The Turba Philosophorum (complete) — trans. A. E. Waite (1896)
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The translator’s English as printed (A. E. Waite). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
therefore, G Master, shall I compose these things that they may become one ? And he : Mix, O Belus, that which strives with the fire with that which does not strive, for things which are conjoined in a fire suitable to the same contend, because the warm venoms of the physician are cooked in a gentle, incomburent fire !* Surely ye perceive what the Philosophers have stated concerning decoction, that a little sulphur burns many strong things, and the humour which remains is called humid pitch, balsam of gum, and other like things. Therefore our Philosophers are made like to the physicians, notwithstanding that the tests of the physicians are more intense than those of the Philosophers. The Turba answereth : I wish, O Belus, that you would also shew the disposition of this potent arcanum I alone, but is composed of several things which make up one sulphur."
* For this last sentence the second recension substitutes : " and friendship is made constant."
150 The Turba Philosophorum.
And he : I proclaim to future generations that this arcanum proceeds from two compositions, that is to say, sulphur and magnesia. But after it is reduced and conjoined into one, the Philosophers have called it water, spume of Boletus (i.e., a species of fungus), and the thickness of gold. When, however, it has been reduced into quicksilver, they call it sulphur of water; sulphur also, when it contains sulphur, they term a fiery venom, because it is a potent (or open) arcanum which ascends from those things ye know.
The Fiftieth Dictum.
Pandolphus saith : If, O Belus, thou
dost describe the sublimation* of
• The Greek term which the alchemists of the Byzantine collection made use oi as the equivalent of sublimation, signified originally filings, as M. Berthelot informs us, thus expressing the idea of the extreme attenuation of matter. The same idea was attached later on by the Latin adepts to their term alcoolisation, "which signifies reduction to the condition of an impalpable powder. [Collection des Anciens Alchimutes Grecs, Int., 210). Another species of sublimation was called stalagma, which meant distillation by vapourisation or filtration. {lb., 2ii.)
The Turba Philosophorum. 151
sulphur for future generations, thou wilt accomplish an excellent thing ! And the Turba : Do thou show it forth, therefore, O Pandolphus ! And he: The philosophers have ordered that quicksilver should be taken out of Cambar, and albeit they spoke truly, yet in these words there is a little ambiguity, the obscurity of which I will remove. See then that the quicksilver is sublimed in tabernacles, and extract the same from Cambar, but there is another Cambar in sulphur* which Belus hath demonstrated to you, for out of sulphur mixed with sulphur, many works proceed. When the same has been sublimed, there proceeds from the Cambar that quicksilver which is called Ethelia, Orpiment, Zendrio, or Sanderich,+
• According to the second recension : " there is another sulphur."
f The reading in the second recension is unintelligible, Sandarac is realgar ; in the Greek MSS. it is confounded under the same sign as arsenic. M. Berthelot also tells us that it was confused anciently with minium and cinnabar, as indeed is quite plain from the Lexicon of Rulandus. The same authority reminds us that the name is applied at the present day to an entirely different composition, derived
152 The Turba Philosophorum.
Ebsemich, Magnesia, Kuhul, or Chuhul, and many other names. Concerning this, philosophers have said that, being ruled by its regimen (for ten is the perfection of all things), its white nature appears, nor is there any shadow therein. Then the envious* have called it lead from Ebmich, Magnesia, Marteck, White Copper. For, when truly whitened, it is devoid of shadow and blackness, it has left its thickened ponderous bodies, and therewith a clean humid spirit has ascended, which spirit is tincture. Accordingly, the wise have said that copper has a soul and a body. Now, its soul is spirit, and its body is thick. Therefore, it behoves you to destroy the thick body until ye extract a tingeing spirit from the same. Mix, also, the spirit extracted therefrom with light sulphur until you, investigators, find your design accomplished.
from colophon, and not known to the ancients under this designation.
* Throughout the second recension, " Philosophers " or " the Wise," are substituted for this term.
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