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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 15 of 287

Opening Explanation

Book Mode

German & Latin

1619 pp. 4–5 · scans ER008, ER009

Solchen wunderbahren vnd geheimen dingen dann fromme erfahrne Philosophi mit fleiß nachgetracht / biß sie solches gefunden vnnd desselbigen nützlichen gebrauch / damit sie sich die zeit jhres lebens erlüstiget / vnnd erhalten / erlernet vnd bekommen haben / welches hohe geheimnus vnd wunder ding vor ihnen alle Heylige Patriarchen auch warhafftig gewust / vnd gehabt / vnd ohne zweiffel Adam dem grossen Vatter im anfang von Gott selbsten wirdt geoffenbahret vnd gewiesen worden sein / welches hernach alle alt Vätter von jhm ererbt / vnd auß desselben kräfften jhre leibs gesundtheit vnnd langes leben / auch grossen Reichthumb dadurch erlangt vnd bekommen haben. Solches Göttliche ding / ja wunder ding / haben vor ermelte Heyden (als sie dieses auch erlangt / für ein sonderbahre Gabe Gottes vnd für die allerhöchste vnd geheimlichste Kunst erkennet vnd gehalten) doch darneben gesehen / daß solche durch Gottes fürsehung dem wenigern theil der menschen geoffenbahret / vnd dem grössern theil dieser Welt verborgen sey / vnd bleiben werde / darumb sie auch dieselbe jederzeit / so viel sie gekönt / in grosser geheim gehalten.

1619 pp. 4–5 · scans ER008, ER009

The Sophic Hydrolith: Opening Explanation

1619 pp. 4–5 · scans ER008, ER009

Pious and experienced philosophers diligently pursued this wonderful and secret thing until they found it and acquired knowledge of its beneficial use, by which they refreshed and maintained themselves throughout their lives. All the holy patriarchs before them had truly known and possessed this high secret and marvellous thing. Without doubt it must originally have been revealed and shown by God himself to Adam, the great father. The ancient fathers afterwards inherited it from him and through its powers obtained bodily health, long life and great wealth. When the pagans already mentioned also acquired this divine and truly marvellous thing, they recognised and regarded it as a special gift of God and as the highest and most secret art. Yet they also saw that, through God’s providence, it had been revealed to the smaller part of humankind, while it was concealed, and would remain concealed, from the greater part of this world. They therefore always kept it as secret as they could.

1619 pp. 4–5 · scans ER008, ER009

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.