Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 90 of 351
Herod and the Reduction of the Elements · Manuscript 37r · Scan 99
French
Ms. 37rentende ceci du sang humain, car il ne faut pas prendre cet emblème tel qu’il se présente et au dépourvu, parce que sous son écorce il y a de profonds secrets cachés. Par ce sang il entend les esprits mercuriels sulfureux ou métalliques, dans lequel les poètes disent que Vulcain a baigné le soleil pour le purifier de sa lèpre. Comme nous lisons de Naaman dans l’Écriture sainte qui fut plongé sept fois dans le Jourdain ou dans la piscine que l’ange avait troublée pour être guéri de sa lèpre. Ceux qui approfondissent et qui creusent plus avant dans ces mystères qui sont au-dessus de tout ce que nous pouvons dire, par la tête de ce Roi couronnée d’un Diadème d’or et par son trône d’or ils entendent le soufre d’or qui est le capital et le fondement de l’œuvre, et par sa robe de pourpre qui descend jusqu’à ses pieds à la mode des Juifs, ils entendent la couleur extérieure du vif-argent dont l’esprit de notre roi est revêtu, et donnent à connaître que celui qui a inventé ces figures est notre philosophe juif. Par son trône nous le comparons à celui du prince des enfers qui est le soufre d’or, où il est
The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I: Herod and the Reduction of the Elements
Ms. 37rmeans human blood. For the emblem must not be taken simply as it appears and without preparation: beneath its outer rind profound secrets lie concealed. By this blood he means mercurial, sulfurous, or metallic spirits, in which the poets say Vulcan bathed the Sun to cleanse it of its leprosy. Thus we read in Holy Scripture of Naaman, who was plunged seven times into the Jordan, or into the pool whose water the angel had stirred, to be cured of his leprosy. Those who search more deeply into these mysteries, which lie beyond everything we can say, understand by the king’s head crowned with a golden diadem and by his golden throne the sulfur of gold, the principal substance and foundation of the work. By his purple robe, descending to his feet in the manner of the Jews, they understand quicksilver’s outward color, in which the spirit of our king is clothed; and they indicate that the inventor of these figures is our Jewish philosopher. Through his throne we compare him with the prince of the underworld, who is the sulfur of gold, where he is
Socrates
Reading The Manly Hall Manuscript Collection, Volume I · Herod and the Reduction of the Elements · Manuscript 37r · Scan 99
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Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.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.
- Manuscript collection and Box 1 identificationGetty Research Institute: Hall collection finding aid
- Underlying manuscript photographsInternet Archive: Hall collection, Box 1
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