Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
Nine Books on the Nature of Things
A fresh translation from the early Latin text with annotations and study apparatus
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Latin Page · Branch 266 of 642
Book 6 · Resuscitation · Passage 2
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 pp. 224–225
Latin
Sed ut ad nostrum propositum redeamus, quid tandem sit discriminis inter mori & mortificari, & utrum ex his resuscitari possit, ita haec intelligenda sunt. Quicquid ex natura sua moritur, habet suum terminum ex praedestinatione, & ita fert Dei voluntas & ordinatio. Accidit tamen hoc quoque ex variis morbis & diversis casibus, & hoc nunquam resuscitari potest, neque est ullum praeservativum contra praedestinationem & consummatum terminum vitae usurpandum. Quod autem mortificatum est, et resuscitari & revivificari potest, quod multis argumentis probari posset, quae quidem in fine huius libri ponemus. Quare maximum discrimen est inter mori & mortificari, neque pro re una sub eodem nomine censeri debet. Nam in ipsa proba longissime distant. Nam videte de homine qui moritur morte naturali & praedestinata, quid amplius boni vel utilis est in ipso? Nihil, tantum in terram ad vermes coniiciatur. Est enim putridum cadaver & debetur terrae. De homine autem occiso, qui gladio vel simili modo violento mortuus est, non similiter intelligendum est. Nam totum ipsius corpus est utile & bonum, & in pretiosissimam mumiam praeparari potest. Nam quamvis spiritus vitae ex tali corpore excesserit, restat tamen Balsamus, in quo adhuc vita latet, qui quidem ut Balsamus alia corpora humana conservat. Ita etiam de metallis videtis quando metallum mori vult incipit rubigine confici: & quod confectum est, mortuum est: & quando totum metallum rubigine absumtum est, totum est mortuum, & talis rubigo nunquam in verum metallum reduci potest, sed fit tantum modo scoria & non metallum. Mortuum est enim, & mors est in ipso, nec habet balsamum vitae amplius, sed in seipso periit.
English
To return to our purpose, the difference between dying and being mortified, and which permits resuscitation, must be understood as follows. Whatever dies according to its nature has its limit through predestination, as God’s will and ordinance decree. This also occurs through various diseases and accidents, and it can never be resuscitated; nor can any preservative be employed against predestination and the completed term of life. What has been mortified, however, can be resuscitated and brought to life again, as many arguments could prove, which we shall offer at this book’s end. There is therefore a very great difference between dying and being mortified; they must not be regarded as one thing under the same name, for in the test itself they stand far apart. Consider a person who dies a natural and predestined death: what good or useful thing remains? Nothing; the corpse should merely be cast into the earth to the worms, for it is putrid and owed to earth. The same must not be understood of a person killed by the sword or another violent means. The whole body is useful and good and can be prepared into most precious mummia. Though the spirit of life has departed from that body, balsam remains, with life still hidden in it, and this balsam preserves other human bodies. Likewise in metals you see that when a metal is about to die it begins to be consumed by rust. What has been consumed is dead. When the entire metal has been consumed by rust, it is entirely dead; that rust can never be reduced to true metal, but becomes only slag. It is dead, death is in it, and it no longer has the balsam of life but has perished in itself.
Socrates
Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 6 · Resuscitation · Book 6 · Resuscitation · Passage 2
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
The complete supplied Latin–English edition of the historical title, dedication and all nine books, with 363 separately labelled historical marginal notes, 117 modern annotations and the complete Diotimos study apparatus. The transmitted composite work is traditionally attributed to Paracelsus; individual authorship remains qualified.
Historical Text and Translation
The normalized Latin follows the complete 1605 Frankfurt Palthenian witness, volume six, printed pages 198–271, in SUB Göttingen PPN578052199, historical scans 182–255. Earlier textual tradition is German; the individual translator of the 1605 Latin text is not identified. The dedication’s 1537 date is transmitted text, not an established date for the composite work.
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This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
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The historical Latin text is in the public domain. The fresh English translation and editorial material were prepared with AI assistance for Diotimos Editions in 2026 and are published with the site owner’s authorization.