DiotimosReading Desk

Dryness and moisture in metallic return

siccioris; siccitas; siccitatis; humido; humidior; humiditatem; Siccitas; humiditas

Dryness explains the relative character of iron and steel in Book IV and helps distinguish ash from calx in Book VI.

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Nine Books on the Nature of Things

Attributed to Paracelsus · Diotimos Editions · 2026

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Meaning

Dryness explains the relative character of iron and steel in Book IV and helps distinguish ash from calx in Book VI. Calx is described as moister and fatter, retaining resources for metallic return. These comparative predicates matter: the text contrasts relative amounts rather than simply declaring one material absolutely dry and another a liquid. Moisture is also a fraction removed in preparations.

Places to read

  1. Book 6 · Resuscitation · Passage 3Latin“minus pinguedinis & plus siccitatis”