Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

Name: Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
Author: Heinrich Khunrath

The 1599 German text with a new English translation, introduction, glossary, and notes.

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Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica PhilosophorumMagnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 180

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Early New High German

p. 180

gedrungen würden. Wol allen Chymicis die / LAPIDem Philosophorum zuerlangē / auff MAGNESIAM CATHOLICAM bawen.

Da auch etwan ein ZEDE-KIAS sich vnterstünde / MICHAM auff den Backen zu schlagen / vnnd hochtrabend / mit trotziger verachtung / zu sprechen: Wie? Ist der Geist der Warheit von mir gewichen / das er mit dir redet? Hastu denn die Kunst alleine gefressen? Solte D. Khunrath mich erst lehren was MAGNESIA Philolophorum^† sey? Ich habe sie allbereit vor so vielen Jaren gewust / etc. Das befehle Ich Gott vnd der Zeit / vnnd stelle es dahin. Dannach ists vnd bleibts die Warheit / was Ich in diesem Tractatu von MAGNESIA lehre. Es mag aber ein solcher darneben wissen / das / wie er in den Waldt wird

Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

p. 180

another, dung for balsam. Well is it with all Chymists who build upon MAGNESIA CATHOLICA to attain the LAPIS of the Philosophers.

And though some ZEDEKIAH should venture to smite MICAIAH upon the cheek, and to say, high-flown and with defiant contempt: How? Is the Spirit of Truth departed from me, that it speaks with thee? Hast thou then devoured the Art alone? Should D. Khunrath first teach me what MAGNESIA Philosophorum^† is? I have known her these many years already, etc. — that I commend to God and to Time, and leave it there. For all that, what I teach of MAGNESIA in this Treatise is and remains the Truth. But let such a one know besides, that, as he shall into the Wood

241.Marginal glosses: ‘1 Kings 22, verse 24.’; ‘Dost thou know her? then give thy Nature-conforming …^‡ … else believe what … thee not.’ — 1 Kings xxii. 24 (Vulgate 3 Regum), where Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah smites Micaiah and asks Wie? Ist der Geist des HERRN von mir gewichen, dass er mit dir redete? Khunrath quotes the verse almost word for word and changes one thing: der Geist der Warheit for der Geist des HERRN. — D. Khunrath, Fraktur like the rest of the line: he names himself in the third person and in his opponent’s mouth, as at p. 130, where the 1599 also sets Doctor Khunrath in Fraktur. — ^†The 1599 sets Philolophorum, with l for the first s. Marked, and the English gives the word. — ^‡The fifth line of the second gloss is inked solidly over. What stands before it ends be- and what follows begins sten, so the lost matter completed a word in be- and one in -sten, presumably bedencken and sonsten; but nothing can be read, and no conjecture is printed. — wie er in den Waldt wird schreien is the proverb wie man in den Wald ruft, so schallt es heraus, which the next page completes.

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.

supplied-bilingual-editionSupplied complete German–English scholarly edition