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 443 of 642
Book 8 · Separation · Passage 35
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 pp. 244–245
Latin
Alium enim processum requirunt herbae, alium flores, alium semina, alium folia, alium radices, alium arbores, locustae & caules, alium fructus, alium ligna, &c. Et in hoc destillationis gradu discreti quoque quatuor gradus Ignis considerandi veniunt. Primus gradus Ignis in destillatione est Balneum Mariae. Haec est destillatio facta in aqua. Alter gradus Ignis est destillatio facta in cinere. Tertius, in arena. Quartus, in libero Igne, sicut etiam per Aquam fortem & alias violentas aquas destillatio fieri solet. Sub primum ignis gradum spectant Herbae, flores, semina, & similia. Sub secundum folia, fructus, &c. Sub tertium radices, rami & locustae arborum, &c. Sub quartum ligna, & quae his similia sunt. Horum tamen quodlibet minutim incidendum aut contundendum est priusquam in destillatorium indatur. Et haec de destillatione Aquarum, & vegetabilium substantiarum dicta sint. Quantum autem ad separationem & destillationem oleorum attinet, processus idem tenendus est cum eo, de quo in separatione Aquarum iam diximus, nisi quod ex parte per Descensum illa destillanda sint. Nec enim aquarum instar in Destillatorio sursum ascendere possunt. Itaque processus eorum hoc casu mutandus est. Ceterum Liquores non ut aquae & olea in destillatione separantur, sed sub praelo a corporeis suis substantiis exprimuntur. Et hic sciendum est, nonnulla quoque olea, eodem modo, quo Liquores, per praelum a suis corporeis substantiis exprimi & separari hac de caussa, quia plane nullam ustionem aut Ignis calorem ferre possunt, sed ingratum ex illo odorem contrahunt. Huius census est oleum Amygdalarum, Nucum, durorum ovorum & similium. Notandum etiam hoc est, quod omnia olea, si secundum Spagyricam & Alchimicam artem praeparentur seu coagulentur, vernicem, Electuarium, Gummi aut resinam quandam fundant, quae sulphur quoque vocari possunt, quod si species, quae in Destillatorio relinquuntur, calcinentur, et in cinerem redigantur, sola ac simplici aqua calida Alcali ab ipsis extrahi et separari potest. Cinis, qui relinquitur, vocatur terra mortua, nec ex illa quidquam amplius educi aut separari potest.
English
Herbs require one process, flowers another, seeds another, leaves another, roots another, trees, shoots and stalks another, fruits another and woods another. In this stage of distillation four distinct degrees of fire must also be considered. The first degree of fire in distillation is the bath of Mary: distillation carried out in water. The second is distillation in ashes; the third, in sand; the fourth, in an open fire, as distillation is also commonly performed with aqua fortis and other violent waters. Herbs, flowers, seeds and similar things belong to the first degree; leaves and fruits to the second; roots, branches and shoots of trees to the third; woods and similar things to the fourth. Each, however, must be cut small or crushed before being put into the still. Let this suffice on distillation of waters and vegetable substances. As for separation and distillation of oils, the same process must be followed as was described for separating waters, except that some must be distilled downwards. They cannot rise upwards in the still as waters do, so their process must be changed in that case. Liquors, however, are not separated by distillation like waters and oils, but squeezed from their bodily substances under a press. Know also that some oils are pressed and separated from their bodily substances in the same way as liquors, because they cannot endure any burning or heat of fire, but acquire an unpleasant smell from it. Of this kind are oil of almonds, nuts, hard-boiled eggs and the like. Observe also that all oils, if prepared or coagulated according to spagyric and alchemical art, yield a varnish, electuary, gum or resin, which may also be called sulphur. If the materials left in the still are calcined and reduced to ash, alkali can be extracted and separated from them with plain hot water alone. The ash that remains is called dead earth, from which nothing further can be drawn or separated.
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Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 8 · Separation · Book 8 · Separation · Passage 35
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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.