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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Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 120
Early New High German
p. 120CKER aller Metallen, wie in gegenwertigen Tractatu gnugsam erwiesen.
¶ Sollen nun Silber vnd Gold Naturgemeß - künstlich geseihet werden/ so mus es geschehen in jhren hierzu bequemen ACKER: Der SAME aber ist allhier in diesem Wercke / nicht der ACKer/ noch ACKER der SAME: Wie können dann Silber vnud Goldt Same vnd Acker zugleich sein? Zu deme / dieweil dann Silber / Silbers; Gold / Goldes Samen/ in sich hatt? Argenteitas aber/ oder Aureitas nicht nur alleine in Sulphure Lunæ vel Solis stecken / sondern auch zugleich mit in deroselbigen andern partibus, verstehe Mercurij, & Salis, tota in toto; Darumb mus auch das gantze Silber oder Gold / es sey nun entweder Corporalisch noch in massa una beysammen /
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 120IELD of all Metals, as has been sufficiently shown in the present Treatise.
¶ If, then, Silver and Gold are to be sown Nature-conformingly and artfully, it must be done in their FIELD that is fit for this. But the SEED, here in this Work, is not the FIELD, nor the FIELD the SEED. How then can Silver and Gold be Seed and Field at once? Besides which — seeing that Silver has Silver’s, and Gold Gold’s, Seed in itself — Silverness or Goldness lodges not in the Sulphur of the Moon or of the Sun alone, but at the same time in that same thing’s other parts too, understand of the Mercury and of the Salt, the whole in the whole. Therefore the whole Silver or Gold must also — be it now either Corporeally still together in one mass,
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 120
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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.