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 418 of 642
Book 8 · Separation · Passage 21
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 pp. 240–241
Latin
Hoc modo cetera etiam metalla, ut Aurum, Argentum, Cuprum, Ferrum, Stannum, Plumbum, &c. velut & alia ex his parata, ut Electrum rubeum, Magnesia alba, aurichalcum, plumbum cinereum, Laton, aes Caldarium, pars cum parte, &c. & quaecunque huius generis transmutata metalla sunt, cum Mercurio vivo, in pulverisatione ab extraneis abstrahuntur & separantur. Ea enim Mercurii vivi Natura & conditio est, ut cum metallis amalgametur, & totus uniatur, cum hoc tamen vel illo aut citius aut tardius, prout metallum eius naturae plus minusve cognatum est.
English
In this way the other metals too, such as gold, silver, copper, iron, tin and lead, as well as things prepared from them, such as red electrum, white magnesia, aurichalcum, ash-coloured lead, laton, cauldron metal and part-with-part, and all transmuted metals of this kind, are drawn off and separated from foreign matter in their pulverised state by quicksilver. For it is the nature and condition of quicksilver to amalgamate and unite completely with metals, sooner or later with one or another according to the greater or lesser kinship of the metal with its nature.
Socrates
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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.
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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.