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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 HydrolithThe Way of Truth

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Facing Pages · Branch 216 of 287

The Way of Truth

German & Latin

1619 pp. 245–246 · scans ER249, ER250

Haben auch darnach diesen dingen weiter nachgesonnen vnnd gedacht, wie man doch diesen Essentien, welche durch die Natur am schwächsten gekocht, möchte durch das gemeine Feuwer natürlich zu hülff kommen, damit die Essentien, welche jetzt verbrennlich sein, vnd ihre Liquores (die Alten aus mißgunst den Mercurium genannt) welche von der Essentien schwartz abscheiden, durch kunst möchten vollkommen gemacht werden, also, daß die Essentien durch den liquorem für der verbrennung verwahret bleibe, vnnd der Liquor sich von der Essentia nit könte abscheiden. Diß haben die Alten genannt vnsern Sulphur, denn nach dieser bereitung ist die Essentia nicht mehr Vegetabilisch noch Animalisch, sondern ist nun durch die kochung ein Mineralische Essentia geworden, darumb ist er Sulphur geheissen, dann die Essentia ist nichts anders dann ein Elementarisch Feuwer. Vnd sein liquor, welcher für der verbrennung verwahret wirdt, ist eine warhafftige Elementische Lufft, das ist also, weil die Lufft von Natur warm vnnd feucht, von den Abgünstigen Mercurius genennet wirdt.

1619 pp. 245–246 · scans ER249, ER250

The Sophic Hydrolith: The Way of Truth

1619 pp. 245–246 · scans ER249, ER250

They then reflected further on these things, considering how ordinary fire might naturally assist those essences which Nature had cooked least thoroughly. In this way the essences which are now combustible, together with their liquors—which the ancients enviously named mercury, and which separate from the essences as black smoke—might be perfected by art. The essences would then be protected by the liquor against burning, and the liquor would be unable to separate from the essence. The ancients called this our sulphur, for after this preparation the essence is no longer vegetable or animal; through coction it has become a mineral essence and is therefore called sulphur. The essence is nothing other than elemental fire. Its liquor, which is protected against burning, is true elemental air. Because air is naturally warm and moist, the envious call it mercury.

1619 pp. 245–246 · scans ER249, ER250

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.