From the book
A Chymical Dictionary
Gerhard Dorn and John French · Diotimos Editions · 2026
Browse this book’s lexicon →Orientation
At a Glance
- The wordLove described as a protective character or sign.
- A place to readThe historical definition below, 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 15; facsimile PDF page 343.
Historical definition
Character veneris is love, serving as a shield against danger.
Meaning
The definition identifies love and explains its protective function through a shield comparison. It does not identify a metal simply because Venus vocabulary appears in the phrase. Calx Veneris, by contrast, is expressly glossed as verdigris. The complete expression and its supplied definition must govern the reading.
The protective claim belongs to the historical account. The entry gives no particular inscription, object or rite, so a material talisman should not be reconstructed from the word “character” alone. Its secure content is the connection among love, protection and the shield image.
Places to read
- Character venerisRead the complete historical definition and its commentary.
- Calx VenerisA Venus-qualified calx identified as verdigris.
Source note
Historical source. 1650 dictionary, unnumbered definition page 15; facsimile PDF page 343 — Facsimile
Sources. A Chymicall Dictionary (1650), s.v. Character veneris ; compare Calx Veneris