The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I

Name: The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I
Author: Attributed to Abraham the Jew

Book of Hieroglyphic Figures

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The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume IThe Labors of Hercules · Manuscript 46v · Scan 120

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French Page · Branch 112 of 351

The Labors of Hercules · Manuscript 46v · Scan 120

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French

Ms. 46v

Explication courte et physique des travaux d'Hercule, selon le sens hermétique philosophique

1°. Les serpents que Junon envoie à Hercule dans son berceau pour les étouffer dans son premier combat; c'est-à-dire ce que l'artiste doit entreprendre d'abord dans l'œuvre; c'est la mortification du serpent mercuriel ou vitriolique par la sublimation, car dans elle comme dans le caducée, ils s'étranglent et se mortifient en se dévorant, afin qu'après en avoir ôté le venin, on en puisse faire la souveraine médecine et la thériaque la meilleure.

2°. Le second combat qui se présente est contre le lion de la forêt de Némée d'une grandeur monstrueuse, auquel Hercule, après l'avoir terrassé en combat singulier, ôte la peau qu'il porte pour ornement ou comme un manteau royal. La peau de ce lion rouge, appelé cerf rouge par

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: The Labors of Hercules

Ms. 46v

Brief physical explanation of the labors of Hercules, according to their hermetic philosophical meaning

1. The serpents Juno sends to Hercules in his cradle, for him to strangle in his first combat: this signifies what the practitioner must undertake first in the work. It is the mortification of the mercurial or vitriolic serpent through sublimation. For in this operation, as in the caduceus, they strangle and mortify one another by devouring each other, so that, once the venom has been removed, the sovereign medicine and finest theriac may be made from them.

2. The second combat is against the lion of the forest of Nemea, a creature of monstrous size. After defeating it in single combat, Hercules removes its skin, which he wears as an ornament or royal cloak. The skin of this red lion, called the red stag by

About This Reading Edition

The first manuscript in the Manly Palmer Hall collection at the Getty Research Institute: the Book of Hieroglyphic Figures, presented in French and English with 463 explanatory notes, 13 manuscript plates, 25 source details, an introduction, chapter outline, glossary, bibliography, and register of readings.

Historical Text and Translation

Book of Hieroglyphic Figures (Livre des figures hiéroglyphiques), attributed in the witness to Abraham the Jew. Getty Research Institute, Manly Palmer Hall collection of alchemical manuscripts, accession 950053, Box 1, Hogart manuscript 3; French witness catalogued circa 1800. Manly Palmer Hall is the collector, not the author.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

The circa 1800 source manuscript is public domain. The supplied 2026 French reading transcription, English translation, introduction, notes, outline, glossary, register, and editorial arrangement are published with the site owner’s authorization. Source photographs are credited to the Getty Research Institute and Internet Archive in the supplied edition.