Turba Philosophorum

J\M\

THE TURBA PHILOSOPHORUM.

ALCHEMY

*//

THE

TURBA PHILOSOPHORUM ..

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

BY

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

Xon&on

GEORGE REDWAY 1896

PREFACE. *lpHE

Turba Phiksophorum

is

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

in

Latin

respects

;

the

it

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 when it was

quoted as an authority by all the alchemical adepts, has been familiar only in its Latin garb. It is not, of course, certain that

the original

the Arabic

and Syriac

is

irretrievably lost,

manuscripts treating early chemistry are in numbers in the considerable preserved of

various libraries of Europe,

and

have only

been imperiectly explored. Unfortunately, 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 differ considerably from one another. What is called in the following

pages

the

second

recension,

is

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

2094035

ii.

Preface.

bad

The

longer recension has been chosen for the text of the following translation, in a

because

state.

it

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 is so corrupt as to be quite untranslatable, the editor has occasionally substituted that of the alternative and has in most cases indicated the

version,

course pursued.

Monsieur Berthelot's

invaluable

text

and

translation of the Byzantine Alchemists has

been largely made use of, to illustrate the striking analogies between the Greek Hermetic century and the Turba.

writers of the fourth

great scholar and scientist that we the discovery of these analogies, some of

It is to this

owe

which are very devoted part la

to

of

his

clearly indicated in a chapter

the and subject, forming " Essai sur la Transmission de

Antique au Moyen Age." It from M. Berthelot's researches, that

Science

follows

Latin

referred

connects

which

which

Alchemy,

rightly

with

preceded

the latter

was

an

to

the

Arabian

itself

always been Arabian source,

has

Greek Science,

and that with perfect

whom

all

because

derived from Greece.

are also enabled to identify, for the

sages, to

Alchemy

first

We time,

certainty, those ancient

the Latin literature makes

iii.

Preface.

requent and reverent allusion that

they

tion.

M.

are

Zosimus,

;

we now know

the

Panopolite, the adepts of the school of Democritus, and the other writers preserved in the Byzantine collecBerthelot, however, infers that the

Greek influence found was not a

phorum

was

derived

in

The Turbo,

direct

mediately

Philoso-

influence,

through

but

channels

which are now unknown In any case the Turba summarises the author's preceding Geber, and is therefore the most valuable, as it is the most ancient, treatise on Alchemy, which

The

exists in the Latin language.

chief printed versions of The Turba Philo-

" sophorum, 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

way

The which they represent the original. versions contained in Salmon's " Bibliotheque des Philosophes Alchimiques," and in the " Tro's in

Anciens Traictes de

la Philosophic Naturelle,"

One English version manuscript is known to the present editor, and it will be found in the British Museum

are instances in point. in

amongst the treasures of the Sloane It is

collection.

rendered, however, from the French, and

iv.

Preface.

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 mysteries of The Turba Philosophorum. While they are of a considerably later date, they at the same time belong to the early

the

It may be added period of Latin Alchemy. also that the editor has collected a consider-

amount of material concerning this curious work, which the limits of the present volume preclude him from utilising.

able

ARTHUR EDWARD WAITE.

THE TURBA PHILOSOPHORUM, TAKEN FROM AN ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT CODEX, MOKE PERFECT THAN ANY EDITION PUBLISHED HERETOFORE.

The Epistle of Arisleus, prefixed

to the

Words

of the Sages, concerning the purport of this

Book, for

the Benefit of Posterity,

same being as here follows

and

the

:

begotten of Pythaa disciple of the disciples goras,

ARISLEUS,* by the grace of

thrice great Hermes, learning from the seat of knowledge, unto all who come after wisheth

health and mercy. *

An

I

testify that

my

ancient gloss describes Arisleus as the son of

M. Berthelot supposes him to be synonymous with the Aristenes of the second recension (Eleventh Dictum) Abladus.

and of the Exercitationes on the Turba, which are found volume of the Bibliotheca Chemica. Beyond

in the first

the similarity of the

name, and the

are mutilated in the

fact that

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.

B

The Turba Philosophorum. Italian, Pythagoras,* the master of the wise and chief of the

master,

Prophets, had a greater

and

Wisdom

of

gift

God

of

than was granted to Therefore Hermes.

any one after he had a mind to assemble his

dis-

who were now greatly increased, and had been constituted the chief

ciples,

persons throughout all regions for the discussion of this most precious Art,

that

words

their

be

might

He

a

then

foundation

for

commanded

of highest Iximidrus, be the first speaker, who

council,

to

posterity.

said :f *

The Greek make no mention

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

describes

Habib, the Kitab-al-Firhirst, and the true Geber, where alchemical writings

attributed

to

this

sage are freely

quoted. t The

variations

French version of Salmon has the following distinct " :

The beginning of the book,

the Turba of the

Philosophers, in which Arisleus has gathered together the

sayings of the introducing

more

prudent

Pythagoras

the

among

the

Philosopher,

collecting the opinions of the scholars.

scholars,

that

The book

by

Master is

also

called the Third Pythagorical Synod, instituted concerning

The Turba Philosophorum.

3

The First Dictum.

IXIMIDRUS

saith of

beginning Nature, which

I

:

all is

testify

things

that the a Certain

is

perpetual, coequalling

and that the visible natures, with their births and decay, are times wherein the ends to which that nature brings them are beheld and sumall things,

moned.*

Now,

instruct

I

you that

the stars are igneous, and are kept If the within bounds by the air.

humidity and density Occult

Philosophy.

scholar, Eximidrius, to

But

the air did

of

commanded

Pythagoras

begin the

discourse,"

&c.

his

The

French translator seems to have summarised the recensions

which he had

collected,

extent, in

own words.

his

and to have put them, to some Here, however, he follows

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

The same French Translation interprets this obscure " The passage as follows beginning of all things is a it is perpetual, infinite it nourishes and certain nature But this nature and the times of decocts all things. :

;

;

corruption and generation are,

which

it is

as

it

were, the terms by

attained unto, and which the universal nature

nourishes and decocts." The second recension varies the last " The actions and passage, as follows passions thereof are known and understood only by {hose to whom a :

knowledge

of the

Sacred Art

is

given."

B2

The Turba Pliilosophomm.

4

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 air,

lest that

He has created Do you not up.

which

should be burnt

observe that the Sun

when

it

rises in

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

the air? presently

If,

the

then,

breathe

forth

air

did

not

those winds

whereby creatures are generated, the Sun by its heat would certainly destroy all

that lives.

But the Sun

is

kept check by the air, which thus conquers because it unites the heat of the

in

Sun

to its

own

heat,

and the humidity

its own humidity. Have not water remarked how tenuous you is drawn up into the air by the action

of water to

the heat of the Sun, which thus If the helps the water against itself? of

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

would overcome the

air.

The

fire,

The Turba Philosopher um.

5

extracts moisture from the

therefore,

water, by means of which the air conquers the fire itself. Thus, fire and

water

are

between

enemies

which

no consanguinity, for the fire is hot and dry, but the water is cold and moist. The air, which is warm

there

is

and moist, joins these together by its between the concording medium humidity of water and the heat of ;

fire

the air

lish peace.

is

thus placed to establook ye all how there

And

from the tenuous

shall arise a spirit

"vapour of the

being

joined

because the heat

air,

to

the

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.

disposed in such manner by the will of God, and a coruscation appears when the heat of All this, however,

the

is

Sun touches and breaks up a

cloud.

The TURBA saith: Well hast thou described the fire, even as thou knowest

The Turba Philcsophorum.

6

concerning it, and thou hast believed the word of thy brother. The Second Dictum.

EXUMDRUS

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

I

:

thin

its

;

it

when

warm

inspissation it

is

divided

elongation of the rarefaction is when, by the

Sun becomes warm and

exaltation of the

in

air

is

is

grows

The

cold.

thereof takes place in heaven by the

Sun

;

heaven, the rarefied.

It

comparable with the complexion of in

which

neither

is

of

time,

cold.

For

the distinction

Spring,*

warm nor

according to the mutation of the con*

A

Crates,

Book of enjoined that the operation of the

similar comparison is used in the Arabian

where

philosophical

regulated

it

fire

is

upon the philosophical matter should be same manner as Nature regulates the

after the

influence of the four

moreover, represents

seasons

still

;

and the same

treatise,

older expositions of alchemical

philosophy as using the same illustration. It is probableTurba in its original form antedated the Book of

that the Crates.

The Turba Philosophorum.

7

stituted disposition with the altering distinctions of the soul, so is Winter

The

altered.

therefore, is inspis-

air,

when the Sun

removed from it, and then cold supervenes upon men. sated

Whereat

is

TURBA

the

said

Excel-

:

lently hast thou described the air,

and

given account of what thou knowest to be therein.

The Third Dictum.

ANAXAGORAS

saith

make known

I

:

that the beginning of

all

which God hath created

is

those things

weight and

proportion,* for weight rules all things, and the weight and spissitude of the earth is manifest in proportion but ;

weight

is

not found except

And know,

all

ye

Turba,

in

body. the

that

spissitude of the four elements reposes in the earth for the spissitude of ;

*

The

original

of the term pietas

is

pietas et ratio, but the technical use

by the

obviously to connect

it

Hebrew

or Arabic original

seems

with the sense of the Hebrew Paz,

signifying compactness.

Piezo, to press or squeeze

Compare also the Greek verb down.

The Turba Philosophorum.

8 fire

falls

into

air,

the

together with received from the

the

air,

water

;

spissitude

fire,

of

spissitude into

falls

the spissitude also of water,

increased by the spissitude of

fire

and

reposes in earth. Have you not observed how the spissitude of the air,

four elements

is

conjoined in earth

?

The

same, therefore, is more inspissated than all. Then saith the TURBA :

Thou

hast well spoken.

Verily the

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

is

worthy to possess the rarity of these four

?

He

answereth

:

Fire

is

the

most rare among all, and thereunto cometh what is rare of these four.

But it

is

air is less rare

warm and

than

moist,

fire,

while

because fire

is

warm and dry now that which is warm and dry is more rare than the warm and moist. They say unto him Which element is of less rarity than air ? He answereth Water, since ;

:

:

cold and moisture inhere therein, and

The Turba Philosophorum.

every cold humid

g

of less rarity than

is

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

of less rarity than water ? answereth : Earth, because it is

therefore,

He

is

cold and dry, and that which is cold and dry is of less rarity than that

which

is

PYTHAGORAS

cold and moist.

: Well have ye provided, O Sons of the Doctrine, the description of these four natures,* out of which

saith

God

hath created

all things.

Blessed,

who comprehends what have declared, for from the apex of ye the world he shall not find an intention therefore, is he

greater than his fore,

reply

make :

own

Let

!

us, there-

perfect our discourse.

They

Direct every one to take

our speech in turn. Pandolfus

Speak thou,

up

O

!

*"You have been of four elements.

told

Know

.

.

that the ancients discoursed

.

that

it

is

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

fire

and

are earth and water."

the male and the female. fall

down.

Two

The two ascending

the two descending elements Olympiodorus On the Sacred Art.

air

;

The Turba Philosophorum.

TO

The Fourth Dictum.

But PANDOLFUS

saith

:

I

signify

to-

posterity that air is a tenuous matter of water, and that it is not separated

remains above the dry earth, to wit, the air hidden in the If water, which is under the earth.

from

It

it.

this air did not exist, the earth

would

not remain above the humid water.

They answer

Thou

:

hast said well

But

complete, therefore, thy speech. he

continueth

hidden is

in the

that

The

:

which

air

is

water under the earth

which

sustains

the

earth,

should be plunged into the and it, moreover, preventssaid water the earth from being overflowed by lest

it

;

that water.

The

province of the air

fill up and to make between diverse separation things, that is to say, water and earth, and it is

is,

therefore, to

constituted

a

hostile things, namely,

dividing these, lest another.

gave an

between

peacemaker

water and

fire,

they destroy one

The TURBA

saith

illustration hereof,

it

:

If

you would be

n

The Turbo, Philosophorum.

He

stand.

who do not under-

those

clearer to

answereth

An egg

:

an

is

illustration, for therein four things are

conjoined

the visible cortex or shell

;

represents the earth, and the albumen, But a or white part, is the water.*

very thin inner cortex is joined to the outer cortex, representing, as I have signified to you, the separating

medium

between earth and water, namely, that air which divides the earth from the

The

yolk also of the egg cortex which the represents fire ; contains the yolk corresponds to that

water.

*

The

allegory of the philosophical egg can be traced

Greek alchemists.

to the

under this

title,

A

short treatise

Egg, which

is

composed of

four elements, because

world.

It

is

copper, the

described as the Mystery of the Art.

the stone which

Armenian

tin,

lead.

is

The white

;

it

The

The

seed

;

seed

;

part

is

The

the shell

symbolically, is

is

after

it

divine water, is

yolk

oily part

But the egg, symbolical- as described

the image of the

shell is likened to

of the egg

native sulphur, mercury, &c. is fire.

is

it

the

It is

has been named copper,

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

itself

extant

not a stone, the stone of

stone, &c.

the earth, being cold and dry iron,

is still

and another on the Nomenclature of

is,

(?

copperas,

the chicken)

is

sometimes

the similitude of a

likened to the skin which covers the

the white and the yolk are the flesh, and the watery the breath, or air.

The Turba Philosophorum.

12

other air which separates the water from the fire. But they are both one

and the same

namely, that which separates things frigid, the earth from the water, and that which separates the

from

water

the

fire.

But the

thicker than the upper air, the upper air is more rare and

lower air

and

air,

is

subtle, being nearer to the fire

the lower air

than

In the egg, therefore,

are four things earth, water, air, and But the point of the Sun, these fire. four excepted,

and

yolk,

is

in the centre of the

this is the chicken.

Conse-

quently, all 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 is

a

hill

saith

:

Know

and not a

reason the

that the earth

plain, for

which

Sun does not ascend over

the zones of the earth in a single hour but if it were flat, the sun would

all

;

rise in

a

moment

over the whole earth.

The Turba Philosophorwn.

PARMENIDES

O

briefly,

saith

:

Arisleus

!

13

Thou hast spoken He answereth :

anything the Master has left which bears witness otherwise ?

Is there

us

Yet

I

that

testify

God

is

one, having

never engendered or been begotten, and that the head of all things after

Him

earth and

is

tenuous

and

because

fire,

and

light,

it

fire

rules

is

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

saith:

four natures

;

and each one

of

you

observes something concerning these. Now, I testify unto you that all things which God hath created are from these

and

things which have been created out of them return four natures,

the

In these

into them.

living creatures

are generated and die, and all things take place as God hath predestinated.

DEMOCRITUS, answereth

:

the

Thou

disciple

of

LUCAS,

hast well spoken,

O

The Turba Philosophonim.

14

Lucas, when dealing with the four Then saith ARISLEUS natures O !

:

Democritus, since thy knowledge was derived from Lucas, it is presumption to speak among those who are well

LUCAS acquainted with thy master answereth: Albeit Democritus received !

from

me

the science of natural things, that knowledge was derived from the

philosophers of the Indies and from I think he the Babylonians surpasses those of his own age in this learning. ;

The

TURBA

answereth

attains to that age*

he

:

When

he

will give

no

small satisfaction, but being youth he should keep silence.

in

his

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 is that of the Indian and Babylonian adepts does not appear, but the entire episode is remarkable when it is borne in mind what great importance evidently attached to the Democritic school of Greek

seems to indicate that the TURBA PHILO-

alchemy.

It

SOPHORUM

represents a tradition hostile to the tradition of

The Turbo, Philosophorum.

15

known nor for

it is

saith

expressed, except by piety, not seen or felt. PYTHAGORAS

Thou

:

hast

entered

upon

a

subject which, if completed, thou wilt describe State, therefore, subtly.

what

is this

thing which

is

neither

felt,

Then he : It is that seen, nor known. which is not known, because in this world

discerned by reason without

it is

the clients thereof, which are sight, O hearing, taste, smell, and touch.

Crowd

the Philosophers,

of

not that

it

distinguish

know you

is only sight which can white from black, and

hearing only which can discriminate between a good and bad word !

Similarly, a

wholesome odour cannot

be separated by reason from one which except through the sense of smell, nor can sweetness be discriminated from bitterness save by means of

is

fetid,

taste,

nor smooth from rough unless

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 Turbo, Philosophorum.

16

The

by touch.

TURBA

answereth

:

Thou

hast well spoken, yet hast thou omitted to treat of that particular thing which is not known, or described f Saith he : except by reason and piety. Are ye then in such haste ? Know

that the creature which

cognised in none of these five ways is a sublime creature, and, as such, is neither seen

but

is

perceived by reason alone, of which reason Nature confesses that God is a partaker. They

nor

felt,

answer

and

:

is

Thou

hast

excellently.

And

spoken he

:

I

truly

will

now

give a further explanation. Know that this creature, that is to say, the world,

hath a

same

the Sun, and the more subtle than all other

light, is

which

is

natures, which light living

But

if

beings

may

is

so ordered that

attain

this subtle light

to

vision.

were removed,

they would become darkened, seeing nothing, except the light of the moon, or of the stars, or of

fire, all

which are

derived from the light of the Sun, which causes all creatures to give light.

The Turba Philosoplwnnn.

For

17

God

has appointed the Sun to be the light of the world, by reason of the attenuated nature of the Sun. this

And know

that the sublime creature

before mentioned has no need of the light of this

Sun, because the Sun

is

beneath that creature, which is more subtle and more lucid. This light,

which

more

is

lucid than the light of

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

Know

light.

dense

is

composed the

in

is

Consequently the inferior

all

the created

that

of two dense things two rare things, but nothing of the

world

and

also

sublime

Sun

creature.

rarer than

is

The

creatures.

TURBA

Thou

hast excellently described what thou hast related. And

answereth

if,

:

good Master, thou shalt utter any-

whereby our hearts may be vivified, which now are mortified by thou wilt confer upon us a folly, boon !* great thing

*

offers

The shortened

version oi

some conspicuous

the second

variations,

and

is

Recension literally

as

B

The Turba Philosophorum.

T8

The Eighth Dictum.

PYTHAGORAS

saith

existed before

all

I

:

affirm that

God

and with

Him

things,

was nothing, as He was know,

all

at

But

first.

that

I Philosophers, declare this in order that I may fortify your opinion concerning these four

ye

elements and arcana, as well as in 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

"

follows

reason

;

heaven. felt,

Two

:

of which

is

natures alone are described by Lucas, one

known nor

neither

the other

whatsoever

is

in

by piety and

not described, for

is

it is

a third connected nature, which

and known, and is

realised, save

not seen and

is

But there

seen,

will of

this

heaven or earth.

is

which contains

that

is

Now, reason

perceives

What ensues is by the help of the five senses, &c. substantially the same as the text, till towards the close, .

which

is

as follows

:

As

.

to that nature

.

which

is

perceived

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

subtle than all creatures, to the end that

it

may

light the

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

Nothing

He

of the

himself

creatures."

is

dense

more

is

in

the sublime creation, because

rare than the

Sun and

all

inferior

The Turba Philosophorum.

created

all

and the

inferior,

both the sublime

others,

from

tinated

19

because

He

predesall that beginning

the

creatures extracted from water should

multiply and increase, that they might dwell in the world and perform His

judgments

therein.

before

He

all,

Consequently,

created

the four ele-

He

afterwards ments, out of which created what He willed, that is to say,

some

diverse creatures,

of which were

produced from a single element.*

The

Which are these, O And he: They are the angels, whom He created out of fire. But the TURBA Which, then, are created out of two ? And he Out of TURBA

saith:

Master?

:

:

the elements of * In the

works

Book

oj Balances,

with this dictum

and

air are the

one of the genuine Arabian

a passage which has some analogy " After God had created all things of

of Geber, there

the four elements

fire

:

.

.

.

is

He

from the ancient worlds

:

caused the four qualities to issue

namely, heat, cold, moisture, and of these elements produced

The combination

dryness.

which contains heat and dryness water, which posand moisture air, which has .warmth and humidity earth, which is cold and dry. By the help of fire,

;

sesses cold

;

;

these elements

God

created the superior and inferior worlds."

The Turba Philosophorum.

20

moon,

sun,

and

Hence the angels

stars

are

composed.

more

lucid than

the sun, moon, and stars, because they are created from one substance, which

dense than two, while the sun and the stars are created from a com-

is

less

position of fire saith

And

:

and what

air.

TURBA

The

concerning Then he

the

Heaven ? God created the Heaven out of water and air, whence this is also composed of creation of

:

two, namely, the second of the rarer things, which is air, and the second

of the denser things, which is water. And they Master, continue thy dis:

course concerning these three, and rejoice our hearts with thy sayings, which are life to the dead. But the other answereth

God

:

hath further

I

notify to

made

of three and out of four

you that

creatures out ;

out of three

are created flying things, beasts, and some of these are created vegetables ;

out of water, air, and earth, some out of fire, air, and earth. But the TURBA saith

:

Distinguish these divers crea-

The Turbii Philosophorum.

And

one from another.

tures

Beasts are created out of earth

he

fire, air,

flying things out of

;

21

fire,

:

and air,

and water, because

flying things, and among vegetables which have a

all

are created out of water, while all brute animals are from earth, air, spirit,

and

Yet

fire.

fire, for

in vegetables there is

no

they are created out of earth,

Whereat the TURBA. water, and air. saith Let us assume that a fire, with :

your reverence's pardon, does reside in Ye have spoken vegetables. And he :

the truth, and tain

And

fire.

He

fire ?

I

affirm that they conWhence is that they :

answerelh

of the air which

is

:

Out

of the heat

concealed therein

;

have

signified that a thin fire is present in the air, but the elementary for

I

concerning which you were in doubt not produced, except in things which

fire

is

have

spirit

and

soul.

elements our father

Adam

were created,* that *

The

treatise

observes that

But out is,

of Olympiodorus

Adam was

and of On

of four his sons

fire,

air,

the Sacred

Art

the issue of the four elements, and

The Turba Philosophorum,

22

and

water, stand,

all

likewise

Under-

earth.

how

ye that are wise,

every-

thing which God hath created out of one essence dies not until the Day of

Judgment. is

The

death

definition of

the disjunction of the composite, but is no disjunction of that which is

there

Death consists simple, for it is one. in the separation of the soul from the body, because anything formed out of two, three, or four components must disintegrate, and this is death. Understand,

further,

that

substance which lacks

no

complex

fire eats,

drinks,

or sleeps, because in all things which have a spirit fire is that which eats.* terms him virgin earth, igneous earth, carnal earth, and

sanguineous earth, making reference to the Ptolemy. whom he

There are similar references is

identified with death.

in

libraries

of

Zosimus, by

But the carnal

Adam

of Zosimus signifies material humanity in general, and therein is contained the spiritual man, whose name no one

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

The

substitute for his true *

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 by Greek, Syriac, or Arabian alchemists. Zosimus

either

narrates that the art of alchemy

was revealed

to mortals

by

The Turbo, Philosophorum.

The

TUKBA

answereth

23

How

:

is

it,

Master, that the angels, being created of fire, do not eat, seeing thou assertest that

fire is

Hence

that which eats

ye

!

each

doubt,

'And he

:

his

having

opinion, and ye are become opponents, but if ye truly knew the elements, ye would not deny these things. I agree with all whose judgment it is that

simple

fire

eats

not,

but thick

fire.

The

angels, therefore, are not created out of thick fire, but out of the thinnest

of very thin fire of that which

being created, then,

;

is

exceedingly thin, drink, nor sleep.

most they

And

simple

and

neither

eat,

the

TURBA

:

Master, our faculties are able to perceive, for

by God's assistance we have

the fallen angels;

it

is

to

them

that the tradition of

the art must be referred as to a primary source

;

and

it

was

they also who wrote the primeval books of alchemy. It will be remembered that magic was also one of the mysteries In the discourse of unfolded by the same intelligences. Isis to 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.

24

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

May God carry such great things. reward thee for the sake of thy disof ciples, since it is with the object instructing future generations that thou hast summoned us together from our countries,

the

thou wilt not to

Judge Seeing

fail

come

that

of

recompense !

which

to receive from

ARISLEUS

thou

hast

the

saith

:

us

gathered

together for the advantage of posterity, I think that no explanations will be

more

useful than definitions of those

four elements which thou hast taught None of you us to attain. And he :

are,

I

suppose, ignorant that

Wise have propounded God.

The

TURHA

all

the

definitions in

answereth

:

Should

your disciples pass over anything,

it

you, O Master, to avoid omissions for the sake of future genera-

becomes tions.

And

he:

If

please you, I will begin the disposition here, since envious men in their books have it

separated that, or otherwise

I

will

put

The Turba Pkilosophorum. it

end of the book.*

at the

TURBA think

saith

Whereat

where

it

clearest

And

he

for

the

you

future

will

place it will not be recognised by the

generations. it

be

will

it

where

Place

:

25

foolish,!

I

:

nor ignored by the Sons of the

Doctrine, for

it is

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,

which

He

coagulated,

and

things contrary were commingled, for we see that fire is hostile to water, water *

The

is

one of the

Isis

herself is

necessity of concealing the Art

chief anxieties of the Greek alchemists.

by heaven and earth and hell, by the four elements, by the height anl the depth, by Hermes, by " An oath has Anubis, and by the bowlings of Kerkoros.

sworn

to secrecy

been required initiated]

of us to reveal

person,"

says

nothing clearly to any [unDemocritus in the Epistle of

Synetius to Dioscorus. t

The

reader will not

which

this

passage betrays the whole dialogue as a literary

composition.

fail

to observe the artless

way

in

The Turba Philosophorum.

26

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

fire,

Out

another.

therefore, are

of these four elements, things created heaven

all

and the throne thereof; the angels; the sun, moon, and stars-; earth and sea, things that are in the sea. which indeed are various, and not alike, for

with

all

their natures

God, and diversity

have been made diverse by

also the creations.

is

more than

each of these natures ture,

I

is

But the

have stated

and by a legion of diversities

nature of each diverse.

;

of diverse na-

Now

is

the

this di-

versity subsists in all creatures, because

they were created out of diverse elements. Had they been created out of one element, they would have been

But diverse elements agreeing natures. being here mingled, they lose their own natures, because the dry being 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 Philosophomm.

humid.

But when the

27

four elements

are commingled, they agree, and thence proceed creatures which never attain to perfection, except they be left by night to putrefy and become visibly corrupt. God 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 is a secret arcanum 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 tangible, which yield naught, whereof the place is never seen, nor are their opera-

and

known, save in the former elements, namely, earth and water now tions

force

;

when

the

four

elements are not com-

mingled, no desire of men

accomBut being mixed, departing plished. from their own natures, they become Over these let us another thing. is

t

meditate

very

carefully.

And

the

The Turba Philosophomm.

28

speak, we Then will give heed to your words. that and I have now discoursed, he

TURBA

if

Master,

:

you

:

well.

will

I

which

all

tincture

follow

will

ye

Know,

speak only useful words as

true

from

our

that

present,

made except

is

spoken.

no

Do not therefore, exhaust copper.* 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 copper! into *

At this point there appears to be a sudden transition from cosmology to alchemy, but it must be remembered that it is one of the Hermetic Methods to describe the pro-

work in the language of cosmology, and only in the Latin mediaeval writers, but also in the

cesses of the great this not

Greek. For example, the Byzantine fragment entitled The Nomenclature of the Egg affirms that the egg is the image of the world, t

The

and hence

is

composed of the

philosophical copper

reference throughout

all

is

alchemy.

four elements.

a subject of continual

Among

the earliest au-

Book of Crates says that copper, like man, has It appears from the same treatise soul, and body.

thorities, the

a

spirit,

that the term

is

symbolical, and applies to a stage of the

alchemical process. essential substance.

lead and copper.

white copper

is

Another passage describes it as the Gold is said to transform only with

The Lexicon of Chrysopeia

crude sulphur.

explains that

The Turba Philosophorum. white, and

make

visible coins"

29

and then

afterwards again turn it into redness, t until a Tincture} results, verily, ye

Burn therefore accomplish nothing. the copper, break it up, deprive it of blackness by cooking, imbuing, and washing, until the same becomes white.

its

Then *

M.

rule

it.

Berthelot has pointed out that

term nummus by the Latin alchemists of the

meaning of

anterior writers.

Asem, an alloy of gold and t

will

the use of the

a misconception

The

reference

is

to

silver.

Numerous preparations

be found

is

whitening and reddening Ancient Greek Alchemists,

for

in the Collection of

example, the Combination of the White Preparation Address of Isis to Horus, the recipe in the twentyparagraph of the Natural Questions of Democritus,

as, for

in the first

again in the Book of Synesius, the Philosopher, addressed to Dioscorus, and elsewhere in many places. It is invariably

an

operation

with

copper.

The book

addressed

by

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

copper. is

According

and coction of the mineral of

to Synesius, the process of whitening

a calcination, and making yellow

is

an igneous regenera-

tion.

J The Greek Lexicon of Chrysopeia distinguishes two species of tincture, that which so permeates and scaks into a substance as to change its nature, and that which pro-

duces a superficial colouring.

The Turba Philosophorum.

30

The Tenth Dictum.

ARISLEUS this work

Know

that the key of the art of Coins.* Take,

saith: is

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

therefore, the

to

Water,! and, after over a gentle

fire

it is

covered,

set

it

until the tablets are

melted and become waters or Etheliae,

*

In this instance the term appears to be used as the the thin strips into which

equivalent ot tablets or lamina later is

alchemy frequently

directs a metal to be cut before

it

subjected to a given treatment. t

Pelagus, cited by Olympiodorus in the Treatise on

the Sacred Art, quotes

Zosimus

in definition

of the sea as

the hermaphrodytic element. J

water

The Book ofEl-Habib is

says that the virtue of eternal

that of a spiritual blood.

aeriform water, azure water,

When

also primal sulphur.

boiled,

and afterwards

(arsenic) into silver,

It

is

identified with

and water of sulphur. it

It is

transforms the male

into gold.

It

is

also

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

becomes

eternal

water.

Interpreting

later

writers,

Rulandus says that it is the philosophical solution of two perfect bodies, and he enumerates the contradictory names

which have been assigned

The

reference

mouth of the

vessel.

is

to

it

in

alchemy.

apparently to the closing of the

The Turba Philosophorum.

31

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

Brodium

until

Saginatum. Etheliae until

is

Then it

produced, stir

in its

like

to

water of

be coagulated, and the

become variegated, which we call the Flower of Salt. Cook it, therefore, 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 Ethelise. in pounding lest you become weary. Imbue the Ethelia with its own water, coins

which has preceded from it, which also is Permanent Water, until the same becomes red. This, then, is Burnt Copper,* which is the Leaven of Gold

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

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 approbation from Democritus. Burnt copper is elsewhere the same author as " the metal rendered blooddenned by

colour (in view of

without."

whitening)

and

tinged within

and

The Turba Philosophorum.

32

always with it, until the water be dried Continue the operation until all up. the water is consumed, and it becomes a most subtle powder. The Eleventh Dictum.

PARMENIDES that

saith

:

Ye must

men have

envious

dealt

know volu-

minously with several waters, brodiums, stones, all

and metals, seeking

you who

to deceive

after

knowledge. aspire Leave, therefore, all 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,

ye rule the Nature of Truth, and harmonize well together further, that unless

complexions and compositions, the consanguineous with the consanguiits

neous, and the

first

with the

first,

ye

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

The Turbo. Philosopliorum.

destroys

turns

it,

it

33

into dust, reduces

and finally herself renews repeats, and frequently produces the

to nothing, it,

same.

ye

Therefore look in books, that

may know

the Nature of Truth,

and what renews, what savour 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

in

gentle

the

it

fire

in

similar fashion.

Having, therefore, noticed the facts in this Art, set your hands to the work. If indeed,

ye know not the Natures of

Truth, do not approach the work, since there will follow nothing but harm, disaster,

and sadness.

Consider, there-

the teaching of the Wise, how they have declared the whole work in this fore,

Nature rejoices in Nature, and Nature contains Nature. In these words there is shewn forth unto you the saying

:

whole work. Leave, therefore, manifold and superfluous things, and take D

The Turba Philosophorum.

34

quicksilver,* coagulate in the Magnesia,f in Kuhul, or in

body of 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 you that it turns the sea red and the colour of gold.

tell

I

gold.

itself into

Know

ye also that gold is not turned into redness save by Permanent Water, because Nature rejoices * is

Nature.*

in

Mercury, according to the Greek Epistle of Synesiusi

wax, which readily assumes any colour that is it, for Mercury whitens all bodies and attracts

like

imparted to their souls;

it

them by

digests

coction,

and takes complete

possession of them. t

and

who

is not common Magnesia, remark applies equally to the Greek Alchemists, are the inspiration of the Turba Philosophorum, to

The Magnesia of Alchemy

this

that treatise,

and

the later adepts.

to

treatises belonging to the school of

Cinnabar follows the term.

In one of the

Democritus the sign

The body

of

Magnesia

of is

Synesius and Dioscorus; and on the Metallic Body of Magnesia, Zosimus has a special treatise with reference to the method by which it is

mentioned

whitened.

in the discourse of

According to Synesius

it

signifies the

mixture

of substances. |

The

formulas which are so frequently repeated in the

Turba Philotophorum

:

Nature rejoices

in

Nature

:

Nature

The Turba Philosophorum.

35

Reduce, therefore, the same by means of cooking into a humour, until the hidden nature appear. If, therefore, it be manifested externally, seven times

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

O

red.

those

celestial

natures,

multiplying the natures of truth by the God O that potent Nature,

will of

!

which overcame and conquered natures, and caused its natures to rejoice and be

glad

This, therefore, is that spiritual nature to which

!*

special and

God

the

cannot.

magnify nothing

thereof can give what

fire

Consequently, we glorify and that [species] , than which is

more precious

tincture, or the

like

degree to be found. overcomes nature ruled by Nature

:

:

in

the true

in the

smallest

This

is

that truth

Nature contains Nature

:

are derived literally from

Nature

is

the Greek

Alchemists. *

These alchemical Grand Antiphons in O are either borrowed from the Greek alchemists, or are formed

literally

on the model of precisely similar exclamations in those " O, Supreme Wonder O, most happy and

writers

:

Sovereign Matter," &c.

!

The Turba Philosophorum.

36

which those investigating wisdom

For when

it is

love.

liquefied with bodies, the

If ye highest operation is effected. knew the truth, what great thanks ye would give me Learn, therefore, that !

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

mastered the

it

interior.

And

if

one be volatile but the other endure the

endures if

either

fire,

the

the

joined to the other Know also, that

fire.

vapours

have

whitened

the

surfaces, they will certainly whiten the

Know

ye seekers after Wisdom, that one matter overcomes four, and our Sulphur* alone

interiors.

consumes answereth *

:

all

further, all

things.

The

Turba

Thou hast spoken excellently

Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt figure in

all

Hermetic

ature as the most indispensable principles of the

liter-

Magnum

Opus. The later writers never weary of affirming that they are not the substances commonly so called, but this does not appear so plainly in earlier and especially in Greek Authors.

The Turba Philosophorum.

37

O

Parmenides, but thou hast not demonstrated the disposition of the

well,

smoke is

to posterity, nor

whitened

how

the

same

!

The Twelfth Dictum.

LUCAS

saith

:

I

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 is from the male,

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

because

with custom,

it

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

book

A is

prescribe this method,

I

further 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

middle of the process

for the

in

the

more complete confusion

of the uninitiated. t It

should

be noted

in

this connection that the

planets is not never spoken of

attribution of the seven metals to the seven

found in the Turba.

Thus, quicksilver

as Mercury, nor gold as Sol, &c.

is

The Turba Philosophorum.

38

namely, that you shall take the quicksilver from the male, and shall either

impose upon copper, and it

tin, or governed be whitened.*

iron,

will

White Magnesia

is

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 therefore our nature

Take, then, the vapour

rejoices.t

which the Ancients

commanded you

and cook the same with

to take,

its

own body until tin is produced. Wash away its blackness according to custom, and cleanse and roast at an equable fire until it be whitened, But every body whitened with governed quicksilver, for Nature converts Nature. Take,thereis

Magnesia, Water of Alum, Water of Nitre, Water of the Sea, and Water whiten with smoke. J Whatof Iron fore,

;

*

The second

upon copper, that

recension is,

reads

governed

:

"Ye

iron,

shall

and

it

impose be

shall

whitened." t

The

alternative reading is: " Therefore Nature also

rejoices in Nature." J

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

as intermediary between the

The Turbo, Philosophorutn.

39

soever ye desire to be whitened whitened with this smoke, because itself

is

and

white,

whitens

smoke

it

all

Mix, therefore, the with its faeces until

things.

is

said

it be and become coagulated excessively white.* Roast this white copper till it

germinates

since

itself,

the

when whitened does not

Magnesia the

suffer

of

to

spirits

shadow

of

because

Nature

escape,

coppert

to

the

appear, Nature.

contains

Take, therefore,

or

ye Sons of the

all

Doctrine, the white sulphureous nature, whiten with salt and dew, or with the

Flower of White *

The

Salt,+ until

alternative reading

is

:

" until

it

it

become

shall

become a

white coin or tablet." t

M.

The shadow

of copper

is

the flower of copper,

Berthelot explains, protoxide, verdegris.

The

i.e.,

epistle

of Democritus to Leucippus explains that a metal without

shadow burning

is

a brilliant metal.

is

Zosimus says that the act

called the destruction of the shadow.

of

Pelagus

shadow of copper as the black tinge which it produces in silver. Democritus also gives a recipe for the removal of the shadow from copper.

defines the

J

The second

recension in the edition of Mangetus it is a printer's error.

reads Sol throughout for Sal, but

The Turba Philosophorum.

40

And know ye, that excessively white. the Flower of White Salt is Ethel from

The same must be

Ethelia.

boiled

for

seven

days,

till

it

shall

like gleaming marble, for when has reached this condition it is a

become it

Arcanum, seeing that mixed with Sulphur is Sulphur, whence an excellent work is accomvery

great

by reason of the affinity between them, because natures rejoice in meeting their own natures. Take, therefore, Mardek and whiten the same with Gadenbe,* that is, wine and vinegar, and Permanent Water. Roast and coagulate until the whole does not plished,

liquefy in a fire stronger than its own,

namely, the former

mouth

fire.

Cover the

of the vessel securely,

but

let it

be associated with

may

its neighbour, that it the whiteness kindle thereof, and

beware

lest

the

fire

blaze up, for in

*

Though Martinus Rulandus endeavoured honestly all the barbarous terms of Alchemy in his laborious lexicon, and though he was evidently well

to explain

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

41

it

this will profit

the

require the white. Afterwards coagulate the same until you attain the red.

Let your

be gentle in the whitening, until coagulation take place. Know that

fire

when

is

it

the Soul, and

we

coagulated

it is

therefore,

it

more quickly con-

verted from nature into nature. sufficient

is

call

This,

those .who

for

Art of Coins, because one thing makes it but many operate therein. For ye need not a number of deal with the

things,

but one thing only, which in

each and every grade of your work is The changed into another nature.

TURBA the

saith

Wise

you speak as spoken, and that follow you who do not

Master,

if

have

they will to be wholly

briefly,

wish

:

shut

in

with

darkness. The Thirteenth Dictum.

PYTHAGORAS

saith

We

:

government which

is

posit another

not from another

The Turba Philosophorum.

42

root, but

it

differs in

name. And know, this Science and

ye seekers after Wisdom, that whatsoever the envious all

enjoined in their books conthe composition of natures

may have cerning

which agree together,* is

in

savour there

only one, albeit to sight they are as

diverse as possible.

Know,

also, that

the thing which they have described in so many ways follows and attains its

companion without magnet follows the

even as the

fire,

iron, to

which the

said thing is not vainly compared, nor to a seed, nor to a matrix, for it is also like

unto these.

which follows! fire,

causes

And its

many

when embracing

it,

this

same

thing,

companion without colours

to

appear

for this reason, that

the said one thing enters into

every

regimen, and is found everywhere, being a stone, and also not a stone common and precious hidden and concealed, ;

;

The

mony f

shorter recension reads

:

"

concerning the har-

of the elements."

According to the second recension, the subject

in

question causes many colours to appear in complexion, according as it is governed in every regimen.

The Turba Philosophorum.

known by everyone

yet

and

;

43

many names, which

of

of

Spume

Moon.

the

name

of one

is

This

the

stone,

not a stone, because it is therefore, more precious ; without it Nature is

never operates anything;

name

its

is

we have called it by many names on account of the excellence of

one, yet

its

nature.*

The

TURBA

answereth

wilt thou not

O

:

Master

!

!

mention some of those

*

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, is a process upon the stone Alabastron by means of vinegar. By the

Lexicon of Chrysopeia in the By/antine Collection that earliest dictionary of alchemy, which has remained un-

known is

to all later Hermetic lexicographers

a variety of natron, and

common

the uncommunicated secret these substances, and is

Alabastron

defined to be the calx obtained from eggshells, saltpetre,

it

The

salt.

may

inquirer after

take his choice

among

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, is the symbolical encephalous stone which

known by

is

all,

not a stone, the

unknown thing which

the despised thing which

is

is

most precious,

The preparation The perplexities of

the thing given and not given by God. indicated

is

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.

44

names

And

for

he:

the guidance of seekers ? called White Ethelia,

It is

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 that the humidity does not escape from the vessel but coagu;

late

it

in the vessel until

a cinder.

Cook

it

shall

also with

become of

Spume

Luna and regulate. For ye shall find the stone broken, and already imbued with its own water.t This, therefore, is the

stone

which we

call

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

*

The second

that milk

is

recension adds : " that

coagulated."

The

is,

after the

manner

symbolical use of milk in

alchemy is, like so much of the terminology of the Turba, It will be found in the discourse of of Greek origin. Synesius. t

The second

recension has a preferable reading

shall find the stone formed,

which imbue with

:

its

"

Ye own

water." J

The second

recension says

" :

Gum

of Scotia," most

The Turba Philosophorum.

45

and mix with cinder of calx, which you have ruled, and with the scoriae,

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 faeces

the

first

fire,

until

be

it

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

and becomes a stone, therefore,

many

same

is

stone.

when

it

coagulated,

Out is

of this

broken up,

But

colours will appear to you.

probably a philosophical

misprint

gum

for

Scoria.

Rulandus

with Ferment, Mercury, &c.

identifies

The term

is much used in alchemy, and is found in Zosimus, but without explanatory context. The Turba Philosophorum is not very clear on the subject of the philosophical gum,

but

it is

as clear as the

Chrysopeia defines

Greek Alchemists,

gum

for the

Lexicon of

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

is

gum,

other things, speaking also philosophically, and

without regard to the Lexicon.

The Turba Philosophorum.

46

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,

herein,

if

and so ye

find

your purpose.

The Fourteenth Dictum.

ACSUBOFEN*

Master, thou hast spoken without envy, even as became thee, and for the same may God saith

PYTHAGORAS

reward thee

!

God

deliver

also

:

saith

:

May

ACSUBOFEN, Then he Ye must know, from envy of O Assembly the Wise, that sulphurs are contained in sulphurs, and humidity thee, :

!

in humidity. t

The

envious,

The

TURBA

O

answereth

therefore,

us,

what

is

:

In the second recension the

A

Tell

humidity ? a venom, and

I

t

!

this

And he Humidity is when venom penetrates *

have

Acsubofen,

uttered something like unto this

:

name

a body, is

it

Assuberes.

Formula of the Greek Alchemists

:

Sulphurs are

mastered by Sulphurs, &c. I

The

theriac

and poison of the stone are favourite

subjects of discourse

Petrus

Bonus

seems with

all

among

early Latin Alchemists, like

the sovereign remedy authors to have had a destructive as well as

and,

indeed,

The Turba Philosophorum.

47

tinges it with an invariable colour, and in no wise permits the soul to be separated from the body, because it is

equal thereto. Concerning this, the envious have said When one flies and :

the other pursues, then one seizes upon the other, and afterwards they no longer

flee,

hold of

its

because Nature has laid equal, after the

manner of

an

enemy, and they destroy one For this reason, out of the another. sulphureous mixed sulphur is produced a most precious colour, which varies not, nor flees

from the

fire,

when the

soul enters into the interior of the body and holds the body together and tinges I will it. repeat my words in Tyrian Take the Animal which is dye.* a constructive aspect.

A

Syriac treatise, fixed

by M.

Berthelot as belonging to the tenth or eleventh century, " the elixir resembles a says that poison , because of its violence

many

and subtlety," and Arabian alchemy contains to the venenum ignis. The Greek

references

equivalent

is ios,

and

this is recurring continually in

the

Byzantine Alchemical collection. * This process, worded in the language of the Tyrian dye, may be compared with a similar recipe for the purple tincture, which occurs at the beginning of the Natural and

The Turba Philosophorum.

48

called Kenckel, since all

water

its

is

a

Tyrian colour, and rule the same with a gentle fire, as is customary, until it shall become earth, in which there will be a little colour. But if you wish to obtain the Tyrian tincture, take the humidity which that thing has ejected,

and place

therewith gradually in a vessel, adding that tincture whereof the colour was disagreeable to you. Then it

cook with that same marine water*

until

become dry. t 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,

it

several

for

until

the most

precious Tyrian colour shall come out from it to the surface. Observe how describe the regimen to you Prepare it with the urine of boys, with I

!

Myftic Questions of Democritus.

an important *

In

this, also, urine

plays

part.

The use

of sea water

is

specified in

one

of the

Democritic treatises. t

The second

moistened, after

recension reads

:

" until

it

shall

which evaporate the moisture."

become

The Turba Philosophorum.

49

water of the sea, and with permanent clean water, so that it may be tinged,

and decoct with a gentle

until the

fire,

blackness altogether shall depart from Decoct, it, and it be easily pounded.

own humour

until

it

clothe itself with a red colour.

But

if

therefore, in

its

ye wish to bring

it

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 water. Then wash with the water of ;

which

which

is

thou hast prepared, water of desiccated calx ;t cook

until

it

imbibe

sea

the

its

own moisture

;

and

do

I tell this day by day. you that a colour will thence appear to you the like of which the Tyrians have never

And

made. be a the

still

gum

which ye *

t

if

ye wish that

more exalted

in the

shall

it

should

colour, place

permanent water, with dye it alternately, and

The second recension reads The alternative reading is

:

:

" with water of snow."

water of

talc.

E

The Turba Philosophorum.

50

afterwards desiccate in the sun. restore to the aforesaid water

Then

and the

black Tyrian colour is intensified. But know that ye do not tinge the purple colour except by cold. Take, therefore,

water which

is

of the nature of cold,

and steep wool* therein

until

it

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.

Seek, there-

fore, your intent in the said water ; therein place what is in the vessel for

days and nights, until it be clothed with a most precious Tyrian colour. The Fifteenth Dictum.

FRICTES

saith

:

Wisdom, know

O

all

ye seekers after

that the foundation of

on account of which many have perished, is one only.t There is

this Art,

* i.e.,

The second

Moon

recension substitutes

Luna

for

Lana,

for wool.

t The one nature, the one matter, the one way, are all " The furnace is one, the conceptions of Greek Alchemy. is must be followed one, and one is also the way which

The Turba Philosophorum.

one thing which

and

natures,

is

51

stronger than

more sublime

all

the

in

opinion of philosophers, whereas with fools

it is

But

for

more common than anything. us

it

Woe

reverence.

How

is

a thing which we unto all ye fools !

ignorant are ye of this Art, for

whichye would die if ye knew it I swear you that if kings were familiar with it, none of us would ever attain this thing. !

to

O how this nature changeth body into O how admirable is Nature, spirit !

how

all, and overPYTHAGORAS saith Name

she presides over

comes

all

:

!

this Nature, is

O

Frictes

!

And

he

It

:

a very sharp vinegar,* which makes "

The ONB work," says the Atsembty of the Philosophert. furnishes blood to the OTHER, and the ONE engenders the OTHER.

Nature rejoices nature

;

nature charms nature

;

nature triumphs over nature nature masters nature and this not for one such nature opposed to another such, but ;

for

;

one only and same nature, proceeding by chemical from itself with pain and great labour." The

process

Serpent Ourobobot. *

The Greek Assembly of

that the philosophical vinegar

the Stone.

It

is

the Philosophers explains

obtained by the coction of

appears to be an

oil

which

rises

surface during the process, but the explanation

is

to

the

by no

The Turba Philosophorum.

52

gold into sheer spirit, without which vinegar, neither whiteness, nor blackness, nor redness, nor rust can be

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, that ;

ye place the body over the fire without vinegar, it will be burnt and if

And know, further, that corrupted. the first humour is cold. Be careful, therefore, of the

fire,

which

Accordingly, the

to cold.

is

inimical

Wise have

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

means

M. Berthelot supposes a

clear.

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

:

Take unburnt

who has not reached

then taking an equal quantity ot brine, boil till ; the sulphur rises to the surface, and then it becomes incombustible. Prove it by reasoning and examining (? with

puberty

fire) until

it

you see that

becomes incombustible, that is to say, until no longer burns. Take the same incom-

it

bustible water (of sulphur), pour on flower of salt, dilute as

The Turbo, Philosophorum.

53

men have

already shewn to those who possess reason the dispositionof this Art, and the best point of their Art, which

they mentioned, is, that a little of this sulphur burns a strong body. Accordingly they venerate it and name it in the beginning of their book, and the

son of this

verts

Adam

thus described

burns

it.

the

For con-

vinegar body, it into a cinder, 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. fore, the

and

be disintegrated, dissolve and temper with

stone until

then

Cook, there-

it

Know

water of the sea.

also, that

the

beginning of the whole work is the which succeeds the whitening, to redness, finally

work

;

but

the perfection of the this, by means of

after

vinegar, and by the will of Gcd, there follows a complete perfection. Now, I

have shewn to you,

in the case of the

divine mystery.

O

disciples of

incombustible sulphur.

This

is

the

The Turbo, Philosophorum.

54

Turba, the disposition of the one thing, which is more perfect, more this

and more honourable, than all natures, and I swear to you by God that I have searched for a long time in precious,

might arrive at the knowledge of this one thing, while I prayed also to God that he would teach books so that

I

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

knew pure

The Sixteenth Dictum.

SOCRATES

O

crowd of those that still remain of the Sons of the Doctrine, that no tincture can be produced without Lead, which possesses saith:

Know,

Have ye not seen Hermes infused the

the required virtue.

how

thrice-great

red into the body, and it was changed into an invariable colour ?* Know, therefore, that the first virtue *

The second recension

"

is

vinegar,

Have ye not seen, says it is infused into the Hermes, " body, the same body is changed into an invariable colour ? thrice-great

reads

:

that so often as

The Turba Philosophorum.

55

and the second is the Lead" of which the Wise have spoken, which if it be infused into

bodies, renders all unchangeand able, tinges them with an invariable colour. Take, therefore, Lead which is made out of the stone called Kuhul t let it be of the best quality, and let it be cooked till it becomes black. Then all

;

pound the same with Water of Nitre until it is thick like grease, and cook again in a very bright spissitude of the body

is

the

until

fire

destroyed,

*

M. Berthelot tells 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

it

possesses in

be cited

All substances

produced by lead alone, the Substances t

The

is

he

;

for i.e.,

it

is

from lead that the three

copper, iron, and tin.

Zosimus

and Non-substances of Art.

significance

accurately Kohol,

confirmation of this point

were recognised by the Egyptians as

other bodies are derived,

On

in

is

of the

term

Kuhul,

to be found in Syriac

or

more

alchemy

;

it

the equivalent of alcool and sulphurated antimony in the

form of an impalpable powder. Kuhul, or Koheul, is the to be Lead of the Philosophers. Rulandus explained by

The Alcohol mentioned by M.

Berthelot seems to be

from Alcool of wine, and is, in Part of any body separated from that which different

fact, is

the pure

impure.

The Turba Philosophorum.

56

water

the

therefore,

comes

being

above

clean,

Kindle,

rejected.

until the stone be-

it

abounding

in

precious

Pound metal, and exceedingly white. it afterwards with dew and the sun, and with sea and rain water for 21 days, for 10 days with salt water, and 10 days with fresh water,* when ye shall find the same like to a metallic stone.

Cook

same once more with water until it become tin by lique-

the

of nitre

Again cook until it be deprived of moisture, and become dry. But faction.

know

when

that

drinks swiftly,

because

it

'

The second

it

humour is burnt lead. Take it be burnt. Thus we

up what remains of

care, however, lest

with dew,

becomes dry

it

recension reads

and rain water

:

its

" Afterwards pound

it

29 days, again with salt water for 20 days, and yet again with fresh water for 10 The explanation of all Rosicrucian mysteries has days." salt,

for

been referred to the dew of the alchemists, and the an important part in the

ros philosophorum certainly plays

Great Mystery. of Democritus, process

In the Natural and Mysterious Questions

dew

is

of whitening,

Philosophical

Egg

it is

mentioned

and

in

in

the

tabulated as a

or philosophical albumen, but here

the additions of a later hand.

connection with a

fragment

name

on

the

of the white

M. Berthelot suspects

The Turba Philosophorum.

57

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.

demonstrated white lead,

Now,

therefore,

I

have

the disposition of the which afterwards follows

all

being no more than women's work and child's play. Know, 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 therefore,

the

for

the

lead,

receiving

the

because she

is

in

Mix, orpiment.* with the orpiment female

rejoices

in

strength of the male, assisted by the male.

But the male

receives a tingeing spirit from the female. Mix them, therefore, *

M. Berthelot

of the ancients.

Greek

indentifies orpiment with the arsenic

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.

58

together, place in a glass vessel,

and

pound with Ethelia and very sharp vinegar ; cook for seven days, taking care lest the arcanum smoke away, and leave throughout the night.

wish that

to put

it it

is

on

mud

Now,

if

ye

(colour), seeing

already dry,

with vinegar.

But

again imbue

therefore,

I

have

you the power of orpiment, the woman by whom is ac-

notified to

which

is

complished the most great arcanum. Do not shew these unto the evil, for they

will laugh.

vinegar which

It is

the Ethelia of

placed in the preparation, by which things God perfects the take work, whereby also spirits is

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 Philosophorum. this

Art,

that

make

cannot

59

unless ye whiten, ye red, because the two

natures are nothing other than red and Whiten, therefore, the red, and

white.

redden the white the year the first

is

Know,

!*

also, that

divided into four seasons

;

season is of a frigid comthis is Winter the second and plexion, is of the complexion of air, and this is Spring then follows the third, which is summer, and is of the complexion of ;

;

fire

lastly, there is

;

fruits are

the fourth, wherein

matured, which

is

Autumn.

In this manner, therefore, ye are to rule

your natures, namely, to dissolve in winter, to cook in spring, to coagulate

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

given this example, rule the tingeing natures, but if ye err, blame no one

save yourselves.

Thou

The

TURBA answereth

:

hast treated the matter extremely

*

A commentary introduced into the text of Zosimus on Virtue and Interpretation, observes If thou dost com:

mence by making perfect

and

solid.

white, the yellowing will be perfect,

The Turba Philosophorum.

60

add, therefore, another teaching of this kind for the sake of posterity. And he : I will speak of making lead well

;

Take

red.*

the

Master

at

the

the

copper

ordered

you of

beginning

to his

which take

book,

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 ;

;

;

let

equally, for

if

this,

gold be roasted with them, ye rule well, becomes a

So when tingeing spirit in spirits. t the male and the female are conjoined there is not produced a volatile wife, but a spiritual composite. From the composite turned into a red spirit is of the world.

produced the beginning *

The

substances

various

founded under the names

of

which

alchemists

Minium, Rubric,

con-

etc,,

are

enumerated by M, Berthelot, including, in addition to the sur-oxyde of lead, which is the modern name of minium, not only

oxydes t spirit

vermillion,

cinnabar, realgar, etc., but

some

of iron.

The second

among

recension reads

spirits."

:

" becomes a mighty

The Turba Philosophorum.

Behold

this

is

the lead which

61

we have

Red Lead, which is of our work, and without which nothing is effected

called

!

The Eighteenth Dictum.

MUNDUS

saith

seekers after this

TURBA The Art must know that the

to

:

the Philosophers in their books have described gum in 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

that this

gum

is

not ameliorated except by gold alone. For there be very many who investigate these applications, and they find certain things, yet they cannot sustain

the

labours

because they are dimi-

*

It 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

find the following

words

:

and things tinged is Divine The gum of gold is mentioned

tinctures

water, the great mystery. in a

we

is

for in the context

fragment attributed to Agathodemon.

The Turba Philosophorum.

62

But the applications which are made out of the gum and out of the honourable stone, which has already nished.

held the labours,

tincture,

and are

they sustain the never diminished.

Understand, therefore, my words, for I unto you the applications

will explain

of this gum, and the arcanum existing therein. Know ye that our gum is stronger than gold, and

know

it

do hold

it

all

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. Consequently, the Philosophers, when committing these things to writing that the same might gold

not perish, have not set forth in their books the manifest disposition, lest

every one should become acquainted therewith, and having become familiar to fools, the same would not sell it at

a small

price.

Take,

therefore,

part of the most intense white

one

gum

;

The Turbo, Philosophorunt.

63

one part of the urine of a white calf; one part of the gall of a fish and one ;

part of the body of gum, without which it cannot be improved ; mix these por-

and cook for forty days. When these things have been done, congeal by the heat of the sun till they are Then cook the same, mixed dried. tions

with milk of ferment, until the milk fail ; afterwards extract it, and until it

become dry evaporate the moisture by

Then mix

heat. fig,

and

cock

it

it

with milk of the

moisture

that

till

be dried up in the composite, which afterwards mix with milk of the root of grass,

and again cook

Then

moisten

until

it

be dry.

with rainwater, then sprinkle with water of dew, and cook until it be dried. Also imbue with perit

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

gum which

equipped with all manner of colours, and cook strongly until the whole force of the water perish

;

and the

entire

is

body be deprived

The Turbo. Philosophorum

64

.

humidity, while ye imbue the same by cooking, until the dryness

of

its

Then

thereof be kindled. forty days.

Let

it

remain

dismiss for

in that tritura-

tion or decocting until the spirit penetrate the body. For by this regimen the

made

corporeal, and the body Observe the is changed into a spirit. vessel, therefore, lest the composition spirit is

and

fly

off in

pass

fumes.

These

things being accomplished, open the vessel, and ye will find that which ye

This,

purposed.

arcanum

therefore,

is

the

of gum, which the Philosophers

have concealed

in their books.

The Nineteenth Dictum.

DARDARIS

saith

:

It

is

common

knowledge that the Masters* before us have described Permanent Water.

Now,

it

behoves one who

is

introduced

to this Art to attempt nothing till he is familiar with the power of this Per*

The

reference to the Masters, which occurs twice in

this dictum, is to be

understood not of previous speakers

Assembly, but of the older philosophers, namely, the Greek Alchemists.

in the

The Turba Philosophorum.

manent Water, and

in

commixture, and the whole regimen, it

contrition,

behoves

65

us

to

use

famous Permanent who does fore,

invariably this Water. He, there-

not

Permanent Water, and sable regimen,

may

understand its

indispennot enter into this

Art, because nothing is effected without the Permanent Water. The force is a spiritual blood, whence the Philosophers have called it Per-

thereof

manent Water,

having pounded it with the body, as the Masters before me have explained to you, by the will of

God

it

for,

turns that body into spirit.*

For these, being mixed together and reduced to one, transform each other

the

;

body

spirit,

and

the

spirit

the

same

the

incorporates

spirit incorporates the body into tinged spirit, like blood. And know ye, that whatsoever hath

as well.

arcanum *

hath

Remember,

blood

also this

therefore,

!

The second

recension adds

:

" and the

spirit

body."

F

into

The Turba Philosophorum

66

.

The Twentieth Dictum.

BELUS

saith

:

O

disciples,

ye have

PYTHAGORAS discoursed excellently !* answers : Seeing that they are philosoO Belus, why hast thou called phers,

He answereth : It is disciples ? in honour of their Master, lest I should

them

make them equal with him.

Then

Those who,

in con-

PYTHAGORAS saith

:

junction with us, have composed this book which is called the Turba, ought

Then he

not to be termed disciples.

:

Master, they have frequently described Permanent Water, and the making of *

The whole of this Dictum recalls a passage in It is for these Zosimus, On Virtue and Interpretation reasons that my excellent master, Democritus, makes him.

self the following distinction

" ;

Take

that stone

which

is

not a stone, that precious thing which has no value, that polymorphous object which is without form, that unknown

thing which is known to everyone, which has many names and has no name, I refer to aphroselinon." For this stone is

not a stone, and while

same time

name

one.

it

it is

has no

it, I

nature, so that whether

flees the fire, or is

uttered.

;

do not say absolutely speaking, but according it is called the being which

given to

its

exceedingly precious, at the

money value its nature is one, its Nevertheless, many denominations have been

white smoke, or white copper, no falsehood

The Turbo, Philosophorum.

67

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 the hidden truth.

Behold, what

is

said concerning this

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

and that

it

the

lest

is

by many names,

should recognise

foolish

Certain wise after

called

men have

it.

designated

it

one fashion,

namely, according the place where it is generated others have adopted another, founded upon its colour, some of whom have

to

;

termed

the Green Stone

by other some it is called the Stone of the most intense Spirit of Brass, not to be mixed it

with bodies tion

;*

by yet others its descriphas been further varied, because ;

sold for coins by lapidaries who are called saven ; some have named it it is

Spume *

of

Luna

;t

some have

distin-

The second recension reads " Green Lion." Sputum Lunse does not seem to be a term which :

t

found favour with Latin alchemy, and accordingly

it

is

The Turba Philosophorum.

68

it

guished

astronomically

arith-

already received of which the best is

has

it

metically;

or

thousand titles, " That which

a

:

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

brought forth out of quicksilver with the milk of volatile things. The Twenty -first Dictum.

PANDOLFUS

much

said so

wanting

saith

who

Belus, thou hast

concerning the despised

in the Lexicons.

Rulandus,

O

:

It

very curious to note that

is

quite frequently quotes the Turba,

seems

seldom to have troubled himself about the significance of its bizarre terms. In Zosimus, On Virtue and Interpreta" that from Hermes tion, there is a concerning

prescription

which

falls

from the

moon when

referred to as describing

where

it

it

waning," and he is to be found, and how

is

is

has the quality of resisting the fire. In fact, says Hermes, " you will find it with me and with Agathodaimon." M.

it

Berthelot supposes this passage to volatilisation

Turba

recalls

mythology of

allegorise upon the But the expression in the the passage of Synesius. Note also the

of mercury.

Selenite,

Lapis Arabicus, Aphroselinum,

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

but to be "

Rulandus.

made from dew by

the foam of the

Moon, Moon."

The Turba Philosophorum.

stone* that thou hast

left

added by thy brethren I

teach

stone all

is

69

nothing to be

Howsoever,

!

posterity that this despised

a permanent water, and know,

ye seekers after

manent water

is

Wisdom,

water

that per-

mundane

of

because, verily, Philosophers have stated that Nature rejoices in Nature, life,t

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. is more precious or purer than the Sun,

and that no tingeing venomt *

The Turba Philosophorum does

where the hand

is

gene-

not betray any-

and although the reference to the despised stone suggests the stone which the builders have rejected, the idea is derived from of a Christian compiler,

Zosimus, and not from the as Zosimus himself

New Testament, except in

may have drawn

it

so far

from that source.

Treating, in his dictum on the subject of calx, concerning the uncommunicated mystery of the encephalous stone, the Greek adept calls precious,

it

the despised thing which

and so on through a number

is

most

of contradicting

denominations. f J

The second recension reads " clean water." The symbolism of the venom of the philosophers

also found

:

in

is

Zosimus, commenting upon Democritus.

The Turba Philosophomm.

70

Sun and its shadow. who attempts to make

rated without the

He,

therefore,

venom

the

of the Philosophers without

these, already errs,

and has

fallen into

that pit wherein his sadness remains. But he who has tinged the venom of

Sun and its shadow*

the wise out of the

has arrived at the highest Arcanum. Know also that our coin when it

becomes

red,

is

called gold

who knows

fore,

of the

Cambart him is the

the hidden to

Philosophers, already revealed. The

Arcanum answereth

Thou

:

hast

TURBA even now intel-

The Greek word signifies, says an M. Berthelot, the rouille of metals, the of bodies, and the venom of serpents. Zosimus, body. *

he, there-

;

it is

On

annotation specific

of

virtue

According to

the spirit separated from the substance of a

Virtue and Interpretation.

A quotation

from Mary (the

first) in

Zosimus On

the

Measure of Yellowing runs thus Copper when burned with sulphur, treated with oil ot natron, and recovered :

after having undergone the same process several times, becomes an excellent gold without shadow. t

his

This oriental term

Essay on

explanation of

its

referred to

significance,

by M. Berthelot

and

it is

in

without

not found in any

Alchemy. In an ancient alchemical entitled The Code of Truth, it figures as the name

of the Lexicons of treatise,

is

the Transmission of Ancient Science

of an adept.

The Turba Philosophorum. ligibly described this stone, yet

hast not narrated

its

71

thou

regimen nor

its

Return, therefore, to the

composition.

He saith : I direct you description. an occult and honourable arca-

to take

num, which is White Magnesia,* and the same is mixed and pounded with wine, but take care not to make use of this except it be pure and clean ; finally place

it

in its vessel,

and pray God

He may grant you the

that

sight of this

Then cook gradually, if it has become a see and, extracting, black stone, in which case ye have stone. t

very great

ruled excellently well. But rule it thus for the white, which is a great arcanum, until

*

it

becomes Kuhul, closed up with

The Chemistry

of Moses gives the following process

"

Taking Magnesia and an equal quantity of Cappadocian salt, place in a vessel of burnt clay. Let it stay there from evening till morning. for the

Then, is far

whitening of Magnesia:

if it

be black,

better to

cook

this mystery, for

it

let it

it

be cooked

till

it

in a glass-maker's

whitens, but furnace.

it

Hide

comprises everything which concerns

whitening by decoction." t It does not appear that

the conception of the Philosopher's Stone as a medicine of metals and of men

was

familiar to

Greek alchemy.

The Turba Philosophorum.

72

blackness, which blackness see that it does not remain longer than forty days.

Pound the same,

therefore, with its

confections, which are the said flower of copper, gold of the Indies whose root is one, and a certain extract of an

unguent, that is, of a crocus, that is, fixed exalted alum, or T? ;* cook the four, therefore, permanently for 40 or 42 days.

God

After these days

will

show you the

principle (or beginning) of this stone,

the stone Atitos, of which favoured sight of God there are many

which

is

Cook

strongly,

and imbue

gum that remains.

And know

accounts.

with the

ye that so often as ye imbue the cinder, so often must it be desiccated and again humectated, until its colour turns into that which ye desire. Now, therefore, will

*

The

I

complete that which

authenticity of this sign

and the marginal note which editions does not help

it

out.

sentence

extremely doubtful,

appended to most printed It is no doubt really a mis-

immediately

recension confirms this view.

have

is

reading of the word Hoc, which of the

is

I

is

required to

following.

make sense The second

The Turba Philosophorum.

Know

also

will look kindly

rule

perfection of this precious stone is

with

it

on us.*

the

that

work of

the to

God

if

begun,

73

the

residue

the

of

the medicine, and to part preserve the two other parts for imthird

of

buing and cooking alternately

the

till

Let the fire required colour appears.! be more intense than the former; the matter be cerated, and when it is desiccated it coheres. Cook, the wax until it imbibes therefore, let

the gluten of gold, which being desiccated, imbue the rest of the work

seven

times

until

the

other

two-

and true earth imFinally, place the same

thirds be finished,

bibe them

on a hot

all.

fire until

flower

and be

are ye

if

I will

*

original

emendation given

is

its

Blessed

satisfactory.

ye understand

repeat to

The

the earth extract

But, if not, the you perfection of !

untranslatable;

in the text

the

conjectural

has no authority, and

is

only

introduced to provide a meaning. t

The

substituted,

reading of the second recension has been owing to the corrupt state of the longer text.

The Turba Philosophorum.

74

Take the

the work. is

clean white, which

a most great arcanum, wherein

true tincture;

which sand

is

is

the

imbue sand therewith,

made

out of the stone

seven times imbued, until it drink up the whole, and close the mouth of the vessel effectually, as you have often been told. For that which ye seek of it by

the favour of God, will appear to you, which is the stone of Tyrian colour.

Now,

therefore,

have

I

fulfilled

do I conjure you by sure Master, that you your

truth, so

this great

wicked

the

God and show not

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

:

O

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.

75

knows what the narrated

in

Philosophers have books without their

reading, experiments, and of the Wise. For that questionings

frequent

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

which

and it

have treated

well, certain others

obscurely

;

than others.

Thou

thus some are more lucid

The

TURBA

hast truly spoken.

answereth

And

he

:

:

I

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 Divide, therefore, the venom into two equal parts, with one of which

water.

liquefy the copper, but preserve the other to pound and imbue the same, until

it is

drawn out

into plates

;

cook

the former part of the venom, cook two to seven in two; cook

again

with

to seven in its * first

own water

This unintelligible passage

recension

:

for

42 days

;*

is better rendered in the " Cook with the former part of the venom

76

The Turba Philosopherum.

finally,

open the

and ye

vessel,

find copper turned

into

shall

quicksilver;

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

For when

gealed.

it

is

congealed

becomes a very great arcanum.

it

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

it

to reserve, that is to say, with the other

and cook

portion,

it

many

times until

colours manifest. This, therefore, the very great putrefaction which extracts (or contains in itself) the very

its *s

arcanum.

great until

it

shall

Saith

the

TURBA

:

have absorbed both, and do this seven times." ebibat does not agree with the subsequent

But donee duas

directions found in each version. *

Boritis, according to

after the black state,

and

it

Rulandus,

is

the White Stone

reduces earth to water.

A

late

French Lexicon observes that the name was applied by Philosophers to their Mercury when it had reached the extreme black stage. whitened.

The word

is

It is

the Laton which must be

of Oriental origin.

The Turba Philosophorum.

77

O

TheoAnd lie: It is to be known philus that the same affinity which exists between the magnet and iron, also exists assuredly between copper and Return to thine exposition, !

If, therefore, ye permanent water. rule copper and permanent water as I have directed, there will thence result the very great arcanum in the following

Take

fashion.

quicksilver,*

Magnesia and mix with the male, and white

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 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 of the vessel, and cook for forty days, when

ye

will

find it

of

it

water whiter than milk

all

blackness by cooking

;

deprive continue the cooking until its whole nature be disintegrated, until the de*

The

second

recension reads

mixed with the male."

:

;

" Take quicksilver

The Turba Philosophorum.

78

filement

perish,

until

be

it

found

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 clean,

preserve, until there appear a crocus, and leave in its own vessel.

you to

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 imbue it, a syrup of pomegranates and until the therefore, cook, weight of the humidity shall fail, and the ;

colour

which

the Philosophers have

magnified shall truly appear. The Twenty-third Dictum.

CERUS*

Understand, all ye Sons of the Doctrine, that which Theophilus saith

:

hath told you, namely, that there exists an affinity between the magnet and the *

The name

Bellus.

substituted by the second recension

is

The Turba Philosophorum.

79

by the alliance of composites existing between the magnet and the iron,

iron, while the

ruled for

is fitly

copper

one hundred days :* what statement can be more useful to you than that there

no

is

affinity

between tinf and

The TURBA answerelh : quicksilver ?! Thou hast ill spoken, having disparaged the true disposition. that

why

And

he

:

I testify

say nothing but what is true ; are you incensed against me ?

I

Fear the Lord, all ye Turba, that your The TURBA Master may believe you answereth : Say what you will. And he : !

I

direct

which *

is

you to take quicksilver, in the male potency or strength ;

The second

recension adds

:

" Between the copper

and water of the Philosophers. This affinity and combination is given to them in the space of one hundred days." t

The definition may not be important, but it

is,

perhaps,

as well to state that the Greek Lexiconof Chrysoptia explains that tin alchemically is cinnabar,

and that

cinnabar

is

sublimed vapour obtained by coction in cauldrons. Here M. Berthelot observes that the reference is to sublimed

mercury or the sulphur thereof. " The nature According to the alternative version of the one does not agree with the nature of the other." " " The proper end of the whole art," says Horus, is :

\

to obtain the

semen of the male

secretly, seeing that all

The Turba Philosophorum.

8o

cook the same with

becomes a

fluxible

its

body

until

it

water; cook the

masculine together with the vapour, until each shall be coagulated and stone. Then take the water which you had divided into two parts, of which one is for liquefying and cook-

become a

ing the

body, but the second

cleansing that which

and

its

made

is

are

[two]

Imbue the stone seven

one.

times, and cleanse, until

all

for

already burnt,

companion, which

grated, and

is

its

defilement,

it

be disinte-

body be purged from

become

and

earth.

Know

also that in the time of forty-two days the whole is 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 like to tin, when it is a most things are male and female. certain place will

:

find that

Hence Horus says

in

a

Join the male and the female, and you

which

process of reunion, charms Nature," &c.

is

sought

;

as a fact, without this

nothing can

succeed, for

Nature

Olympiodorus On the Sacred Art.

The Turba Philosophorum.

81

that is to say, the great arcanum stone which is out of two things. Rule the same by cooking and pounding, ;

until

becomes

it

Know

crocus.

a

also

most

excellent

that unto water

companion we have Cook it, and imbue with the residual

desiccated with

its

name

given the therefore,

of crocus.

water reserved by you until you attain your purpose. The Twenty-fourth Dictum.

BOCASCUS* well,

O

saith

Thou

:

hast spoken I follow

Belus, and therefore

He

As it may please you, but do not become envious, for that is not the part of the Wise. And BOCASCUS: Thou speakest the truth, thy steps

and

!

answereth

thus, therefore,

the Doctrine.

I

Take

:

direct the

Sons of

lead, and, as the

Philosophers have ordained, imbue, liquefy, and afterwards congeal, until a stone

is

produced

;

then rule the stone

with gluten of gold and syrup of pomegranates until it be broken up. But you *

The name

in the

second recension

is

Boratis.

G

The Turba Philosophorum.

82

have already divided the water into of which you have

two parts, with one

and

liquefied the lead,

it

has become

cook, therefore, the same be dried and have become

as water; until

it

then pound with the water reserved until it acquire a red colour, as you have been frequently ordered.*

earth

;

The TURBA answer-eth

Thou

:

hast done

nothing but pile up ambiguous words. Return, therefore, to the subject. And he

Ye who wish

:

to

must mix

silver,t

it

coagulate quickwith its equal.!

Otherwise: " Rule frequently, as I have said." t The Greek alchemists claim to have accomplished

*

means of the Body of Magnesia, Zosimus understands molybdochalchos. An

the fixation of Mercury by

by which

unassigned fragment of the Byzantine collection has the following poetical reference to the fixation of Mercury " Mercury is obtained in like manner with artificial :

cinnabar, a rare substance, that I refer to

roasting.

It is that

easily volatilised,

become an hemisphere of the

above

;

all

employed

etherised

one met with rarely. way and a suitable

which

is

termed dried and

in the testing of souls.

spirit,

it

Having

darts towards the upper

descends and ascends, avoiding the action quitting its role of fugitive, it reaches a

it

fire, until,

state of

wisdom.

difficult to retain, \

is,

cinnabar obtained by the dry

" With

is

it

has attained this condition,

mortal."

it

is

Fabrication of the All.

body," says the second recension between compari and corpori.

its

printer's choice

Until

and

;

it is

a

The Turba Philosophorum.

Afterwards cook

it

83

diligently until both

become permanent water, and, cook

But

let

again,

be coagulated. this be desiccated with its own water until

this

it

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

itself.*

by in

your vessel

ye understand, and place what is necessary, cook

be coagulated, and then poundt until it becomes a crocus like to the colour of gold. until

it

it

The Twenty-fifth Dictum.

MENABDUS the

for

the truth

May God

saith:

reward thee

regimen, since thou speakest !

For thou hast illuminated

thy words. And they : It is said because thou praisest him for his sayings, do not be inferior to him.

And he

:

I

know

can utter nothing but that which he hath uttered however, I counsel that

I

;

posterity to *

The second

make

bodies not

recension reads

:

bodies,

" Let the whole be

coagulated into quicksilver." t

more

The second in its vessel,

recension merely says

and pound."

:

" Place

it

once

The Turba Philosophomm.

84

but these incorporeal things bodies.*

For by

regimen the composite prepared, and the hidden part of this

nature

With

extracted.

is

is its

these bodies

accordingly join quicksilver and the body of Magnesia,t 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 become not bodies, and incorporeal

if I

things

become

pound

the things in the

*

Egg

bodies.

If

ye diligently

fire

and digest

The Byzantine fragment upon The

contains this statement

:

Philosophical " Unless bodies lose their

and unless bodies again

corporeal state,

corporeal state, that which

is

assume

their

desired will not be attained."

quoted by Olympiodorus in terms which " Except correspond literally with the text of the Turba : you convert corporeal substances into incorporeal, and

But Mary

is

incorporeal substances into corporeal, and unless you

two bodies achieved."

into

The

in precisely the

one body, no

" divine " Zozimus also quotes

same

fashion,

that to convert and transmute incorporeal.

desired result

make

will

be

Hermes

and he observes elsewhere is

to impart

body to the

The Body of Magnesia.

commenting upon Mary, concludes that Body of Magnesia is molybdochalchos, or black lead. The confusion of old chemis[See note on p. 82.] f Zosimus,

the

try

on the subject of the

last

substance

is

well

known.

The Turba Philosophonim.

85

become And know ye

(or join to) the Ethelias, they

clean and fixed things. that quicksilver is a fire burning the

mortifying and

bodies,

breaking up, with one regimen, and the more it is mixed and pounded with the body, the more the body is disintegrated, while the quicksilver

comes

is

attenuated and be-

For when ye

living.

shall dili-

gently pound fiery quicksilver and cook it as required, ye will possess Ethel, a fixed nature* and colour, subject to

every tincture, which also overcomes, For breaks, and constrains the fire.t

does not colour things be coloured, and being coloured

this reason

unless it

it

it

And know

colours.!

that no

body

can tinge itself unless its spirit be extracted from the secret belly thereof,

when

it

becomes a body and soul with-

" one according to the second recension, which does not flee from the fire." " all bodies," which seems a preferable t Alternatively, *

That

is,

reading. \

The second

colours

once

it

all spirits,

has been

recension

says that

because Ethelia tinges

itself

tinged."

" all

it

holds and

things

when

The Turba Philosophorum.

86

which

a spiritual

out the

spirit,*

tincture,

out of which colours have

is

manifested, seeing that a dense thing does not tinge a tenuous, but a tenuous

nature colours that which enters into a

body. When, however, ye have ruled the body of copper, and have extracted

a most tenuous (subject), then the latter is changed into a tincture by

from

it

which

man

wise tinge

know

coloured. t

it is

said, that

unless

first

it

Hence has the

copper does not be tinged. And

that those four bodies which you

This distinction between the soul and the

spirit is

recognised by Zosimus, who follows Democritus. The soul is the primitively sulphureous and caustic nature.

The purifying influence of fire preserves the spirit when the operation has been conducted according to the rules of Art.

The

spirit is

the useful part, the tingeing element.

The Four Metallic Bodies, f In his treatise

On

Democritus to the