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Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition

Attributed to Jean d’Espagnet

The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

A Fresh English Translation from the Complete 1623 Latin Arcanum

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The Secret Work of the Hermetic PhilosophyThe 138 Canons · English

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The 138 Canons · English

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Latin

Qui publicis honoribus & muneribus funguntur, aut etiam privatis & necessariis occupationibus iugiter incumbunt, ad summum huius philosophiae culmen ne contendant: totum enim hominem illa desiderat, inventum possidet, possessum ab omni serio & longuo negotio vendicat, caetera omnia aliena reputans & floccifaciens.

English

Those who hold public honours and offices, or who are continually engaged even in private and necessary occupations, should not strive for the highest summit of this philosophy. It demands the whole person; once it finds him, it possesses him, and once it possesses him, it claims him away from every serious and prolonged business, regarding everything else as foreign to its concern and of little account.

About This Reading Edition

The complete anonymous 1623 Arcanum, conventionally attributed to Jean d’Espagnet, with Latin and a fresh English translation, 138 canons, original marginalia and errata, 88 modern annotations, separately identified historical reception documents, and the complete supplied Diotimos study apparatus.

Historical Text and Translation

Anonymous, Arcanum hermeticæ philosophiæ opus. Paris: Nicolas Buon, 1623. Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon copy, digitised by Google Books, uJNr_M9LDGgC. Conventionally attributed to Jean d’Espagnet; the original title page is anonymous.

About Diotimos Editions

This historical edition credits Diotimos Editions as its English translator.

Rights

Historical texts are public-domain works. The supplied 2026 fresh English translation, Latin reading transcription and Diotimos editorial material are published with the site owner’s authorization. The historical Signifer is credited to the Getty Research Institute copy and Internet Archive.