DiotimosReading Desk

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

Explore the Lexicon
The Secret Work of the Hermetic PhilosophyThe 138 Canons · Canon 29

Swipe or use the arrow keys.

Facing Pages · Branch 49 of 244

The 138 Canons · Canon 29

Book Mode

Latin

Duo in se continent perfecta metalla, quae imperfectis communicare possunt, tincturam & fixationem; illa enim quia puro Sulfure, albo scilicet & rubeo tincta sunt & fixa, ideò perfectè tingunt, & figunt, si eum proprio suo sulfure & arsenico aptè praeparata fuerint, secus suam tincturam multiplicandi vim non habent.

English

Perfect metals contain two things that they can communicate to imperfect ones: tincture and fixation. Because they are tinged and fixed with pure sulphur, namely white and red, they therefore tinge and fix perfectly, provided they have been suitably prepared with their own sulphur and arsenic; otherwise they have no power to multiply their tincture.

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.