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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Attributed to Abraham the Jew

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I

Book of Hieroglyphic Figures

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The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume IThe Labors of Hercules · Manuscript 47v · Scan 122

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English Page · Branch 114 of 351

The Labors of Hercules · Manuscript 47v · Scan 122

French

Ms. 47v

à Mars, le blanc à Jupiter, le vert à Vénus, le bleu à la Lune et la couleur du citron à l'or et ne se sont dissipées que par le moyen du feu et du soufre.

4°. Sur le mont Érymanthe, il prend un sanglier qui ravage tout; c'est lui qui a tué Adonis. Par le sanglier nous devons entendre le vinaigre des philosophes qui dissout Adonis, c'est-à-dire le fils ou le soufre de Vénus; il l'amène vivant au roi Eurysthée, ce qui signifie le soufre vif des philosophes régnant et fixe, qui est notre Roi. Il l'amène après sa corruption et sa mort, c'est-à-dire que nous le résolvons.

On aperçoit assez en chimie ce que signifie la fable où est représenté son combat contre les oiseaux stymphalides, dans lequel, à coups de flèches, il les fait fuir du lac Stymphale ou de l'île de Mars jusque dans l'île d'Enyée, puisque ces oiseaux marquent les vapeurs ou esprits qui dans la corruption voltigent de tous les côtés du vaisseau. On dit qu'ils obscurcissent le ciel par leur grand nombre, parce que pendant ce temps de corruption le Soleil s'obscurcit et se corrompt, jusqu'à ce que notre Hercule les ait coagulés par ses flèches, qui sont les esprits

Ms. 47v

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

Ms. 47v

to Mars, white to Jupiter, green to Venus, blue to the Moon, and lemon color to gold. They have been dispersed only by means of fire and sulfur.

4. On Mount Erymanthus he captures a boar that lays everything waste: it is the one that killed Adonis. By the boar we must understand the philosophers' vinegar, which dissolves Adonis—that is, Venus's son or sulfur. He brings it alive to King Eurystheus, signifying the living, reigning and fixed sulfur of the philosophers, which is our King. He brings it after its corruption and death—that is, we dissolve it.

Chemistry makes clear enough the meaning of the fable depicting his combat against the Stymphalian birds. By shooting arrows he drives them from Lake Stymphalus, or the island of Mars, to the island of Enyée. These birds signify the vapors or spirits that flutter about every side of the vessel during corruption. They are said to darken the sky through their great number because, during this period of corruption, the Sun darkens and is corrupted, until our Hercules has coagulated them with his arrows, which are the spirits

Ms. 47v

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.