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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 Historical Signifer · 1650

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English Introduction · Branch 225 of 244

The Historical Signifer · 1650

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English

Square historical zodiacal scheme with the planetary rulers of the twelve signs and seasonal/directional labels. Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius, Jupiter Sagittarius and Pisces, Mars Scorpio and Aries, Venus Libra and Taurus, Mercury Virgo and Gemini, the Moon Cancer, and the Sun Leo.

The Signifer of Philosophers with the Houses of the Planets. Historical reception diagram from the 1650 English collection, sequential page 266, misprinted 252.

Getty Research Institute copy, Fasciculus chemicus / Arcanum, London 1650; Internet Archive fasciculuschemic00deea, PDF page 322. This diagram is absent from the governing 1623 Arcanum.

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.