Arthur Edward Waite, editor and translator - The Turba Philosophorum, or Assembly of the Sages,1896 by gnosisclassics

LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS

Digitized by the Internet Arciiive in

2007

witii

IVIicrosoft

funding from

Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/alcliemyturbapliilOOwaitricli

THE TURBA PHILOSOPHORUM.

ALCHEMY THE

TURBA PHILOSOPHORUM OR

ASSEMBLY OF THE SAGES CALLED ALSO THE BOOK OF TRUTH IN THE ART AND THE THIRD PYTHAGORICAL SYNOD

AN ANCIENT ALCHEMICAL TREATISE TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN, THE CHIEF READINGS OF THE SHORTER CODEX, PARALLELS FROM THE GREEK ALCHEMISTS, AND EXPLANATIONS OF OBSCURE TERMS

ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE TRANSLATOR OF " THE HERMETIC AND ALCHEMICAL WRITINGS OF PARACELSUS."

Xonbon

GEORGE REDWAY 1896

LIBRARY

PREFACE, nnHE

Tuvha Philosophorum

indisputably the

most ancient extant treatise on Alchemy in the Latin tongue, but it was not, so far as can be ascertained, originally written compiler or editor, for in

many

Latin

respects

;

the

can

scarcely be regarded as an original composition,

wrote either in Hebrew or Arabic

;

however, the

work, not only at the present day, but seemingly during the six or seven centuries

quoted as an authority by

all

adepts, has been familiar only in It is not, is

when

was

the alchemical its

Latin garb.

of course, certain that the original

irretrievably lost,

the Arabic

and Syriac

manuscripts treating of early chemistry are preserved

various libraries

been

numbers in the of Europe, and have only

considerable

imperfectly

Unfortunately,

explored.

the present editor has neither the opportunity

nor the qualifications for undertaking such a task.

There are two codices or recensions of The Turba Philosophorum, which

from

one

following

another.

pages

the

What

differ is

second

considerably

called in

recension,

the is

appreciably shorter, clearer, and, on the whole, the less corrupt of the two, but they are both

Preface.

ii.

bad

in a

The

state.

longer recension has been

chosen for the text of the following translation,

because

seemed desirable to give the work

The

in its entirety.

variations of the second

recension are appended usually in foot-notes,

but where the reading of the text

so corrupt

as to be quite untranslatable, the

editor has

occasionally substituted that of the alternative

and has

version,

most cases indicated the

course pursued.

Monsieur Berthelot's

invaluable

translation of the Byzantine

been largely made use

of,

and

text

Alchemists has .

the

illustrate

between the Greek Hermetic fourth century and the Turba. writers of the

striking analogies

It is to this great scholar

owe

and

scientist that

the discovery of these analogies,

some

which are very

clearly indicated in a chapter

devoted

the

part of la

Science

forming

Moyen

Age."

which has always been an Arabian source, to Alchemy the Greek

Alchemy, referred

rightly

connects

which

Antique

and

sur la Transmission de

from M. Berthelofs researches, that

follows

Latin

subject,

" Essai

his

with

preceded

the latter

was

Arabian

itself

Science,

are also enabled to identify, for the

and that with perfect sages, to

whom

all

because

derived from Greece. first

We time,

certainty, those ancient

the Latin literature makes

Preface.

iii.

requent and reverent allusion they

that

are

Zosimus,

we now know

;

Panopolite,

the

the adepts of the school of Democritus, and the other writers preserved in the Byzantine collec-

tion.

Berthelot, however, infers that the

Greek influence found not a phorum was

Turba

The

direct

Philoso-

influence,

but

was derived mediately through channels which are now unknown In any case the Turba summarises the author's preceding Geber, and it

therefore the

most valuable, as

the most ancient, treatise

which

The

on Alchemy,

exists in the Latin language.

chief printed versions of The Turba Philo-

sophoruntj are

those of the " Theatrum Chemi-

cum," the *'Bibliotheca Chemica Curiosa," and that of the smaller collection entitled " Artis

There are some translawork existing in German and some French. Those in the latter language are

Auriferae Tractatus." tions of the also in

specially remarkable for the very slender in

which they represent the

way The

original.

versions contained in Salmon's " Bibliotheque

des Philosophes Alchimiques," and in the

Trois

Anciens Traictes de la Philosophic Naturelle," are instances in

manuscript

in point. is

known

and it will be found amongst the treasures It is

One English

version

to the present editor,

the British

Museum

of the Sloane collection.

rendered, however, from the French, and

Preface,

iv.

has been found useless for the purposes of this translation. It

may be added

that the great collections of " *'

Alchemy, such as the

Theatrum Chemicum

and Mangetus, contain colloquies, commentaries, and enigmas which pretend to elucidate the

mysteries

The

Turba

Philosophorum,

While they are of a considerably later date, they at the same time belong to the early period of Latin Alchemy. It may be added also that the editor has collected a consider-

able

amount

of material concerning this curious

work, which the limits of the present volume preclude him from

utilising.

Arthur Edward Waite.

The Turba Philosophorum, Taken from an Ancient Manuscript Codex, more perfect than any edition published heretofore.

^^mhe

Epistle of Arisleus, prefixed to the

Words

of the Sages, concerning the purport of this

Book, for

same being as here follows

the Benefit of Posterity,

RISLEUS,*

XJL

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

and

the

begotten of Pytha-

goras, a disciple of the disciples

by the grace of thrice great Hermes, learning from the seat of knowledge, unto

all

who

come

health and mercy. *

Abladus.

after

wisheth

testify that

ancient gloss describes Arisleus as the son of

M. Berthelot supposes him

to be

synonymous

with the Aristenes of the second recension {Eleventh Dictum)

and of the Exercitationes on the Turba, which are found in the first

volume of the Bibliotheca Chemica.

the similarity of the are

name, and the

mutilated in the

fact that

Beyond

most names

Turba, there seems no reason to

suppose that the compiler intended to connect Pythagoras with alchemical traditions through Aristeus, the sophist of the time of Antoninus.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Turha Phiiosophorum.

Pythagoras,*

master,

the

Italian,

master of the wise and chief of the Prophets, had a greater

gift

God

and of Wisdom than was granted to Therefore any one after Hermes. he had a mind to assemble his disciples, who were now greatly increased, and had been constituted the chief throughout

persons

regions

all

for

the discussion of this most precious Art,

that

foundation

might

Iximidrus,

be the

first

posterity.

for

commanded council,

words

their

then

highest

speaker,

who

said :t â&#x20AC;˘ The Greek make no mention

describes

alchemists of the Byzantine Collection of Pythagoras,

and the

tradition

which

him as an adept of the Hermetic Mystery must

be referred to an Arabian origin, to the treatises of El Habib, the Kitab-al-Firhirst, and the true Geber, where alchemical writings

attributed

this

sage are freely

quoted.

fThe French version of Salmon has the following distinct " The beginning of the book, the Turba of the

variations

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Philosophers, in which Arisleus has gathered together the

sayings of the

introducing

prudent

Pythagoras

the

among

the

Philosopher,

collecting the opinions of the scholars.

scholars,

that

The book

Master is

also

called the Third Pythagorical Synod, instituted concerning

The Turba Philosophorum.

The First Dictum.

IxiMiDRUS

saith

beginning of

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

things

all

Nature, which

that the

testify

a Certain

perpetual, coequalling

and that the visible natures, with their births and decay, are times herein the ends to which that nature rings them are beheld and summoned.* Now, I instruct you that the stars are igneous, and are kept within bounds by the air. If the humidity and density of the air did all things,

Occult

But

Philosophy.

scholar, Eximidrius, to

commanded

Pythagoras

begin the

discourse,"

&c.

his

The

French translator seems to have summarised the recensions

which he had collected, and to have put them, to some extent, in

own words.

his

Here, however, he follows

mainly the text of the second recension, the chief variation being that instead of " Occult Philosophy " the original reads " the vegetable stone." *

The same French Translation interprets this obscure " The beginning of all things is a

passage as follows certain nature

decocts

all

;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

it is

perpetual, infinite

But

things.

;

nourishes and

and the times

this nature

corruption

and generation

which

attained unto, and which the universal nature

it is

nourishes and decocts." passage, as follows are

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

are,

were, the terms by

The second recension varies the last The actions and passions thereof

known and understood only by those

knowledge

of the

Sacred Art

whom

given."

The Turba Philosophonim.

not exist to

separate the flames of

the sun from living things, then the

Sun would consume all creatures. But God has provided the separating lest

air,

He has created up. Do you not

that which

should be burnt

observe that the Sun

when

rises in

overcomes the air by its and that the warmth penetrates from the upper to the lower parts of the heaven heat,

the air?

If,

then,

the

air

did

not

presently breathe forth those winds whereby creatures are generated, the Sun by its heat would certainly destroy all that lives. But the Sun is kept in check by the air, which thus con-

quers because

Sun

to its

own

unites the heat of the

heat,

and the humidity

own humidity. Have you not remarked how tenuous water of water to

drawn up

its

by the action the Sun, which thus

into the air

the heat of

helps the water against itself?

If the

water did not nourish the air by such tenuous moisture, assuredly the

would overcome the

air.

The

Sun fire,

The Turba Philosophoruw.

extracts moisture from the

therefore,

water, by

means

quers the

water there

fire

are is

of which the air con-

Thus, fire and between which

itself.

enemies

no consanguinity,

for the fire

is hot and dr}^, but the water is cold and moist. The air, which is warm and moist, joins these together by its concording medium between the humidity of water and the heat of ;

thus placed to estab-

fire

the air

lish

peace.

And

look ye

how

there

from the tenuous

shall arise a spirit

vapour of the

all

air,

because the heat

humour, there necessarily issues something tenuous, which will become a wind. For the heat of the Sun extracts something tenuous out of the air, which also becomes spirit and life to all creatures. being

joined

the

All this, however, is disposed in such

manner by the

will

coruscation appears

when

God, and a the heat of

Sun touches and breaks up a cloud. The Turba saith: Well hast thou

the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

described the

fire,

even as thou knowest

The Turba Philosophorum,

it, and thou hast believed word of thy brother. the

concerning

The Second Dictum,

ExuMDRUs

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

do magnify the air according to the mighty speech of Iximidrus, for the work is improved thereby. The air is inspissated, and

made

also

it is

saith

and becomes

thin

grows

;

The

cold.

when

thereof takes place

warm

inspissation is

divided

heaven by the elongation of the

Sun

its

;

rarefaction

Sun

exaltation of the

when, by the

in heaven,

the

becomes warm and is rarefied. It comparable with the complexion of

air is

the distinction

Spring,*

which

neither

warm nor

of time,

cold.

For

according to the mutation of the con*

CrateSf

similar comparison

where

philosophical

fire

used

in the

Arabian Book of

enjoined that the operation of the

upon the philosophical matter should be

regulated after the same manner as Nature regulates the influence of the four

moreover, represents

seasons;

still

and the same

philosophy as using the same illustration. that the

Crates.

Turba

treatise,

older expositions of alchemical

in its original

probable

form antedated the Book of

The Ttirba Philosophonim, stituted disposition

with the altering

distinctions of the soul, so

The

altered.

Winter

air, therefore, is

inspis-

sated when the Sun is removed from it, and then cold supervenes upon men.

Whereat

Turba

the

said:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Excel-

and what thou knowest to

lently hast thou described the air,

given account of

be therein.

The Third Dictum,

Anaxagoras

saith

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

that the beginning of

which God

make known

those things

all

hath created

weight and

proportion,* for weight rules

all

things,

and the weight and spissitude of the earth

weight

manifest in proportion is

not found except in

And know,

all

;

but

body.

Turba, that

the

spissitude of the four elements reposes in

the earth *

The

original

of the term pietas

for

;

the spissitude of

pietas et ratio, but the technical use

by the Hebrew or Arabic original seems

obviously to connect

with the sense of the Hebrew Paz,

signifying compactness.

Compare

Piezo, to press or squeeze down.

also the

Greek verb

The Turba Philosophorum,

into

fire

falls

air,

together

water;

with

the

fire,

from

received

the spissitude

air,

into

falls

the spissitude also of water,

increased by the spissitude of

observed

how

four elements

The same, sated than

fire

the spissitude is

Then

—Thou hast well

the

conjoined in earth

therefore, all.

and

Have you not

reposes in earth.

air,

spissitude

saith the

spoken.

inspis-

Turba

Verily the

more inspissated than are the rest. Which, therefore, is the most rare of the four elements and is most earth

worthy to possess the rarity of these four

answereth

— Fire

the

most rare among all, and thereunto Cometh what is rare of these four. But air is less rare than fire, because fire is it is warm and moist, while warm and dry now that which is warm and dry is more rare than the warm and moist. Thev say unto him ;

—Which element air

of less rarity than

answereth

— Water,

since

cold and moisture inhere therein, and

The Tiivha Philosophorum.

every cold humid

of less rarity than

warm humid. Then do they say unto him: — Thou hast spoken truly. What, a

therefore, e

of less rarity than water

answereth

— Earth,

because

cold and dry, and that which

cold

and dry is of less rarity than that which is cold and moist. Pythagoras saith : Well have ye provided, O Sons of the Doctrine, the description of these four natures,* out of which

—

God

hath created

therefore, is he

Blessed,

all things.

who comprehends what

ye have declared,

from the apex of

for

the world he shall not find an intention greater than his fore,

make

own

Let

us, there-

perfect our discourse.

— Direct

They

every one to take up

Speak thou,

our speech in turn.

Pandolfus *" You have been of four elements.

told

Know

that the ancients discoursed

that

by means

of these four

elements that humid and dry things are constituted, as also things

warm and cold,

[elements] rise up and two

elements are -are

fire

and

air

;

the male and the female. fall

down.

Two

The two ascending

the two descending elements

earth and water."— Olympiodorus

the Sacred Art.

The Turha Philosophorum.

The Fourth Dictum,

But Pandolfus

saith

posterity that air

from earth,

water, which

not separated

under the earth.

this air did not exist, the earth

not remain above the

humid water.

—Thou hast continueth — The

They answer

said

well

hidden that

lest

in the

which

;

and

the earth from that water. is,

water under the earth sustains

the

should be plunged

said water

But

which

air

would

complete, therefore, thy speech. he

tO'

the air hidden in the

wit,

signify

remains above the dry

it.

a tenuous matter

of water, and that

—

it,

the

moreover, prevents

being

The

therefore, to

earth,

into

overflowed by

province of the air

fill

up and

make

separation between diverse things, that

and earth, and it isconstituted a peacemaker between hostile things, namely, water and fire, dividing these, lest they destroy one The Turba saith another. If you gave an illustration hereof, it would be

to say, water

—

The Turba Philosophorum.

stand.

who do

those

clearer to

answer eth

not under-

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;An

Qgg

illustration, for therein four things are

conjoined

the visible cortex or shell

;

represents the earth, and the albumen, I

or white part,

But a

the water.*

very thin inner cortex

joined to the

outer cortex, representing, as

have

medium

signified to you, the separating

between earth and water, namely, that

which divides the earth from the water. The yolk also of the egg represents fire the cortex which air

;

contains the yolk corresponds to that *

The

allegory of the philosophical egg can be traced

to the Greek alchemists.

under this

title,

short treatise

Eggi which

composed of

four elements, because

world.

the stone which

tin,

lead.

;

The white of

native sulphur, mercury, &c. is fire.

extant

symbolically,

the image of the

The

shell is likened to

has been named copper, the ^gg

The

divine water,

The yolk

copperas,

oily part (? the chicken)

But the egg, symbolical as described

water of the sea, water of alum, &c.

itself

still

not a stone, the stone of

copper, the Armenian stone, &c.

the earth, being cold and dry iron,

and another on the Nomenclature of the described as the Mystery of the Art. It is

after

is,

sometimes

the similitude of a

likened to the skin which covers the

seed

;

the shell

seed

;

the white and the yolk are the flesh, and the watery

part

the breath, or air.

The Turba Philosophorum,

Other air which separates the water

from the

But they are both one

fire.

and the same

namely, that which

air,

separates things

frigid,

the earth from

the water, and that which separates

from

water

the

lower air

the

But the

fire.

thicker than the upper

and the upper

air is

more rare and

being nearer to the

subtle,

the lower

air,

than

fire

In the egg, therefore,

air.

are four things

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; earth, water,

air,

and

But the point of the Sun, these

fire.

four excepted,

and

yolk,

quently,

in the centre of the

this is the chicken.

all

Conse-

philosophers in this most

excellent art have described the egg as

an example, which same thing they have set over their work. The Fifth Dictum.

Arisleus

saith:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Know that the

and not a

earth

all

the zones of the earth in a single

which reason the Sun does not ascend over

hour

hill

;

rise in

but

if it

were

moment

plain,

flat,

for

the sun would

over the whole earth.

The Turba Philosophorum,

—Thou hast spoken Arisleus He answereth —

Parmenides

briefly,

Is there X, s

Yet

saith

anything the Master has

which I

bears

testify

that

otherwise

witness

God

left ?

one, having

never engendered or been

begotten,

and that the head of all things after Him is earth and fire, because fire is tenuous and light, and it rules all things on earth, but the earth, being ponderous and gross, sustains all things which are ruled by fire. The Sixth Dictum.

Lucas

— You

speak only about and each one of you observes something concerning these. Now, I testify unto you that all things which God hath created are from these four natures, and the things which have been created out of them return saith

four natures

into them.

;

In these

living creatures

are generated and die, and

take place as

Democritus, answereth

God hath the

all

things

predestinated.

disciple

— Thou hast well

Lucas,

spoken,

The Ttirba Philosophorum.

Lucas, when dealing with the four Then saiih Arisleus natures :

—

Democritus, since thy knowledge was derived from Lucas,

among

to speak

presumption

who

those

acquainted with thy master answereth:

from

Lucas

—Albeit Democritus received

the science of natural things,

was derived from the the Indies and from

that knowledge

philosophers of the Babylonians

those of his

;

think he surpasses

own age

TuRBA

The

are well

in this

answereth

attains to that age*

small satisfaction,

learning.

— When will give,

but being in

no his

youth he should keep silence. The Seventh Dictum,

LocusTA

saith

— All

those

creatures

which have been described by Lucas are two only, of which one is neither *

Whether the age indicated

that of the Indian

and

Babylonian adepts does not appear, but the entire episode is

remarkable

when

borne

mind what great impor-

tance evidently attached to the Democritic school of Greek

seems to indicate that the Turba Philo-

alchemy.

sophorum

represents a tradition hostile to the tradition of

The Tnrha Philosophorum.

known nor for

it is

saith

expressed, except by piety,

not seen or

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Thou

hast

subject which,

describe

what

Pythagoras entered upon a

felt.

completed, thou wilt

State,

subtly.

therefore,

which is neither felt, Then he seen, nor known. It is that which is not known, because in this world it is discerned by reason without the clients thereof, which are sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. O is

this thing

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Crowd

of the Philosophers,

not that

only sight which can

white

distinguish

know you

from

black,

and

hearing only which can discriminate

good and bad word Similarly, a wholesome odour cannot be separated by reason from one which between

fetid,

except through the sense of

can sweetness be discriminated from bitterness save by means of taste, nor smooth from rough unless smell, nor

Democritus, who, accordingly, figures merely as a promising tyro, and, in

fact,

the deliberations.

remains

For

silent

throughout the rest of

" those of

his

own age

second recension reads " his contemporaries."

the

The Turha Philosophorum,

The Turba answereth:

by touch.

Thou

hast well spoken, yet hast thou

omitted to thing which

treat is

that

particular

not known, or described^

except by reason and piety.

—Are ye

none of these but

God —Thou

fesses that

answer

and

a sublime

neither seen

perceived by reason

which

alone, of

Know

cognised in

ways

five

creature, and, as such, felt,

Saith he

then in such haste

that the creature which

nor

—

reason Nature conis

a partaker.

They

spoken

truly

hast

And

excellently.

—

give a further explanation.

will

now

Know

that

this creature, that is to say, the world,

hath a

same

light, is

which

natures, which living

But

beings

the Sun, and the

subtle

than

other

all

light is so ordered that

may

attain

this subtle light

vision.

were removed,

they would become darkened, seeing nothing, except the light of the

or of the stars, or of

derived from

which causes

the all

fire, all

light

moon,

which are the

Sun,

creatures to give light.

The Turba Philosophorum.

For

God

this

has appointed the Sun

to be the light of the world,

by reason of the attenuated nature of the Sun.

And know

that the sublime creature

before mentioned has no need of the light of this

Sun, because the Sun

beneath that creature, which

and more lucid. This light, more lucid than the light of the Sun, they have taken from the light of God, which is more subtle than their subtle

which

Know

light.

world

also

that

the created

composed of two dense things

and two rare things, but nothing of the dense

the

sublime

Consequently the Sun inferior

all

answereth

rarer than

The

creatures.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Thou

creature.

Turba

hast excellently de-

scribed what thou hast related.

And

good Master, thou shalt utter anywhereby our hearts may be vivified, which now are mortified by thou wilt confer upon us a folly, if,

thing

great boon *

offers

The shortened

version ol

some conspicuous

the second

variations,

and

Recension literally

The Turba Philosophorum.

The Eighth Dictum.

Pythagoras

saith

existed before

all

—

and with

things,

was nothing, as He was know,

all

concerning

opinion

But

first.

Philosophers,

declare this in order that

your

God Him

affirm that

that

may

these

elements and arcana, as well as

fortify

four

the

sciences thereof, at which no one can

God. Understand, that when God was alone, He created four things fire, air, water, and earth, out of which things He afterwards by the

arrive save

will of

—

follows

— " Two natures alone are described by Lucas, one

of which

reason

;

heaven. felt,

known

neither

the other

But there

seen,

whatsoever

this

five senses,

same as the

as follows

not described, for

it is

a third connected nature, which

Now, reason

&c.

text,

till

What

which contains

that

heaven or earth.

substantially the is

and known, and

by the help of the which

nor realised, save by piety and

not seen and

perceives

ensues

towards the close,

—As to that nature which

perceived

known by reason and piety only, and is God Most High, who made Know that the Sun is more the light which is the Sun. by none of these, the same

subtle than

all

creatures, to the

sublime;

end that

may

light the

world, which consists of two dense things and two rare.

Nothing

of the dense

himself

creatures."

the sublime creation, because

rare than the

Sun and

all

inferior

The Turba Philosophorum,

created

all

and the

inferior,

both the sublime

others,

because

predes-

beginning that

from the

tinated

all

creatures extracted from water should

multiply and increase, that they might

perform His

dwell in the world and

judgments

therein.

before

all.

Consequently,

created

out of which

ments,

created what

the four ele-

afterwards

willed, that is to say,

some

diverse creatures,

of which were

The

produced from a single element.*

Turba

— Which are And he: They

saith

—

Master?

whom He

angels,

But

Turba

the

— Which,

the elements of * In the

Book

the four elements

of Balances^

:—" .

and

humidity

;

which

God

air are the

God had

created

all

things of

namely, heat, cold, moisture, and

and moisture

earth,

— Out

are

one of the genuine Arabian

of these elements produced

which contains heat and dryness

these elements

then, :

caused the four qualities to issue

The combination

sesses cold

fire.

passage which has some analogy

After

from the ancient worlds dryness. fire,

fire

of Geber, there is a

with this dictum

And

O the

are

created out of

created out of two

works

these,

;

air,

;

water, which pos-

which has ,warmth and

cold and dry.

the help of

created the superior and inferior worlds."

The Tttrba Philosophorum.

composed. Hence the angels are more lucid than the sun, moon, and stars, because they are created from one substance, which is

and

moon,

sun,

less

stars

dense than two, while the sun

and the stars are created from a comThe Turba position of fire and air. saitk And what concerning the Then he creation of Heaven ? God

—

Heaven out

created the air,

whence

—

and also composed of

this is

of water

two, namely, the second of the rarer things, which

air,

of the denser things,

And

they

— Master,

and the second which is water.

continue thy dis-

course concerning these three, and re-

our

joice

which are

life

other answer eth

God

thy

sayings,

to the dead.

But the you that

with

hearts

—

hath further

of three and

notify to

made

out of four

creatures out ;

out of three

are created flying things, beasts, and

some of these are created water, air, and earth, some out air, and earth. But the Turba

vegetables

out of of

fire,

saith

;

— Distinguish

these divers crea-

— The Turba Philosophorum.

tures one

from another.

;

flying things out of fire,

air,

among

spirit,

flying things,

vegetables

and

are created out of water, while

Yet

fire.

Whereat the Turba and air. Let us assume that a fire, with

water, saith

air,

in vegetables there is

they are created out of earth,

fire, for

and

which have a

brute animals are from earth,

all

and

and water, because all

fire, air,

Beasts are created out of earth

And

—

your reverence's pardon, does reside in vegetables. And he Ye have spoken the truth, and I affirm that they con:

tain

And

fire.

fire ?

they

answereth

of the air which for

have

—Whence — Out of the

that

heat

concealed therein

;

signified that a thin fire is

present in the fire

—

air,

but the elementary

concerning which you were in doubt

not produced, except in things which

have spirit and soul. But out of four elements our father Adam and his sons were *

that

created,'^

The

Olympiodorus

treatise of

observes that

is,

Adam was

of On

fire,

air,

the Sacred

Art

the issue of the four elements, and

The Turba Philosophorum,

and

water, stand,

all

likewise

ye that are wise, how every-

God

thing which

hath created out of

one essence dies not

The

Judgment. is

Under-

earth.

Day

until the

death

definition of

the disjunction of the composite, but

no disjunction of that which is Death consists simple, for it is one. in the separation of the soul from the there

body, because anything formed out of two, three, or four components must disintegrate,

stand,

and

further,

Undercomplex

this is death.

that

substance which lacks

fire eats,

or sleeps, because in

all

have a

spirit fire is

drinks,

things which

that which eats.*

terms him virgin earth, igneous earth, carnal earth, and

sanguineous earth, making reference to the Ptolemy.

whom

There are similar references is

identified with death.

libraries

Zosimus, by

But the carnal

Adam

of Zosimus signifies material humanity in general, and therein

contained the spiritual man, whose

name no one

knoweth except Nicotheos, and that mysterious personager the alchemist himself acknowledges to be undiscoverable.

The

substitute for his true â&#x20AC;˘

The nature

name

signifies light

and

fire.

of the angels, and the question whether

they eat and sleep, does not seem to have been discussed either

by Greek, Syriac, or Arabian alchemists.

narrates that the art ot alchemy

was revealed

Zosimus

to mortals

The Turba Philosophorum,

Turba

The

answer eth

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; How

it,

Master, that the angels, being created of

do not

fire,

that

fire is

thou assertest

eat, seeing

that which eats

And

Hence ye doubt, each having his opinion, and ye are become opponents, but if ye truly knew the elements, ye would not deny these things. with all whose judgment it simple

The

eats

fire

not,

agree

that

but thick

fire.

angels, therefore, are not created

out of thick

fire,

but out of the thinnest

of very thin fire; of

that which

exceedingly

being created, then,

most they

thin,

And

drink, nor sleep.

simple

and

neither

eat,

the

Turba

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Master, our faculties are able to perceive, for

by God's assistance we have

the fallen angels;

them

that the tradition of

the art must be referred as to a primary source

they also

who wrote

;

and

was

the primeval books of alchemy. It will

be remembered that magic was also one of the mysteries unfolded by the same intelligences. Isis

In the discourse of

Horus, the Mother of the Gods appears as a

prophetess

who

obtained initiation into the mysteries of

alchemy from the great angel Amnael, who desired to possess her.

The Turba Philosophorum.

exhausted thy sayings, but our faculties of hearing and of sight are unable to

May God

carry such great things.

reward thee since

ciples,

the sake of thy dis-

for

with the object of

instructing future generations that thou

summoned us

hast

thou wilt not

fail

Judge to come Seeing

which to receive from the

recompense

the

countries,

together from our

Arisleus

thou

that

hast

saith

— us

gathered

together for the advantage of posterity, 1

think that no explanations will be

useful than definitions of those

four elements which thou hast taught

And

us to attain. are,

— None

suppose, ignorant that

Wise have propounded God.

The

Turba

of you all

the

definitions in

answereth

— Should

your disciples pass over anything,

becomes

you,

Master,

avoid

omissions for the sake of future generations. will

And

he:

—

please you,

begin the disposition here, since

envious

men

their

books

separated that, or otherwise

will

have put

The Turba Pkilosophorum. it

at the

Turba think

end of the book.* saith

— Place be

will

generations.

where

will

he:

—

the

you

future

for

place

will

not be recognised by the

foolish,! nor ignored

Doctrine, for

Whereat

where

clearest

And

it is

by the Sons of the

the key, the perfection

and the end. The Ninth Dictum,

ExiMENUS

saith

— God hath created

all

things by his word, having said unto

them

Be, and they were made, with the

four other elements, earth, water, air,

and

fire,

things

which

The

coagulated,

hostile to water, water

necessity of concealing the Art

chief anxieties of the Greek alchemists.

sworn

and

contrary were commingled, for

see that fire •

to secrecy

by heaven and earth and

one of the herself

Isis hell,

by the four

elements, by the height and the depth, by Hermes, by

Anubis, and by the bowlings of Kerkoros.

heen required initiated]

of us to reveal

person,"

says

'•

oath has

nothing clearly to any [un-

Democritus

the

Epistle of

Synesius to Dioscorus, t

The

reader will not

fail

to observe the artless

way

-which this passage betrays the whole dialogue as a literary

composition.

The Turba Philosophorum.

and both are hostile to earth and air. Yet God hath united them peacefully, so that they love one hostile to

another.

fire,

Out

of these four elements,

therefore, are all things created

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; heaven

and the throne thereof; the angels; the sun, moon, and stars; earth and sea, with all things that are in the sea, which indeed are various, and not alike, for their natures have been made diverse by God, and also the creations. But the diversity is more than I have stated ;

each of these natures ture,

of diverse na-

and by a legion of diversities

nature of each diverse.

Now

the

this di-

versity subsists in all creatures, because

they were created out of diverse

ments.

Had

ele-

they been created out of

one element, they would have agreeing natures.

been

But diverse elements

being here mingled, they lose their natures, because the dry being

own

mixed

with the humid and the cold combined with the hot, become neither cold nor hot;

so also the

humid being mixed

with the dry becomes neither dry nor

The Turba Philosophorum.

humid.

But when the

four elements

are commingled, they agree,

and thence

proceed creatures which never attain to perfection, except they be left

to putrefy

God

and become

by night

visibly corrupt.

further completed his creation by

means of increase, food, life, and government. Sons of the Doctrine, not without purpose have I described to you the disposition of these four elements, for in

them

two of them are perceptible to the sense of touch and vision, and of these the operation and virtue are well known. These are earth and water. But there are two other elements which are neither visible nor is

a secret arcanum

;

tangible, which yield naught, whereof the

never seen, nor are their opera-

place

tions

and

force

known, save

in the

former

elements, namely, earth and water

when

the

four

;

now

elements are not com-

men

accom-

mingled,

no desire of

plished.

But being mixed, departing

from their own natures, they become another meditate

thing.

very

Over

these Jet

carefully.

And

us the

The Turba Philosophorum,

you speak, we Then will give heed to your words. I have now discoursed, and that he: well. I will speak only useful words

TuRBA :â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Master,

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

which

Know,

made

copper.*

spoken.

true

from

our

that

present,

all

tincture

will

except

not therefore, exhaust

your brains and your money,

lest

ye fill

I will give your hearts with sorrow. you a fundamental axiom, that unless

you turn the aforesaid coppert into

appears to be a sudden transition

this point there

from cosmology to alchemy, but that

it is

work

cesses ot the great this not

Greek.

only

in the

of the world,

in the

language of cosmology, and

Latin mediceval writers, but also in the

The

Egg

and hence

affirms that the

thorities, the spirit, soul,

that the term

all

alchemy.

Book of Crates says and body. is

egg

composed of the

philosophical copper

reference throughout

must be remembered

For example, the Byzantine fragment entitled The

Nomenclature of the

one of the Hermetic Methods to describe the pro-

a subject of continual

Among

the earliest au-

that copper, like

symbolical, and applies to a stage of the

Another passage describes

essential substance.

Gold

lead and copper. is

man, has

appears from the same treatise

alchemical process.

white copper

the image

four elements.

The Lexicon of Chrysopeia

crude sulphur.

as the

said to transform only with

explains that

The Turba Philosophorutn, white,

and make

visible coins"

afterwards again turn

until

Tincturei

the copper, break

and then

into redness, +

results,

therefore

up, deprive

verily,

Burn

accomplish nothing.

blackness by cooking, imbuing, and

its

washing, until the same becomes white.

Then

â&#x20AC;˘

rule

it.

Berthelot has pointed out that

term nummus by the Latin alchemists of the

meaning of

A sent,

an alloy of gold and

t will

as, for

The

reference

silver.

Numerous preparations

be found

in the

anterior writers.

the use of the

a misconception

for

in the Collection of

whitening and reddening

Ancient Greek Alchemists,

example, the Combination of the White Preparation

Address of Isis

Horus, the recipe in the twenty-

paragraph of the Natural Questions of Democritus,

first

again in the Book of Sytiesius, the Philosopher, addressed to Dioscorus, and elsewhere in

operation

with

many places. The book

copper.

It is

invariably

addressed

Democritus to Leucippus says that the alchemical work comprises the process of making white and making yellow (red), as also the softening

copper. is

and coction of the mineral of

According to Synesius, the process of whitening

a calcination, and

making yellow

an igneous regenera-

tion.

The Greek Lexicon of Chrysopeia

distinguishes

two

species of tincture, that which so permeates and scaks into

a substance as to change

its

duces a superficial colouring.

nature,

and that which pro-

The Turba Philosophorum.

The Tenth Dictum.

Arisleus this work

saith:

— Know that the key of

the art of Coins.*

Take,

body which I have shewn you and reduce it to thin tablets. Next immerse the said tablets in the Water of our Sea,+ which is permanent

therefore, the

Water,! and, after over a gentle

fire

it is

covered, § set

until the tablets are

melted and become waters or Etheliae,

In this instance the term appears to be used as the

lamina— the

equivalent ot tablets or later is

alchemy frequently

thin strips into

which

directs a metal to be cut before

subjected to a given treatment.

by Olympiodorus

t Pelagus, cited

the Sacred Art, quotes

Zosimus

in the Treatise

in definition of the sea as

the hermaphrodytic element. \

water

The Book is

of El-Habib says that the virtue of eternal

that of a spiritual blood.

asriiorm water, azure water,

When

also primal sulphur.

identified with

and water of sulphur. boiled,

and afterwards into gold.

(arsenic) into silver,

It is

transforms the male It is

also

said that copper is water of silver, which, after preparation,

becomes

eternal

Rulandus says that perfect bodies,

water. it is

Interpreting

later

writers,

the philosophical solution of

two

and he enumerates the contradictory names

which have been assigned § The reference mouth of the vessel.

alchemy.

apparently to the closing of the

The Turba Philosophorum,

and the same thing. Mix, cook, and simmer in a gentle fire

which are one until

Brodium

produced,

Saginatum.

Then

Ethelise until

stir

in its

water of

be coagulated, and the

become variegated, which we call Cook it, therefore, Salt. until it be deprived of blackness, and the whiteness appear. Then rub it, mix with the Gum of Gold, and cook until Use patience it becomes red Etheliae. in pounding lest you become weary. Imbue the Ethelia with its own water, coins

the Flower of

which has preceded from it, which also is Permanent Water, until the same

becomes

red.

Copper,* which

Burnt the Leaven of Gold

This, is

then,

Cook the and the Flower thereof. Permanent Water, which is with same *

A short excursus On

the Diversity of

Burnt Copper

among the writings of Zosimus, where it is many persons prepare it by means of sulphur,

preserved

noted that

and a process with sulphurated iron is quoted with high Burnt copper is elsewhere

approbation from Democritus. defined by the

same author as " the metal rendered bloodwhitening) and tinged within and

colour (in view of

without."

The Turba Philosophorum.

always with

it,

until the

water be dried

Continue the operation

up.

the water

consumed, and

until

all

becomes

a most subtle powder. The Eleventh Dictum.

Parmenides that

saith

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Ye

must

men have

envious

dealt

know volu-

minously with several waters, brodiums, stones, all

and metals, seeking to deceive

you who aspire

Leave, therefore,

all

after

knowledge.

these,

and make

the white red, out of this our copper,

taking copper and lead, letting these

stand for the grease, or blackness, and tin

for

the

liquefaction.

Know

ye,

further, that unless ye rule the Nature

of Truth, and harmonize well together its

complexions and compositions, the

consanguineous neous, and the

with first

the

consangui-

with the

first,

and effect nothing, because natures will meet their natures, follow them, and rejoice. For in them and are generated, because they putrefy Nature is ruled by Nature, which act

improperly

The Turba Philosopliorum,

destroys

it,

turns

into dust, reduces

and finally herself renews repeats, and frequently produces the

to nothing, it,

same.

Therefore look in books, that

may know

the Nature of Truth,

and what renews, what it possesses, what neighbours it naturally has, and how they love each other, how also after love enmity and corruption intervene, and how these natures should be united one to another and made at peace, until they become

what

putrefies

savour

gentle in the

fire

similar fashion.

Having, therefore, noticed the facts in this Art, set If indeed,

your hands to the work.

ye know not the Natures of

Truth, do not approach the work, since there will disaster, fore,

nothing but harm,

and sadness.

Consider, there-

the teaching of the Wise,

how they

have declared the whole work

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

in this

Nature,

Nature rejoices in and Nature contains Nature. In these words there is shewn forth unto you the whole work. Leave, therefore, manifold and superfluous things, and take saying:

The Turba Philosophorum.

body of Magnesia,t in Kuhul, or in Sulphur make the same which does not burn nature white, and place it upon our Copper, when it becomes white. And if ye cook still more, it becomes red, when if ye proceed to coction, it becomes I tell you that it turns the sea gold. itself into red and the colour of gold.

quicksilver,* coagulate in the

;

Know

ye also that gold

into redness save

by Permanent Water,

because Nature rejoices

Nature. +

Mercury, according to the Greek Epistle of Synesius,

â&#x20AC;˘ is

not turned

wax, which readily assumes any colour that

imparted to their souls

;

it,

for

Mercury whitens

them by

digests

bodies and attracts

all

and takes complete

coction,

possession of them.

The Magnesia of Alchemy

and

who

this

not

common

Magnesia,

remark applies equally to the Greek Alchemists,

are the inspiration of the Turba Philosophorum^ to

that treatise,

and

the later adepts.

treatises belonging to the school of

Cinnabar follows the term.

mentioned

in the discourse of

In one of the

Democritus the sign ot

The body

Magnesia

Synesius and Dioscorus; and

on the Metallic Body of Magnesia, Zosimus has a special treatise with reference to the method by which it is whitened.

According to Synesius

signifies the

mixture

of substances. \

The

formulae which are so frequently repeated in the

Turba Philosophorum

Nature rejoices

Nature

The Turba Philosophorutn.

Reduce, therefore, the same by means cooking into a humour, until the

hidden nature appear. it

therefore,

If,

be manifested externally, seven times

imbue the same with water, cooking, imbuing, and washing, until it become

red.

those

natures,

celestial

multiplying the natures of truth by the

God

will of

that potent Nature,

which overcame and conquered natures,

and caused

its

This, therefore,

glad

special

and

God

the

natures to rejoice and that

spiritual nature to

which

thereof can give what

fire

cannot.

Consequently, we glorify and

magnify

that

nothing

tincture,

[species]

more precious or the

degree to be found. overcomes nature ruled by Nature:

than

the true

in the

This

which

smallest

that truth

Nature contains Nature

Nature

are derived literally from the

Greek

Alchemists. *

These alchemical Grand Antiphons

literally

on the model of precisely similar exclamations writers

are either

borrowed from the Greek alchemists, or are formed

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; " O,

Supreme Wonder

Sovereign Matter," &c.

in those

O, most happy and

The Turba Philosophorum.

which those investigating wisdom

For when

it is

highest operation

knew the

love.

liquefied with bodies, the

truth,

effected.

what great thanks ye

Learn, therefore, that would give me while you are tingeing the cinders, you must destroy those that are mixed. For it overcomes those which are mixed, and changes them to its own colour. And as it visibly overcame the surface, even so it mastered the interior. And if !

one be volatile but the other endure the

endures if

joined to the other

either

fire,

the

fire.

Know

have

vapours

the

that

also,

whitened

the

surfaces, they will certainly whiten the

Know

interiors.

after

Wisdom,

comes consumes

four,

answereth *

further, all

ye seekers

that one matter over-

and our Sulphur* alone all

The

things.

Thou hast spoken excellently

Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt figure in

all

Hermetic

ature as the most indispensable principles of the Optis.

The

Turha

later writers

are not the substances

liter-

Magnum

never weary of affirming that they

commonly

so called, but this does

not appear so plainly in earlier and especially in Greek Authors.

The Turba Philosophorum.

well,

Parmenides, but thou hast not

demonstrated

smoke is

the disposition of the

to posterity, nor

whitened

how

the

same

The Twelfth Dictum.

Lucas

saith:

will

speak at this

time, following the steps of the ancients.

Know, therefore, all ye seekers after Wisdom, that this treatise is not from the beginning of the ruling !* Take quicksilver, t

which

from the male,

and coagulate according to custom. Observe that I am speakmg to you in accordance

because

with custom,

has been already coagulated. Here, therefore, is not the beginning of the ruling, but *

book

A further is

prescribe this method,

insight into the artificial character of the

afforded at this point.

designed to be conveyed other

is,

The meaning which is common with many

that in

alchemical works, the instruction begins

the

middle of the processâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; for the more complete confusion of the uninitiated. t It

should

be noted

this

connection that the

attribution of the seven metals to the seven

found in the Turba.

Thus, quicksilver

as Mercury, nor gold as Sol, &c.

planets

not

never spoken of

The Turba Philosophorum.

namely, that you shall take the quickfrom the male, and shall either

silver

impose upon copper, and it

iron,

will

governed

tin,

be whitened.*

White Magnesia

made

in the

same

way, and the male is converted with But forasmuch as there is a it. certain

and

affinity

the

iron,

between the magnet our

therefore

nature

Take, then, the vapour commanded you

rejoices. +

which the Ancients

and cook the same with its own body until tin is produced. Wash

to take,

away its blackness according and cleanse and fire until it is

to custom,

roast at an equable

be whitened. But every body

whitened with governed quicksilver,

for Nature converts Nature. Take,therefore.

Magnesia, Water of Alum, Water

of Nitre, of Iron *

;

Water

of the Sea,

and Water

What-

whiten with smoke. +

The second

upon copper, that

recension is,

reads

governed

'* :

iron,

shall

and

impose be

shall

whitened." t

The

alternative reading

" Therefore Nature also

rejoices in Nature." I

Hermes, as quoted by Olympiodorus, defines smoke warm and the dry.

as intermediary between the

The Turba Philosophorunt,

soever

desire

whitened with

smoke

with

and

whitens

faeces

until

all

the

therefore,

its

smoke, because

this

Mix,

things.

be whitened

white,

itself

said

and become excessivelyRoast this white copper till

coagulated white.* it

germinates

Magnesia when the

suffer

shadow

whitened

coppert

Nature Take, therefore,

because

does

escape,

spirits

the

since

itself,

not

the

appear,

contains

Nature.

ye Sons of the

all

Doctrine, the white sulphureous nature,

whiten with

salt

Flower of White *

The

and dew, or with the Salt,+ until

alternative reading

" until

become

shall

become a

white coin or tablet." t

The shadow

of copper

the flower of copper,

Berthelot explains, protoxide, verdegris.

The

t.ÂŤ.,

epistle

of Democritus to Leucippus explains that a metal without

shadow burning

a brilliant metal.

defines the

produces

Zosimus says that the act

called the destruction of the shadow.

shadow of copper

in silver.

as the black tinge which

Democritus also gives a recipe

Pelagus it

for the

removal of the shadow from copper. \

The second

recension in the edition of Mangetus

reads Sol throughout for Sal, but

it is

a printer's error.

The Turba Phtlosophorutn,

And know

excessively white.

the Flower of

from

White

Salt

ye, that

Ethel

The same must be

Ethelia.

boiled

for

seven

till

shall

become

gleaming marble,

for

when

days,

has reached this condition

Arcanum, seeing that Sulphur is mixed with Sulphur, whence an excellent work is accomof the affinity plished, by reason very

great

between them, because natures rejoice in

meeting their own natures.

therefore,

Take,

Mardek and whiten the same

Gadenbe,* that is, wine and and Permanent Water. Roast

with

vinegar,

and coagulate

until the

whole does not

liquefy in a fire stronger than its own,

namely, the former

mouth

be associated with

may

fire.

Cover the

of the vessel securely, its

but

let it

neighbour, that

kindle the whiteness thereof, and

beware

lest

the

fire

blaze up, for in

Though Martinus Rulandus endeavoured honestly Alchemy in his laborious lexicon, and though he was evidently well *

to explain all the barbarous terms of

acquainted with the Turba, he omits both Mardeck and

Gadenbe.

The Turba Philosophorum,

becomes red prematurely, you nothing, because beginning of the ruling you

this case

and in

this will profit

the

Afterwards coagu-

require the white. late the

same

Let your

fire

until

you attain the red.

be gentle

in the whitening,

Know

until coagulation take place*

that

when

the Soul, and

coagulated

it is

call

verted from nature into nature. therefore,

sufficient

more quickly confor

those

This,

who

deal with the Art of Coins, because one thing makes it but many operate

For ye need not a number of things, but one thing only, which in each and every grade of your work is changed into another nature. The Turba saith Master, if you speak as the Wise have spoken, and that briefly, they will follow you who do not therein.

wish

wholly

shut

with

darkness. The Thirteenth Dictum.

Pythagoras

saith

government which

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;We is

posit another

not from another

The Turba Philosophoruin,

42 root,

but

differs in

ye seekers after

all

name. And know, this Science and

Wisdom,

that whatsoever the envious

may have

enjoined in their books con-

cerning

composition

the

which agree together,* is

natures

savour there

only one, albeit to sight they are as

Know,

diverse as possible.

also, that

the thing which they have described in

many ways follows and attains its companion without fire, even as the magnet follows the iron, to which the said thing is not vainly compared, nor so

to a seed, nor to a matrix, for like

And

unto these.

which follows! fire,

its

many

causes

when embracing

also

same thing, companion without this

colours

it,

appear

for this reason, that

the said one thing enters into every

regimen, and

found everywhere, being

a stone, and also not a stone

and precious â&#x20AC;˘

mony t

The

;

common

hidden and concealed,

shorter recension reads

" concerning the har-

of the elements."

According to the second recension, the subject

many

question causes

according as

colours to appear in complexion,

governed

every regimen.

The Turba Philosophorum,

known by everyone

yet

and

name

of one

;

many names, which

Spume

Moon.

the

This

stone,

therefore, is not a stone, because

without

precious;

never operates anything;

we have names on account one, yet

its

Nature

name is by many

its

called

it is

of the excellence of

nature.*

The

Turba

answereth

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;O

Master!

mention some of those

wilt thou not *

Zosimus explains that the uncommunicated mystery

which no one among the prophets has dared to divulge by word, but has revealed only to the

initiates,

a process

upon the stone Alabastron by means of vinegar.

Lexicon of Ghrysopeia in the Byzantine Collection earliest dictionary of

known is

all later

the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that

alchemy, which has remained un-

Hermetic lexicographersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Alabastron

defined to be the calx obtained from eggshells, saltpetre,

a variety of natron, and

common salt. The inquirer after may take his choice among

the uncommunicated secret these substances, and is

does not follow that the Lexicon

a correct exponent of Zosimus.

However

this

may be, it

appears that the stone Alabastron, either before or after the operation with vinegar,

stone which

known by

all,

the symbolical encephalous

not a stone, the

unknown thing which

the despised thing which

most precious,

The preparation The perplexities of

the thing given and not given by God. indicated

the Mythraic Mystery.

the Turba at this point are, therefore, a device of the Greek alchemists,

and they were fond

of recurring to

it.

The Turba Philosophorum,

names

the guidance of

for

seekers

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

And

he: It is called White Ethelia, White Copper, and that which flies from the fire and alone whitens copper. Break up, therefore, the White Stone, and afterwards coagulate it with milk.* Then pound the calx in the mortar,

taking care

humidity does

that the

not escape from the vessel late

in the vessel until

a cinder.

Cook

;

but coagu-

shall

also with

become

Spume

Luna and regulate. For ye shall find the stone broken, and already imbued with its

own

This, therefore,

water, t

which we

the

by all names, which assimilates the work and drinks it, and is the stone out of which also Take, therefore, all colours appear. is from the which that same gum,+ stone

â&#x20AC;˘

The second

that milk

alchemy

is,

recension adds " that :

The

coagulated." like so

of Greek origin.

call

much It

is,

after the

manner

symbolical use of milk in

of the terminology of the Turba^

will

be found in the discourse of

Synesius. t

The second

its

Ye own

Gum of Scotia,"

most

recension has a preferable reading

shall find the stone formed,

which imbue with

water." J

The second

recension says

The Turba Philosophorum.

scoriae, and mix with cinder of calx, which you have ruled, and with the faeces which you know, moistening with permanent water. Then look and see whether it has become a powder, but if not, roast in a fire stronger than the first fire, until it be pounded. Then imbue with permanent water,

and the more the colours vary all the more suffer them to be heated. Know, moreover, that if you take white quicksilver, or the Spume of Luna, and

do as ye are bidden, breaking up with a gentle fire, the same is coagulated, Out of this and becomes a stone. stone, therefore,

many

probably a philosophical is

when

colours will

much used

misprint

gum in

for

broken up,

Scoria.

Rulandus

with Ferment, Mercury, &c.

alchemy, and

without explanatory context. is

But

appear to you.

identifies

The term

found in Zosimus, but

The Turba Philosophorum

not very clear on the subject of the philosophical gum,

but

it is

as clear as the Greek Alchemists, for the Lexicon of

Chrysopeia defines

gum

as the yolk of the egg, speaking

philosophically and not literally

;

but the treatise on the

Nomenclature of the Egg says that the white of egg

among

gum,

other things, speaking also philosophically, and

without regard to the Lexicon.

The Turba Philosophorunt.

any ambiguity occur to you in our discourse, do as ye are bidden, ruling the same until a white and coruscating stone shall be produced, and so ye find your purpose. herein,

The Fourteenth Dictum.

AcsuBOFEN*

saith

Master, thou hast

spoken without envy, even as became thee,

same may God Pythagoras sÂŤ//A.* May deliver thee, Acsubofen, Then he Ye must know,

and

for

reward thee

God

also

from envy

the

Assembly of the Wise, that sulphurs

are contained in sulphurs, and humidity in humidity. +

The

envious,

The

Turba

answereih

have

Acsubofen,

uttered something like unto this

Tell

what is this humidity ? And he : Humidity is a venom, and when venom+ penetrates a body, it therefore,

us,

In the second recension the

name

Assuberes.

Formula of the Greek Alchemists

Sulphurs are

mastered by Sulphurs, &c. X

The

theriac

and poison of the stone are

subjects of discourse

Petrus

Bonus

seems with

all

and,

among

favourite

early Latin Alchemists, like

indeed,

the

sovereign

remedy

authors to have had a destructive as well as

The Tiirha Philosophorum, tinges

with an invariable colour, and permits the soul

wise

equal

Concerning

thereto.

envious have said

When

separated from the body, because

it is

the

this,

one

and upon they no flies

the other pursues, then one seizes the

and

other,

lons^er

because Nature has laid

flee,

hold of

its

afterwards

manner of

equal, after the

an enemy, and they destroy one For this reason, out of the another. sulphureous mixed sulphur is produced a most precious colour, which varies from the

not, nor flees

when the of the body

fire,

soul enters into the interior

and holds the body together and tinges I will repeat my words in Tyrian it. Take the Animal which is dye.* A

a constructive aspect.

Syriac treatise, fixed

by M.

Berthelot as belonging to the tenth or eleventh century,

says that " the

resembles a poison

elixir

violence and subtlety,"

many

references

equivalent

is ios,

the

and

this

because of

its

and Arabian alchemy contains venerium is

ignis.

The Greek

recurring continually in

the

Byzantine Alchemical collection. *

dye,

This process, worded in the language of the Tyrian

may be compared

tincture,

which occurs

with a similar recipe for the purple at the

beginning of the Natural and

The Turba Philosophorum,

called Kenckel, since all

water

its

Tyrian colour, and rule the same with a gentle fire, as is customary, until it shall

become

be a

little

earth, in

colour.

which there

But

will

you wish

obtain the Tyrian tincture, take

the

humidity which that thing has ejected,

and place vessel,

therewith gradually in a

adding that tincture whereof the

Then

colour was disagreeable to you.

cook with that same marine water* until

become dry. + Afterwards moisten with that humour, dry gradually, and cease not to imbue it, to cook, and to dry, until it be imbued with all its it

shall

humour. days in

Then leave its own vessel,

several

for

until

the most

precious Tyrian colour shall

come out

from I

to the surface.

Observe how

describe the regimen to you

pare

â&#x20AC;˘

Pre-

with the urine of boys, with

My$tic Questions of Democritus.

an important

In this, also, urine plays

part.

The use

of sea water

specified in

one

the

Democritic treatises. t

The second recension reads

" until

shall

moistened, after which evaporate the moisture."

become

The Tnrba Philosophortim.

water of the sea, and with permanent clean water, so that

may

and decoct with a gentle

fire,

be tinged, until the

blackness altogether shall depart from it,

and

be easily pounded.

Decoct,

own humour

until

clothe itself with a red colour.

But

therefore, in its

ye wish to bring

to the

Tyrian colour,

imbue the same with continual* water, and mix, as ye know to be sufficient, according to the rule of sight mix the same with permanent water sufficiently, and decoct until rust absorb the Then wash with the water of water. ;

which

sea

the

thou hast prepared,

cook and until it imbibe its own moisture that a I tell you do this day by day. colour will thence appear to you the

which

water of desiccated calx

;

like of

which the Tyrians have never

And

made. be a the

still

gum

which ye *

ye wish that

in the

shall

should

exalted colour, place

permanent water, with dye it alternately, and

The second recension reads The alternative reading is

" with water of snow."

water of

talc.

;

The Turba Philosophorum.

Then

afterwards desiccate in the sun. restore to the aforesaid water

black Tyrian colour

know

and the

But

intensified.

that ye do not tinge the purple

colour except by cold.

water which

Take, therefore,

of the nature of cold,

and steep wool* therein

until

extract

the force of the tincture from the water.

Know

also that the Philosophers have

called the force which proceeds from

that water the Flower. fore,

your intent

therein place

what

days and nights,

Seek, there-

the said water

is in

the vessel for

until

be clothed

with a most precious Tyrian colour. The Fifteenth Dictum,

Frictes

saith

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;O

Wisdom, know this Art,

that the foundation of

one only.t

* The second recension Moon for wool.

The one

ye seekers after

many

on account of which

have perished,

i.e.,

all

substitutes

There Luna

for

Lana,

nature, the one matter, the one way, are all

conceptions of Greek Alchemy.

way which must be

followed

" The furnace one, and one

is is

one, the also the

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The Tuvha Philosophorum.

one thing which

subHme

and

natures,

stronger than

;

all

the

opinion of philosophers, whereas with fools

it is

But

for

more common than anything. us

Woe

reverence.

a thing which

unto

all

ye fools!

How ignorant are ye of this Art, for which ye would die if ye knew it I swear to you that if kings were familiar with it, I

none of us would ever attain this thing. O how this nature changeth body into spirit! O how admirable is Nature, how she presides over all, and over-

comes

all

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Name And he â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Pythagoras saith

this Nature,

Frictes

a very sharp vinegar,* which makes

work," says the Assembly of the Philosophers. furnishes blood to the

Other.

Nature rejoices nature

nature triumphs over nature this not for for

The One

Other, and the One engenders the

;

nature charms nature

nature masters nature

one such nature opposed

;

and

to another such, but

one only and same nature, proceeding by chemical

process

from

itself

with pain and great labour."

The

Serpent Ourohohos. *

The Greek Assembly

that the philosophical vinegar

the Stone.

of the Philosophers explains is

obtained by the coction of

appears to be an

oil

which

rises

surface during the process, but the explanation

the

by no

The Turba Philosophorum.

gold into sheer

spirit,

without which

vinegar, neither whiteness, nor black-

nor redness, nor rust can

ness,

made. And know ye that when it is mixed with the body, it is contained therein, and becomes one therewith it turns the same into a spirit, and tinges with a spiritual and invariable tincture, which is indelible. Know, also, thaf if ye place the body over the fire without vinegar, it will be burnt and corrupted. And know, further, that ;

the

first

humour

therefore, of the

cold.

careful,

inimical

which

fire,

Accordingly, the

to cold.

Wise have

said Rule gently until the sulphur becomes incombustible.* The Wise :

means

clear.

Berthelot supposes a reference to the

Mercurial Water. *

The Greek Alchemists

give the following recipe for

the production of incombustible sulphur

Sulphur, diluted in the urine of a person

puberty

;

Take unburnt

then taking an equal quantity ot brine, boil

till

becomes

in-

the sulphur rises to the surface, and then

Prove

combustible. fire) until

who has not reached

ycu see that

by reasoning and examining

becomes incombustible, that it

no longer burns.

bustible water (of sulphur), pour

with

say, until

Take the same incomon flower of

salt, dilute

The Turba Philosophorum.

men have

who

already shewn to those

possess reason the disposition of this Art,

and the best point of they mentioned,

is,

their Art,

which

that a Httle of this

sulphur burns a strong body.

Accordand name it in the beginning of their book, and the

ingly they venerate

son of this

Adam

vinegar

thus described

burns

For

it.

body,

the

con-

and also whitens the body, which, if ye cook well and deprive of blackness, is changed into a stone, so that it becomes a coin of most intense whiteness. Cook, there-

verts

into a cinder,

fore, the

and

stone until

then

be disintegrated,

and temper with

dissolve

Know

water of the sea.

also, that the

beginning of the whole work whitening,

redness, finally

work;

but

vinegar, follows I

which

succeeds

this,

and by the

will

by means of of God, there

a complete perfection.

in the case of the

divine mystery.

the

the perfection of the

after

have shewn

the

to you,

Now,

disciples of

incombustible sulphur.

This

the

The Turba Philosophorum.

54 this

Turba, the disposition of the one

more perfect, more precious, and more honourable, than all natures, and I swear to you by God

thing,

that

which

have searched

books so that

for

a long time in

might arrive at the

knowledge of

this

prayed also to

God

one thing, while

that he would teach

me what it is. My prayer was heard. He shewed me clean water, whereby I and the more I did read books, the more was I illuminated.

knew pure

vinegar,

The Sixteenth Dictum,

Socrates

saith:

those that

still

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Know,

crowd of

remain of the Sons of

the Doctrine, that no tincture can be

produced without Lead, which possesses

Have ye not seen Hermes infused the

the required virtue.

how

thrice-great

was changed colour ?* Know,

red into the body, and into an invariable

therefore, that the first virtue â&#x20AC;˘

The second

thrice-great

recension reads

Have ye

Hermes, that so often as

body, the same body

vinegar,

not seen, says

infused into the changed into an invariable colour ? " it is

The Turba Philosophorum

and the second is the Lead''' of which the Wise have spoken, which if it be infused into all bodies, renders all unchangeable, and tinges them with an invariable colour. Take, therefore. Lead which is made out of the stone called Kuhul + let it be of the best quality, and let it be cooked till it becomes black. Then pound the same with Water of Nitre until it is thick like grease, and cook ;

again in a very bright spissitude

of the

M. Berthelot

tells

until

fire

body

the

destroyed,

us that lead was regarded by the

Egyptian alchemists as the generator of the other metals

and the

first

matter of transmutation, which he explains

common

with a number

of other simple bodies and metallic alloys.

Zosimus, the

by the appearances

Panopolite,

says

may

possesses in

be cited

All substances

produced by lead alone,

the Substances t

The

;

for i.e.,

from lead that the three

copper, iron, and tin.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Zosimus

and Non-substances of Art.

significance

accurately Kohol,

confirmation of this point

were recognised by the Egyptians as

other bodies are derived,

of the

term

Kuhul,

to be found in S3^iac

alchemy

;

the equivalent of alcool and sulphurated antimony in the

form of an impalpable powder.

Kuhul, or Koheul,

explained by Rulandus to be the Lead of the Philosophers.

The Alcohol mentioned by M. different

Berthelot seems to be

from Alcool of wine, and

Part of any

is,

in fact, the

body separated from that which

impure.

pure

The Turba Philosophorum.

water

the

being

rejected.

Kindle,

above it until the stone becomes clean, abounding in precious Pound metal, and exceedingly white. therefore,

dew and the

afterwards with

and with sea and rain water days with

for 10

sun,

for 21 days,

water, and

salt

days with fresh water,* when ye shall

same like to a metallic stone. Cook the same once more with water of nitre until it become tin by liquethe

find

Again cook

faction.

until

be deprived

But of moisture, and become dry. know that when it becomes dry it drinks up what remains of its humour swiftly, because it is burnt lead. Take care, however, lest it be burnt. Thus we *

The second

with dew,

water

for

days."

salt,

recension reads

and rain water

Atterwards pound

for 29 days, again

20 days, and yet again with fresh water

The

explanation of

all

Great Mystery. of Democritus, process

and

an important part

the

in the

In the Natural and Mysterious Question*

dew

whitening,

Fhilosophical

for

Rosicrucian mysteries has

been referred to the dew of the alchemists, ros philosophorum certainly plays

with salt

Egg

it is

mentioned

and

the

tabulated as a

or philosophical albumen, but here

the additions of a later hand.

connection with a

fragment

name

the

of the white

M. Berthelot suspects

The Turba Philosophorum,

incombustible sulphur. Pound same with the sharpest vinegar, and cook till it becomes thick, taking

call it

the

care lest the vinegar be changed into

smoke and perish continue this coction for 150 days. Now, therefore, I have ;

demonstrated

the

disposition

of the

which afterwards follows being no more than women's work and

white lead,

all

Know,

play.

child's

also,

that

the

arcanum of the work of gold proceeds out of the male and the female, but I have shewn you the male in the lead, while, in like manner, I have discovered for you the female in orpiment.* Mix, lead,

the

because she

But

female

the

for

receiving

orpiment

the

therefore,

assisted

by the male*

the male receives a tingeing spirit

Mix them,

therefore,

Berthelot indentifies orpiment with the arsenic

of the ancients.

Greek

rejoices

the

strength of the male,

from the female. â&#x20AC;˘

with

The word

itself

does not occur in the

writers, but there is a fifteenth century translation

from Latin to Greek of the Semita Recta, ascribed to Albertus Magnus,

which

it is

found.

who

reappears as Peter Theoctonicos, in

The Turba Philosophorum.

together, place in a glass vessel,

pound with Ethelia and vinegar

cook

;

for

ver}^

and

sharp

seven days, taking

care lest the arcanum smoke away, and leave throughout the night.

wish

that

to put

mud

(colour), seeing

again imbue

already dry,

But

Now, therefore, I have you the power of orpiment, which is the woman by whom is accomplished the most great arcanum. Do not shew these unto the evil, for with vinegar. notified to

they

will laugh.

vinegar which tion,

work,

It is

placed in the prepara-

by which things

whereby

the Ethelia of

God

also

perfects the

spirits

take

possession of bodies, and they become spiritual.

The Seventeenth Dictum,

ZiMON* saith : O Turba of Philosophers and disciples, now hast thou spoken about making into white, but it yet remains to treat concerning the

reddening

Know,

all

ye seekers after

^* Otherwise Zenon, according to the second recension.

;

The Turba Philosophonim.

make

cannot

unless ye whiten, ye

that

Art,

this

because the two

red,

natures are nothing other than red and

Whiten, therefore, the

white.

redden the white the year

the

and

also, that

divided into four seasons

first

Know,

red,

season

of a

frigid

com-

and this is Winter the second is of the complexion of air, and this is Spring then follows the third, which is summer, and is of the complexion of plexion,

;

fire

lastly, there is

;

fruits are

the fourth, wherein

matured, which

Autumn,

In this manner, therefore, ye are to rule

your natures, namely, to dissolve

winter, to cook in spring, to coagulate in

summer, and to gather and tinge the in autumn. Having, therefore,

fruit

given

this

example, rule the tingeing

natures, but

save yourselves.

Thou *

err,

The

blame no one

Turba answereth

hast treated the matter extremely

A commentary

introduced into the text of Zosimus

on Virtue and Interpretation, observes

mence by making perfect

and

solid.

thou dost com-

white, the yellowing will be perfect,

The Turha Philosophorum,

6o well

add, therefore, another teaching

;

of this kind for the sake of posterity.

And

will

Take

red."^'

the

Master

the

speak of making lead copper which the

you

ordered

beginning

take

book,

his

combine lead therewith, and cook it until it becomes thick congeal also and desiccate until it becomes red. Here certainly is the Red Lead of which the wise spake copper and lead become a precious stone mix them equally, let gold be roasted with them, for this, if ye rule well, becomes a tingeing spirit in spirits. + So when the male and the female are conjoined there is not produced a volatile wife, ;

;

From

but a spiritual composite.

composite turned into a red

produced the beginning *

The

various

substances

spirit is

of the world.

which

alchemists

founded under the names of Minium, Rubric,

enumerated by M. Berthelot, including, sur-oxyde of lead, which not only

oxydes of

vermillion,

the

etc.,

conare

in addition to the

modern name

cinnabar, realgar,

etc.,

minium,

but some

iron.

t The second recension spirit among spirits."

reads

â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘ :

becomes a mighty

The Turba Philosophorum.

Behold called

this

we have

the lead which

Red Lead, which

of our work,

and without which nothing

effected

The Eighteenth Dictum,

MuNDUS

saith

seekers after this

Turba The Art must know that the

the Philosophers in their books have

described

gum

many

ways, but

it is

none other than permanent water, out of which our precious stone is generated.* after this

who

find

O how many

are the seekers

gum, and how few there are it

Know

gum

that this

not ameliorated except by gold alone.

For there be very many who investigate these applications, and they find certain

things,

the

labours

â&#x20AC;˘

yet

they cannot sustain

because they are dimi-

appears from Zosimus on The Detailed Exposition

of the Work, that with the addition of a little [philosoAnd phical] gum any species of body may be tinged.

when Mundus in

identifies

Gum

with Permanent Water he

agreement with the same authority,

of the passage just cited

That which tinges

water, the great mystery. in a

tinctures

find the following

and things tinged

The gum

for in the context

of gold

fragment attributed to Agathodemon.

words: Divine

mentioned

The Turba Philosophorum.

But the applications which

nished.

are

made

gum and

out of the

out of

the honourable stone, which has already

held the

tincture,

the

they sustain

and are never diminished. Understand, therefore, my words, for I will explain unto you the applications of this gum, and the arcanum existing labours,

Know

therein.

ye that our

stronger than gold, and

know

do hold

all

gum

those

who

more honourable

than gold, yet gold we also honour, for without it the gum cannot be improved.

Our gum, therefore, is for Philosophers more precious and more sublime than pearls,

because out of

gum

with a

little

we buy much. when committing these things to writing that the same might Consequently, the

gold

Philosophers,

not perish, have not set forth in their

books the

manifest

disposition,

lest

every one should become acquainted

and having become familiar to fools, the same would not sell it at Take, therefore, one a small price. part of the most intense white gum therewith,

;

The Turba Philosophorum.

one part of the urine of a white calf;

one part of the

gall of

fish

and one

;

part of the body of gum, without which it

cannot be improved

tions

and cook

;

mix these por-

for forty days.

When

these things have been done, congeal

by the heat

the sun

Then cook

dried.

the

till

they are

same, mixed

with milk of ferment, until the milk afterwards extract it, and until it become dry evaporate the moisture by heat. Then mix it with milk of the fig, and cook it till that moisture be dried up in the composite, which afterwards mix with milk of the root of grass, and again cook until it be dry. fail

;

Then

moisten

with rainwater, then

sprinkle with water of dew, until

be dried.

and cook

Also imbue with per-

manent water, and desiccate until it become of the most intense dryness. Having done these things, mix the same with the all

gum which

equipped with

manner of colours, and cook

until

perish

the whole ;

and the

force

entire

strongly

the water

body be deprived

The Turba Philosophorum

64 of

humidity, while ye imbue the

its

same by

cooking,

Then

thereof be kindled. forty days.

Let

the dryness

until

remain

dismiss for

in that tritura-

tion or decocting until the spirit pene-

For by this regimen the spirit is made corporeal, and the body Observe the is changed into a spirit. trate the body.

vessel, therefore, lest the composition

and

fly

pass

off in

open the

things being accomplished,

and ye

vessel,

arcanum

will find

This,

purposed.

These

fumes.

that which ye

therefore,

the

of gum, which the Philosophers

have concealed

in their books.

The Nineteenth Dictum.

Dardaris knowledge

saith

that the

common

Masters" before

us have described Permanent Water.

Now,

behoves one who

introduced

to this Art to attempt nothing familiar with the â&#x20AC;˘

The

power of

this

Per-

reference to the Masters, which occurs twice in

this dictum, is to be understood

in the

till

not of previous speakers

Assembly, but of the older philosophers, namely,

the Greek Alchemists.

The Turba Philosophorum,

manent Water, and in commixture, contrition, and the whole regimen, it behoves

use

invariably

famous Permanent Water. fore,

who

does

sable regimen,

may

understand

not

Permanent Water, and

its

effected with-

out the Permanent Water. is

indispen-

not enter into this

Art, because nothing

thereof

this

He, there-

The

force

a spiritual blood, whence

the Philosophers have called

manent Water,

for,

Per-

having pounded

with the body, as the Masters before

have explained to you, by the

God

will

turns that body into spirit.*

For these, being mixed together and reduced to one, transform each the body incorporates the other; and the spirit incorporates spirit, the body into tinged spirit, like blood. And know ye, that whatsoever hath the same hath blood also spirit Remember, therefore, this as well. arcanum !

â&#x20AC;˘

The second

recension adds:

"and

the

spirit into

body."

The Turha Philosophorum

The Twentieth Dictum,

Belus

saith

—O

disciples,

discoursed excellently

ye have

Pythagoras

— Seeing that they are philosoBelus, why hast thou called He answereth — them disciples

answers

phers,

It is

honour of their Master,

lest I

should

make them equal with him.

Then

—Those who, in con-

Pythagoras saith

junction with us, have composed this

book which is called the Turha^ ought not to be termed disciples. Then he Master, they have frequently described Permanent Water, and the making of :

—

The whole of this Dictum recalls a passage in On Virtue and Interpretation — It is for these

Zosimus,

reasons that

my excellent

master, Democritus, makes him-

self the following distinction

;

• Take that stone which

not a stone, that precious thing which has no value, that

polymorphous object which thing which

known

and has no name, is

same time one.

has no

it is

money

Nevertheless,

this stone

;

its

nature

one,

its

do not say absolutely speaking, but according

it, I

nature, so that whether

flees the fire, or

uttered.

For

exceedingly precious, at the

value

given

which has many names

many denominations have been

its

without form, that unknown

refer to aphroselinon."

not a stone, and while

name

to everyone,

it is

called the being

which

white smoke, or white copper, no falsehood

;

The Tiirba Philosophorum.

White and the Red in many ways, albeit under many names but in the modes after which they have conjoined the

;

weights, compositions, and regimens,

they agree

with

Behold, what

hidden

the

truth.

said concerning this

A report has gone abroad that the Hidden Glory of the Philosophers is a stone and not a stone,

despised thing

and that the

lest

called

foolish

Certain wise after

by many names,

should recognise

men have

one fashion,

it.

designated

namely, according

the place where

generated

others have adopted another, founded

some of whom have termed it the Green Stone ;* by other some it is called the Stone of the most intense Spirit of Brass, not to be mixed upon

its

colour,

by yet others its description has been further varied, because it is sold for coins by lapidaries who are called saven ; some have named it Spume of Luna \^ some have distinwith bodies

â&#x20AC;˘

;

The second recension reads â&#x20AC;˘' Green Lion." Sputum Lunae does not seem to be a term which :

found favour with Latin alchemy, and accordingly

——

The Turba Philosophorum,

guished

astronomically

metically;

thousand

arith-

has already received a

titles,

of which the best

which

**That

produced

out

metals." So also others have called it the Heart of the Sun, and yet others have declared it to be that which is

brought forth out of quicksilver with the milk of volatile things.

The Twenty-first Dictum,

Pandolfus

much concerning

said so

wanting

in the

Rulandus,

— O Belus, thou hast

saith

who

Lexicons.

the despised

very curious to note that

quite frequently quotes the Turba, seems

seldom to have troubled himself about the significance of its

bizarre terms.

tion, there is

which

falls

In Zosimus,

from the

moon when

referred to as describing it •'

where

will find

with

me and

has the quality of resisting the

you

Virtue and Interpreta-

a prescription from Hermes concerning " that

fire.

Turba

recalls

mythology of

of mercury.

But

In fact, says Hermes,

allegorise

Note

also

Bulandus,

the

Lapis Arabicus, Aphroselinum,

Moon, Moon."

&c., supposed not only to reflect the likeness of the

but to be "

upon the

the expression in the

the passage of Synesius. Selenite,

and how

with Agathodaimon."

Berthelot supposes this passage to volatilisation

waning," and he

to be found,

made from dew by

the foam of the

The Turba Philosophorum,

stone* that thou hast

left

added by thy brethren I

teach

stone all

nothing to be

Howsoever,

posterity that this despised

a permanent water, and know,

ye seekers after Wisdom, that per-

manent water life,t

water

mundane

because, verily, Philosophersiaye

stated that Nature rejoices in Nature,

Nature contains Nature, and Nature overcomes Nature. The Philosophers have constituted this short dictum the principle of the work for reasonable And know ye that no body persons.

more precious or purer than the Sun, and that no tingeing venomt is gene-

The Turba Philosophorum does not betray any-

where the hand

of a Christian compiler,

and although the

reference to the despised stone suggests the stone

the builders

have

Zosimus, and not from the as Zosimus himself

which

derived

from

New Testament, except in

so far

rejected,

idea

the

may have drawn

from that source.

Treating, in his dictum on the subject of calx, concerning

the uncommunicated mystery of the encephalous the Greek adept calls precious,

the despised thing which

and so on through a number

stone,

most

of contradicting

denominations. t X

The second recension reads The symbolism of the venom

also found in

â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘

clean water."

of the philosophers is

Zosimus, commenting upon Democritus.

The Turba Philosophorum.

Sun and its shadow. He, therefore, who attempts to make

rated without the

venom

the

of the Philosophers without

and has

these, already errs,

fallen into

that pit wherein his sadness remains.

But he who has tinged the venom of the wise out of the Sun and its shadow* has arrived at the highest Arcanum. Know also that our coin when it becomes red, is called gold he, therefore, who knows the hidden Cambart of the Philosophers, to him is the ;

Arcanum

already revealed. The

answereth

—Thou hast

The Greek word signifies, says an M. Berthelot, the rouille of metals, the it is

the

spirit

body.— On Virtue and *

intel-

annotation specific

of bodies, and the venom of serpents.

Zosimus,

Turba

even now

virtue

According to

separated from the substance of a

Interpretation.

quotation from

Mary

(the

Measure of Yellowing runs thus: with sulphur, treated with

first) in

Zosimus On

— Copper

the

when burned

natron, and recovered

oil ot

having undergone the same process several times,

after

becomes an excellent gold without shadow. t

his

This oriental term

Essay on

explanation of

its

by M. Berthelot

referred to

significance,

of the Lexicons of treatise, entitled

of an adept.

the Transmission of Ancient Science

Alchemy.

and

it is

without

not found in any

In an ancient alchemical

The Code of Truth,

figures as the

name

;

The Turba Philosophorum,

thou

ligibly described this stone, yet

hast not narrated

its

regimen nor

its

composition.

Return, therefore, to the

description.

saith

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

you

direct

and honourable arcanum, which is White Magnesia,* and the same is mixed and pounded with to take an occult

make

wine, but take care not to of this except finally place

be pure and clean

and pray God

in its vessel,

He may grant you the

that

very great stone. t

sight of this

Then cook gradually,

and, extracting, see black stone,

use

if it

has become a

which case ye have

ruled excellently well.

But

rule

thus

which is a great arcanum, becomes Kuhul, closed up with

for the white,

until

The Chemistry

for the

an equal quantity Let

burnt clay.

Then,

of Moses gives the following process

whitening of Magnesia:

if it

of it

to cook

this mystery, for

Cappadocian

salt,

Magnesia and

place in a vessel of

stay there from evening

be black,

is far better

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;"Taking

let it it

be cooked

till

morning.

whitens, but

Hide

a glass-maker's furnace.

comprises everything which concerns

whitening by decoction." of

the

Philosopher's Stone as a medicine of metals and of

men

t It

was

does not appear that

familiar to

Greek alchemy.

the

conception

The Turha Philosophorum,

blackness, which blackness see that

does not remain longer than forty days.

Pound the same,

therefore, with its

confections, which are the said flower

whose root one, and a certain extract of an

of copper, gold of the Indies is

unguent, that

is,

a crocus, that

fixed exalted alum, or

is,

cook the four,

therefore, permanently for 40 or 42 days.

God

After these days

will

show you the

principle (or beginning) of this stone,

which

the stone Atitos,

favoured sight of

Cook

which

many

there are

strongly,

and imbue

gum that remains.

And know

accounts.

with the

God

ye that so often as ye imbue the cinder, so often

must

be desiccated

again humectated, until

its

colour turns

Now, there-

into that which ye desire. fore, will I

â&#x20AC;˘

The

complete that which

authenticity of this sign

and the marginal note which editions does not help

out.

of the

sentence

immediately

recension confirms this view.

have

extremely doubtful,

appended

It is

reading of the word Hoc^ which

and

most printed

no doubt

really a mis-

required to

following.

make sense The second

The Turba Philosophorum,

begun,

Know

God

also

rule

will look kindly

that

work of

the

third part

the

on us.*

perfection

precious

this

with

stone

residue

of is

the

the medicine, and to

preserve the two other parts for im-

buing and cooking alternately required colour appears.!

Let the

than the

intense

desiccated

when

wax

therefore, the

Cook,

coheres.

until

fire

former;

the matter be cerated, and

let

the

till

imbibes

the gluten of gold, which being desiccated,

imbue the

seven

times

until

the

work

other

two-

rest

the

and true earth imFinally, place the same

thirds be finished,

bibe them

all.

on a hot fire until the earth extract its flower and be satisfactory. Blessed are ye if ye understand But, if not, !

I will

repeat to you the perfection of

The

original

emendation given

untranslatable

in the text

;

the

conjectural

has no authority, and

only

introduced to provide a meaning. t

The

substituted,

reading of the

owing

second

recension

has

been

to the corrupt state of the longer text.

The Turba Philosophorum,

Take the

the work. is

clean white, which

a most great arcanum, wherein

true tincture;

which sand

the

imbue sand therewith,

made

out of the stone

seven times imbued, until

drink up

the whole, and close the mouth of the

you have often been For that which ye seek of it by the favour of God, will appear to you,

vessel effectually, as told.

which

Now,

therefore,

truth, so

the stone of Tyrian colour.

have

fulfilled

conjure you by

the

God and

your sure Master, that you show not this great

wicked

arcanum, and beware of the

The Twenty 'Second Dictum,

Theophilus

saith:

intelligently

and

Thou

hast spoken

elegantly,

held free from envy.

Saith the

and

art

Turba

Let your discretion, therefore, explain to us what the instructing Pandolfus has stated, and be not envious. Then he

all

ye seekers after

this science,

the arcanum of gold and the art of the coin is a dark vestment, and no one

The Turba Philosophorum.

knows what the narrated

have

Philosophers

books

their

without

and For that which they have concealed is more sublime and obscure than it is possible to make known in words, and albeit some have dealt with it intelligibly and well, certain others have treated it obscurely thus some are more lucid frequent

reading,

experiments,

questionings of the Wise.

;

The

than others.

Thou

Turba

answereth

And

hast truly spoken.

announce to posterity that between boritis and copper there is an affinity, because the boritis of the Wise liquefies the copper, and it changes as a fluxible water.

Divide, therefore, the

venom

two equal parts, with one of which

into

liquefy

the copper, but preserve the

other to pound and imbue the same, until

again

it is

drawn out

with

to seven in its *

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

'ÂŤ

cook the

to seven in

This unintelligible passage

recension

;

two; cook own water for 42 days ;*

venom, cook two

first

into plates

the former part

better rendered in the

Cook with the former

part of the

venom

The Turba Philosophorum,

finally,

open the

and ye

vessel,

find copper turned

shall

quicksilver;

into

wash the same by cooking until it be deprived of its blackness, and become as copper without a shadow.

cook

continuously until

For when

gealed.

be con-

congealed

Lastly,

becomes a very great arcanum.

Ac-

cordingly, the Philosophers have called this stone Boritis;* cook, therefore, that

becomes a matter like mucra. Then imbue it with the Permanent water which I directed you coagulated stone until

to reserve, that

many

colours manifest.

its ^s

to say, with the other

and cook

portion,

times until

This, therefore,

the very great putrefaction which

extracts (or contains in

arcanum.

great until

shall

itselt)

Saith

the

have absorbed both, and do

But donee duas

the very

Turba:

this seven times."

ebibat does not agree with the subsequent

directions found in each version. â&#x20AC;˘ Boritis,

according to Rulandus,

after the black state,

and

the White Stone

reduces earth to water.

late

French Lexicon observes that the name was applied by Philosophers to their Mercury

extreme black stage. whitened.

The word

It is

when

had reached the

the Laton which must be

of Oriental origin.

The Turba Philosophorum,

Return to thine exposition,

Theo-

And

he: It is to be known same affinity which exists between the magnet and iron, also exists assuredly between copper and

philus!

that the

permanent water. If, therefore, ye copper and permanent water as I have directed, there will thence result the very great arcanum in the following fashion. Take white Magnesia and quicksilver,* mix with the male, and pound strongly by cooking, not with the hands, until the water become thin. But dividing this water into two parts, in the one part of the water cook it rule

for eleven, otherwise, forty days, until

there be a white flower, as the flower of salt in its

splendour and coruscation

but strongly close the mouth vessel,

and cook

will find

for forty days,

the

when

water whiter than milk

;

by cooking continue the cooking until its whole nature be disintegrated, until the dedeprive

The

of all blackness

second

recension reads

mixed with the male."

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; " Take

;

quicksilver

The Turba Philosophorum,

filement

perish,

until

found

clean, and is wholly broken up (or becomes wholly clean). But if ye wish that the whole arcanum, which I have given you, be accomplished, wash the same with water, that is to say, the other part which I counselled

you

preserve,

until

a crocus, and leave in

there appear

its

own

vessel.

For the Iksir pounds (or contains) itself; imbue also with the residue of the water, until by decoction and by water it be pounded and become like a syrup of pomegranates; imbue it, therefore, and cook, until the weight of the humidity shall fail, and the colour

which

the Philosophers have

magnified shall truly appear. The Twenty-third Dictum,

Cerus*

saith

Understand,

all

ye Sons

of the Doctrine, that which Theophilus

hath told you, namely, that there exists

affinity *

between the magnet and the

The name

Bellus.

substituted by the second recension

; : ;

The Turha Philosophorum.

by the

iron,

magnet and the

existing between the

copper

iron, while the

composites

alliance

ruled for

is fitly

what statement can be more useful to you than that there is no affinity between tinf and one hundred days

quicksilver

Turba

The

Thou hast ill

spoken, having disparaged

And

the true disposition. that

answereih

I testify-

say nothing but what

true

you incensed against me ? Fear the Lord, all ye Turba, that your The Turba Master may believe you answereth : Say what you will. And he I direct you to take quicksilver, in which is the male potency§ or strength

why

are

•

The second

recension adds

and water of the Philosophers. tion

:— " Between

This

affinity

the copper

and combina-

given to them in the space ot one hundred days."

The definition may not be important, but it

is,

perhaps,

as well to state that the Greek Lexicon of Chry sop eia explains that tin alchemically

cinnabar,

and that

cinnabar

sublimed vapour obtained by coction in cauldrons.

Berthelot observes that the reference

mercury or the sulphur \

Here

to sublimed

thereof.

According to the alternative version :— '• The nature

of the one does not agree with the nature of the other." §

•*

The proper end

to obtain the

semen

of the whole art," says Horus, "is

of the

male

secretly, seeing that all

The Turba Philosophorum.

cook the same with

becomes a

fluxible

its

body

until it

water; cook the

masculine together with the vapour, until

each

and

be coagulated

shall

become a stone. Then take the water which you had divided into two parts, and cooking the body, but the second is for cleansing that which is already burnt, and its companion, which [two] are of which one

made

is for

one.

liquefying

Imbue the stone seven

and cleanse, until it be disintegrated, and its body be purged from become earth. defilement, and all times,

Know

also that in the time of forty-two

days the whole

changed into earth

;

by cooking, therefore, liquefy the same until it become as true water, which is Then wash with water of quicksilver. nitre until it become as a liquefied coin. Then cook until it be congealed and become Hke to tin, when it is a most Hence Horus says

things are male and female. certain place will

find that

Join the male and the female, and you

which

process of reunion,

charms Nature," &c.

sought

nothing

;

as a fact, without this

can

succeed, for

Nature

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Olympiodorus On the Sacred Art.

The Turba Philosophonim,

great

arcanum

stone which

;

that

say,

out of two things.

the

Rule

same by cooking and pounding, until it becomes a most excellent

the

Know

crocus.

also

that unto water

companion we have given the name of crocus. Cook it, therefore, and imbue with the residual water reserved by you until you attain desiccated with

its

your purpose. The Twenty -fourth Dictum,

BocAScus* well,

Thou

saith:

hast spoken

Belus, and therefore

thy steps

answereth

follow it

may

please you, but do not become envious, for that

not the part of the Wise.

And

BocAscus: Thou speakest the truth, and thus, therefore, I direct the Sons of

Take

the Doctrine.

lead, and, as the

liquefy,

have ordained, imbue, and afterwards congeal, until a

stone

produced

Philosophers

;

then rule the stone

with gluten of gold and syrup of pomegranates until *

The name

in the

be broken up. But you second recension

Boratis.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The Turba Philosophorum.

have already divided the water into two parts, with one of which you have

and

liquefied the lead,

has become

same until it be dried and have become earth then pound with the water as water;

cook,

therefore, the

;

reserved until

acquire a red colour,

as you have been frequently ordered.*

The Turba answereth

Thou

hast done

nothing but pile up ambiguous words.

And

Return, therefore, to the subject. he

Ye who wish

to coagulate quick-

must mix

silver,1" *

Otherwise:

The Greek

with

Rule frequently, as

have said."

alchemists claim to have accomplished

means of the Body

the fixation of Mercury by

Zosimus understands

by which

equal.

its I

Magnesia,

molybdochalchos.

unassigned fragment of the Byzantine collection has the following poetical reference to the fixation of Mercury

" Mercury

obtained

cinnabar, a rare substance, that I refer

It is that

easily volatilised,

become an hemisphere of the

above

;

wisdom.

difficult to retain,

" With

which

in the testing of souls.

spirit,

suitable

termed dried and

darts towards

Having

the upper

descends and ascends, avoiding the action

its

printer's choice

all

employed

etherised

fire, until,

state of

by the dry way and a

to cinnabar obtained

roasting.

manner with artificial is, one met with rarely.

quitting

Until

and

its role of fugitive, it

reaches a

has attained this condition,

mortal."

Fabrication of the All,

body," says the second recension

between compart and carport.

;

it is

The Turba Philosophorum,

Afterwards cook

diligently until both

become permanent cook

But

water, and, again,

water until

this

be coagulated.

be desiccated with

let this

its

own

equal vapour, because ye have found the whole quicksilver to be coagulated

by in

itself.*

ye understand, and place

your vessel what until

poundt

necessary, cook

be coagulated,

until

and then becomes a crocus like to

the colour of gold.

The Twenty -fifth Dictum.

Menabdus the

for

the truth

May God

saith:

regimen, since thou speakest

For thou hast illuminated

thy words.

And they

thou praisest him

It is said

And he

know

can utter nothing but that which

he hath uttered posterity to *

because

for his sayings,

not be inferior to him. that

reward thee

The second

;

make

however,

counsel

bodies not bodies,

recension reads

:â&#x20AC;&#x201D; " Let

the whole be

coagulated into quicksilver." t

The second in its vessel,

recension merely says

and pound."

:â&#x20AC;&#x201D; "

Place

once

The Ttirba Philosophorum.

but these incorporeal things bodies.*

For by

this

regimen the composite

prepared, and the hidden part of

nature

With

extracted.

is its

these bodies

accordingly join quicksilver and the

body of Magnesia,! the woman also with the man, and by means of this there is

extracted our secret Ethelia, through

which bodies are coloured

assuredly,

;

understand this regimen, bodies

if I

become not bodies, and incorporeal things become bodies. If ye diligently pound the things in the fire and digest â&#x20AC;˘

Egg

The Byzantine fragment upon The

contains this statement

and unless bodies again

corporeal state,

corporeal state, that which

But Mary

correspond

literally

Philosophical

" Unless bodies lose their

assume

quoted by Olympiodorus

terms which

with the text of the Turba: " Except

you convert corporeal substances

into

incorporeal, and

incorporeal substances into corporeal, and unless you

two bodies achieved."

into

The

in precisely the

their

desired will not be attained."

one body, no desired " divine "

same

Zozimus

fashion,

that to convert and transmute

result

also quotes

make

will

Hermes

and he observes elsewhere is

to impart

body

to the

incorporeal.â&#x20AC;&#x201D; r^ÂŤ Body of Magnesia.

Zosimus, commenting upon Mary, concludes that Body of Magnesia is molybdochalchos, or black

the lead.

try

[See note on

p. 82.]

on the subject of the

last

The

confusion of old chemis-

substance

well

known.

The Turba Philosophorum,

become And know ye

(or join to) the Ethelias, they

clean and fixed things. that quicksilver bodies,

fire

mortifying and

burning the

breaking up,

with one regimen, and the more

mixed and pounded with the body, the more the body is disintegrated, while the quicksilver is attenuated and becomes living. For when ye shall diligently pound fiery quicksilver and cook it

as required, ye will possess Ethel, a

nature* and

fixed

colour, subject

every tincture, which also overcomes, breaks,

and constrains the

this reason

For

fire.t

does not colour things

unless it be coloured, and being coloured it

colours.!

can tinge

And know

that no

unless

spirit

itself

its

body

be ex-

tracted from the secret belly thereof,

when

That

becomes a body and soul withis,

which does not

according to the second recension, " one flee

from the

fire."

t Alternatively, "all bodies,"

which seems a preferable

reading. X

The second

colours

once

all spirits,

has been

recension

says that

because Ethelia tinges

itself

tinged."

" all

holds and

things

when

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The Turba Philosophorum.

out the tincture,

which is a spiritual out of which colours have

spirit,*

manifested, seeing that a dense thing

does not tinge a tenuous, but a tenuous nature colours that which enters into a

When, however, ye have

body.

ruled

the body of copper, and have extracted

from

a most tenuous (subject), then

the latter

which tinge

know

unless

first

And

be tinged.

that those four bodies which you

This distinction between the soul and the

â&#x20AC;˘

The

copper does not

said, that

recognised by Zosimus, soul

Hence has the

coloured. +

it is

man

wise

changed into a tincture by

who

follows

spirit is

Democritus.

The

the primitively sulphureous and caustic nature.

purifying influence of

fire

preserves the spirit

when

the operation has been conducted according to the rules of

The

Art.

spirit is

the useful part, the tingeing element.

The Four Metallic Bodies, t In his treatise cites

Democritus

dtc.

Virtue

and

to the effect that

Interpretation,

but that copper burnt by means of

having undergone

oil

of natron, and

this treatment repeatedly,

beautihil than gold.

Zosimus

copper does not tinge,

becomes more

" Copper does not tinge so long as

preserves an unique essence, but tion with other bodies.

How

then,

tinges by if this

its

combina-

combination be

wanting, and before the copper has been tinged, can one

succeed in tingeing objects made subject to the action oi fire?"

The Turba Philosophorum,

are directed

to rule are this copper,

and that the tinctures which I have signified unto you are the condensed and the humid,* but the condensed is a conjoined vapour, and the humid is the

water

sulphur,

for

sulphurs

are contained by sulphurs, and rightly

by these things Nature Nature, and overcomes,

rejoices

and

con-

strains.

The Twenty-Sixth Dictum,

Zenon

saith:

perceive that you,

crowd of the Wise, have conjoined two bodies, which your Master by no The Turba means ordered you to do !

answer eth

Inform

according

O Zenon, in this of envy Then beware matter, and he Know that the colours which shall

your own opinion,

appear to you out of it are these. Know, O Sons of the Doctrine, that it behoves you to allow the composition to putrefy for forty days, *

The second

recension reads:

and then

"The condensed and

the humid are these two tinctures, the condensed being joined with the humid."

The Turba Philosophorum,

sublimate five times in a vessel.

and cook, when

join to a fire of dung,

these colours shall appear to you the

day

first

black

unto a dry crocus,*

on the

citrine,

second black red, on

the third

the purple

finally,

colour will appear to you

the ferment

;

and the coin of the vulgar shall be imposed then is the Ixir composed out of the humid and the dry, and then it tinges with an invariable tincture. Know also that it is called a body wherein there is gold. But when ye are composing the Ixir, beware lest ;

you extract the same lingers.!

as an

For and

Ixir.

imposed upon preferable

venom

this

many

coins reading

is,

because

life,

soul extracted out of

The

Extract, therefore, the same

were, birth

hastily, for

:l is

and

things,

its

tincture,

" Crocus

unto

sericus." t

The second

you extract the

recension substitutes

spirit

haste,

for

" Beware

perchance

lest

will

perish." I

The second

recension reads:â&#x20AC;&#x201D; "And the soul shall

remain, a tincture extracted out of

imposed upon coins."

many

things,

and

The Turba Philosophorum. therefore,

which

joined, from which

moves evil, but from which it

Accord-

extracted.

re-

death to the bodies

it is

Masters

the

ingly,

to those things with

life

have said

that

between them there exists the same desire as between male and female,

and

any one, being introduced to

know

should

Art,

these

this

natures,

would sustain the tediousness of cooking until he gained his purpose according to the will of God. The Twenty-Seventh Dictum.

Gregorius* it

have to

all

ye Turba,

and they have ordered

ruled

marble

The name

Antimony,

stone

venerable

the

called

Efflucidinus,i it

be observed that the envious

saith

in the in

until its

And

splendour. +

second recension

the

coruscates

Chambar.

second recension.

The most

bizarre terms of the Turba did not find favour with Western

Alchemists is difficult

;

Eflflucidinus is a special instance in point.

to speak with complete authority, but

said almost certainly that no later author

Moreover, no vocabulary mentions it. Stone \ The comparison of the

gleaming marble

found,

among

made use of its

may be it.

splendour to

other of the Greek

;

The Turha Philosophorum,

90 they

Show,

what

therefore,

Then

posterity.

Willingly

must know that the copper commingled with vinegar, and is water. becomes it until ruled Finally, let it be congealed, and it you

a coruscating stone with a

remains brilliancy

thus,

see

becomes is cooked till it becomes earth, until

red

direct

you

is it

turned

assume the aforesaid shall become hidden

colour,

all

and

re-

will

become

behoves

gold of a Tyrian colour.

until

Then

gold.

when

thus,

and

into

ye see

repeatedly cook and imbue

you, therefore,

when

disintegrated

When

peat the process,

rule

red, because

colourÂť

when

marble, which, I

ye investigators of

alchemists, in Zosimus, and especially in his Detailed

Exposition of the Work, where, however, he is quoting Democritus. " Mark the Philosopher, seized with a divine

on the subject of

transport,

this

white sulphur

preparation become like unto marble, then

And

mystery." proceeds

substances,

which

again,

having

cited

the

there a great

Stephanus,

Now, that which tinges tinctures and tinged the same is divine water, the great mystery,

is like

unto marble."

The Turba Philosophorum, this Art,

when ye have observed that is coruscating, to pound

Stone

this

and turn

earth,

some degree

quires

take

into

which

of redness

remainder*

the

until

then

;

the

ac-

water

ordered you to

enviousf

divide into two parts,

and ye

shall

imbibe themi several times until the colours which are hidden by no body

appear unto you.ยง Know also that if ye rule it ignorantly, ye shall see I knew a who commenced this

nothing of those colours. person

certain

work, and operated

natures

the

who, when the redness was somewhat slow in appearing, imagined that he had made a mistake, and truth,

so relinquished the therefore,

how ye make

Otherwise:

The

recension,

work.||

โ ข'

Observe,

the conjunc-

a small quantity."

opprobrious term

omitted by the second

and the reference seems to be

to the division ot

the water indicated in an earlier part of the colloquy. X

The second

recension substitutes " sand."

ยง

Otherwise

" until the hidden colours shall appear."

A common anecdote of the alchemists, reproduced many variations, and even in Hermetic poems, such

with

as Norton's Ordinal of Alchemy.

The Turba Philosophorum.

punic dye,* having em-

tion, for the

braced his spouse, passes swiftly into her body,

liquefies,

breaks

congeals,

and disintegrates the same. Finally,

up,

the redness does not delay in coming,

and

effect it

without the weight,

death will take place, whereupon will be thought to be bad. Hence, order that the

fire

it I

should be gentle in

when it is turned to make the same intense,! and

liquefaction, but

earth

imbue

until

God

shall extract the

colours for us and they appear.

The Twenty-eighth Dictum.

CusTos

saith

Turba

surprised,

all

the very great force and

nature of this water, for

when

entered into the said body,

has

turns

and next into powder, to test the perfection of which take in the hand, and if ye find it impalpable as water, it is then most excellent; first

into earth,

â&#x20AC;˘

The second

That

is,

recension reads

" the male."

"intenser in congelation," according

the second recension.

The Turba Philosophorum.

otherwise, repeat the cooking until

brought

the

And know

that

required

it is

condition.

ye use any substance

other than our copper, and rule with

you nothing. on the other hand, ye rule our copper with our water, ye shall find all that has been promised by us. But

our water,

will profit

If,

the

Turba

vious'^'

answereth

created no

little

Father, the enobscurity

when

they commanded us to take lead and white quicksilver, and to rule the same with dew and the sun

till

becomes

Then he: They a coin-like stone. meant our copper and our permanent

when they thus

directed you to and affirmed that there should be produced the said coinlike stone, concerning which the Wise have also observed, that Nature rejoices in Nature, by reason of the affinity which they know to exist between the

water,

cook

in a gentle fire,

The

distinction

little difficult

between the Wise and the Envious

to follow, nor

is it

at all certain that the

envious had less wisdom than the wise, or the wise less

envy than the envious. Greeks

indifferently.

In either case, they were

all

The Turba Philosophorum,

two bodies, that is to say, copper and permanent water. Therefore, the nature of these two is one, for between them there is a mixed affinity, without

which they would not so swiftly unite, and be held together so that they

may become

Turba:

Saith the

one.

Why

do the envious direct us to take the copper which we have now made, and roasted until it has become gold ? The Twenty-Ninth Dictum.

DiAMEDES already,

saith

Thou

hast

spoken

Moses*, in an ungrudging

manner, as became thee

will also

;

confirm thy words, passing over the

hardness of the elements which the wise desire to remove, this disposition

being

most

Know,

O ye

man man

that

precious

eyes.

their

seekers after this doctrine,

does not

proceed

that only which

except unto

from a

;

themselves

begotten from brute ani-

and so

also with flying creatures.

mals â&#x20AC;˘

;

This reference

is like

omitted from the second recension.

Moses may be a misprint

for Gustos, or vice

vena.

The Turha Philosophorum,

have treated these matters in compendious fashion, exalting you towards the truth, who yourselves omit proI

Nature

lixity, for

truly not

improved

by Nature, save with her own nature, seeing that thou thyself art not im-

proved except say,

man

thy son, that

man.* See, therefore, that

ye do not neglect the precepts concerning her^ but

make

use of venerable

Nature, for out of her Art cometh, and *

When

thou hast attained,

standing of these things by

way

creation and generation as a whole, is

able to bring forth

man, the

dog procreates the dog. is

child, to the under-

of a preliminary, consider

and know that man and the

lion begets the lion,

Should

produced contrary to nature,

it it

happen that a creature is

a monster which

engendered, and the same hath no consistence.

Nature

charms nature, and nature triumphs through nature. The adepts having participated in the divine power, and having succeeded by the divine assistance, illuminated by the fruit of

the prayers of

Isis,

made

preparations with certain

metallic minera, without having recourse to other (unsuitable) substances.

Thus they succeeded by means of the

substantial nature in triumphing over the matter in the preparations.

said that

fact,

even as

employed

have previously

wheat begets wheat, and man sows man, so also

gold serves for

the

increase of

gold,

and

generally for the reproduction of their like.

mystery been revealed."â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Is/s

Horvs.

Now

things

hath the

The Turba Philosophorum.

Know

out of no other. less

you

rule

it,

also that un-

Nature and

seize hold of this

obtain nothing.

will

therefore, that

male,

the red slave,*

who

Join,

son to

marriage with his

fragrant wife, which having been done,

Art

produced between them matter

foreign

neither

unto

exceeding The

nearer

precious

things,

else

the nature of

found also in old Arabian

defined this Stone by saying that

earth

;

burning

hard stone and

;

&c.

the

fire

running water and

fire

dead

;

the flying slave,

makes and

Speculum Majus of Vincent de

appears as a synonym of Mercury, which of

course

an obvious symbolism.

some

treatises,

"They have

and frozen

the thing which

;

Beauvais is

soft stone.

the swift and the stable

made,"

it is

How

still. +

such as the Twelve Chapters of Ostanes:

permanent water

that

;

the Servus Fugitivus abounds in

allegory ot

alchemy, and

add no

sufficient for us, for

near, yet the son

later

these

powder nor anything

conception

;

treatise

lexicons, the

Rulandus attributes

ascribed to Hermes.

Red Servant

According to other

the matter from which the

Philosophers extract their Mercury, which must therefore

be the marriageable son mentioned fugitive role of

Mercury

ment on The Fabrication of the t

The second

begotten."

in the text above.

The

Greek

frag-

referred to in the

recension

All, as already cited.

reads:

true

son

;

The Turba Philosophorum.

red

that

without

slave,

regimen cannot endure

which

Bacsen

the

saith

Diomedes, thou hast pubUcly vealed this disposition 1

will

Woe

He may

who

are

therefore,

do not

flee

us, therefore,

God,

fear not

you

deprive

towards your brethren

answereth

even shed more light upon

unto you

Why,

this

it.

for

art

you envious They answer

except from fools

what

re-

thy will

tell

;

And

Place Citrine with his wife after the conjunction into the bath

;

not

kindle the bath excessively, lest they

be deprived

sense

and

motion

cause them to remain in the bath until their

and the colour

body,

shall

become a

upon

restore unto

again suffer

and beware

lest

burning them

thereof,

certain unity, where-

the sweat thereof;

to die

then give

;

rest,

ye evaporate them by in

too

strong a

fire.

Venerate the king and his wife,* and *

According to Rulandus, the King

the spiritual

water which gives moisture to the female, but there are

many meanings.

This passage

the fountain-head of the

whole symbolism of the alchemical marriage, which

The Turha Philosophorum,

do not burn them, since you know not when you may have need of these things, which improve the king and his wife. Cook them, therefore, until they become black, then white, afterwards red, and finally until a tingeing venom

produced.

happy are

Science,

stand, but

seekers

not,

ye,

have

if still

after

this

under-

performed

duty, and that briefly, so that

ye remain

ignorant,

God who

hath concealed the truth from you

Blame

not, therefore, the

yourselves, for

Wise, but

God knew

that ye

possessed a faithful mind, most cer-

would reveal unto you the Behold, I have established you and have extricated you from

tainly he truth. therein,

error

The Thirtieth Dictum.

Bacsen well,

saith:

Thou

O Diomedes, but

hast

do not see that

concerned: always with royal personages. Sponsus and

Rosy

Cross,

illustrate

Spoma

spoken

Compare the

of the Chemical Nuptials of Christian

and the innumerable

Latin Alchemy.

able to a Greek source.

pictorial

emblems which

does not appear to be trace-

The Turba Philosophorum,

thou hast demonstrated the disposition of Corsufle* to posterity Corsufle

the

with Tell

Of this same

have spoken ways, and have confused it

many

envious

manner

all

of names.

cording

thy

matters, and

that this

Then he Bacsen, ac-

me, therefore,

opinion

these

swear by thy father

the head of the work,t for

the true beginning hereof cometh after

Bacsen

the completion. notice,

therefore,

saith:

give

seekers

future

commust be roasted

after this Art, that Corsufle is a

and that

posite, *

The

Rulandus

lexicographers

after

alchemy who

followed

a long interval, explain that Corsufle, or as

they sometimes wrote

it,

Philosophers fixed at the is

Carsufle, is the Sulphur of the

Red

Stage.

Under

neither form

the term to be found in Rulandus himselt, though he

was well acquainted with the Turba.

His dictionary,

however, includes Cor Fuffla, which might be a mutilated version produced in a

the

impurity

German

of bodies,

printing office. definition

It signifies

which does not

correspond either with the text of the Turba, or with the vocabularies.

subsequent obscure, and

it is

The

or Syrian alchemy published t

head,

The

origin

of the word

by M. Berthelot.

According to the second recension, Corsufle i.e.,

not found in the collections of Arabian

the

the crown, and not the beginning of the work.

speaker also

is different,

namely, Nephitus.

The Turba Philosophorum,

100

seven times, because when at perfection

arrives

tinges the whole body.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The Turba answereth: Thou spoken the truth, O Bacsen

hast

The Thirty 'First Dicttim,

Pythagoras

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; How

does

the

discourse of Bacsen appear to

you,

saith:

has omitted to name the substance by its artificial names? And they Name it, therefore, oh Pythagoras And he : Corsufle being its composition, they have applied he

since

all

the

names of bodies

the

world, as, for example, those of coin,

copper,

tin,

name

of lead, until

that

colour

Turba

and

gold, iron, it

well,

have

also

among

the others

Thou

Pythagoras

spoken

The

Ixir.

hast spoken

And

well,

may

the

be deprived of

and become

answereth:

also

and

some

discourse con-

cerning the residual matters. The Thirty-Second Dictum,

BoNELLUS

saith:

Pythagoras,

all

According to thee, things die and live

The Turha Philosophorum,

loi

by the will of God, because that nature from which the humidity is removed, that nature which is left by nights, does indeed seem like unto something that is dead it is then turned and ;

(again) is left

left for

tomb, when

in his

will restore

and the

man

becomes a

These things being done,

powder.*

God

certain nights, as a

unto

spirit thereof,

both the soul

and the weak-

ness being taken away, that matter will

be made strong, and after corruption will be improved, even as a man

becomes stronger after resurrection and younger than he was in this world. Therefore it behoves you, O ye Sons of the Doctrine, to consume that matter with

become a

boldly until

fire

when know

cinder,

have mixed

â&#x20AC;˘

The

text

spirit,

like to

and is imbued The second

corrupt and unintelligible.

one dead

;

has been

and then that nature

in fire until the spirit of that

becomes dust

that ye

" Therefore that nature from which the

humidity has been removed, when nights,

shall

excellently well, for that

cinder receives the

recension reads

body returns

unto one dead

in his

;

tomb."

left

for

wanting

and then

The Turba Philosoplwrum,

102

with the

humour

until

colour than

fairer

assumes a

previously pos-

sessed. Consider, therefore,

ye Sons

of the Doctrine, that artists are unable

own tinctures until they convert them into a powder; similarly, the philosophers cannot comto paint with their

bine medicines for the sick slaves until

they also turn them into powder, cooking

some

them

to a cinder, while

others they grind with

The

case

the

their

hands.

same with those who

compose the images of the ancients. But if ye understand what has already been

ye will know that I speak and hence I have ordered burn up the body and turn it

said,

the truth,

you

into a cinder,

for

ye rule

subtly

many things will proceed from it, even much proceeds from the smallest

things in the world.

It is

thus because

man, has a body and a soul, for the inspiration of men cometh from the air, which after God is their life, and similarly the copper is inspired by the humour from which that same

copper

The Turba Philosophorum,

copper receiving strength

103

multiplied

and augmented like other things. Hence, the philosophers add, that when copper is consumed with fire and iterated several times, it becomes better than it was. The Turba answereth: Show, therefore, O Bonellus, to future generations after what manner it becometh better than it was !

And

he:

because plied,

will

I it

do so willingly;

it is

augmented and multi-

and because God extracts many-

things out of one thing, since

hath

created nothing which wants

its

own

regimen, and those qualities by which its

healing must be effected.

our

larly,

when

copper,

Simiis

first

cooked, becomes water; then the more it is

until

cooked, the more it

becomes a

have termed

it,

thickened

stone, as the envious

but

it is

really

an egg

tending to become a metal.

when more intense

afterwards broken and imbued,

ye must

roast

than the

former,

fire

until

shall

coloured and shall become like blood

104

^^^^

Turba PhilosopJiorum.

combustion, when

placed on and changes them into gold,

coins

according to the Divine pleasure.

you not see that sperm from the blood unless

cooked

in the liver

not produced

be diligently

till it

has acquired

an intense red colour, after which no change takes place in that sperm ?* the

It is it

same with our work,

for unless

be cooked diligently until

shall

become a powder, and afterwards be putrefied until it shall become a spiritual sperm, there

from

But

will in

no wise proceed

that colour which ye desire.

ye arrive at the conclusion of this regimen, and so obtain your purif

be princes among the

pose, ye shall

people of your time.

The Thirty-Third Dictum,

NiCARUS saith: this arcanum â&#x20AC;˘

The comparison

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Now

ye have

The

public.

of the progress of the work to the

development ol the embryo, which above reference, and adepts,

found also

made Turba

is,

in fact,

suggested by the

common

all

the Greek writers, and

Latin

among

The Turba Philosophorum.

Thus did the Master order. Not the whole, nevertheless. He ordered us to clear away :

answereth

And

he:

But

they

105

the darkness therefrom

And

fore, tell us.

terity to take the gold

to multiply

;

do thou, thereI

counsel pos-

which they wish

and renovate, then to divide

And

the water into two parts.

they

when they divide It behoves them

Distinguish, therefore,

But he

the water.

to burn up our copper with one part.

For the water,

said copper, dissolved in that called the ferment of Gold,* if

these, in Comarius,

who

says that the test of

the material as the embryo

fire

nourishes

nourished in the mother's

womb. â&#x20AC;˘ M. Berthelot traces the original notion of the fermentation of metals to the sophistication called diplosis.

designed for the accomplishment of a imitation are also

met with,

for

" Recipes

more profound

example, the alliance of

gold or silver with a more or less considerable quantity ot

some

less

diplosis"

precious metal It is

;

this

was the operation

found in the Leyden papyrus, but there

are traces that the Egyptian goldsmith believed, or at any rate sought to

was

really

fermentation." in

many

make

others believe, " that the true metal

multiplied

The

by an operation

comparable

fermentation of metals

places by the Greek writers:

that this water, after the

manner of

mine the fermentations destined

It is

mentioned necessary

leaven, should deter-

to produce the like,

The Turba Philosophorum.

io6

For the same in manner are cooked and liquefy

ye rule water

well.

;

and

crumble,

But then

appears.

by cooking they are

finally,

congealed,

the

red

behoves you to

imbue seven times with the residual water, until they absorb

and,

all

the water,

the moisture being dried up,

all

they are turned into dry earth kindle a

fire

and place

then

;

therein for forty

days until the whole shall putrefy, and its

colours appear. The Thirty -Fourth Dictum,

Bacsen

saith

account

of thy

dicta

the Philosophers said beware,*

Take

the regal Corsufle, which

to the redness of copper,

and pound

in the urine of a calf until the nature means

of the like, in the metallic

tact, after the

same manner

body to be tinged.

in a small quantity, ferments a great

also will this

matter." literal

mass of

morsel of gold ferment

little

This notion

As a

that the leaven of dough, used

all

paste, so

the dry

repeated in terms essential and

by innumerable Latin alchemists. For

this

somewhat

cension substitutes

bizarre reading the

seems needful to lay

second stress

some matters which have been already mentioned."

re-

upon

The Turba Philosophorum.

of the Corsufle

107

converted, for the

true nature has been hidden in the

saith

Explain to posterity what the

nature

which

And

is.

tingeing spirit

hath from permanent water,

which is

The Turea

of the Corsufle.

belly

they

and

coinlike,

Shew,

and water

It is

poured upon

how

therefore,

And

extracted.

coruscates. it

pounded, seven

whole which humour, and receives a force

times

until

absorbs

the

equal to the hostility of the

then

same

called

diligently

spiritual

powder,

blood, which the

Putrefy the

rust.

until of

fire;

becomes a

a colour like burnt

fire

overcoming hath

introduced into the receptive belly of

Nature, and hath coloured with an This, therefore, have

indelible colour.

kings sought, but not found, save only to

whom God *

was

has granted

different in the

But

it.*

days of Zosimus,

who

tells

us that in Egypt the divine art of operating on minera

belonged to the Kings, and the alchemists of the Nile no

more worked

in their

The increase

of the

own

interest than the minters of coin.

King's riches was the only end

in view,

The Turba Philosophorum.

io8 the

Turba

Bacsen.

saith

Finish your speech,

And

them

direct

whiten copper with white water, by which also they make red. Be careful not to introduce any foreign matter.

And

Turba:

the

Well Bacsen, and

spoken,

also has spoken well

have

spoken

hast

thou

Nictimerus

Then he: If I do one of you

well,

continue. The Thirty-Fifth Dictum.

But ZiMON

Hast thou left anything to be said by another ? And the Turba Since the words of Nicarus and Bacsen are of little good to those who saith

seek after this Art,

tell

us, therefore,

what thou knowest, according as we have said. And he: Ye speak the truth,

all

Nothing

else

ye seekers after

this

Art

has led you into error but

the sayings of the envious, t because what and

for this

reason the priests

who were

acquainted with

the mineral secrets did not dare to disclose them publicly. *

In the second recension

the

name

rendered

Zeunon.

*â&#x20AC;˘

t The second recension has an important variation The words of the Egyptians have led us into error."

The Turba Philosophorum,

ye seek

sold at the smallest possible

price.*

109

men knew

and how

this,

great was the thing they held in their

hands, they would in no wise

sell it.

Therefore, the Philosophers have glori-

venom, + have treated of it and in many ways, have taken and applied to it all manner of names, wherefore, certain envious persons have said It is a stone and not a

fied that

variously,

stone, but

gum

Ascotia,

con-

sequently, the Philosophers have con-

For

cealed the power thereof. spirit

which ye seek, that ye may tinge

therewith,

concealed in the body,

and hidden away from the soul in the *

human

This passage recalls

effect in the

end

this

body.t

many

Greek alchemists,

sight,

even as

But ye

statements to the same

example, that the

as, tor

not to be obtained by money, " for the Lord

God

has delivered the same gratuitously, by reason ot the beggars and the despairing."

But

this

Byzantine Assembly of the Philosophers

passage from the is

in part at least

an interpolation. t

The second

recension

reads

" that useful

and

abject thing." \

which

Otherwise: " Therein

the spirit which you seek,

tinges, vivifies, gives health

and

life

to bodies."

The Turba Philosophorum,

seekers after the Art, unless ye disintegrate

body, imbue and pound

this

cautiously and

both

ye extract grease),

from

and turn

impalpable

diligently,

until

grossness (or

its

into a tenuous and have your labour in

spirit,

Wherefore the Philosophers have said Except ye turn bodies into notbodies, and incorporeal things into bodies, ye have not yet discovered the vain.

rule saith:

and

turned

are

They

Ethelia

are till

take

place

the

into

not-bodies.

pounded with they become

And know

powder.* not

therefore,

Tell,

bodies

And

Turba posterity how

But

operation.

fire

that this does

except

ex-

ceedingly strong decoction, and continuous

a moderate *

The second

pounded t

until

The

performed

contrition,

fire,t

not with

recension reads

becomes dust," but

counsel of Olympiodorus

â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘

it is

should escape in smoke and be lost,"

Some

not practised by

hands,!

When

Ethelia

evidently corrupt.

similar

must burn with moderation and gentleness, that this Art

with

And, again

means of a

Latin alchemists say that the

The

lest the

fierce

fire

vapour

"Know

fire.''

Magnum Opus

a work of the bands, which others deny, and a very pretty

The Turba Philosophorum.

iii

with imbibition and putrefaction, with

exposure to the sun and to Ethelia. The envious caused the vulgar to err in this Art is

when they stated

common

a small

in its

They

price.

that the thing

nature and

sold at

further said that

the nature was more precious than

all

natures, wherefore they deceived those

who had

same time they spoke the

the

recourse to their books.

truth,

and therefore doubt not these things. But the Turba answereth : Seeing that thou

believest

sayings

the

envious, explain, therefore, to posterity

the

disposition

And

the two

natures.

you that Art

testify

requires two natures, for the precious is

not produced without the

diversity of opinion has risen

consequence.

The

common,

up among interpreters in

partisans of the

view, denying the

first

metallic object of the Art, affirm that the mystery of the

manual operation was the mystery of animal magnetThe Turba in the passage above, and in other ism. places, is against the use of the hands, whatever that

have

signified, here following

thou, as do some, that manual action sufficient

;

superior to

there

of itself and alone

also required that of Nature,

man's."â&#x20AC;&#x201D; On

may

Olympiodorus: " Think not

the Sacred Art.

an action

112

The Turba Philosophorum,

nor the

common

without the precious.

behoves you, therefore,

all

investigators of this Art, to follow the

sayings of Victimerus,* to

his

you

disciples:

save

And

when he

Nothing

sublimate

Turba

said

else helps

water

and

The whole vapour and the sublimation of water. Demonstrate, there-

vapour.

work

the

in the

them the disposition of the And he : When ye shall perceive that the natures have become water by reason of the heat of the fire, and that they have been purified, and that the whole body of Magnesia fore,

vapour.

liquefied as water; then all things

have been made vapour, and for then the vapour contains

rightly, its

own

equal, wherefore the envioust call either

vapour, in

because

both

are

joined

and one contains the Thus our stag finds no path to

decoctions,

other.

escape, although flight be essential to •

•• Of the elders," says the second recension, The Philoso> The second recension substitutes

phers," a variation which, in

'•

its

way,

is significant.

The Turba Philosophorum,

The one keeps back

it.

113

the other, so

has no opportunity to fly, and it no place to escape hence all are made permanent, for when the one falls, being hidden in the body, it is congealed with it, and its colour varies, and it extracts its nature from the properties which God has infused into His elect, and it alienates it, lest it flee. But the blackness and redness appear, and it falls into sickness, and dies by rust and

that

finds

;

putrefaction it

has

;

properly speaking, then,

not

flight,

although

desirous to escape servitude it is

free

spouse

but when

;

when

follows its spouse, that a

may

favourable colour its

;

then

its it

makes them

beauty

befall itself is

not as

and was,

placed with coins,

gold.

For

this reason,

have called and the soul vapour. They the have also called it the black humid wanting perlution and forasmuch as in man there are both humidity and dryness, thus our work, which the envious have concealed, is nothing else therefore, the Philosophers spirit

;

^^^ Turba Philosophorum.

114

but vapour and water. answereth

water

Demonstrate

And

two

Turba

The

vapour

and

say that the work

have called it composed out of two, because these two become four, wherein are dryness and humidity, spirit and vapour. The Turba answereth Thou out

;

the

envious

hast spoken

envy.

excellently,

Let Zimon next

and without

follow.

The Thirty-Sixth Dictum,

Afflontus,* the Philosopher, saith: I notify to you all, O ye investigators of this Art, that unless

substances at the

ye sublime the

commencement by

cooking, without contrition of hands,

whole become water, ye have not yet found the work. And know until the

that

ye,

copper

the

was

formerly

by others stone, and, names vary in every

called sand, but

indeed,

the

regimen. nature and

Know

The name

that

the

humidity become water,

then a stone, *

further,

in the

ye cause them to be second recension

Assotes.

The Ttirba Philosophorum,

complexionated, and

115

ye are acquainted with the natures, because the part which is light and spiritual well

the top, but that which

rises

thick and heavy remains below in the

Now

vessel.

the

which but

this

the contrition

namely,

Philosophers,

that

not sublimated sinks down,

that which becomes a spiritual

powder rises to the top of the vessel, and this is the contrition of decoction,

Know

not of hands.

ye have turned

also, that unless

into

all

powder, ye

have not yet pounded them completely. Cook them, therefore, successively

become

and Wherefore Agadaimon*

they

until

powder.

â&#x20AC;˘

Agathodaimon

converted,

included

among

the makers of

gold in one of the earlier sections of the Byzantine collection.

quoted by Olympiodorus {On the Sacred Art),

and a short account

him

given by the same writer.

by some that he was a man ancient among the most ancient who philosophised in Egypt, by others that he is a mysterious angel, or that he is the good genius â&#x20AC;˘*

It is stated

of Egypt," &c.

Egyptian divinity

Berthelot points out that there

who

bore a

Zosimus beheld Agathodaimon ascended to the third degree.

name

in a vision

was an

equivalent to this.

when

his soul

Explanation and Com-

Ii6

The Turba Philosophorum,

saith

Cook the copper

come a

be-

and impalpable body,

gentle

and impose

until

in its

own

vessel

then

;

sublimate the same six or seven times until

the water shall descend.

know

that

powder

when the water has become

then

diligently.

made

water

And

has

ground

been

But if ye ask, how is the a powder ? note that the

intention of the Philosophers

that the

body before which before it falls into the water is not water may become water the said water is mixed with the other water, and they become one water. ;

unless into'

therefore,

stated,

that

ye turn the thing mentioned ye shall

water,*

the work. for the

body

is,

the flame of the integrated

and

the water,

when

not attain

therefore,

necessary

be so possessed by that

fire

dis-

becomes weak with the water has been

mentary of Agathodaimon upon the Oracle of Orphetu

extant in the Greek collection. *

The second

into water."

recension reads

" unless ye turn both

The Turba Philosophorum.

added to the water, comes water. But

Had

clouds*

whole be-

until the

hearing of

fools,

water, think that this

117

water of the

they read our books they

would know that it is permanent water, which cannot become permanent without

companion, wherewith

its

made

But

one.

this is the

water which

Water Good Venom,

Philosophers have called

the

of Gold, the

Igneous,

and that Sand of Many Names which Hermes ordered to be washed that the blackness of

frequently,

Sun might be removed, which

the

he introduced in the solution of the body. And know, all ye seekers after

the

spirit,

what ye

our copper without

will

by no means ses because no foreign

therein,

thing enter unless fore,

all

the

dismiss

names, if

for

anyone

nor does any-

be pure.

seekers after

multitude

the nature

err,

take this

is,

desire,

enters

thing

unless

that

Art,

this

pure body, that

Therethis

Art,

obscure

one water

;

he draws nigh to de-

The Turha Philosophorum.

Ii8

and loses his life. Therefore, one nature, but dismiss what

struction,

keep this is

foreign.

The Thirty-Seventh Dictum,

BoNELLUS

saith

And

Speak.

mouth

of which

cook with a gentle

and

fire

all

vessel, the

its

and

carefully, until

become water

all

when mixing

Sons of the Doctrine, Magnesia, place

little

Turba

The

Magnesia.

concerning answereth

speak a

will

therein

liquefy,

For

the heat of the water acting thereupon, it

becomes water by the

When

will of

God.

ye see that the said water

about to become black, ye know that the

body

already liquefied.

Place

and cook for forty up the moisture of the vinegar and honey.* But certain again in

There

vessel,

its

days, until

drink

an exceedingly curious reference to honey

in the Discourse of Synesius. is

The

from cinnabar, and that which

there are

The

still

what

obtained

obtained from arsenic,

the Philosopher explains that while

question being

the difference between the mercury which

all

mercury

one,

a variety of sorts, and he quotes Hermes:

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

white," and " the ray of honey

ray of honey

The Turba Philosophorum.

persons uncover

119

say, once in each

it,

week, or once in every ten

nights;

in either case, the ultimate perfection

of pure water appears at the end of days,

forty

for

then

completely

absorbs the humour of the decoction. Therefore, wash the same, and deprive of

blackness, until, the blackness

its

being removed, the stone becomes dry to the touch.

Wash

Hence

the envious have

Magnesia with soft and cook diligently, until it become earth, and the humour perish. said

the

water,

Then it is called copper.

Subsequently,

pour very sharp vinegar upon it, and leave it to be soaked therein. But this is our copper, which the Philobe sophers have ordained should washed with permanent water, wherefore they yellow."

have said Berthelot

Let the venom

explains

honey

that

mercury, which in the special connection obvious, but

does not follow that this

which was invariably attached

fact,

in later

signifies

of course

the significance

by the philosophers.

days the term was used to signify the

philosophical dissolvent. * The The Greek

following explanation los,

given by

Berthelot,

and Virus, the Latin equivalent, are words

The Turba Philosophorum,

120

be divided into two parts, with one of which burn up the body, and with the other putrefy. And know, all ye seekers after

whole

and

work

that

the

does

not

Science,

this

regimen

take place except by water, wherefore,

they say that the thing which ye seek is one, and, unless that which improves it

be present

in the said thing,

what ye

look for shall in no wise take place. Therefore,

behoves you to add those

things which are needful, that ye

may

thereby obtain that which you purpose.

The Turba answereth : excellently,

Thou

Bonellus

has spoken

please

thee, therefore, finish that which thou art saying

time.

;

But

otherwise repeat he

Shall

these and like things

a second

indeed repeat

all

in-

which hadexceedingly diverse meaning among the ancients.

The

Virus, according to Pliny,

meant

specific virtues of bodies, such

ivory,

and sandarac

;

certain properties or

as the odour of copper,

the medical action of calx of gold

;

the magnetic virtue communicated to iron by the magnet."

Hence or

the term signified the power and not the operation,

the operation, then this in

healing or hurting.

oxyde

of metals.

all

its

phases, whether of

los also signified in a special

way

the

The Turha Philosophorum. vestigators

copper water

;

place with the

in the vessel;

purify from

all

first

cook

our

take

Art,

this

131

part of the

for forty days;

uncleanliness ; cook fur-

days be accomplished, and become a stone having no moisture.

ther until it

its

Then cook until nothing remains

except

This done, cleanse seven times, wash with water, and when the water is used up leave it to putrefy in its faeces.*

vessel, so long as

may seem

desirable

But the envious called this composition when it is turned your purpose.

blackness

into

that

lohich is

sufficiently

and have said Rule the same But that with vinegar and nitre. which remained when it had been whitened they called sufficiently white, and ordained that it should be ruled Again, when with permanent water. black,

â&#x20AC;˘

The whole mystery

is in

the scoriae," says Zosimus,

The Diversity of Burnt Copper, and though the remark

has a particular application,

was

the nature of a general axiom. fact, the

also with alchemists of

So Olympiodorus

negative body par excellence, that which

" In

called

black lead, that which the Egyptian prophets desired to

know, that which the oracles of the demons have revealed, all

these are the scoriae and cinders of Mary."

;

The Turba Philosophorum,

122

same

they called the

they ordained that with water and

until

fire

Turba

The

red.

sufficiently

red,

should be ruled

became

answereth

Show

forth unto posterity what they intended by these things. And he : They called it Ixir satisy by reason of the variation

its

In the work, however,

colours.

there

neither variety,

nor opposition of necessary

only

multiplicity,

substances

make

;

the

black

copper white and then red.

However, the truth-speaking Philosophers had no

other intention than that of liquefying,

pounding, and cooking Ixir until the stone should become like unto marble in

its

splendour.

envious again

said

Accordingly, :

the

Cook the same

with vapour until the stone becomes coruscating by reason of

But when ye

see

its brilliancy.

thus,

it is,

indeed,

most great Arcanum. Notwithpound and wash it seven times with permanent water finally, again pound and congeal in its the

standing, ye must then

own

water, until ye extract

its

own con-

The Turba Philosophorum.

123

cealed nature. Wherefore, saith Maria, sulphurs are contained in sulphurs, but

humour

sulphur

mixed

comes

forth

humour, and out with

sulphur,

there

But

a great work.

ordain that you rule the same with

dew

and the sun,

appear to you. you that there

your purpose

until

For

are

two

signify unto

kinds

whitening and of making red, of which

one consists

and the other in contrition and decoction. But ye do in rustt

*The Greek alchemists assumed a special virtue but

itself,

was not apparently so much inherent

dew,

in the moisture

as in the rays of the morning sun with which

the night

dew

it is

Neither alchemically or otherwise was

chiefly connected.

ever considered beneficial.

the Rational and Mystical Questions, says

Democritus, in " Whiten this

earth with sea water or sweetened saumur, or with the

water of heaven sun," &c.

mean by exposing

There seems no

not be understood

literally.

this

the

should

as possessing an inherent

virtue apart from the vital presence

dew

dew and

why

In the Turba Philosophorum,

dew appears under another aspect, solar rays.

special reason

and

activity of the

In Latin alchemy, however, the references to

are not very frequent,

and

does not seem to have

played so important a part in the symbolism of the adepts as

Mosheim and t Or,

red."

others have supposed.

according to the second recension, "

making

124

^^^^

Turba Philosophorum.

not need any contrition of hands.

Be-

ware, however, of making a separation

from the waters you,

the poisons get at

lest

and the body perish with the

other things which are in the vessel.

The Thirty-Eighth Dictum,

Effistus saith : Thou hast spoken most excellently, O Bonellus, and I bear witness to all thy words The Turba saith : Tell us if there be any !

service in the speech of Bonellus, so

that those initiated in this disposition

may be more bold and certain. Effistus saith:

Consider,

all

ye investigators

how Hermes, chief of the Philosophers, spoke and demonstrated when he wished to mix the natures. Take, he tells us, the stone of gold^ combine with humour which is permanent water, set in its vessel, of this Art,

over a gentle

fire

until

liquefaction

Otherwise, " the body and soul which are in the

vessel shall quickly perish."

The Turba Philosophorum,

takes

Then

place.

leave

125 until

and the sand

the water dries,

and

water are combined, one with another then let the fire be more intense than before, until is

made

again becomes dry, and

When

earth.

understand that here of the times,

arcanum

;

this is done,

the beginning

but do this

two-thirds

until

many

of the water

and colours manifest unto you. The Turba answereth Thou hast spoken excellently, O Effistus Yet,

perish,

briefly

testify

And

inform us further. posterity

dealbation doth

he: the

that

not take place save

by decoction.* Consequently, Agadaimon has very properly treated of cooking, of pounding, and of imbuing, *

The Greek

equivalent of Decoction identifies the

process with that cooking which

alchemical experiments.

In the

so often ordained in all

New

Light of Arnoldus

de Villa Nova three grades of the operation are described, together with the special furnaces and appliances required.

In the

first

second, white

accompanied t

grade, the matter becomes ;

and

the third, red.

black

The

;

the

description

each case by a citation from the Turba.

The second

recension

substitutes:

"for which

cause there must be frequent pounding and imbu'ng."

The Turba Philosophorum.

126

Yet I direct you not to pour on the whole of the water at one time, lest the Ixir be submerged, but pour it in gradually, pound and dessicate, and ethelia.

do this several times until the water be exhausted. Now concerning this the envious have said Leave the water when it has all been poured in^ and it will sink to the bottom. But :

their intention is this, that while the

humour

drying,

and when

been turned into powder, leave glass vessel

forty

for

days,

has

in its

until

passes through various colours, which the Philosophers have described. this

method of cooking the bodies put

on their spirits and spiritual tinctures, and become warm.* The Turba answereth

Thou

Effistus,

Truly art

hast given light to us,

and hast done

excellently

thou cleared from

envy;

wherefore, let one of you others speak as he pleases.

The second

spirits,

and the

recension

spirits are

made

reads hot,

" bodies become

and they tinge."

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Turba Philosophorum,

127

The Thirty-Ninth Dictum,

Bacsen saith ;* O all ye seekers after this Art, ye can reach no useful result without a patient, laborious,f and solicitous

persevering

soul,

and continuous regimen.

who

fore,

this

may

who

persevere in

willing to

and would enjoy the upon it, but he

disposition,

result,

courage,

He, there-

enter

desires

learn over

must not have recourse

speedily,

to our books,

they impose great labour before

for

they are read in their higher sense, once,

twice,

Therefore,

thrice.

Master saith: Whosoever bends back over the study of our

the his

books, devoting â&#x20AC;˘

The

speaker

his

leisure

second

the

thereto,

recension

called

Admion. t

The

like exhortation is

pensable in our magistery. part in this magistery." again, " It

Haste, indeed,

Know

the

ot the devil's

Rosary of the Philosophers.

impossible for this to be

unless he learns

master.

met with everywhere

" Patience and delay are indis-

literature of the adepts.

known by

And

the seeker

from God, or from the instruction ot a

also that the

way

very long

;

therefore

are patience and delay needful in this our magistery." Ibid,

;

The Turba Philosophorum,

128

not occupied with vain thoughts,

but fears God, and shall reign in the

Kingdom without

until

fail

die.*

For what ye seek is not of small price. unto you who seek the very great and compensating treasure of God!

Woe

Know

not

that

for

the

smallest

men

purpose in the world, earthly

will

themselves to death, and what,

give

therefore, ought

they

this

for

most excellent and almost impossible offering

than

Now,

the regimen

perceived by reason, except

through divine

inspiration.

The

God has always been

fear of

once

met with a person who was *

greater

The

essential to the success of the true alchemist.

planation

The Greek

" Abide at thine

awe and wonder

to early experi-

alchemists regarded no operation as

possible without the

says

ex-

to be sought in the fact that the operations of

nature were a region of

ment.

well

regarded as

Zosimus

divine concurrence, and

own

fireside

acknowledging but one

God and one Art do not deviate in search of another God for God will come to thee, He who is present everywhere. ;

Rest thy body, and hush thy passions

governing thyself, thou shalt

call

Being, and the Divine Being will

When

thou shalt

the only

God

attain truth

know

come

to thee.

thyself, then shalt thou

existing in thee

;

so,

;

unto thee the Divine .

know

also

and acting thus thou shalt

and nature, rejecting matter with contempt."

The Turha Philosophorum,

acquainted I

with

the

129

elements

when he proceeded

myself, but

rule this disposition, he attained not to

the joy thereof by reason of his sadness

and ignorance

in ruling,

and excessive

eagerness, desire, and haste concern-

Woe

ing the purpose.

of the Doctrine

unto you, sons

For one who

plants

trees does not look for fruit, save in

due season

he also who sows seeds

;

does not expect to reap, except at

How,

harvest time.

then, should ye

when ye

desire to attain this offering

have read but a single book, or have adventured only the

But the

first

have

Philosophers

stated that the truth

discerned

except

regimen

after

plainly

not

and

error,

nothing creates greater pain at heart

than

error

this

Art,

while

each

imagines that he has almost the whole world, and yet finds nothing in his

Woe

Understand the dictum of the Philosopher, and how he divided the work when he hands.

said

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;pound,

unto you

cook,

reiterate,

and be K

The Turba Philosophorum,

130

But when thus he divided the work, he signified commingthou not weary. ling,

cooking,

assimilating,

roasting,

heating, whitening, pounding, cooking

EtheHa, making rust or redness, and tingeing.

Here, therefore, are there

many names, and yet there is one regimen. And if men knew that one decoction and one

contrition would them, they would not so often repeat their words, as they have done,

suffice

mixed body may pounded and cooked diligently, have admonished you not to be weary thereof. Having darkened the matter to you with their words, it suffices me to speak in this manner. It is needful

and

in order that the

to complexionate the

then cook

many

venom

times,

rightly,

and do not

grow tired of the decoction. Imbue and cook it until it shall become as I have ordained that it should be ruled by you namely, impalpable spirits, and until ye perceive that the Ixir is clad in the garment of the Kingdom. For when ye behold the Ixir turned into

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

The Turba Philosophorum,

131

Tyrian colour,* then have ye found that which the Philosophers discovered before you.i

ye understand

words (and although yet

there

life

my words be

dead,

therein for those

understand themselves), they

my who

will forth-

with explain any ambiguity occurring

Read, therefore, repeatedly, dead speech, but that

herein.

for reading is a

which is

uttered with the lips the speech.

living

same

Hence we have

ordered you to read frequently, and,

moreover, ponder diligently over the

we have

things which

narrated.

The Fortieth Dictum.

Jargus

saith

Thou

hast

left

a part of thy discourse,

And in

he:

obscure

Bacsen

thou, therefore, Jargus,

thy clemency shew forth the same â&#x20AC;˘

Latin

alchemists

made use

ot the

symbolism of

Tyrian dye when describing the Red state of the Magistery.

The Kenckel,

previously referred to,

apparently an

Eastern term designating the Crustacea from the shells of which the dye was anciently obtained. " then shall ye comt The second recension reads :

prehend the sayings of the Philosophers.'*

The Turba Philosophorum.

132

And

he answereth

The copper

thou hast before spoken nor

is it

not copper,

the tin of the vulgar

true work

(or

of which

;

it is

our

body) which must be

combined with the body of Magnesia, it may be cooked and pounded

that

without wearying until the stone

made. Afterwards, that stone must be pounded in its vessel with the water of nitre, and, subsequently, placed in liquefaction until

it is

destroyed.

ye investigators of this

all

art,

But, it

necessary to have a water by which the more you cook, so

you

sprinkle,*

until

much

the more

the said copper

which is the foundation of our work. Cook, therefore, and pound with Egyptian vinegar. shall put

rust,

The Forty-First Dictum.

Z1MON+ uttered, â&#x20AC;˘

Whatsoever thou hast Jargos, is true, yet I do

saith

The second

recension reads

a water which becomes inspissated

It is

necessary to use

proportion as

cooked."

fin

the second recension the

name

Cadmon.

it is

The Turba Philosophorum,

not see that the whole

spoken

Then

concerning he

opinion

ZiMON that

rotundum.* thine

therefore,

concerning saith-'

Turba hath

the

Speak,

133

it,

notify

Zimon

posterity

rotundum turns into four and is derived out of

the

elements,

one thing. +

The Turba answereth

Inasmuch as

thou art speaking, explain generations

And

the

method

Willingly

Permanent Water three let them be mixed and they be thickened and stone, concerning which have said

but

Magnesia *

Take one three

then

;

be understood of the Stone. **

parts

;

cooked

then until

become one the envious

part of the pure

parts

The term rotundum used

speaks of

necessary

one part of our copper, but of

to take

body,

ruhng.

of is

future

for

of copper of

commingle in this curious

with

manner

The Scala Philosophorum

our perfect tyriac and rotund stone," the four

elements being concordantly exalted in the quality of the temperate stone. t

There

a variation in the second recension

signify to future generations that the rotundum which con-

verts copper into four

from one thing."

;

^^^ Turba Philosophorum,

134

earth

what

until

mixed

vinegar,

rectified of

;

male

with

the vessel,

observe

and cook continuously becomes earth.

it,

The Forty-Second Dictum,

AscANius saith : Too much talking, O all ye Sons of the Doctrine, leads this subject further into error

ye read

in the

that Nature

overcomes

But when

books of the Philosophers

one only, and that she

all

things

Know

that they

are one thing and one composite.

ye not see that the complexion of a man is formed out of a soul and body thus,

must ye

also,

conjoin

these,

because the Philosophers, when they prepared the matters and conjoined spouses mutually in love with

each

ascended

from

behold

other,

there

The

them a golden water! answereth of

the

turn

unto

biguous

and

When

first

hast

thou wast treating

work,

the

Turba

second thou

how obscure

thou

didst

How am-

made thy book, are

thy

words

The Turba Philosophorum.

Then

Turba

will

perform

the

first

position

answereth

up war

Stir

the

dis-

The

work.

And

this.

between

quicksilver, until they

135

copper

and

go to destruction

and are corrupted, because when the copper

conceives

coagulates

it,

the

quicksilver

but when the quicksilver

conceives the copper, the copper

congealed into earth fore,

;

up, there-

stir

a fight between them

;

destroy

it becomes But conjoin the male to the female, which are vapour* and quicksilver, until the male and the female become Ethel, for he who changes them into spirit by means

the body of the copper until

a powder.

The

matter of

Latin alchemists regarded vapour as the all

things,

and

a special

way

was the

first

First

Matter of the Philosophers. The Rosary of the Philoso" The first matter of bodies is not the

phers observes

mercury

vapour.

The

the vulgar, but

mineral stone

an unctuous and humid

made from

the metallic body from the unctuous.

the humid, and

It is

needful that

bodies should be converted into such an unctuous vapour,

and they are destroyed, brought to nothing, and mortified in the conversion,

and

white and red water."

this is

But

accomplished by means of our this

unctuous vapour was the

mercury of the philosophers and wise men.

The Turba Philosophorum.

136

makes them red, tinges every body, because, when by diligent cooking ye pound the body, ye extract a pure, spiritual, and subof Ethel, and next

lime

therefore,

And

that body.

tinges

The Turba answereth

every body. Inform,

which

therefrom,

soul

what

posterity he

which

sulphureous

thing*

by the names

of all bodies.

a natural

called

The Forty-Third Dictum,

Dardaris

saith:

Ye have

frequently

treated of the regimen, and have intro-

duced the conj unction, + yet

proclaim

to posterity that they cannot extract

now hidden

by Ethelia, by which bodies become not bodies through continual cooking, and by subthe

soul except

Know

limation of Ethelia. quicksilver

is fiery,

more than does â&#x20AC;˘

The second

concerning

that

burning every body

fire,

recension reads

which much

also

also mortifying :

found

" sulphur of nature," in

later

alchemical

writers. t

According to the second recension

"much has been

said of the regimen but of the conjunction little."

The Turba Philosophorum.

137

and that every body which is mingled with it is ground and dehvered >odies,

When,

over to be destroyed.

there-

ye have dihgently pounded the

fore,

and

bodies,

have

them as

exalted

required, therefrom

produced that

Ethel nature, and a colour which

tingeing* and not volatile,

the copper which the

not tinge until

it is

and it tinges Turba said did

tinged, because that

which is tinged tinges. Know also that the body of the copper is ruled by Magnesia, and that quicksilver is four bodies, also that the matter has no being except by humidity, because it is

the water of sulphur,

for sulphurs

The

are contained in sulphurs. saith:

Dardaris,

what sulphurs are are

souls

which

inform

And

are

Turba

posterity :

Sulphurs

hidden

four

bodies, and, extracted by themselves,

contain

one

another,

naturally conjoined.

which

For

and

are

ye rule that

hidden in the belly of sulphur

with water, and cleanse well that which â&#x20AC;˘Otherwise

" not fleeing from the

fire."

The Turba Philosophorum.

138 is

hidden, then nature rejoices, meeting

with nature, and water similarly with equal.

Know

ye also that the four

And

bodies are not tinged but tinge.*

Turba

the

Why

its

dost thou not say

like the ancients that

when they

And

tinged, they tinge ?

are

state

that the four coins of the vulgar popuare not tinged,

lace

copper, tinged,

when

and it

but they tinge

copper

that the

tinges

coins

the

populace. The Forty-Fourth Dictum,

MoYSES

saith

This one thing of which

thou hast told us,

have

Philosophers

Dardaris, the

called

many

names, sometimes by two and sometimes

by three names

Name

it,

Dardaris answereth

therefore,

setting aside envy. is

that which *

fiery,

posterity,

for

And

The one

the two

the

According to the second recension, "they tinge a

fifth."

t According to the

tinged, " except copper,

vulgar."

second recension, they are not

which then tinges the coins of the

The Turba Philosophorum,

body composed

it,

139

the three

the

water of sulphur, with which also

washed and ruled until it be perfected. Do ye not see what the Philosopher affirms, that the quicksilver which gold

tinges

out

quicksilver

Dardaris answereth : What dost thou mean by this ? For the Philosopher says sometimes from Cambar and sometimes from Orpi-

Cambar ?

And

ment.

he: Quicksilver of

orpiment

Cambar

sulphur ascending from the mixed*

of Magnesia, but quicksilver

Ye must,

composite.

with

thick thing

that

putrefy,

and

diligently

fiery

pound

spirit

be produced, which

that

other spirit

tincture which

;

mix venom,

therefore,

then

is is

until

hidden

made

desired of you

the

all.

The Forty-Fifth Dictum,

But Plato

Masters, â&#x20AC;˘

Some

the passage.

times

it is

behoves you

all,

when those bodies

are

saith

abbreviations in the printed editions obscure

According to the second recension

Cambar and sometimes

it is

Some-

Orpiment, but here

The Turba Philosophorum.

140

being

dissolved,

take

care

lest

they be burnt up, as also to wash them with sea water, until

all their

turned into sweetness,

salt

clarifies, tinges,

becomes tincture of copper, and then goes off in flight Because it was necessary that one should become tingeing, and that the other should !

be tinged,

for the spirit being separ-

ated from the body and hidden in the other

both

spirit,

Therefore

the

become

Wise have

volatile.

said

that

the gate of flight must not be open-

ed for that which would flee, (or that which does not flee),* by whose flight death is occasioned, for by the conversion of the sulphureous thing into

spirit like

itself,

either

becomes

they are

made

aeriform

unto

volatile, since

But the Philosophers seeing that which was spirits

prone to ascend in the

needful to understand that

air.

Quicksilver

Cambar

Magnesia," &c. â&#x20AC;˘ The reading of the second recension namely, " Close the door on the volatile,

flight."

lest

clearer, it

take

The Turba Philosophorum,

not

made

volatile

141

with the

a body like and put them

volatiles, iterated these to

the

non-volatiles,

which they could not

into that from

escape.*

They

body

unto the bodies from which

the

sopher

statement

one

concealed

spirit.

Know

humid

spirits is

the

Philo-

tingeing

agent

tincture,

spirit

the

that

and that which

made

extracted,

same were for

them

and the then digested. But as

were

they

iterated

be tinged are it

humid

another

refers

that one of the

also

but the other

cold,

and although the cold humid not adapted to the warm humid,

hot,

nevertheless

they

are

made

one.

we prefer these two bodies, because by them we rule the whole

Therefore,

work, namely, bodies by not-bodies, until

incorporeals

steadfast in the * *'

fire,

become

bodies,

because they are

In the second recension the passage reads thus

Concerning these the Philosophers also said

not with flying things, and yet were they

made

They

fled

flying."

The Turba Philosophorum.

142

conjoined with volatiles, which

not

possible in any body, these excepted.

For

spirits in

but

fugitives

every wise avoid bodies, are

restrained

Incorporeals,

corporeals.

similarly flee from bodies

;

in-

therefore,

those, con-

sequently, which do not flee are better

and more precious than all bodies. These things, therefore, being done, take those which are not volatile and wash the body with the join them ;

incorporeal ceives

the

until

non-volatile

incorporeal

body

;

convert

the earth into water, water into fire

into air,

and conceal the

re-

fire in

fire,

the

depths of the water, but the earth in the belly of the

air,

mingling the hot

with the humid, and the cold with the dry.

comes

Know,

also,

that

Nature over-

Nature

Nature,

rejoices

Nature, Nature contains Nature. The Forty-Sixth Dictum,

Attamus

saith

It is to

be noted that

the whole assembly of the Philosophers

have

frequently

treated

concerning

The Turba Philosophorum,

Rubigo, however,

Rubigo,*

143

ficti-

and not a true name. The Turba answereth: Name, therefore, Rubigo by its true name, for by this it is not calumniated. And he Rubigo is accordtious

ing to the work, because

Turba

The

alone.

from gold

it is

answereth

Why,

then, have the Philosophers referred to the leech

water

hidden

the leech

answereth

Because

sulphureous gold as

water; rubigo, there-

rubefaction in the second work,

fore, is

but to

make

rubigo

former work,

to whiten in the

which the Philoso-

phers ordained that the flower of gold

should be taken and a proportion of gold equally. The Forty-Seventh Dictum.

MuNDUS treated *

While

of metals, for the

saith:

Thou

sufficiently

this

hast already

Rubigo,

term properly signifies the rust or oxide

was used

many

redness of rust associated

senses by the alchemists, it

in their idea

with other

forms of red matter, and rust philosophical became a part of the Great Mystery.

The oxydes

of iron, the

oxydes of

lead, sulphate of mercury, sulphate of arsenic, sulphate of

1^4

^^^^

Turba Philosophorum.

Attamus I will speak, therefore, of venom, and will instruct future genera!

tions

that

venom

because subtle

spirits

into a tenuous spirit,

body and burned

have made it have tinged the

with venom, which

venom the Philosopher tinge every body. But Philosophers

body,

not

thought

asserts

will

the Ancient

who

that

turned gold into venom had arrived at the purpose, but he profiteth

this

unto you,

all

who can do

not

Now

say

nothing.

ye Sons of the Doctrine,

that unless ye reduce the thing by fire until those things

effect

ascend

nought.

spirit,

This, therefore,

and a ponderous smoke,* which when it enters the body spirit

avoiding the

fire

antimony, were all more or names of rubigo, minium, &c. * It

all

confounded under the

not, perhaps, surprising that

things the mystery of the

concern

less

itself

fire

what was above

and the furnace, should

considerably with the smoke in which

often ended, and thus in various stages of

its

history we have

alchemy discoursing of that specially philosophical smoke

which

identical with scorias,

and hence on the authority

of the Greeks involves the whole art

smoke, identical with mercury

;

we have

citrine

also white

smoke, identical

The Turha Philosophonim.

145

and makes the body rejoice.* The Philosophers have Take a black and conjoining all said therewith break up the bodies spirit and torture them till they be altered.

penetrates

entirely,

;

The Forty-Eighth Dictum.

Pythagoras saith unto all you seekers :

must

affirm

after this Art that

the Philosophers have treated of con-

junction

ways.

continuation) in various

(or

But

constrain

quicksilver

Magnesia,

Spume

the

enjoin upon you to

body

the

body

the

make of

Kuhul, or

of Luna, or incombustible

roasted

alum

sulphur,

which

out of apples, as ye know.

But

there was any singular regimen

calx,

any of these, a Philosopher would Understand, not say so, as ye know. for

with yellow sulphur

;

red smoke, which

orpiment; smoke

of extreme subtlety, of which the Latin Geber discourses;

and

lastly the

ponderous smoke of the

Many

Turha.

others might be named, but these varieties are sufficient to

show

that

smoke was

the votaries ot *

â&#x20AC;˘'

Otherwise

as important to the alchemists as to

my Lady :

Nicotine."

"the nature

rejoices therein."

The Turba Philosophorum.

146

and alum

therefore, that sulphur, calx,

which

from apples, and Kuhul, are

nothing else but water of sulphur.

all

Know

ye also that Magnesia, being

mixed with quicksilver and sulphur, they pursue one another. Hence you must not dismiss that Magnesia without the quicksilver, for when

composed

an exceeding strong composition, which is one of the called

ten regimens established by the Philo-

Know,

sophers.

when

that

also,

Magnesia is whitened with quicksilver, you must congeal white water therein, but when it is reddened you must congeal red water,

for,

as the Philoso-

phers have observed in their books, the regimen

the

and â&#x20AC;˘

first

congelation

lead.

Accordingly,

not one.* is

tin,

But the second

copper, is

com-

" There are other denominations," says Synesius in

his letter to Dioscorus.

" Thus whitening

and yellowing an igneous regeneration (substances)

calcine

generate themselves.

them under sometimes

whether

themselves, and

;

for

a calcination,

some of these

(other

some)

several names,

and sometimes

in the singular,

in the plural person, in order to test us

re-

But the Philosopher has designated

are intelligent."

and see

The Turba Philosophorum.

147

Some,

posed with water of sulphur.*

however, reading this book, think that

composition can be bought.

the

must be known for certain that nothing the work can be bought, and that

the science of this Art

nothing else

and the sublimation of

than vapour

water, with the conjunction, also, quicksilver in the

body of Magnesia f ;

but, heretofore, the Philosophers have

demonstrated

impure

in their

water

books that the

sulphur

sulphur only, and no sulphur

from pro-

duced without the water of its calx, and of quicksilver, and of sulphur. The Forty-Ninth Dictum,

Belus

saith

all

ye Philosophers,

ye have not dealt sparingly concerning composition and contact, but compoand congelation are sition, contact, one thing

with sulphur and the water thereof."

Or,

The second

Take, therefore, a part recension reads

vapour and water, while the regimen limation of quicksilver and

magnesia."

its

" It

nothing but

nothing but the sub-

union with the body of

The Turba Philosophorum,

148

from the one composition and a part out of ferment of gold/' and on these

impose pure water of sulphur. This, then, is the potent (or revealed) arcanum

Pythagoras

which tinges every body. answereth called

why

Belus,

not shown

its

work

from the ancients Therefore

And he: In our we have found

Master,

the same which

have

thou hast received

And Pythagoras

obscurities which :

are in

Willingly,

you remove any any books.

Master

noted that pure water which

to is

assembled

together, that you might

And

hast thou

a potent arcanum, yet hast

books,

from sulphur

not composed of

sulphur alone, but

composed

several things, for the one sulphur is

made *

out of several sulphurs. t

The

ancient Latin treatise which passes as the work

of Morien, says sententiously

The ferment

gold, even as the ferment of bread

ment

How,

reproduced

literally

bread."

of gold

The

state-

by the Rosary of the Philo-

sophers. t According to

water which

the

second recension:

from sulphur

"the clean

not derived from sulphur

The Turha Philosopliorum.

149

compose these things that they may become

therefore,

Master, shall

And

one ? which

Mix,

strives with

the

Belus, that

fire

with that

which does not strive, for things which are conjoined in a fire suitable to the same contend, because the warm venoms of the physician are cooked in a gentle, incomburent fire !* Surely ye perceive what the Philosophers have stated concerning decoction, that a

little

many

sulphur burns

strong

and the humour which remains is called humid pitch, balsam of gum, and other like things. Therefore our things,

Philosophers

the

physicians

the

made

notwithstanding that

physicians, tests

are

the

intense than those of the Philosophers.

TuRBA

The

answer eth

wish,

Belus, that you would also shew the disposition

alone, but

this

potent arcanum

composed of several things which make up

one sulphur." *

For this last sentence the second recension sub" and friendship is made constant."

stitutes

The Ttirba Philosophorum,

150

And

proclaim to future genera-

arcanum proceeds from

tions that this

two

compositions,

that

But

sulphur and magnesia.

and

reduced

of Boletus

and

fungus),

into

water,

a species of

(z.^.,

gold.

has been reduced

they

quicksilver,

of water;

after

the thickness of

When, however,

say,

conjoined into one,

the Philosophers have called

spume

call

when

sulphur also,

tains sulphur, they term a fiery

sulphur con-

venom,

a potent (or open) arcanum

because

it is

which

ascends

from

those

things

ye know. The Fiftieth Dictum.

Pandolphus

saith

describe

the

dost â&#x20AC;˘

The

Greek term

O Belus, thou

If,

sublimation*

which the

alchemists

of the

Byzantine collection made use of as the equivalent of sublimation, signified originally

filings, as

us, thus expressing the idea of the

matter.

The same

idea

M. Berthelot informs

extreme attenuation of

was attached

later

on by the Latin

adepts to their term alcoolisation, "which signifies reduction to the condition of

an impalpable powder.

des Anciens Alchimistes Grecs, Int., 210). of sublimation

tion

was

called stalagma,

by vapourisation or

filtration.

(Collection

Another species

which meant {lb., 211.)

distilla'

The Turba Philosophorum.

sulphur wilt

generations,

future

for

151

accomplish an

excellent

thou

thing

Do thou show it forth, therefore, O Pandolphus! And he: The

And

the

Turba

philosophers have ordered that quicksilver

and

should be taken out of Cambar,

albeit

they spoke

these words there

truly,

ambiguity,

little

the obscurity of which

yet in

remove.

will

See then that the quicksilver is sublimed in tabernacles,

and extract the same

from Cambar, but there

Cambar

in sulphur'

demonstrated

another

which Belus hath

to you, for out of

sulphur

mixed with sulphur, many works proWhen the same has been subceed. limed, there proceeds from the that quicksilver which

Orpiment, *

According

Zendrio, to

the

second

Cambar

called Ethelia,

Sanderich,+

recension:

"there

another sulphur." t

The reading

Sandarac

realgar

in the ;

second recension

in the

Greek MSS.

under the same sign as arsenic. that

unintelligible. is

confounded

Berthelot also

tells

was confused anciently with minium and cinnabar,

as indeed

quite plain from the Lexicon of Rulandus.

same authority reminds us that the name

The

applied at the

present day to an entirely different composition, derived

The Turha Philosophorum,

152

Ebsemich, Chuhul,

Magnesia,

said

that,

men

(for

many

and

Concerning

this,

being ten

Kuhul,

names.

other

philosophers ruled

its

have regi-

the perfection of

all

things), its white nature appears, nor

any shadow therein. Then the envious* have called it lead from Ebmich, Magnesia, Marteck, White there

Copper. has

left its

when truly whitened, shadow and blackness, it

For,

devoid of

it is

thickened ponderous bodies,

and therewith a clean humid spirit has ascended, which spirit is tincture. Accordingly, the wise have said that copper has a soul and a body. Now, its soul is spirit, and its body is thick. Therefore, it behoves you to destroy the thick body until ye extract a tingeing spirit from the same. also,

the

spirit

extracted

Mix,

therefrom

with light sulphur until you, investigators, find your design accomplished. from colophon, and not known to the ancients under this designation. *

Throughout the second recension, "Philosophers"

the Wise," are substituted for this term.

The Ttivba Philosophorum,

153

The Fifty-First Dictum,

HoRFOLCos* nothing,

saith

Thou

hast narrated

Pandolphus, save the last

body Thou hast, therefore, composed an ambiguous description for readers. But if its regimen regimen of

this

were commenced from the beginning, you would destroy this obscurity. Saith

TuRBA

the

cerning it

may

Speak,

this

posterity,

And

please you.

con-

therefore,

far

be-

hoves you, investigators of this Art, first

to burn coppert

that required in the hatching of

eggs.

For

and

let

a gentle

behoves you to burn

humidity

its

lest

with

be burnt,

spirit

its

fire,

the vessel be closed on

sides, so that its

colour

heat]

all

may

be increased, the body of copper be destroyed,

and

tingeing

In the second recension the

name

spirit

which

concerning

extracted,!

â&#x20AC;˘

its

the

Morfoleus.

t Otherwise, " the humidity." I

According to the second recension

'â&#x20AC;˘

when

the

increased and the vessel sealed effectually, lest the

of the copper and

its

flying spirit be extracted."

fire

body

Turha Philosophorum.

^^^^

154

envious have

said

Take

quicksilver

out of the Flower of Copper, which also they have called the water of our

copper, a fiery venom, and a substance extracted from

all things, which further have termed they Ethelia, extracted

many

out of

have

when

that

said

Again, some

things.*

become

one,

bodies,

but not-bodies bodies.

know,

all

bodies

things

all

are

made

not-

And

ye investigators of this Art,

body spirit with which

that every

without doubt spiritual thing,

dissolved with the

it is

mixed, with which

becomes a similar and that every spirit

which has a tingeing colour of

spirits,

and is constant against and coloured by bodies.

altered

be the

name

fire, is

Him who

Blessed then

hath inspired

the Wise with the idea of turning a

body

into a spirit having strength

colour,

and

unalterable and incorruptible,

so that what formerly was volatile sul-

phur *

now made sulphur

Otherwise

not-volatile,

" which flower of copper they have called

our water, and fiery

venom

extracted from iron."

The Turba Philosophorum.

Know, also, all ye that he who is able to

and incombustible sons of learning,

make your

155

red by the

fugitive spirit

body mixed with it, and then from that body and that spirit can extract the tenuous nature hidden in

by a most

thereof,

tinges every body, in

Know

regimen,

subtle

only he

belly

patient

tedium of extracting.

spite of the

Wherefore

the

that out

envious

copper,

by humectated is pounded thereof, is

have

after

moisture

the in

said

its

water,

and is a body having Ethelia, ye will find that which is suitable as a tincture for anyWherefore the envious have thing. said Things that are diligently pounded in the fire, with sublimation of the Ethelia, become fixed tinctures. For whatsoever words ye find in any man's book signify quicksilver, which we call water of sulphur,* which also cooked in sulphur,

ye extract

Water

of sulphur occurs

recipe cited from

and

Mary

in the Detailed

among

one of the

the ingredients of a

treatises of

Zosimus,

Exposition of the Work, the following

The Turba Philosophorum.

156

we sometimes say and copulated

lead and copper

coin.

The Fifty-Second Dictum.

IxuMDRUS most

saiih

You

excellently,

will

have treated con-

Horfolcus,

cerning the regimen of copper and the

humid

And

therewith.

you

provided

spirit,

proceed

he: Perfect, therefore,

what I have omitted, O Ixumdrus IxuMDRUS saith You must know that this Ethelia* which you have previously mentioned and notified, which also the envious have called by many names, doth whiten, and tinge when it is :

whitened

;

then truly the Philosophers

have called because

process occurs calx

the

a certain natural thing,

" Water of sulphur obtained by means of

manfactured

in this

manner

waters in the catalogue (which

from

its

Flower of Gold,

it is

Having mixed

all

the

impossible to extricate

context and place in the compass of a footnote),

taking equal parts, add white earths until the

becomes very white.

underneath, and receive what distils."

"pure" water

compound

Place in a mortar, kindle a

of sulphur

which

There

fire

also a

obtained somewhat

differently. â&#x20AC;˘

The second

recension reads

" Water of Ethelia.''

;

The Turha Philosophorum.

Do you

what

remember

not

157

the

Philosophers have said, that before

arrives at this terminus, copper does

But when

not tinge ?* tinges,

tinged

because quicksilver tinges when

combined with its tincture. But when it is mixed with those ten things which the Philosophers have denominated fermented urines, then have it is

they called

all

these things Multiplica-

But some have termed their mixed bodies Corsufle and Gum of Gold.i Therefore, those names which

tion.

are found in the books of the Philo*

According to the second recension

reaches this point, t

That

Democritus

parts

reproduction here), 2 parts

part

Minium

;

(it

You

;

(Coral

The body coral."

Gold)."

"Here

part

cook over a

;

will find a potent

having the colour of cinnabar,

Democritus, says:

combine with the humour of

coral,

And how he

fire

substance,

or minium.

great wonder, this indescribable marvel, corallos

Finest Earth of

Pontus,

too complicated for

the Sulphur (another abstruse recipe) regulated.

from a ricipe of Pseudo-

" Minera of Silver,

preparation given previously

carefully

" Before

Chrysocorallos of the Greek

following

Chios, or Ochre, 2

called copper."

say, the

The

alchemists.

it is

This

called Chryso-

Synesius,

quoting

expresses himself:

(metal) of magnesia, alone (produces) Chryso-

The Turba Philosophorum,

158

and are thought superfluous and vain, are true and yet are fictitious,

sophers,

because

they

one

are

one

thing,

and one way. This is the quicksilver which is indeed extracted

opinion,

from

all

things,* out of which all things

which

produced,

are

water

that

the

And know ye

copper. silver,

destroys

also

when

pure

shade

that this quick-

whitened, becomes a

sulphur which contains sulphur, and

a venom that has a

marble

;

brilliance

this the envious call Ethelia,

orpiment and sandarac, out of which a

and pure spirit ascends with a mild fire, and the whole pure flower is becomes sublimated, which flower tincture

wholly quicksilver.

It is,

therefore, a

most great arcanum which the Philosophers have thus described, because sulphur alone whitens copper. investigators of this

that *

Art,

Ye,

must know

the said sulphur cannot whiten The reading ab hominibas

for

ab omnibus

substi-

tuted by the second recension several times in this Dictum,

but there can be no doubt that

it is

a printer's error.

The Turba Philosophorum.

copper until

it is

And know ye of

whitened

also that

sulphur

this

therefore,

flees

in the

When, own thick

escape.

from

its

and

then

behoves you to retain

sublimated as a vapour,

wise with quicksilver of lest

its

vanish altogether.

Philosophers

the

work

the habit

bodies,

159

have

own

other-

kind,

Wherefore said,

that

by sulphurs. that sulphurs tinge, and

sulphurs are contained

Know,

further,

then are they certain to escape unless they are united to quicksilver of

own

kind.

not,

therefore,

its

think

and afterwards

that because

escapes,

the coin of the Vulgar, for

it is

tinges*

what the Philosophers are seeking

the coin of the Philosophers, which, unless

which

be mixed with white or red, quicksilver of its

own

kind,

would doubtless escape. I direct you, therefore, to mix quicksilver with quicksilver (of its kind)

until together they

become one clean water composed out *

The second

recension substitutes

' fixes

bodies,"

but both readings are obscure and seemingly corrupt.

The Tiirha Philosophorum,

i6o

This is, therefore, the great arcanum, the confection of which is of two.

with

its

own gum

;

cooked with

and with earth ; it is made red with mucra and with vinegar, salt, and nitre,* and with mutal is turned into rubigo, or by any flowers in a gentle

fire

of the select tingeing agents existing in

our coin.

The Fifty-Third Dictum.

ExuMENUst laid

The

saith:

waste the whole

envious have

Art

with

the

multiplicity of names, but the entire

work must be the Art of the Coin. For the Philosophers have ordered the

make coin-like same Philosophers manner of names.

doctors of this art to gold, which also the

have called by all The TuRBA answereth: fore, posterity, *

Inform, there-

Exumenus, concern-

Berthelot explains that the substance referred to

under the terms Nitrum and Natron was really Carbonate of Soda, and that Nitre or Saltpetre was scarcely known in antiquity, nor, indeed,

till

the 6th century.

t For this name the second recension Obsemeganus.

substitutes

The Turba Philosophonim.

i6i

ing a few of these names, that they

may

take warning

have named whitening

pounding the

into

Ethel,

frequently coagulating,

the

rubigo,

the art

They

Ethelias,

fire,

and

vapour

cooking turning

sublimating,

salting,

and

washing,

And

confection

the

water

sulphur and coagula.

these

all

names is that operation called which has pounded and whitened copper. And know ye, that quicksilver is white to the sight, but when it is possessed by the smoke of sulphur, it reddens and becomes Cambar. Therefore, when quicksilver is cooked with

its

confections

and

red,

hence

turned into

Philosopher

the

saith that the nature of lead

Do you

converted.

Philosophers

envy with

have

pounding and

may

extract

in the vessel,

swiftly

not see that the

spoken

Hence we deal

without

many ways

reiteration,

that

the spirits existing

which the

fire

cease to burn continuously.

did not

But the M

: :

The Turba Philosophorum.

1 62

water placed with those things prevents the fire from burning, and it those

befalls

things

they are possessed

more they are hidden

the

fire,

the

that the more by the flame of

depths of the water,

they

lest

should be injured by the heat of the fire

but

;

them

water receives

and repels the flame of from them. The Turba answereth

its

fire

the

belly

Unless ye make bodies not-bodies ye achieve nothing. But concerning the sublimation of water the

have

sophers

And know

treated

not

Philo-

little.

that unless ye diligently

pound the thing

the

fire,

the

does not ascend, but when does not ascend ye achieve

Ethelia that

When, however,

nothing. it

an instrument

for the intended

tincture with which ye tinge,

cerning Sift

Ethelia

and con-

Hermes

saith

the things which ye know;

another fore,

this

ascends

Liquefy the things.

Arras saith

but

There-

Unless ye pound

the thing diligently in the

fire,

Ethelia

The Titrba Philosophorum.

The Master

does not ascend.

put forth a view which explain

the reasoners.

163

shall

hath

now

Know

that a very great wind of the south,

when

it is

stirred up, sublimates clouds

and elevates the vapours of the

TuRBA

The

answereth

And

dealt obscurely.

Thou

sea.

hast

will ex-

and the vessel wherein But I order is incombustible sulphur. you to congeal fluxible quicksilver out of many things, that two may be made three, and four one, and two plain the testa,*

one* The Fifty-Fourth Dictum,

Anaxagoras

Take

saith:

the volatile

burnt thing which lacks a body, and incorporate

Then

it.

take the ponder-

ous thing, having smoke, and thirsting *

Two

meanings are given

of Rulandus.

The

first

stood metallurgically

the second

;

clay.

Paracelsus uses

own

to signify the skin of

Adamic same

earth or clay

idea.

to this term in the Lexicon

Bloom, Flower, &c., under-

;

man's body. is

a vessel of baked

an arbitrary fashion of his

Compare the red

probably a variation of the

The Turha Philosophorum.

164

imbibe.

Explain, obscurity

The

Turba

answereth

Anaxagoras, what is this which you expound, and

beware of being envious And he : I testify to you that this volatile burnt !

and this other which thirsts, are which has been conjoined

thing,

Ethelia,

with sulphur.

Therefore, place these

and cook until the whole becomes Cambar. Then God will accomplish the arcanum ye seek. But I direct you to cook continuously, and not to grow tired of a glass vessel over the

fire,

repeating the process.

And know ye

that the

this

perfection

the

confection

with

tabula;*

until

water

finally,

able

turn

Rubigo

sulphur

cooked

becomes Rubigo,

Philosophers have said

work

for

all

He who

the is

into

golden

venom has already achieved

the de-

sired is

work, but otherwise his labour

vain.

â&#x20AC;˘

According to the second recension

perfection

tabula."

sulphur

consists

the

The whole

decoction

The Turba Philosophorum.

165

The Fifty -Fifth Dictum.

Zenon* saith

Pythagoras hath treated

concerning the water, which the envious

have called by

names. Finally, at the end of his book he has treated all

ferment of gold, ordaining that

of the

thereon

imposed

should

clean

water of sulphur, and a small quantity

gum. I am astonished, O all ye Turba, how the envious have in this work discoursed of the perfection rather than the commencement of the same The Turba answereth Why, therefore, have you left it to putrefy ? And he of

its

Thou

hast spoken truly

;

putrefaction

does not take place without the dry

and

humid.

the

putrefy with

humid the

the

vulgar

Thus

the humid.

the

merely coagulated with the

But out

dry.

But

of both

work.

the beginning

Notwithstanding, the

envious have divided this work into three parts, asserting that one quickly flees,

but

the

other

fixed

immovable. *

The name

in the

second recension

Pitheon.

and

The Turba Philosophorum.

1 66

The Fifty-Sixth Dictum.

CoNSTANS saith: What have you to do with the treatises of the envious, for it is necessary that this work should deal with four things ? They answer Demonstrate, therefore, what are those four ? And he : Earth, water, air, and fire. Ye have then those four elements without which nothing is ever generated, nor

anything absolved in the

Mix, therefore, the dry with the

Art.

humid, which are

and water,

earth

and cook in the fire and in the air, whence the spirit and the soul are

And know

dessicated.*

ye that the

tenuous tingeing agent takes

its

power

out of the tenuous part of the earth, out of the tenuous part

and of the part of

has

the water,

a tenuous

been dessicated. t

fore, â&#x20AC;˘

air,

the

of the

fire

while out of the tenuous

process

spirit

This, there-

our

According to the second recension

" The

work, spirit is

dessiccated in the soul." t

The second

question

and water.

recension merely says that the power in

derived from the tenuous part of the earth,

air,

The Turba Philosophorum,

namely, that everything into earth

these

may be

parts of

extracted,

because

a body

are

then composed

which

thing, and imposed body of

atmospheric

thereafter tinges the

Beware, however,

coins.*

turned

when the tenuous

things

kind

167

all

investigators of this art, lest ye multiply things, for the envious

and destroyed

have multiplied

you

for

They have

also described various regimens that

they might deceive called

(or

;

they have further

have likened

humid with

all

dry with

the dry, by the

all

the

to)

the humid, and the

name

every stone and metal, gall of animals of the sea, the winged things of heaven

and

reptiles of the earth.

who would

But do ye

tinge observe that bodies

bodies. For I say what the Philosopher said and truly at the beginning of

are tinged with

you

briefly

his book.

In the art of gold

quicksilver from *

The

Cambar, and

the

in coins

reading of the second recension has been partly

substituted in this unintelligible passage.

The Turba Philosophorum.

1 68

the quicksilver from the Male.

however,

nothing,

the two

since

look

beyond

this,

are

also

quicksilvers

one. The Fifty-Seventh Dictum.

AcRATUS*

saith

signify to posterity

make philosophy near to the Sun and Moon. He, therefore, that will attain to the truth let him take the moisture of the Sun and the Spumet of the Moon.l The Turba answereth Why are you made an adversary to your brethren ? And he that

have spoken nothing but the truth.

But

they

taken.

Take what the Turba hath And he: I was so intending, :

yet, if

you are

terity

willing,

take a

part

direct pos-

the coins

which the Philosophers have ordered, which also Hermes has adapted to name

In the second recension the

Otherwise the

This one of the two passages which seem to indicate

spirit

;

it is

Astratus.

probably a misreading.

any planetary attribution of the metals, but even here it may be an analogy borrowed from the astronomy of the period without any real attribution.

mercury and quicksilver noted.

The

distinction

between

the 67th Dictum should be

The Turha Philosophormn.

169

the true tingeing,* and a part of the

copper of the

Philosophers,

the

same with the

mix

and place

coins,

the four bodies in the vessel, the

all

mouth of which must be

carefully

closed, lest the water escape.

Cooking

must proceed

seven days, when

for

the copper, already pounded with the coins,

found

turned

water.

into

Let both be again slowly cooked, and

Then

fear nothing.

the vessel be

let

opened, and a blackness

Repeat

above.

continually

the the

until

Kuhul, which

will

appear

process,

cook

blackness

from the blackness

For when consumed a precious whiteness appear on them finally, being

of coins, be consumed. that will

;

returned

cooked is

until

their

the whole

turned into stone.

they

place,

are

dried and

Also repeatedly

and continuously cook that stone born of copper and coins with a fire *

According to the second recension

*'takea part of

the coins of the Philosophers, which are the coins of

Hermes."

The Turba Philosophorum.

170

sharper

than

stone

destroyed,

former,

the

turned into cinder, which Doctrine, is

Alas,

cinder.

how

the

fore,

precious

produced from

the

and

a precious

sons

the

that which

Mixing,

with

cinder

until

broken up,

there-

water,

cook

again, until that cinder liquefy there-

and then cook and imbue with permanent water, until the composition becomes sweet and mild and red. Imbue until it becomes humid. Cook in a still hotter fire, and carefully close the mouth of the vessel, for by with,

this

regimen fugitive bodies become

not-fugitive,

spirits

bodies, bodies into

are

connected

spirits

made

are

and both

spirits,

Then

together.

are

bodies having a tingeing

and germinating

soul.

Now

hast

answereth:

turned into

The Turba thou

notified

Rubigo attaches itself is washed off with permanent water. Then it is congealed and becomes a body of magnesia. Finally, it is cooked until

to posterity that

to copper after the blackness

The Turba Philosophorum.

171

broken up.

After-

the whole body

turned into a

wards

the

cinder

and becomes copper without

volatile

shadow.

its

Attrition also truly takes

Concerning,

place.

therefore,

the

work of the Philosophers, what hast thou

delivered

posterity,

seeing

means called things by their proper names ? And he Following your own footsteps, I hast by no

that thou

have discoursed

even

You speak truly, otherwise we should not

BoNELLUS answereth for if

you did

as have you.

order your sayings to be

written in

our books. The Fifty-Eighth Dictum,

Balgus*

saith

The whole Turba,

Acratus, has already spoken, as you

have seen, but a benefactor sometimes deceives, though his intention

good.

And they Thou :

speakest truly.

Proceed, therefore, according to thy opinion, and beware of envy! â&#x20AC;˘

In the second recension this speech

mouth of Anastratus.

Then he: is

put into the

The Turba Philosophorum,

172

You must know

that the envious have

described this arcanum in the shade

;

and astronomy, and the art of images they have also likened it to trees they have ambiguously concealed it by the names of metals, vapours, and reptiles as is in physical reasoning

;

generally perceived I,

in all their work.

nevertheless, direct you, investigators

of this science, to take iron and draw it

into plates

;

finally,

mix

(or sprinkle)

venom, and place it in its vessel, the mouth of which must be closed most carefully, and beware lest ye too much increase the humour, or, on the other hand, lest it be too dry, it

with

but

stir it

cause,

not

while,

vigorously as a mass, be-

the water be in excess,

contained

if it

be too dry,

the

will

chimney,

will neither

conjoined nor cooked in the chimney;

hence

gently the

;

direct finally,

mouth

internally

and,

you to confect

place

vessel,

of which

and

its

dili-

must be closed

externally

with

clay,

having kindled coals above

it,

The Turha Philosophorum,

some days ye

after

already liquefied

open

shall

there shall ye find

173

the

and

it,

plates

iron

while on the lid of

;

For

the vessel ye shall find globules.

when the

fire

kindled the vinegar*

ascends, because

passes into the

wherefore,

air,

nature

spiritual

its

direct

you to keep that part separately. Ye must also know that by multipliedt decoctions and attritions it is congealed and coloured by the fire, and its nature

changed.

decoction and liquefaction not disjoined. +

â&#x20AC;˘

Among

entitled

similar

Cambar

you that

notify to

the Greek technical treatises there

The Work

of the

Four Elements, and

one

this contains

a brief section on the Nomenclature of the Divine Vinegar

and the Divine Water, which

worth

citing

con-

nection with the question of the unity of subjects amidst

the multiplicity of names.

Here

what the Philosophers

" Divine water, divine vinegar, white

say on this subject

magnesia, water

of calx, virgin's urine, mercury,

sea

water, virginal milk, milk of the she ass, the bitch, the

black cow, alum

water, ash of cabbage, of natron, oc-

cidental matter, vapour.

There

whitens the body of magnesia, that t

The number

three

the substance which

is,

burnt copper, &c."

indicated

the

second

recension. X

The second

recension says that

it is

disjoined.

^^^^

174

by the

Turba Philosophorum,

frequent

said

decoction

the

weight of a third part of the water

consumed, but the residue becomes a wind in the Cambar of the second spirit.* And know ye that nothing is

more precious or more sand

red

the

Sputum

sea,

the

for

united with the

Luna

Sun's rays.t

the

light

Luna

excellent than

the

perfected by the coming on of night,

and

dew

heat

the

wounded,

dew

the

Then, that being

congealed.

Sun

of the

the

death-

and the more the days pass on the more intensely is it conFor he gealed, and is not burned. dealer

joined,!

who cooks

with the

Sun

himself

and that signal whiteness to overcome the terrene fire.

congealed, ยง

causes "

Which Cambar and

thereof,"

the

ยง

substitutes is

Omitted For

bears in the belly

the second recension, the sand

spume of the Moon, which

the Sun, and

Sun

its spirit

the alternative reading.

According to

t โ ข*

joined to the light ot

congealed." in the

second recension.

this nonsensical :

"That which

congealed."

passage the second recension is

cooked by the heat of the

The Turba Philosophorum,

Then

Bonites

saith

Do you

And Balgus: Thou speakest And he: Why, therefore, hast omitted to describe that

Luna

copper

our

except

nothing

tinges

not know,

Spume

Balgus, that the

175

truly^

thou

tree, of the fruit

whereof whosoever eateth shall hunger

nevermore person,*

And Balgus

who has

after

same

operating,

priately

certain

followed science, has

discovered this

notified to

what manner he tree, and approdid

the

extract

But when I and eat of it. inquired of him concerning the growth and the increment, he described that fruit

pure whiteness, thinking that the same is

found without any laborious disposi-

Then

tion.

how

fructifies,

build

its

perfection

But when

thereof.

the fruit

further asked

nourished with food until

he said

Take

a house about

it,

that tree, and

which

shall

wholly surround the same, which shall also â&#x20AC;˘

be circular, dark, encircled In the second recension this person

as Tulleas.

referred to

The Turba Philosophorum.

176

dew, and shall have placed on

man

of a hundred years;

shut and

secure the door lest dust or wind should

Then in the time of 180 days send them away to their homes.

reach them.

man

say that

shall not cease to eat

of the fruit of that tree to the perfection of the

number

man

the old

[of the days] until

become young.

shall

what marvellous natures, which have transformed the soul of that old

and the father

into a juvenile body,

made

into the son

man is

Blessed be thou,

most excellent God

The Fifty-Ninth Dictum.

Theophilus

saith

propose to speak

further concerning those things which

hath

Bonites

Turba:

Speak, hath

brother

And

Brother,

discoursed

Following

Bonites ings.

narrated.

And

the

for

thy

elegantly.

the steps of

make perfect his sayshould be known that all the

will

Philosophers, while

they

have

con-

cealed this disposition, yet spoke the

The Turha Philosophorum, truth

named water of life, whatsoever*

water

then

the

disciples, that iron

said

and be-

lives

And know,

comes young.

they

for this reason, that

mixed with

dies,

first

when

treatises

their

177

all

does not become

rusty except by reason of this water,

because

it is

then

liquefies

and

tinges the plates

placed in the sun

till

imbued, after which

In these days

;

it is

congealed.

becomes

rusty, but

silence is better than this illumination.

Tke TuRBA answereth : O Theophilus, beware of becoming envious, and complete

that

And he

they

What

fruits,

from that perfect

Would

he:

might repeat the

Certain

And

thy speech!

thing

thy will

Then

which proceed tree,

first

flourish in

the beginning of the summer, and the

more they are multiplied the more they

are

man

The

adorned, +

they

until

reference in the second receHsion

are

to the old

of the previous dictum. t

According to the second recension

The more

tree is adorned."

the

The Turba Philosophorum.

178

being mature become

perfected, and

same way

woman,*

sweet.

In the

fleeing

from her own children, with

whom

she

lives,

that

although partly angry,

yet does not brook being overcome,

nor that her husband should possess her

who

beauty,

furiously loves

her,

and keeps awake contending with

her,

till

he shall have carnal intercourse with

her,

and God make perfect the

when he

foetus,

multiplies children to himself

His beauty,

according to his pleasure. therefore,

consumed

fire

who

does not approach his wife except by reason of is

finished

he turns to her.

make known never dies,

For when the term

lust.

you that the dragon but the Philosophers have

her spouses. The

woman who

For the

belly

from another source, or

interpolated at a later period

;

the epoch of Trevisan

is,

;

its style,

any

has possibly been indeed,

described.

something which

has

not

that of

case, quite out of

character with the text as a whole, and refers, to

slays

of that

compiler of the Turba seems to have introduced

this allegory

seen,

also

put to death the

â&#x20AC;˘

been

will

previously

The Turha Philosophorum.

Woman

is full

179

weapons and venom.

Let, therefore, a sepulchre be dug for

woman be

the dragon, and let that

buried with him, joined with that clasps her and

who being strongly woman, the more he

entwined with her,

the more his body, by the creation

of female weapons in the body of the

woman,

cut

up into

For

parts.

perceiving him mixed with the limbs of a

woman he becomes

death, and the whole

secure from

turned into

But the Philosophers, beholding him turned into blood, leave him blood.

in the

sun for certain days, until the

is consumed, the blood dries and they find that venom which now is manifest. Then the wind is

lenitude

up,

hidden. The Sixtieth Dictum,

BoNELLUs* ciples,

saith:

that out

Know, of

all

the elect

dis-

things

nothing becomes useful without con*

In the second recension the

name

Bodillus.

The Titrha Philosophorum.

l8o

junction and regimen,* because sperma

generated out of blood and desire.

For the man mingling with is nourished by of the womb, and by the blood, and by heat, and

the sperm

the the

woman, humour

moistening

when

forty

sperm is formed. But if the humidity of the blood and of the womb were not heat, the sperm would not be dissolved, nor the foetus be procreated. But God has constituted that heat and blood for the nourishment of the sperm until the foetus is brought forth, after which it is not nourished, save by milk and have

nights

dust,

more,

and the more towards

led

which it behoves *

burns the

the bones being strengthened,

the

sparingly and gradually, while

fire,

elapsed

Otherwise

arriving

independent. +

you "

youth,

also

Know

that

nothing

Thus act

to is

generated

without complexion." t

This absurd confusion

recension, which reads

not found in the second

So long as

nourished with milk, and in proportion as the is

maintained, the bones are strengthened."

little,

vital

heat

The Turba Philosophorum,

Know

this Art.

nothing

i8i

ye that without heat

ever generated, and that the

bath causes the matter to perish by

means

of intense heat.

If,

indeed,

and

frigid, it

puts to

but

have been tempered,

if it

flight

disperses,

con-

it is

venient and sweet to the body, where-

the

fore

has

become

veins

the flesh

been

smooth and Behold it

augmented.

demonstrated

to you,

all

ye disciples

and

things which ye attempt

all

to rule, fear

Understand, therefore,

God.

The Sixty-First Dictum,

MosES

saiih

It is to

the envious have

be observed that

named

lead of copper

instruments of formation, simulating, deceiving prosterity,* to

whom

give

notice that there are no instruments

our own white, strong,

except from

and splendid powder, and from our *

This passage

translatable.

envious

making number

so corrupt as to be almost un-

According to the second recension

many ways

lead,

and have represented

of instruments," etc.

â&#x20AC;˘ The

described the process of

have

that there are a

The Turba Philosophorum.

i82

stone* and marble,

concave

the

whole work whereof there is no more suitable powder, nor one more conjoined to our composition,

powder of

Alociae,+

produced

instruments

than the

out of which are formation.

Further, the Philosophers have already said

Take instruments out

of the egg.

Yet they have not said what the egg nor of what bird. I And know ye

is,

The concave

stone does not seem to be a term

which entered into the nomenclature of

We hear much concerning is

later philosophers.

the form of the stone, but that

not to be understood as

its

configuration, being used in

the same sense as Latin theology was accustomed to speak of the form of the soul.

So Bernard Trevisan,

Thomas of Boiwnia

form

formal

(forma formabilis) such

sensitive, yet, nevertheless,

formata), is

which form

because

in his Epistle to

" Our stone does not possess a

as vegetative or

has a formed form (forma

the elements themselves, and this

homogeneous, whereas the human body,

or that of other sensitive things,

heterogeneous."

For

the term concave stone the second recension substitutes

gleaming, t

i.e.,

might suggest i.e,t

" J

candidus.

severe

critic,

having failed to trace

slight

many words and no This entire passage

this term,

emendation, and read Alogia, sense." is

considerably shortened in the

second recension, which simply observes that out of the

powder mentioned to the

at the beginning, instruments

egg are composed, but that

envious have omitted to

name

at the

the egg, etc.

adapted

same time the

The Turba Philosophorum,

that the regimen

of these things

than the entire work,

difficult

because,

183

the composition be ruled

more than it should be, its light is taken and extinguished by the sea. Wherefore the Philosophers have ordered that

should be ruled with

The moon,

profound judgment. being at the

fore,

place in sand

know ye

till it

full,

there-

take this and

And

be dissolved.

that while ye are placing the

samC' in sand and repeating the pro-

ye have patience, ye err

cess, unless in ruling,

and corrupt the work.

Cook,

therefore,

the

same

a gentle

until

see

that

Then

extinguish with vinegar, and ye

shall

find

dissolved.

one thing separated from

three companions.

the

fire

first, Ixir,

And know ye

that

commingles, the second

burns, while the third liquefies.* â&#x20AC;˘

Alchemy does not seem

nised the existence indeed,

holds there

degrees of perfection.

three

to have generally recogelixirs.

but one

elixir,

Fundamentally,

having various

Zosimus, however, recognises

the true powder of perfection the existence of three powers

and three

activities

proceeding from those powers, namely,

The Turba Philosopher urn.

184

the

place, therefore,

first

ounces of vinegar twice the vessel

second when

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

while

first

made

being

impose nine

and

hot,

heated.

it is

The Sixty-Second Dictum,

MuNDUS all

saith

ye seekers after

know

this Art, to

whatsoever

that

behoves you,

Philosophers

the

have narrated or ordained, Kenckel, herbs, geldum,

thing

about there

a is

plurality

things,

which

names

black, because

been extracted from penetration,

and

fixation,

just

The

at the

gecond

metals

the

same time held

Philosophers etc."

have

the

body

distinction is

much of

and so also the

the

Elixir of

to be the medicine of

second

named

And

Elixir at the Red, yet the

in exaltation,

first

at the

According

Geldum,

Later alchemists speak

White and the

has

our sea.

has mathematically three dimensions. a mere subtlety.

have

they

and having name, they

will,

proper

the

have called

Elixir

for

one Tyrian tincture of the

abolished

tincture,

trouble

therefore,

not,

Philosophers given

and carmen, are one

Gold

recension:

men.

"Certain

Chelidony, Karnech,

The Turba Philosophorum.

know

that

ancient

the

condescend

not

185

did

priests

wear

artificial

garments, whence, for purifying altars,

and lest they should introduce into them anything sordid or impure, they tinged Kenckel with a Tyrian colour; but our Tyrian colour, which they placed in their altars and treasuries, was more clean and fragrant than can be described by me, which also has been

extracted

and most pure

sea,

from

which

nor

impure

and

pleasant odour,

of a

sordid

our

red

sweet and is

neither

putrefaction.

And know ye that we have given many names to it, which are all true

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an

example of which,

that possess understanding, in

corn that

after

grinding

traced

For

for those is

being ground.

another name, and after

called

is it

has been

and the various substances have been separapassed through

ted one from

has

its

the

sieve,

another, each of these

own name, and

mentally there

yet funda-

but one name, to

The Turba Philosophorum.

1 86

corn,

wit,

many names Thus we call the

from which

are distinguished.

purple

each

grade of

by the name of

its

own

its

regimen

colour.

The Sixty -Third Dictum,

Philosophus*

sailh

notify to pos-

male and female, wherefore the envious have body of Magnesia, called it the because therein is the most great terity

that

arcanum

nature

the

Accordingly,

all

seekers after this Art, place Magnesia in

its

vessel,

Then, opening

and it

cook

after

diligently

some days, ye

changed into water. Cook further until it be coagucontain itself. and But, when lated, ye hear of the sea in the books of the envious, know that they signif}^ humour, while by the basket they signify the vessel, and by the medicines they shall

find

the

whole

mean Nature, because *

the

germinates

In the second recension, this speech

mouth of Rarson.

put into

The Turha Philosophorwn.

and say

But when the envious

flowers.*

Wash

187

until the blackness of the

copper passes away, certain people name

But Agadimon demonstrated when he

this blackness coins.

has

clearly

boldly put forth these words

be noted,

all

It is to

ye demonstrators of

this art, that the things [or the copper]

being

first

mixed and cooked once, ye

shall

find

the prescribed blackness!

That This,

Wise,

become

to say, they all

therefore,

the

lead

which

concerning

black.

they

the

have

treated very frequently in their books.

Some

also

call

lead]

[the

of our

black coins. The Sixty-Fourth Dictum A

Pythagoras

saith

How

marvellous

Philosophers

the diversity of the

those things which they formerly

asserted,

gether â&#x20AC;˘

and

their

agreement]

[or

coming in

According to the second recension

buds and flowers t

This dictum

recension.

to-

respect " That which

one nevertheless." is

omitted altogether by the second

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The Turba Philosophorum,

1 88

and most common thing,

of this small

wherein the precious thing is concealed!

And

the vulgar knew,

all

in-

same small and vile thing, they would deem it a lie Yet, if they knew its efficacy, they would not vilify it, but God hath vestigators of this art, the

concealed this from the crowd* lest the world should be devastated. The Sixty 'Fifth Dictum.

HoRFOLCUS

You must know,

saith ;t

all ye who love wisdom, that whereas Mundus hath been teaching

and

this

Art,

most

lucid

placing

syllogisms,

you

before

he that does

not understand what he has said

a brute animal the regimen

But

of this

will explain

small

thing,

order that any one, being introduced into

this

Art,

may become

* Literally

" from the sea."

t In

second

the

recension

the

bolder,!

speaker

called

Orfulus. X

the principle of Zosimus: "

thine inexperience,

thing has well."

become

Be not dissuaded by

and when you perceive that everyash,

understand then that

the Diversity of

Burnt Copper,

all

goes

;

The Turha Philosophorum,

may more

189

and although it be small, may compose the common with that which is dear, and the dear with that which is

assuredly consider

Know

common.

it,

ye that

the

beginning of the mixing, it behoves to commingle elements which

you

crude,

are

cooked

gentle,

the

until

and

sincere,

governed,

Beware

fire.

for

over

not

gentle

of intensifying the fire

elements

are

conjoined,

these should follow one

another,

and be embraced in a complexion, whereby they are gradually burnt, until they be dessicated in the said gentle

And know that one spirit burns fire. one thing and destroys one thing, and one body strengthens one spirit, and teaches the same the

tion,

to contend with

But, after the

fire. is

necessary that

first it

combus-

should be

washed, cleansed, and dealbated on the fire until all things become one colour with which, afterwards,

behoves you mix the residuum of the whole humour, and then its colour will be

The Turba Philosophonim,

I go

exalted.

For

diligently

cooked

the

and are changed because the

in the fire, rejoice,

into different natures,

liquefied,

becomes

lead,

humid becomes

which

pher saith

fire. :

the

the thick body

dry,

fleeing spirit

do battle

Whence

the Philoso-

Convert the elements and

thou shalt find

But

not-liquefied,*

becomes a spirit, and the becomes strong and fit against the

being

elements,

what

thou

to convert the elements

seekest.

make

the moist dry and the fugitive fixed. These things being accomplished by the disposition, let the operator in the fire until the gross

leave

made

subtle,

and the subtle remain as

Know

a tingeing spirit.

death and

the

life

ye, also, that

elements

of the

and that the composite germinates itself, and produces that which ye desire, God favouring. But when the colours begin ye shall behold the miracles of the wisdom proceed from

â&#x20AC;˘

liquid

fire,

According to the second recension

becomes liquid which

*ÂŤ

The non-

the head of this art."

The Turba Philosophorum. of

God,

the Tyrian colour be

until

accomplished.

Nature,

wonder-working

tingeing other natures

heavenly

Nature,

converting

men!

191

separating

and

regi-

elements

the

Nothing,

therefore,

than these Natures in Nature which multiplies the composite, and makes fixed and

precious that

scarlet.

The Sixty -Sixth Dictum,*

ExEMiGANUs

treated,

saith

and concealed as

nesia,

hast

Thou

silver,

hast already

which

Mag-

behoves thee, and thou

commanded

posterity

experiment] and

[or

Lucas, concerning living

prove

read the

books, knowing what the Philosophers

have said

Search the latent

disesteem

remains effects

spirit

and

when it arcanum and

not, seeing that

a great

many good

This dictum

and that which follows

things.

omitted in the second recension, is

put into the mouth of Emiganus.

The Turba Philosophorum,

192

The Sixty-Seventh Dictum.

Lucas saitk and what I

testify

forth

set

posterity,

lucid

than are your words, that the Philosopher saith :* Burn the copper, burn the

Hermiganus Behold something more dark

silver,

replies:

than

ever

Illumine,

said

Turba

The

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Burn,

answereth

which is As to that which he that

therefore,

And

dark.

burn the gold.

burn, burn, the diversity

only in the names, for they are one

and the same thing. And they: Woe unto you how shortly hast thou !

dealt with

with jealousy that

And

why art thou poisoned And he Is it desirable

speak

should

they

so.

And

clearly? I

signify

make

that to whiten

red

For the envious have

â&#x20AC;˘

to burn, but to

life.t

The

following variation occurs in the opening of

the second recension

The books

of the

Philosophers

should be read, for they have not in vain advised that the

sucking child should be heeded,

for therein is

an arcanum,

out of which the Wise have operated good things." t is

According to the second recension: "

to vivify.'*

To make

red

The Tnrha Philosophonan.

many names

multiplied

193

that

they

might lead posterity astray, to

whom

testify that the definition of this

Art

the liquefaction of the body

and

the separation of the soul from the

body, seeing that copper,

has a soul and a body. it

behoves you,

Doctrine, extract

destroy

the !

of the

body and Where-

not penetrate the body,

but that there is

ye Sons

Philosophers said that the

body does which

all

the soul therefrom

the

fore

a man,

Therefore,

the soul, and

nature,

subtle it

which

is this

and penetrates the body. In nature, therefore, there is a body and there is a souL The Turba answereth : Despite your desire to explain, you have put forth dark tinges

words.

And

signify

that the

envious have narrated and said that the

splendour

appear unless

when it Mercury

of it

ascends is

Saturn

does

not

perchance be dark in

the

air,

hidden by the rays

that

of the

Sun, that quicksilver vivifies the

body

^^^ Turba Philosophorum,

194

and thus the work is accomplished. But Venus, when she becomes oriental, precedes the Sun.* by

its fiery

strength,

The Sixty -Eighth Dictum.

Attamus

saith-'

Know,

all

in-

vestigators of this Art, that our work,

of which ye have

been inquiring,

produced by the generation of the sea, by which and with which, after God, Take, therethe work is completed fore, Halsut and old sea stones, and !

boil with coals until

Then

they become white.

extinguish in white vinegar.

24 ounces thereof have been boiled, let the heat be extinguished with a third part

of the vinegar, that

is,

pound with white vinegar, and cook in the sun and black earth for 42 days. But the second work is performed from the tenth day of the month of September to the tenth day

ounces

â&#x20AC;˘

;

This

in the note

the second of the two passages mentioned

on page i68 of this volume as containing traces

of a planetary attribution of

57th Dictum, the reference chemical.

metals,

but,

may be astronomical and

the

not

The Turba Philosophormn.

[or grade] of Libra.

195

not impose

the vinegar a second time in this work,

but leave the same to be cooked until

up and it Egyptian earth. And the fact that one work is congealed more quickly and another more slowly, arises from the diversity of cooking. But if the place where it is cooked be humid and dewy it is congealed more quickly, while if it be dry it is congealed more slowly. all

vinegar be

its

becomes a

fixed

dried

earth, like

The Sixty-Ninth Dictum*

Florus

saith

fecting

thy treatise,

thinking of per-

Mundus,

for

thou has not accomplished the dis-

Proceed,

Florus

the cooking

position

A nd

And

Philosopher!

teach you,

Sons of the

Doctrine, that the sign of the good-

ness

the

extraction of

Describe

Florus ter

decoction

first its

what

When entirely

redness! is

And

redness.

the

he:

And

ye see that the matblack,

know

that

The Turba Philosophonim.

196

whiteness

has

been

hidden

Then

belly of that blackness.

the be-

hoves you to extract that whiteness

most subtly from that blackness,

for

ye know how to discern between them. But in the second decoction let that whiteness be placed in a vessel with instruments, and

its

gently white.

let

be cooked

it become completely But when, O all ye seekers

until

after this Art,

ye shall perceive that

whiteness appear and flowing over

be certain that redness whiteness

However,

all,

hid in that

does not behove you to extract it,* but rather to cook it until the whole become a most deep red, with which nothing

can

Know

compare.

that the

also

produced out of the nature of Marteck, and that redness first

blackness

extracted

from

that

blackness,

which red has improved the black, and has made peace between the fugitive and the non-fugitive, reducing *

you

The second

to extract

it.

recension affirms that

does behove

The Ttirba Philosophorum.

two

the

unswereth

And why was

Turba

The

one.

into

197

this

A nd

Because the cruciated matter it is submerged in the body, changes it into an unalterable and

when

indelible

nature.

therefore, to

know

this

blackens the body. that

the

same

handled, but

And

behoves

you,

sulphur which

And know ye

cruciates

the sulphur which

cannot

sulphur

and

tinges.

blackens

that which does not open the door

the fugitive

and

turns

into

Do you

with the fugitive.*

fugitive

the

not see that the cruciating does not

harm or corruption, but by coadunation and utility of things ?t For if its victim were noxious and

cruciate with

would not be embraced until its colours were exunalterable from it and

inconvenient,

thereby tracted *

that

According to the second recension

which

;

"It converts

non-fugitive into a fugitive nature."

Both

readings are corrupt and ungrammatical. t

The second

reading

recension

somewhat

reverses

this,

" That which cruciates with harm or corruption

does not cruciate with

utility

and coadunation."

ig8

The Ttirba Philosophonim,

This we have called water of sulphur, which water we have prepared for the red tinctures; for indelible.

the rest

which not I

come

have

does not blacken

does

this

to pass without

testified to

but that

;

does blacken, and

blackness,

be the key of the

work. The Seventieth Dictum,

MuNDUS*

saith

Know,

ye investi-

all

gators of this Art, that the head things,

which

imposes

if it

hath not,

profits nothing.

all

is all

that

Accordingly,

the Masters have said that what perfected

one,

and a

diversity of

natures does not improve that thing,

but one and a suitable nature, which

behoves you to rule carefully, for by ignorance of ruling some have erred.

not heed, therefore, the plurality of

these compositions, nor those things

which the merated in

their

nature of truth *

have enu-

philosophers

For the and the followers

books.

one,

In the second recension the

name

Mandinus.

y^9

The Turba Philosophorum.

Nature have termed

thing in the belly whereof

th^ one

concealed

the natural arcanum.

This arcanum is neither seen nor known except by the Wise. He, therefore, who knows

how

to extract its complexion

and

rules

equably, for him shall a nature rise

which shall conquer all and then shall that word be which was written by the

forth therefrom

natures, fulfilled

Masters, namely, that Nature rejoices

Nature, Nature overcomes Nature, and Nature contains Nature; at the same time there are not many or

diverse

Natures, but one

having in

own natures and

properties,

itself its

by which it prevails over other things. Do you not see that the Master has begun with one and finished one ?

Hence has he Sulphureous

called

Water,

those

unities

conquering

all

Nature. The Seventy-First Dictum,

Bracus* *

saith

How elegantly Mundus

In the second recension this dictum

Archelaus.

ascribed to

200

The Turba Philosophonim.

hath described this sulphureous water

For unless solid bodies are destroyed by a nature wanting a body, until the bodies become not-bodies, and even as a most tenuous spirit, ye cannot [attain] that most tenuous and tingeing soul, which is hidden in the natural belly. And know that unless the body be withered up and so destroyed that it dies, and unless ye extract from it its soul, which is a tingeing spirit, ye are unable to tinge a body therewith. The Seventy-Second Dictum.

The

compo-

Philosophus*

saith

sition, that

the body of Magnesia,

made out

is,

first

of several things, although

they become one, and are called by

one name, which the ancients have termed Albar of copper. But when it is ruled it is called by ten names, taken from the colours which appear in the regimen of the body of this Magnesia. It is necessary, therefore, that

be turned into blackness *

The second

;

the lead

then the ten

recension refers this dictum to Philotis.

The Turba Philosophorum,

201

aforesaid shall appear in the ferment

of gold, with sericon,* which

a com-

by ten names. When have been said, we mean nothing more by these names than Albar of copper, because it tinges every body which has entered into the position called

these things

all

composition. fold

â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one

When

But composition humid, the other

two-

dry.

they are cooked prudently they

become

and are called the good But when it becomes red it is called Flower of Gold, Ferment of Gold, Gold of Coral, Gold of the Beak. I It is also called redundant red sulphur and red orpiment. But while it remains crude lead of copper, it is called bars and plates of metal. Behold I have reone,

thing of several names.

Sericon

one of the names of Minium, according to

Rulandus, but M. Berthelot explains that bination of

Sandyx and

was a com-

Sinopis.

t Later alchemical writers define

matter of the Philosophers

when

Gold

of Coral as the

has become fixed a

ihe red stage. I

fectly

The

significance of this phrase

inscrutable,

but

is,

of course, per-

there any reference

rostrum or rostellum of the alembic

the

202

The Turha Philosophorum,

vealed

names when

its

raw, which

also we should distinguish from the names when it has been cooked. Let it

therefore

behoves

me now

quantity of the its

pondered

over.

you the and the numbers of

to exhibit to

fire,

days,* and the diversity of intensity

thereof in every grade, so that he shall

possess this

unto

himself,t

book

and

may

who

belong

from

freed

poverty, so that he shall remain secure in that

those

middle way which

who

closed to

are deficient in this most

have seen, therefore,

precious art.

many

fire.

kinds of

One

made

out

of straw and cinder, coals and flame,

Experiment

but one without flame.

shows

that

there

intermediate

are

But lead

grades between these kinds. is

lead of copper, in

whole â&#x20AC;˘

Now,

arcanum.

Greek, in

common

with

recognised the necessity for

a favourable moment."

which

all

the

concerning

other alchemists, have

certain lapse of time

and

See Olympiodorus On the Sacred

Art. t

Compare the motto

qui 8UU8 esse potest.

of Paracelsus

Alterius non

sit

The Turba Phtlosophorum,

203

the days of the night in which will be

the

perfection of the most great arcanum, I will treat in its proper place in what follows. And know most

assuredly that

little

gold be placed

in the composition, there will result

patent and white tincture. also a sublime gold is

Wherefore

and a patent gold

found in the treasuries of the former

Wherefore those things are unequal which they introduce into their composition. Inasmuch as the elements are commingled and are turned into lead of copper, coming philosophers.

out of their own former natures, they are

new

turned into a

Then they

nature.

are called one nature

and one genus.

These things being accomplished,

it is

placed in a glass vessel, unless in a certain

way the composition

water and

altered in

every grade

when

venerable

Although

concerning

drinks the

colours.

beheld,

coloured

its

this

redness.

elixir

read in the sayings of the philosophers

Take

gold, occurring frequently,

The Ttirha PJiilosophorum.

204

only needful to do so once. therefore, to

know the

Wishing,

certitude of the

adversary, consider what Democritus"^ saith,

how he

begins speaking from

bottom to top, then reversing matters he proceeds from top to bottom. For, he said Take iron, lead, and albart for copper, which reversing, he again says And our copper for coins, lead :

and

gold, gold for gold of coral,

for

gold of coral for gold of crocus. the second place,

Again,

when he begins

from the top to the bottom, he saith

Take

gold,

iron

;

coin,

shews,

copper,

lead,

and

his

therefore,

sayings that only semi-gold

And into *

without doubt gold rust

without lead

Democritus at

effectually

silenced,

taken.

not changed

and copper,

the beginning of the assembly

which he

be well in this place to enumerate the terms,

mostly of oriental origin, occurring in the Turba

no explanation can

Absumech,

present be found.

for

which

They

are:

Ebmich, Corsufle, Mucra, Murtal, Geldum,

Halsut, Albar, and the curious use of the Latin

Carmen.

and now seems to be quoted as an

enemy at the conclusion of a symposium was forbidden to participate. t It will

word

The Turha Philosoplwrum,

205

and unless it be imbued with vinegar known by the wise, until, being cooked, it

turned

This,

redness.

into

therefore, is the redness

which

the

all

Philosophers signified, because, however

they said

Take

gold and

Take gold of becomes gold of coral coral and it becomes purple gold all ;

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

names of those behoves them that

these things are only colours,

for

vinegar be placed in colours

come from

it,

because these

But by these

it.

things which the Philosophers

have

mentioned under various names, they have signified stronger bodies and forces. It

taken, therefore, once,

may become is

imposed

each water

being

it.

appear,

may be

necessary forty

desiccated,

consumed; and placed

being

imbued

For when the

decocted

days, so that

the

rubigo and then vinegar

said colours

that

finally

the

cooked until its utility appear. Its first grade becomes as a citrine mucra, the second as red, the

vessel,

The Turba Philosophorum,

2o6

pounded crocus of the it imposed upon coin.

third as the dry

vulgar.

Conclusion*

Agmon saith : by way of a

add the following

I will

Whosoever

corollary.

does not liquefy and coagulate errs Therefore,

greatly.

black

;

make

the earth

separate the soul and the water

thereof,

afterwards whiten

;

shall

what ye seek. I say unto you that whoso makes earth black and then dissolves with fire, till it becomes even like unto a naked sword, who also fixes the whole with consuming fire, deserves to be called happy, and shall be exalted This above the circle of the world.

ye find

much concerning the revelation of our stone, is, we doubt not, enough for the Sons of the Doctrine. The strength thereof, shall never

become corrupted,

but the same, when

fire,

shall

dissolve, â&#x20AC;˘

be increased. it

shall

This constitutes

recension, and

placed in the If

you seek to

be dissolved the last

Dictum

but

;

the second

omitted from the longer version.

;

The Turba Philosophormn.

207

you would coagulate, it shall be coagulated. Behold, no one is without it, and yet all do need it There are many names given to it, and yet it is called by one only, while, if need be, it is concealed. It is also a stone and not a stone, spirit, soul, and body; it is !

white, volatile, concave, hairless, cold,

and yet no one can apply the tongue If you its surface. wish that it should fly, it flies if you say that it is water, you speak the truth if you say that it is not water, you speak falsely. Do not then be deceived by the multiplicity of names, but rest assured that it is one thing, unto which

with impunity to

;

nothing alien

added.

Investigate

the place thereof, and add nothing that is

foreign.

Unless the names were

multiplied, so that the vulgar might be

deceived,

wisdom.

many

would

deride

our

;

INDEX. Death,

22.

Democrinis,

Dew,

Dragon,

Earth.

17B.

B-13, so, zi, 27.

.BHU^TUli 41^25-27.

XX7» X2X« 167, X9K.

xaob

OOx, 44. 45. 49, 145CMnbar, 70, 139, 351,

13, 14,

122.

maXjOb X15-I37*

i55-

161.

Citrine, 97.

•rf CHiiH-. Ti^iSi.

Coagola, z6x.

-arGaU,3K.x«3.

Coin,

30,41,7a, 74, Sa, loo, 113,

I3fi.

Copper,

2B, 32, 44, 6s, 75, B6, B7,

90, 33, 94, 302,

3C53,

105, io5,

114, 117, 12a, 122, 132, :s5. 125, 13S, 14a, 155, 169, 155.

Corsirfie, 99, loo, 106, 1^7, 15;.

CrocnBjSi.

(iadenbe, 39. joid, 57, 60, 61, 62, 90,

J44;

goa

11:5,

e<i S3. 34.

113,

210 Golden Water, Greenstone,

Gum,

61-63

Permanent Water,

134.

67.

of ascotia, log

;

Quicksilver, 36, 76, 77, 79, 80, 82,

Halsut, 194.

Heart of the Sun,

68.

84,

117, 162.

i, 2, 54,

Hidden Glory,

139. 145.

67.

Redness,

34, 35, 52, 53, 58, 59. 82,

90, 91, 104, 106, 123, 130, 143.

Red

Slave, 96.

Rotundum,

of the Art, 25.

Kuhul,

93, 135-137.

85,

191. 193.

Ixir, 78, 100, 121, 122, 126, 130.

Key

107, 117.

119,122,133. Putrefaction, 76, 165.

scoria, 44.

Hermes,

31, 34, 39« 45

49, 64-66, 76, 82, 94,

34, 48, 55, 71, 145, 169, 185.

Rubigo,

133.

143, 160, 164, 170.

Rust, 52, 107, 130, 132.

Lead,

54, 55, 57, 60, 72, 81, 82, 93,

100, 161

;

red lead,

Leaven of Gold,

Saginatum,

60, 61.

Shadow Smoke, Magnesia,

38, 39. 71. T7,

133. 137. 146

;

body

"8,

119,

of, 34, 84,

112, 132, 145, 186.

Magnet,

42, '77,^^, 79-

Male and Female, 89. 96, 135. 180.

Marteck,

152, 196.

Mercury,

193.

Milk of Fig,

Mucra,

31.

Saturn, 193.

31.

57, 60, 77, 79,

of Metals, 70, 76. 58, 144.

Spirit of Brass, 67.

Spume

of the

Moon,

43, 44, 67,

145, 168, 174.

Stone, 44, 45, 69, 91, 93, 109, 114

;

of gold, 125.

Sulphur,

34, 36, 39. 46. 52. 57, 87,

122, 137.

Sun,

69.

63.

76, 160, 205.

Testa, 163.

Tin, 79,

Nitre, 121.

80, 132, 146.

Tincture,

28, 35, 86, 141.

Tyrian Dye,

Orpiment,

57, 139.

184.

47-50, 74, 90, 92, 131,

211 Urine,

48, 63, 106.

Venom,

46,

"9, 130, Venus, 194.

69,

Water,

75, 98, 109, 117,

139. i44> 150.

Vinegar, 51-54, 132, 134. 173-

8-12,

20,

21,

alum, 38:

gold,

of iron,

117;

nitre, 38, 55, 132 30, 49. 53

;

27;

dew, 63; of

;

38;

of our sea,

of sulphur, 87, 137,

139. 147' 58,

90,

119, 121,

Whiteness, 143.

29, 52, 53, 58, 59i 123,

THIS

BOOK

DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW IS

BORROWER BOOKS REQUESTED BY ANOTHER RECALL ARE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE

B: !

ReceivedJ^' PHYS SCI LIBRARY

JAN 16

1989

UC DAVIS - INTERLI8RARY \OAH

N0Vl(n988 DU^lllRAXViAiyir^P'oMIFORNIA,

DAVIS

Book Slip-Series 458

382551 Turba philosophorum, Alchen^r.

QD25 T87 1896

Call

382551 Turba philosophorum Alchemy.

Number:

QD25 T87 1896

PHYSICAL SCIENCES UftRARY

LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIfMNIA