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 277 of 642
Book 6 · Resuscitation · Passage 5
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 pp. 225–226
Latin
Sed ut ad nostrum propositum redeamus, & exemplis & sufficientibus rationibus probemus, quod res mortificatae non mortuae sint, & in morte cogantur manere, sed reduci & resuscitari ac vivificari possint, & hoc quidem per hominem ex ductu naturae & formula: videtis de leonibus, qui omnes mortui nascuntur, & primum ab horribili clamore suorum parentum vivificantur, quasi aliquis dormiens qui clamore aliquo suscitetur, ita etiam leones excitantur, non quod sic dormiant (nam qui dormit somnum naturalem, eum necesse est resurgere) sed leones non ita: Nam nisi excitatio per clamorem illum fieret, mortui manerent, nec unquam in illis vita reperiretur. Quare ex hoc satis intelligitur, quod per clamorem vitam suam acquirant & vivificentur. Similiter etiam videris in omnibus animalibus, quae non nascuntur, sed ex putredine oriuntur ut muscae, quae si in aquis suffocentur ita ut nulla amplius vita in ipsis reperiatur vel videatur, & si ita relinquerentur, mortuae manerent, neque ex seipsis unquam reviviscerent. Quod si sale inspergantur & in sole calido vel post fornacem calentem collocentur, priorem vitam recuperant, & haec quidem est ipsarum resuscitatio. Nam si hoc non fieret mortuae remanerent. Ita etiam videbis in serpente, si in frusta secetur & haec in cucurbitam ponantur, & in ventre equino putrefiant, totus serpens reviviscet in vitro in forma parvorum vermium vel ut semen piscium. Quod si isti vermiculi, ut decet, in putrefactione educentur & enutriantur, multoties centum serpentes ex uno serpente nascentur, quorum quilibet tam grandis est ut primus, quod quidem sola putrefactio potest. Atque ut de serpente dictum est, sic multa animalia resuscitari, revocari & restaurari possunt. Iuxta hunc processum conati sunt, adiuvante Nigromantia, Hermes & Virgilius seipsos post mortem renovare & resuscitare, & denuo ut infantes nasci, sed non iuxta propositum ipsorum res cecidit, sed male cessit.
English
Let us return to our purpose and prove by examples and sufficient reasons that mortified things are not dead and compelled to remain in death, but can be reduced, resuscitated and brought to life by humans under nature’s guidance and pattern. Consider lions, all born dead and first brought to life by their parents’ dreadful roar. Lions are thus awakened like a sleeper roused by a shout, but they are not simply asleep: someone naturally asleep must wake, whereas lions would remain dead without that awakening roar and life would never be found in them. From this it is clear enough that they acquire life and are animated through the roar. You see something similar in animals not born but arising from putrefaction, such as flies. If drowned in water until no life remains apparent or discoverable, they would remain dead if left so and never revive of themselves. But if sprinkled with salt and placed in warm sunshine or behind a warm furnace, they recover their former life: this is their resuscitation. Otherwise they would remain dead. Likewise, if a serpent is cut into pieces, placed in a cucurbit and putrefied in the horse’s belly, the entire serpent revives in the glass in the form of little worms or fish spawn. If those little worms are properly reared and nourished in putrefaction, many hundreds of serpents will be born from one, each as large as the first. Putrefaction alone can accomplish this. As described for the serpent, many animals can be resuscitated, recalled and restored. Following this process with the aid of nigromancy, Hermes and Virgil attempted to renew and resuscitate themselves after death and be born again as infants. Things did not turn out as they intended, but ended badly.
Socrates
Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 6 · Resuscitation · Book 6 · Resuscitation · Passage 5
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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.