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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

Sulfur illud philosophicum est terra subtilissima, maximè calida & sicca, in cuius ventre, Ignis naturæ abundè multiplicatus occultatur, propterea ignis lapidis nomen meruit, habet enim in se virtutem aperiendi & penetrandi metallorum corpora, eáque in suum temperamentum conuertendi, ac sibi simile producendi, vnde pater, & semen masculinum vocatur.

English

That philosophical sulphur is an exceedingly subtle earth, intensely hot and dry, in whose belly the abundantly multiplied Fire of nature is hidden. It has therefore earned the name fire of the stone, for it contains the power to open and penetrate the bodies of metals, convert them to its own temperament and produce something like itself. Hence it is called father and masculine seed.

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.