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 92 of 642
Book 3 · Preservation · Passage 4
Source reference
- Latin witness
- 1605 p. 209
Latin
In conservatione metallorum primum cognoscendi sunt hostes ipsorum, ut eo melius a damno conservari possint. Sunt igitur praecipui hostes metallorum, omnes aquae fortes, omnes aquae regis, omnia corrosiva, omnia salia, sulphur crudum, antimonium & mercurius. Ut autem specialiter sciamus, quomodo ista omnia suam inimicitiam exerceant, dico, quod aquae fortes, aquae regis, corrosiva, & salia suam inimicitiam ostendant in eo, quod omnia metalla mortificent, dissolvant, calcinent, corrumpant & in nihilum redigant. Sulphur crudum suam inimicitiam ostendit suo fumo: nam suo fumo adimit Veneri suum colorem & rubedinem, & albam reddit. Metallis albis ut Lunae, Iovi, Saturno & Marti aufert suam albedinem & rubefacit ea, vel colorem rufum ipsis inducit. Auro detrahit pulcram & amabilem suam flavedinem & aureum colorem, & nigrum reddit, & plane deforme, ut deformius esse non possit.
English
In preserving metals their enemies must first be known, so that they can better be guarded against harm. The chief enemies of metals are all aquae fortes, all aquae regis, all corrosives, all salts, crude sulphur, antimony and mercury. To understand specifically how all these exercise their hostility, I say that aquae fortes, aquae regis, corrosives and salts show it by mortifying, dissolving, calcining, corrupting and reducing all metals to nothing. Crude sulphur shows its hostility through its fumes: they take away Venus’s colour and redness and make it white. From white metals such as Luna, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars they remove whiteness and make them red, or impart a reddish colour. From Gold they strip its beautiful, pleasing yellowness and golden colour, making it black and utterly disfigured, as disfigured as can be.
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Reading Nine Books on the Nature of Things · Book 3 · Preservation · Book 3 · Preservation · Passage 4
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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.