DiotimosReading Desk

Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Attributed to Abraham the Jew

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I

Book of Hieroglyphic Figures

Explore the Lexicon
The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume ILucretius Ovid and the Parts of the Human Being · Manuscript 115v · Scan 266

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Facing Pages · Branch 258 of 351

Lucretius Ovid and the Parts of the Human Being · Manuscript 115v · Scan 266

French

Ms. 115v

environne ; cela arrive sur le soir au coucher du soleil et leur forme coagulée ressemble à celle du cadavre que l’on appelle ombre et qu’on ne peut prendre pour le corps. Ils ont dit que ces ombres de formes ces épouvantails étaient des lemures, des spectres, des manes, et la scélérate Némésis qu’ils font errer et tourner autour des sépultures et des tombeaux et des lieux destinés à inhumer les corps, mais ce sont là des contes de poètes qui effraient et amusent, et de pures bagatelles plutôt que des arguments incontestables, que ce soit les âmes de ces païens et profanes qui reviennent et qui errent autour de leurs corps et de leurs sépultures. Quoique quelques-uns s’imaginent que l’esprit n’est point distingué de l’âme et que les philosophes donnent dans ce sentiment, cependant s’ils regardent la chose de plus près ils apercevront beaucoup de différence non pas en peu, mais en beaucoup de choses ; car cet esprit végétatif ou sensitif, ou comme ils veulent dire l’âme et la vertu végétative et sensitive

Ms. 115v

The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: Lucretius Ovid and the Parts of the Human Being

Ms. 115v

surrounds them. This happens toward evening, at sunset, and their coagulated form resembles that of the corpse; it is called a shadow and cannot be taken for the body. They have said that these shadows of forms, these terrors, were lemures, specters, manes, and wicked Nemesis, whom they make wander and circle around burial places, tombs, and places appointed for interring bodies. But these are poets’ tales that frighten and entertain, and mere trifles rather than incontestable arguments that the souls of these pagans and profane persons return and wander around their bodies and graves. Although some imagine that spirit is not distinct from soul and that philosophers share this view, if they examine the matter more closely they will perceive great differences, not in a few but in many things. For this vegetative or sensitive spirit—or, as they wish to say, the soul and the vegetative and sensitive power—

Ms. 115v

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.