DiotimosReading Desk

Corrosion named by material

rubigine; rubiginem; vitriolum; viride aeris; virescat; rubigo

The iron-and-steel claim aims to prevent rust, while the copper claim names vitriol, verdigris and greening as outcomes to be prevented.

From the book

Nine Books on the Nature of Things

Attributed to Paracelsus · Diotimos Editions · 2026

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Meaning

The iron-and-steel claim aims to prevent rust, while the copper claim names vitriol, verdigris and greening as outcomes to be prevented. These terms differentiate visible or named products of alteration by metal. The paragraph’s promise of permanent protection is stronger than simply observing discoloration. “Verdigris” translates the historical phrase viride aeris, but the passage does not supply a full modern chemical identification of every product it names.

Places to read

  1. Book 3 · Preservation · Passage 8Latin“nullum vitriolum vel viride aeris”