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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English Introduction · Branch 212 of 215
Glossary of Key Terms · Part 11
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Glossary of Key Terms
p. 212Sterngeschoß
star-shot — the jelly (in fact Nostoc) believed to fall with meteors. One of the things the ignorant name when asked what Magnesia is. p. 34.
Stichblat
Retained with a gloss. Properly the guard-plate of a sword-hilt, the piece that turns the thrust; at p. 61 the figurative sense — the decisive piece in the game — is what carries. p. 61 m.
stylus
manner, in the ancient sense: a way of proceeding, never a written hand. p. 63.
Synopticè
Left in Latin where Khunrath’s own gloss Kurtz-begrifflich follows; comprehended-in-brief where Englished. Of the one catholic spark by which the first matter is ensouled. pp. 20–21, 49, 63.
Terra Magnesiae
the land of magnesia, retained. Where the Acker lies. Khunrath keeps the geographical figure and the margin adds DEVS prouidebit, Genesis xxii. 8 — the ground is found, not made. p. 124 m.
Theologia Biblica / Theologia Macrocosmica
biblical theology / macrocosmic theology, retained where he sets the Latin. Khunrath’s name for the two theologies he holds to be one knowledge: the one written in Scripture, the other in the great world-book of Nature, both Divinitus scriptæ ac traditæ. It is what the whole apologia defends and what the PROGNOSTICON of p. 183 forecasts will one day be alleged as ocular proof; p. 151 states it flatly — physics has rightly been called by learned men a part of theology, and one that serves it. pp. 140–141, 151 (and m), 183 m.
Theosophicè / Theosophia
by divine wisdom where Englished, and left in Latin where Khunrath sets it. Always to be distinguished from the much later Theosophical movement, with which it has nothing to do. pp. 12, 137, 167.
Tincturen / Elixeiria
Retained: the transmuting tinctures and the elixirs. Always plural and always derivative — the margin of p. 103 makes the dependence the point: all true tinctures, elixirs and particulars flow out of the ground of the Vniuersale. pp. 103 (and m), 104, 148, 152, 175.
Tingirer
the tinging-man, one who offers a public Proba of tincture. Khunrath’s word for the demonstrator rather than the adept, and the advice attached to it is to watch his hands and his instruments. p. 161.
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Glossary of Key Terms · Glossary of Key Terms · Part 11
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
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.