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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Early New High German Page · Branch 116 of 215
Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 109
Early New High German
p. 109hat zu hören / der höre / was da sagt der Geist der Warheit den Kindern der Lehre.
¶ Allegire, aus der Philosophorum Schrifften / hierwieder was du wollest / so bestehet in diesem fall / die regula Philosophica allezeit doch Recht vnd stat / Quod Philosophorum dicta & scripta semper sint intelligenda secundum NATVRAE possibilitatem, & non secundum nudum verborum sonum. Et; non secundum superficiem, sed secundum significata per similitudinem; vt dicit, in Libro perfecti Magisterij, RAsis. Sprecht SIE† doch selber / Quando videmur manifestè dixisse veritatem, tunc maximè occultauimus artem. Vnde dicitur in Turba: Philosophi multa ponunt, quorum nihil faciunt. Darumb stehet in Libro SATVRNI: Philosophi non
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 109to hear, let him hear what the Spirit of Truth says there to the Children of the Teaching.
¶ Allege out of the Writings of the Philosophers against this what you will: in this case the Philosophical rule stands nonetheless always Right and firm — That the sayings and writings of the Philosophers are always to be understood according to the possibility of NATVRE, and not according to the bare sound of the words. And: not according to the surface, but according to the things signified by likeness; as RHAZES says in the Book of the Perfect Magistery. THEY say it themselves†: When we seem manifestly to have spoken the truth, then most of all have we hidden the art. Whence it is said in the Turba: The Philosophers set down many things, of which they do none. Therefore it stands in the Book of SATVRN: The Philosophers did not
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 109
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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.