Diotimos Library · Esotericism & Spirituality Collection · Bilingual Edition
The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy
A Fresh English Translation from the Complete 1623 Latin Arcanum
Explore the LexiconSwipe or use the arrow keys.
Facing Pages · Branch 39 of 244
The 138 Canons · Canon 20
Latin
Nos ut sublatis insidiis candidè & bonâ fide agamus, duobus solis corporibus, Sole nempe & Lunâ, ritè praeparatis integrum opus perfici contendimus: Haec enim mera generatio est, quae per Naturam fit arte ministrante, in qua maris & foeminae copula intercedit, unde proles parentibus longè nobilior educitur.
English
To deal candidly and in good faith, removing the traps, we maintain that the entire work is accomplished with only two bodies, namely sun and moon, duly prepared. For this is simply generation, brought about by nature with art attending her. It involves the coupling of male and female, from which an offspring far nobler than its parents is brought forth.
Socrates
Reading The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy · The 138 Canons · Canon 20
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.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.
- Governing historical Latin witnessGoogle Books: governing 1623 witness
- Historical reception diagram witnessInternet Archive: 1650 collection and Signifer
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied PDF edition
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied EPUB edition
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied Word edition
- Complete original supplied fileDownload the supplied Markdown edition