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 47
Early New High German
p. 47sey gleich eben solcher MATERIAE / wo von GOTT das grosse gebewde der materialischen Weldt erbawet / vnd auch Mundi - primordialiter oder erst-Weldt-anfenglich ALLE materialische dinge darinnen gemacht hat: Nicht aber also / wie auch Weldt-anfenglich (ita volente DEO) jede jene Vegetabilia, Animalia, Mineralia atq; Metalla, auff nur EINE gewisse speciem oder Natürliche gesagte Art insonderheit specificiret, oder gewiß-geartet / damals daraus geworden; Oder aber hernacher (itavolente DEO, & operante NATVRA, MOTVS Naturalis principio) aus oder von den GEWECHSEN vnnd THIEREN wiederumb & secundariò die GEWECHSE vnd THIERE immer fort vnd fort / jedes aus oder von seinen eigenen besondern
Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum
p. 47be of just such MATERIA as that from which GOD built the great edifice of the material World, and from which also, primordially to the World, or at the first beginning of the World, He made ALL material things therein. Yet not in such wise as those Vegetables, Animals, Minerals and Metals severally came to be from it at that time, at the beginning of the World (God so willing), specified or fixed in kind upon only ONE certain species or so-called Natural Kind in particular; nor as afterwards (God so willing, and NATURE working, by the principle of Natural MOTION) the PLANTS and BEASTS have come, and in the second place, out of or from the PLANTS and BEASTS again and again, on and on, each out of or from its own particular
Socrates
Reading Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum · Printed Page 47
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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.