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 197 of 215
Closing Leaves · Colophon
Early New High German
ColophonA band of printer’s fleurons across the head of the page.
Gedruckt zu Magde- burg/ bey Johan. Böt- cher/ Im Jahr M. D. XCIX. Bey Johan Francken zu bekommen.
Woodcut tailpiece: a bearded grotesque mask set in strapwork, with pendant swags and a finial hanging below. It carries no shield, no blazon and no monogram.
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Closing Leaves
ColophonA band of printer’s fleurons across the head of the page.
Printed at Magde- burg, by Johann Böt- cher, in the Year M. D. XCIX. To be had from Johann Francke.
Woodcut tailpiece: a bearded grotesque mask set in strapwork, with pendant swags and a finial hanging below. It carries no shield, no blazon and no monogram.
Here the book ends.
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Closing Leaves · Colophon
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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.