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 88

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Early New High German

p. 88

als in Silber oder Gold zu transmutiren, vnd auch der Menschlichen leiber / solche (nach GOTTES willen). dardurch von Kranckheiten zu liberiren / oder zu præseruiren, Welche MEDICINæ Plusquamperficiret Silber oder Gold seind; vñd nicht / (wie doch billich fürnemtlichst geschehen solte / das man principaliter nicht nur auffs Silber oder Gold - machen / wie mans nennet / gaffete / Welches dannoch an sich selbst wol folgete / wann LAPIS Philosophorum VNIVESRALis^† verhanden were / vnd lege artis recht angewendet würde) auff LAPIDEM Philosophorum CATHOlicum siue VNIVERsalem / nudum ac simplicè, auff dz GROsse EL-I-X-EIR, so eigentlich heisset FORTItudo, ja splendor fulgureus siue scintilla perfecta vnici Potentis ac Fortis,

Heinrich Khunrath’s Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum: Magnesia Catholica Philosophorum

p. 88

that is, into Silver or Gold, and also of Human bodies, to free them thereby (according to GOD’S will) from Diseases, or to preserve them — which MEDICINES are More-than-perfected Silver or Gold; and not (as, in fairness, ought chiefly to happen: that one should principally not gape only after the Silver- or Gold-making, as they call it — which would nevertheless follow well enough of itself, if the VNIVERSAL STONE of the Philosophers^† were at hand and were rightly applied by the law of the art) — not, I say, to the CATHOLIC or VNIVERSAL STONE of the Philosophers, bare and simply; to the GREAT EL-I-X-EIR, which properly means FORTITVDO — yes, splendor fulgureus siue scintilla perfecta vnici Potentis ac Fortis,

145.splendor fulgureus siue scintilla perfecta vnici Potentis ac Fortis: ‘the lightning splendour, or the perfect spark, of the One Mighty and Strong’. The Latin is kept here because Khunrath restates it himself in German at the head of p. 89, and the English gives it there. — Marginal glosses: ‘Upon the Simple Stone of the Wise.’; ‘As also chapter 2, p. 54, of my Confession’ — the last word is divided Confessio- / nis with the nis set as a catchword at the foot of the margin and repeated at the head of p. 89’s margin, exactly as the page catchwords are. — EL-I-X-EIR is spaced out by Khunrath himself, and he glosses it in the body text as FORTItudo, strength, and as the lightning splendour of the one Mighty and Strong. That reading is his; the derivation from Hebrew El which it suggests is not stated by him and is not asserted here. ^†VNIVESRALis is printed thus, the s and r transposed; left as set.

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