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 546 of 642
Book 9 · Signature · Passage 39
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 p. 259
Latin
Porro, quo herbae iuniores, & minus annosae, eo plus viribus ac facultatibus praestant. Sicut enim per senium homo enervatur, & secundum vires naturales deficit: ita & herbae. Ut vero sciatur, quae herbarum & rerum similium Chiromantia ac aetas sit: Experientia diuturna requiritur, cum annorum numerus illis inscriptus non sit, sed ex sola Chiromantia, ut dictum est, divinetur. Chiromantia autem non numeros, non literas, non characteres, sed lineas tantum, venasque ac rugas &c. pro ratione cuiuslibet aetatis suppeditat. Quo enim quodlibet grandaevius: eo maiores & spectabiliores lineae exhibentur, & virtus ac operatio rei ignavior est. Sicut enim facilius curatur morbus, unius mensis vel anni, quam qui duorum, trium, quatuor, quinque &c. mensium vel annorum est: ita & herba, unius anni morbum suum citius curat, quam quae duae duorum, trium &c. annorum est. Et hac de caussa malis vetustis, herbae iuvenculae & minus annosae: recentibus autem, veteres herbae & medicinae debentur. Vetus namque si veteri iungitur, coecus coecum ducit, & uterque in foveam cadit. Haec caussa est, cur multa medicamenta nihil operentur. Sed intra corpus subsistant, & membra occupent, velut lutum adhaeret calceis, unde morbi postea duplicantur, &c.
English
The younger and less aged herbs are, the more they excel in powers and faculties. As a human being is weakened by old age and declines in natural strength, so are herbs. To know the chiromancy and age of herbs and similar things requires long experience. The number of their years is not written on them, but must be divined from chiromancy alone, as was said. Chiromancy supplies no numbers, letters or characters, only lines, veins and wrinkles according to each thing’s age. The older a thing is, the larger and more conspicuous its lines become, and the weaker its power and operation. Just as a disease of one month or year is cured more easily than one of two, three, four or five months or years, so a herb one year old cures its disease sooner than one two or three years old. For this reason young and less aged herbs are due to old ailments, while old herbs and medicines are due to recent ailments. If old is joined to old, the blind leads the blind and both fall into the ditch. This is why many medicines do nothing but remain within the body and occupy its parts as mud clings to shoes, so that diseases afterwards are doubled.
Socrates
Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 9 · Signature · Book 9 · Signature · Passage 39
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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.
About Diotimos Editions
This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.
Rights
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.