The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy

Name: The Secret Work of the Hermetic Philosophy
Author: Attributed to Jean d’Espagnet

A Fresh English Translation from the Complete 1623 Latin Arcanum

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The Secret Work of the Hermetic PhilosophyThe 138 Canons · Canon 44

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Facing Pages · Branch 70 of 244

The 138 Canons · Canon 44

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Latin

Lunam philosophorum sive eorum Mercurium qui Mercurium vulgarem dixerit: aut sciens fallit, aut ipse fallitur; Mercurium enim philosophorum Argentum vivum esse, non tamen vulgare, sed ab eo extractum ingenio philosophico Geberi scripta * nos docent.

English

Whoever says that the philosophers' moon, or their mercury, is common mercury either knowingly deceives or is himself deceived. For the writings of Geber* teach us that the philosophers' mercury is quicksilver, yet not the common kind, but something extracted from it by philosophical skill.

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.