
Heinrich Khunrath’s 1599 German work is in the public domain. The 2026 English translation, introduction, notes, glossary, editorial arrangement, and related matter are original to this edition and remain © 2026 Diotimos.