The Forty Questions of the Soul
256. 5 From magic cometh philosophy, which soundeth the magic, and seeking, findeth astrology therein eternally; and astrology again seeketh 6 its master and maker, viz. astronomy, the 7 Sulphur and Mercury, which hath its own Principle; and therein is the third magic, viz. the 8 physician; who seeketh the 9 corrupter and would heal it; but he findeth the fourth magic, viz. the 10 divine; who seeketh the 11 turba in all things, and would heal the turba; but he findeth the eye of the first magic, and there he seeth that all is the wonder of magic: then he leaveth off from seeking, and is a 12 magus in the first will; for he seeth he hath all power to find and to make what he will: and then he maketh himself an angel, and remaineth in himself, and so he is free from all other things, and continueth eternally: This is the highest ground of the Essence of all essences.
i Or right eyes, viz. spiritual eyes.
2 Or of God."
3 the new-birth.
4 in magiam.
5 Out of the rnagia.
6 his cause and ruler.
7 Sulphur and Mer curium.
8 medicus.
9 Or disease which destroyeth the health.
10 theologus.
11 the curse of God.
12 magician: Mdyoq. Matt. ii. 1.
* "All lieth in the will," etc. (es lieget alles am Wille), "it all depends upon the will."
257. Although the whore of Babel will by no means relish it, yet we speak from good ground and say, that Babel and her children are * born of whoredom, in their 2 magic, philosophy, astrology, astronomy, physic, and divinity. [258.] Babel is the true child of none of these, she is a refractory proud bastard. *We have known her in the A and O, by searching of her philosophy and astrology, have 3 known her to be a whore in all 4 glasses; she committeth whoredom in all glasses.
259. She saith she is the eye, but she hath a 5 false eye f that glanceth out of her whoredom, in pride, envy, and anger; and her seat in the magic is tthe e av erse left eye: § she boasteth upon the cross, but she entereth not into the centre, she will not go through death into life.
1 adulterous.
2 magia, philosophia, astrologia, astronomia, medicina, theologia.
3 Or found.
4 specula, mirrors, or looking-glasses, or expositions, representations, illustrations, and similitudes in her teachings.
5 Or squint-eye.
6 Or back-turned.
* "We have known her," etc. Lit., "we have known her [i.e. found her out] through research in philosophy and astrology."
f "that glanceth" (das glintzet), "that glitters."
% "the averse left eye," or "the averted (abgewandl) left eye."
§ "she boasteth" (sie prangel) , "she maketh a great show." St Martin translates aptly, elle se pavane. This word, in its literal sense, describes the strutting of the peacock with outspread tail.
260. She saith, I live, and yet hath an unrighteous life; but that is her true hfe, if she will continue in it alone to herself; but she oppresseth the children that are born 1 upon the cross, and treadeth them under her feet.
261. Therefore the cross hath bent its bow, and will shoot away Babel from the cross: The spirit of the wonders declareth this in the magic.
The Seventh Form of Fire.
262. One 2 magic always proceedeth from the other, and is the glass and the eye of the other, wherein the wonders are known and propagated; for in the abyss there is nothing, but in the 2 magic is all, each glass is a centre, but yet its own, for *the lust, 3 seeking, and desire bringeth it forth; it is the model of the first.
263. For when I search to the beginning of the essence, then I find the eye, which is God; which is a desiring will of eternity, which entereth into itself, and seeketh the abyss in itself
1 Or live in patience and resignation.
2 magia.
3 Or longing.
* "the lust, seeking, and desire," etc., (des ersten Lust, Sucht und Begehren), "the longing, attraction and desire of the first [looking-glass or magic] bringeth it forth: it [each glass] is a model of the first."
264. It is in nothing, but it is the glass of the abyss; it seeketh itself and findeth itself; and that which is found seeketh again a model, wherein it can seek, find, and see itself; and that proceedeth so far, till it cometh to the number 1 Ten.
256. 5 From magic comes philosophy, which sounds the magic, and seeking, finds astrology therein eternally; and astrology again seeks 6 its master and maker, viz. astronomy, the 7 Sulphur and Mercury, which has its own Principle; and therein is the third magic, viz. the 8 physician; who seeks the 9 corrupter and would heal it; but he finds the fourth magic, viz. the 10 divine; who seeks the 11 turba in all things, and would heal the turba; but he finds the eye of the first magic, and there he sees that all is the wonder of magic: then he leaves off from seeking, and is a 12 magus in the first will; for he sees he has all power to find and to make what he will: and then he makes himself an angel, and remains in himself, and so he is free from all other things, and continues eternally: This is the highest ground of the Essence of all essences.
i Or right eyes, viz. spiritual eyes.
2 Or of God."
3 the new-birth.
4 in magiam.
5 Out of the rnagia.
6 his cause and ruler.
7 Sulphur and Mer curium.
8 medicus.
9 Or disease which destroys the health.
10 theologus.
11 the curse of God.
12 magician: Mdyoq. Matt. ii. 1.
* "All lies in the will," etc. (es lieget alles am Wille), "it all depends upon the will."
257. Although the whore of Babel will by no means relish it, yet we speak from good ground and say, that Babel and her children are * born of whoredom, in their 2 magic, philosophy, astrology, astronomy, physic, and divinity. [258.] Babel is the true child of none of these, she is a refractory proud bastard. *We have known her in the A and O, by searching of her philosophy and astrology, have 3 known her to be a whore in all 4 glasses; she committs whoredom in all glasses.
259. She says she is the eye, but she has a 5 false eye f that glancs out of her whoredom, in pride, envy, and anger; and her seat in the magic is tthe e av erse left eye: § she boasts upon the cross, but she enters not into the centre, she will not go through death into life.
1 adulterous.
2 magia, philosophia, astrologia, astronomia, medicina, theologia.
3 Or found.
4 specula, mirrors, or looking-glasses, or expositions, representations, illustrations, and similitudes in her teachings.
5 Or squint-eye.
6 Or back-turned.
* "We have known her," etc. Lit., "we have known her [i.e. found her out] through research in philosophy and astrology."
f "that glancs" (das glintzet), "that glitters."
% "the averse left eye," or "the averted (abgewandl) left eye."
§ "she boasts" (sie prangel) , "she makes a great show." St Martin translates aptly, elle se pavane. This word, in its literal sense, describes the strutting of the peacock with outspread tail.
260. She says, I live, and yet has an unrighteous life; but that is her true hfe, if she will continue in it alone to herself; but she oppresses the children that are born 1 upon the cross, and treads them under her feet.
261. Therefore the cross has bent its bow, and will shoot away Babel from the cross: The spirit of the wonders declares this in the magic.
The Seventh Form of Fire.
262. One 2 magic always proceeds from the other, and is the glass and the eye of the other, wherein the wonders are known and propagated; for in the abyss there is nothing, but in the 2 magic is all, each glass is a centre, but yet its own, for *the lust, 3 seeking, and desire brings it forth; it is the model of the first.
263. For when I search to the beginning of the essence, then I find the eye, which is God; which is a desiring will of eternity, which enters into itself, and seeks the abyss in itself
1 Or live in patience and resignation.
2 magia.
3 Or longing.
* "the lust, seeking, and desire," etc., (des ersten Lust, Sucht und Begehren), "the longing, attraction and desire of the first [looking-glass or magic] brings it forth: it [each glass] is a model of the first."
264. It is in nothing, but it is the glass of the abyss; it seeks itself and finds itself; and that which is found seeks again a model, wherein it can seek, find, and see itself; and that proceeds so far, till it comes to the number 1 Ten.
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There is commentary on page 1.