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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Facing Pages · Branch 575 of 642
Book 9 · Signature · Passage 53
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 p. 264
Latin
Sed ut ad institutum nostrum de signis mineralibus, & praecipue de coruscationibus venarum metallicarum regrediamur: sciendum est, quod velut metalla, quae in primo adhuc Ente versantia coruscationem suam, hoc est, signa exhibent, sic etiam Tinctura Physicorum, quae imperfecta omnia metalla in probum argentum aurumve commutat (ceu metalla alba in argentum, rubra in aurum) peculiaria sua signa, coruscatione similia exserat, si astraliter perfecta & praeparata sit. Quamprimum enim exigua illius moles in fluxile metallum coniicitur, ita ut duo illa in igne conveniant: coruscatio seu fulgor naturalis exoritur, non secus ac finum aurum argentumque in testa sive capella fulgurat, quod tum demum indicio est, aurum argentumve illud ab omni ceterorum metallorum additamento liberum & expurgatum esse. Qui vero nostra tinctura Physicorum astralis fiat, hoc modo cognoscendum est. Primo sciendum est, metallum quodvis, quamdiu in primo Ente adhuc latet conditum, peculiaria sua Astra habere. Ita Aurum habet Astra Solis: Argentum Astra Lunae: Cuprum Astra Veneris: Ferrum Astra Martis: Stannum Astra Iovis: Plumbum Astra Saturni: Hydrargyrum, Astra Mercurii. Quamprimum autem ad suam perfectionem venerunt, & in fixum Metallicum corpus coagulantur, ab illorum quolibet sua Astra recedunt, & corpus suum relinquunt mortuum. Hinc iam consequitur, corpora eiusmodi omnia deinceps mortua & inefficacia esse, & invictum Astrum metallorum ea omnia vincere, inque suam naturam convertere, & sic universa Astralia facere. Qua de caussa etiam aurum & argentum nostrum, quod tinctura nostra tingitur & praeparatur, multo nobilius, & ad Arcanorum medicinalium praeparationem praestantius est ipso naturali, quod natura ipsa in fodinis generat, ac postmodum a metallis ceteris segregatur. Sic etiam Mercurius corporis, ex metallo alio factus astraliter, multo nobilior & fixior est Mercurio communi. Et sic etiam de ceteris metallis iudica: Affirmo ergo, quemlibet Alchimistam, qui Astrum auri habet, rubra metalla omnia in aurum tingendo vertere. Ita Astro Argenti metalla omnia alba in argentum mutantur: Astro cupri in cuprum: Astro Argenti vivi, in Mercurium corporis; Et sic deinceps. Haec vero Astra omnia quomodo secundum artem spagyricam praeparentur, hoc loco declarare instituti nostri non est: sed pertinet ea explicatio ad libros de transmutationibus metallorum.
English
To return to our subject of mineral signs, especially the flashes of metallic veins, know that just as metals still in their first being display their flashes, that is, their signs, so too the tincture of the natural philosophers, which changes all imperfect metals into good silver or gold, white metals into silver and red into gold, displays its own particular signs resembling flashes if it has been perfected and prepared astrally. As soon as a small quantity is cast into molten metal and the two meet in the fire, a natural flash or brilliance arises, just as refined gold and silver flash in the test or cupel. This indicates that the gold or silver is freed and purified from every admixture of other metals. How our tincture of the natural philosophers becomes astral is to be understood in this way. First, every metal, while still lying concealed in its first being, has its own particular stars. Gold has the stars of the Sun; silver, those of the Moon; copper, Venus; iron, Mars; tin, Jupiter; lead, Saturn; and quicksilver, Mercury. As soon as they reach perfection and coagulate into a fixed metallic body, their stars withdraw from each and leave its body dead. It follows that all such bodies are thereafter dead and ineffective, and the unconquered star of metals overcomes them, converts them into its own nature and makes them all astral. For this reason our gold and silver, tinctured and prepared with our tincture, is much nobler and better for preparing medicinal arcana than natural gold and silver generated by nature in mines and subsequently separated from other metals. Likewise mercury of the body, made astrally from another metal, is much nobler and more fixed than common mercury. Judge the other metals in the same way. I therefore affirm that every alchemist possessing the star of gold changes all red metals into gold by tincturing. By the star of silver all white metals are changed into silver; by the star of copper, into copper; by the star of quicksilver, into mercury of the body; and so on. It is not our purpose to explain here how all these stars are prepared according to spagyric art; that explanation belongs to the books on the transmutations of metals.
Socrates
Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 9 · Signature · Book 9 · Signature · Passage 53
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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.