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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Facing Pages · Branch 147 of 215
Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 140
Early New High German
p. 140men / Sie annehmen / darinnen nicht laboriren vnd forschen / das jhr zeugnis des ewigen / vnd die heilsame Catholische Medicin dieses zeitlichen Lebens warhafftig daraus haben möchtet?
Ihr Herrn Theologi, Ich bitte jhr wollet vleissigst vnd wol ponderiren, wie embsig veneranda Antiquitas (das doch an jhnen / als sehr wolgethan / von euch billich gelobet wird; jhr auch / & pro concionibus & in scriptis publicis / Sie löblich hierinnen imitiret) sich auch (gleich wie Ich allhier vnd anderswo in Meinen Schrifftē hin vnd wieder thue) bemühet habe / die articulos oder Haubtpuncta Christlicher† Religion mit gleichnissen / võ Natürlichen dingen hero entlehnet / symbolicè zu exemplificiren vnd zu erkleren; ehe dann jhr deswegen mich / als blasphemū, vnschuldig vnd vnverdienet / ohne gnugsamen
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 140—take them up, nor laborate and search therein, that ye might truly have out of them the testimony of the eternal, and the wholesome Catholic Medicine of this temporal Life?
Ye Lords Theologians, I pray you, be pleased most diligently and well to ponder how assiduously venerable Antiquity — which is indeed justly praised in them by you as very well done, and which you also, both in your sermons and in your published writings, laudably imitate herein — has likewise taken pains (just as I do here and elsewhere, here and there in My Writings) to exemplify symbolically and to explain the articles or Head-points of Christian† Religion by similitudes borrowed from Natural things: before ye should on that account damn me as a blasphemer, innocent and undeserving, and cry me down without sufficient fore-
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 140
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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.