The Sophic Hydrolith

Name: The Sophic Hydrolith
Author: Anonymous

Water Stone of the Wise

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The Sophic HydrolithPart Two

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English Page · Branch 36 of 287

Part Two

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German & Latin

1619 pp. 21–22 · scans ER025, ER026

Wie hoch vnd sehr nothwendig an der erkantnuß der primæ, alias materiæ secundæ dieses geheimen Philosophischen Steins / denjenigen / die solche zu erlangen begehren / gelegen sey: Haben ermelte Philosophi dieselbe auch nicht gnugsam erinnern / vnnd in acht zu haben / vermahnen können / welche materia doch nur ein eintziges ding ist / darauß dieser Stein einig vnd allein / ohn allen frembde zusatz / ob sie schon mit tausent nahmen bennent / muß zugerichtet werden / der sein qualitet, arth vnd eigenschafft / sie auch wunderbarlich beschrieben / vnd vngefehrlich Summarischerweise / als folgender gestallt angedeutet haben. Nemblich das dieselbige im anfang von drey zusamen gesetzt vnd doch nuhr eins sey. Item auß einem / zweyen / dreyen / vieren vnd fünffen erzeugt vnd gemacht / auch zu einem vñ zweyen / so allenhalben ist / gefunden werden. Nennen dasselbig auch Magnesiam Catholicam oder Sperma mundi, den samen der gantzẽ Welt / auß welchem alle Natürliche ding jhren vrsprung haben / Item es sey einer wunder vnd sonderbahren Geburt vnd gestalt / habe ein vnzerstörliche vnd vnvergrünliche Natur vnd eigenschafft / sey also weder heyß noch trucken / wie das Fewer / vnd nicht Kalt noch feucht / wie das Wasser / auch weder Kalt noch trucken wie das Erdtreich / sondern aller Elementen eine geschickliche vollkommene vergleichnuß / sey auch eines vnzerstörten Leibs / der von keinem Element nicht kann angegriffen werden / welcher mit allen seinen eigenschafften gleich wie der Himmel vber die vier Element vnd vier qualiteten als ein vnzerstörliches vnnd quinta essentia in allem zuvergleichen.

The Sophic Hydrolith: Part Two

1619 pp. 21–22 · scans ER025, ER026

The philosophers have repeatedly and emphatically reminded those who desire to obtain this secret philosophical stone how very necessary it is to know its first matter, otherwise called its second matter, and have urged them to heed this. Yet this matter is only one single thing, from which alone the stone must be prepared without any foreign addition, although it is called by a thousand names. They have also described its quality, kind and character wonderfully and have indicated it, in approximate summary, as follows. At the beginning it is composed of three, yet is only one. Again, it is generated and made from one, two, three, four and five; it is also found in one and two, and is everywhere. They call it Magnesia catholica, or Sperma mundi, the seed of the whole world, from which all natural things have their origin. It is of a wonderful and exceptional birth and form, with an indestructible and unfathomable nature and character. Thus it is neither hot nor dry like fire, neither cold nor moist like water, nor cold and dry like earth, but an appropriate, perfect balance of all the elements. It is also an uncorrupted body, which no element can attack. In all its properties it is to be compared to heaven, above the four elements and four qualities, as something indestructible and as the fifth essence.

About This Reading Edition

The anonymous Water Stone of the Wise of 1619, with German text, a new English translation, 240 annotations, three companion treatises from the original volume, two separately identified responses of 1661, and the complete supplied study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Anonymous, Wasserstein der Weysen. Frankfurt: Lucas Jennis, 1619. The governing e-rara copy belongs to the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung, Zürich (DOI 10.3931/e-rara-8968). The work is traditionally attributed to Johann Siebmacher; this remains an attribution, not a name printed in the anonymous witness. The separately sourced First and Second Responses use the 1661 Wolfenbüttel witness, qun-642-1s, pp. 200–206.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

Historical texts printed in 1619 and 1661 are in the public domain. The supplied 2026 German reading text, new English translation, introduction, notes and complete study apparatus are published with the site owner’s authorization. The original triangle is credited to the Stiftung der Werke von C. G. Jung, Zürich, and e-rara, Public Domain Mark.