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 97 of 642
Book 3 · Preservation · Passage 6
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 p. 210
Latin
Argentum vivum vero suam hostilem vim erga metalla in eo exercet, quod metalla cum quibus coniungitur, invadit & solvit, ita ut malagma ex illis faciat: praeterea fumus ipsius, quem nos mercurium vulgi nominamus, omnia metalla immalleabilia, fragilia reddit & calcinat, & omnia rubra aurei coloris metalla albat. Ferri autem & chalybis summus hostis est. Nam si ☿ vulgi perticam ferream attingat, vel illa oleo Mercuriali ungatur, illa pertica postea ut vitrum frangetur & decurtabitur, quod quidem magnum secretum, & valde occultandum est. Similiter & magnes a ☿ custodiri debet & servari: nam cum eo similiter ut cum ♂ inimicitiam exercet. Nam quilibet magnes, quem ☿ vulgi attingit, aut qui oleo Mercuriali ungitur, aut solum modo in Mercurio ponitur, postea nullum ferrum attrahit in perpetuum. De hoc nemo miretur. Habent enim hae res causas naturales, nempe tales, quod Mercurius extrahat spiritum ferri, quem magnes in se latentem continet: quare & spiritus ferri in magnete corpus ♂ ad se trahit: & hoc non solum in magnete fit, sed in omnibus aliis rebus naturalibus, ita ut semper peregrinus spiritus, qui in alieno est corpore, quod non est naturae suae naturae, corpus attrahat: & hoc non solum de magnete sciendum est, sed & de omnibus rebus naturalibus, ut mineris, lapidibus, herbis, radicibus, hominibus & animalibus.
English
Quicksilver exercises its hostile power against metals by attacking and dissolving those with which it joins, making an amalgam from them. Its fumes—what we call common mercury—also make all metals unmalleable and brittle and calcine them, and whiten every red or gold-coloured metal. It is the greatest enemy of iron and steel: if common Mercury touches an iron rod, or the rod is anointed with mercurial oil, it will afterward break and snap like glass. This is a great secret to be kept well hidden. A magnet must likewise be guarded and protected from Mercury, for it exercises the same hostility against it as against Iron. Any magnet touched by common Mercury, anointed with mercurial oil or merely placed in Mercury afterward attracts no iron forever. Let no one be surprised: these things have natural causes. Mercury draws out the spirit of iron which the magnet secretly contains. Thus it is the spirit of iron in the magnet which attracts the body of Iron. This occurs not only in the magnet but in every other natural thing: a foreign spirit in a body alien to it always attracts the body of its own nature. This must be understood not only of the magnet, but of all natural things, such as ores, stones, plants, roots, humans and animals.
Socrates
Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 3 · Preservation · Book 3 · Preservation · Passage 6
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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.