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 43
Early New High German
p. 43Findet jhr aber discrepantias Ewerer meinungen / vnnd dieser Meiner / mit der Natur vnnd vnwiedersprechlichen rationibus befestigten / Philosophischen Lehre / so schliesset / Ihr habt verstossen vnd gefeilet / vnd lernets (wie angedeutet) gewisser indagiren. Sonsten haltet jhr / euch selbst zu nachtheil / Pseudo-Magnesiam pro genuina. Gesagtes lasset in diesem Magnesien handel / so viel ewere pseudo-Magnesias / auch der Philosophen vnd Meine wahre MAGNESIam CATHOLICam anlangt / ewern Probstein sein / vnd nach dem selbē richtet euch
MERCKET AVFF.
Wann (durch GOTTES Gnade) man erweisen würde / aus den Ersten zweyen capitulen des Ersten buchs MOSIS / was MATERIA PRIMA des
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 43But if you find discrepancies between your opinions and this Philosophical Teaching of Mine, made fast by Nature and by incontrovertible reasons, then conclude that you have gone wrong and erred, and learn (as has been intimated) to search more surely. Otherwise you are holding, to your own disadvantage, a false Magnesia for the genuine one. Let what has been said, in this business of Magnesia — so far as it concerns your pseudo-Magnesias, and also the true MAGNESIA CATHOLICA of the Philosophers and Mine — be your Touchstone, and direct yourselves by it.
Mark This Well.
If (by GOD’S Grace) one were to demonstrate, out of the First two chapters of the First book of MOSES, what the MATERIA PRIMA of the
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 43
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.