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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English Page · Branch 599 of 642
Book 9 · Signature · Passage 62
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 pp. 267–268
Latin
Idem tenendum etiam est, de signis rerum animalium, quod similiter etiam ex sanguine & ipsius circulo, ex lotio & ipsius circulo, morbi omnes, in homine latentes, &c. cognoscantur. Ex hepate mactati animalis caro omnis cognoscitur, an esu salutaris sit, vel non sit. Nisi enim hepar clarum, & coloris rubri sit, sed lividum & flavum, ac asperum & foraminosum, &c. animal aegrum, & ob id carnem eius insalubrem esse, coniicitur. Epar autem naturalibus suis signis id indicare, mirum non est. Sanguinis enim origo est in hepate, & hinc per venas in universum corpus exundat, & in carnem coagulatur. Hac de caussa ex aegro & male affecto hepate, sanus & recens sanguis nullus produci, sicut & ex morbido sanguine caro nulla salubris coagulari potest. Sed tamen & sine hepate caro, velut & sanguis, cognosci potest. Si enim utraque sana sunt, verum & naturalem suum colorem habent, qui est purpureus, lucidusque nullo extraneo colore (ut flavo aut livido) perfusus. Illi enim extranei colores morbos & aegritudines omnino indicant.
English
The same must be held concerning the signs of animal things: all diseases hidden in a human being are likewise known from the blood and its ring, and from urine and its ring. From the liver of a slaughtered animal all its flesh is judged, whether it is wholesome to eat or not. If the liver is not clear and red but livid, yellow, rough and full of holes, the animal is judged sick and its flesh therefore unwholesome. It is not surprising that the liver indicates this by its natural signs, for blood originates in the liver, flows from there through the veins into the whole body and coagulates into flesh. Thus a sick and disordered liver cannot produce healthy fresh blood, nor can wholesome flesh coagulate from diseased blood. Flesh and blood can nevertheless also be judged without the liver. If both are healthy, they have their true natural colour, purple and shining, without any foreign colour such as yellow or lividness. Those foreign colours always indicate diseases and infirmities.
Socrates
Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 9 · Signature · Book 9 · Signature · Passage 62
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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.