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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Anonymous

The Sophic Hydrolith

Water Stone of the Wise

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The Sophic HydrolithOpening Explanation

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Facing Pages · Branch 13 of 287

Opening Explanation

Book Mode

German & Latin

1619 pp. 3–4 · scans ER007, ER008

Es seindt von anbeginn der Welt hero / zu jeden zeiten viel vnd sonderbare / in GOTT hocherleuchte Leuth vnd erfahrne Philosophi vnd Weltweise Heyden gewesen vnd gefunden worden / welche die Natur vnnd Kräfften der vnderen Creaturen fleissig betrachtet vnd zu lernen sich bemühet haben / vnder welchen andern allen / sie mit grosser begierde vnnd arbeit gesucht / ob etwas in rerum natura zufinden sey / das den jrrdischen Leib deß Menschen vor der zerstörung vnd sterbligkeit / in einem steten leben vnd wolstandt præseruiren vnd erhalten möchte. Dann sie auß sonderlicher Göttlicher influentz, auch auß dem liecht der Natur gesehen vnd erkennet haben / das etwas geheimes / sonders vnd wunderbars in dieser Welt sein müsse / welches Gott der Allmechtige dem menschlichen geschlecht zu gutem geordnet / nemlich das alles / so in vnd auff dem gantzen Erdboden vnuollkommen / mangelhafft / vnd verderbt / widerumb durch solches sonderbare vnd geheime ding renouiert, ergentzt vnd vollkomlichen widerumb zu recht gebracht könte werden.

1619 pp. 3–4 · scans ER007, ER008

The Sophic Hydrolith: Opening Explanation

1619 pp. 3–4 · scans ER007, ER008

From the beginning of the world there have been, in every age, many remarkable people highly enlightened in God, experienced philosophers and wise pagans. They diligently considered the nature and powers of the lower creatures and strove to understand them. Among all the other things they investigated with great desire and labour, they sought to discover whether anything could be found in the realm of nature that might preserve and maintain the earthly human body against destruction and mortality, in lasting life and well-being. For through a special divine influence, and also through the light of nature, they saw and recognised that there must be something secret, extraordinary and wonderful in this world, ordained by Almighty God for the benefit of humankind: something through which everything imperfect, deficient and corrupted in and upon the whole earth could be renewed, restored and brought fully into good order again.

1619 pp. 3–4 · scans ER007, ER008

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.