Splendor Solis

«QUICKSILVER is a matter common to all metals.» — atribuido en el texto a Aristóteles, Meteorologicorum, libro cuarto.

«T h i s Stone rises in growing, greening things» — el troceo espacia las letras del impreso— en boca de Hali.

«Their Putrefaction is a moistening of dry bodies, that they may be restored to their former state of Greening and Growing.» — la putrefacción de los filósofos no es la común, que el texto distingue en la misma página.

«In this process of Putrefaction, moist and dry are joined together and not destroyed, but the moisture is quite separated from the dryness, then it is necessary to separate the dry parts» — húmedo y seco se unen sin destruirse.

«wanting the knowledge and perception of things, which the Philosophers have described in their books, are erring immensely» — en boca de Rosinus.

«wherewith kings are decorated and crowned» — de lo que ha de escogerse para la Piedra— en boca de Aristóteles.

«It is indeed n e e d e d t h a t a t t h e E n d o f t h i s W o r l d , H e a v e n and Earth should meet and come home» — [el impreso espacia las letras, y el troceo lo conserva] — en el pasaje de Hermes, «Padre de la Filosofía».

«It will receive the powers of the highest and lowest planets.» — sobre el Azufre de los filósofos.

«The Destruction of one thing is the birth of another.» — atribuida a Aristóteles dentro del texto.

«When Heat operates upon a moist body, then is blackness the first result.» — atribuida a Avicena (grafía del digest: AVINCENA).

«When Heat penetrates, it makes subtle all earthly things, that are of service to the matter.» — atribuida a Sócrates.

«the same says GALENUS, when he speaks of the Herb LUNATICA or BERISSA. Its root is a Metallic Earth; it has a red stem, spotted with black, grows easily and decays easily, and gains Citrine Flowers after three days; if it is put in Mercury, it changes itself into perfect Silver, and this again by further decoction changes into Gold, which then turns hundred parts of Mercury into the finest Gold» — la hierba LUNATICA o BERISSA, en boca de Galeno.

«Of this tree speaks VIRGILIUS, in the sixth book of the AENEIDE, when he relates a Fable, how AENEAS and SILVIUS went to a tree, which had golden branches, and as often as one broke a branche off, another one grew in its place.» — la rama dorada del libro sexto, citada por el texto.

«He was crowned with three costly crowns, the one of Iron, the other of Silver, and the third of pure Gold. They saw in his right hand a Sceptre with Seven Stars, all of which gave a Golden Splendor, and in his left hand a golden Apple» — el Rey de la Tierra, liberado y renovado.

«Rosinos relates of a vision he had of a man whose body was dead and yet beautiful and white like Salt. The Head had a fine Golden appearance, but was cut off the trunk, and so were all the limbs; next to him stood an ugly man of black and cruel countenance, with a bloodstained double-edged sword in his right hand, and he was the good man's murderer.» — la sexta parábola.

«OVID the old Roman, wrote to the same end, when he mentioned an ancient Sage who desired to rejuvenate himself was told: he should allow himself to be cut to pieces and decoct to a perfect decoction, and then his limbs would reunite and again be renewed in plenty of strength.» — la séptima parábola, por el rejuvenecimiento mediante corte y decocción.

«MENALDUS the Philosopher, says: "I command all my descendants to spiritualise their bodies by DISSOLUTION, and again to materialise the spiritual things by means of a gentle decoction.» — el mandato de Menaldus; la comilla que abre no cierra en la plana, el texto sigue al otro lado.

«The Spirit dissolves the body, and in the Dissolution extracts the Soul of the Body, and changes this body into Soul; and the Soul is changed into the Spirit, and the Spirit is again added to the Body, for thus it has stability.» — Senior, sobre el trueque de cuerpo, alma y espíritu.

«The Philosophers give to this Art two bodies, namely: Sun and Moon, which are Earth and Water, they also call them Man and Wife, and they bring forth four children, two boys, which are heat and cold, and two girls, as moisture and dryness. These are the Four Elements, constituting the QUINTESSENCE, that is the proper white MAGNESIA, wherein there is nothing false.» — la quinta parábola.

«The next is COAGULATION, which is turning the WATER again into the CORPUS or MATTER.»

«before-mentioned moisture of the earth, for if the water is reduced into the earth, it is evaporated into the lightness of the air»

«this is the Spirit of the FIFTH ESSENCE, which is called the TINCTURE, ANIMA, FERMENTUM, or the OIL, and which is the very next matter to the STONE OF THE PHILOSOPHERS.» — cuatro sinónimos de la quinta esencia en una línea.

«Because in the DISSOLUTION the LIVING SILVER is active, but in the COAGULATION it is passive, operated on.» — la plata viva, agente y paciente.

«If a thing is deprived of its heat, then is there no motion in it.»

Tres regímenes de fuego regidos por el zodiaco: Aries (calor suave, como el de la gallina que empolla), Tauro (más fuerte, para el blanqueamiento) y Leo (máximo, para el rojo final) — «when the Sun is in LEO ; that is her highest dignity, when she is in her own house»

«The Heat or Fire of the whole work is uniform, for some say that the heat of the first regimen shall be as the warmth of a brooding hen» — la SCALA PHILOSOPHORUM, citada por el texto como fuente sobre el gobierno del fuego.

«In the order of nature the father changes into the son, which means that the Spiritual is materialised, and the Volatile made permanent ; or that Sun and Moon have come home. Of these two planets SENIOR speaks also: "I am a hot and dry Sun, while thou, LUNA, art cold and moist, and when we shall rise in the order of our most ancient nobility, a burning light will be poured into us." Whereby he is indicating that through the knowledge and mastery of the ancients the renewals of the moistures will be received, and Sun and Moon become transparent.» — con Senior citado en medio.

«Beware of great heat, for if you make the fire too fierce in the beginning, then will it arise red before its time» — Lucas.

«Decoct your composition, till you see it white, and quench it in Vinegar and separate the white from the black» — Baleus.

«more the colours change the stronger you must make the fire, of which you must not be afraid» — Pitágoras.

«The water is the beginning of all soft» — «substances», al otro lado del renglón— en boca de Hermes; y las aguas se dividen en un tercio de calor y dos tercios de humedad.

«Our Fire is a Water. If you can give a Fire to a Fire and Mercury to Mercury» — Senior.

«Among all the arts none follows nature so closely as Alchemy» — Albertus Magnus.

Negro, blanco y rojo son los colores principales, y «color perfecto» el que permanece visible un tiempo; Iraldus describe la sucesión, Miraldus sostiene que el amarillento tras el blanco es perfecto y el Conciliator lo contradice — desacuerdo interno consignado sin armonizar.

«GEBER and ARISTOTELES, these Philosophers say: in Three Years.» — la duración de la obra, contra las estaciones que dan la Turba y Alphidius en la misma página.

«Putrefaction is the first and demands the UTMOST SECRECY. It is the true separation of the elements, reversing them in this Operation.» — la putrefacción como primera operación, en boca de la Turba.

«Reverse the elements, the moist make dry, and fix that which is volatile, powder it, and prepare it all carefully.» — la Turba, citada como fuente de la trituración filosófica.

«It is as well the Philosophic ASSATION, or roasting, for the accidental moisture is consumed by a mild fire and very great care is to be taken, that the spirit which dries up the body, may not escape from the body» — la assation con fuego suave.

«Sublimate, rectify, fix till it sticks to the ground, further, incinerate and imbibe till it flows;»

«I am a dry and hard Iron, and nothing is like me, for I am a coagulation to the Quicksilver of the Philosophers.» — Deckname en primera persona: habla el hierro.

El editor firma solo «J.K.»; dedica el libro a Joseph Wallace, «místico y sanador», y lo imprime Fox, Jones & Co. en Oxford.

«The 22 Pictures of Splendor Solis are arranged in the same order as the 22 Keys of the Tarot and have the same Mystic meaning.» — la tesis vertebral de la edición de 1920, anunciada en la introducción (p. 5) y rematada en el colofón; lectura de 1920, no del texto.

J.K. propone la lectura doble — oro material y oro del alma, «Stands both for GOLD SPLENDOUR and SOUL SPLENDOUR» — y discute la vigencia de sal, mercurio y azufre a la luz de la química moderna.

«Thus is JACOB BEHMEN an Adept of Hermetic Philosophy, but not an Adept in Physical Alchemy. In His Philosophy the Philosopher's Stone is a Symbol for Divine Illumination, and the Mastery, or Great Work, relates to the Regeneration of the Soul.» — J.K., en la introducción de 1920.

«A study of the Works of Jacob Behmen, especially of the "AURORA"—the SUN—or Soul—rise in the Mind, will give an idea of the Life of God in the Soul of Man.» — la Aurora invocada es la de Behmen, obra DISTINTA de la Aurora consurgens; no convergen.

Schmieder sostiene que el nombre real de Trismosin era «Pfeifer».

«The origin of the writings attributed to Trismosin is uncertain and wrapped in mystery.» — así abre el editor su nota sobre la autoría.

«some wealthy Amateur Alchemist, possibly a Fugger, may have encouraged the Artist who produced this Manuscript, by his patronage» — el mecenas conjeturado.

«all the writings attributed to that author, with the exception of "SPLENDOR SOLIS " and his Alchemical "WANDERINGS" are either spurious, or have been tampered with.» — el editor salva dos títulos y descarta el resto del corpus trismosiniano.

«Trismosin's Story of his travels also gives a reason for the Venetian Palaces and Italian landscapes that appear in his allegorical Pictures. The scenes in the margins probably depict reminiscences of his " WANDERINGS " that he may have recounted to the artist.» — el argumento iconográfico del aparato a favor de la autoría.

«Assuming that he was a youth when he started on his travels, in 1473, his age when the MS. was produced would have been over a hundred.» — la cuenta de la edad, del propio editor.

«AND GIVEN at length in the AUREUM VELLUS, published Rohrschach, 1598, also in the TOISON D'OR, 1602 and 1622, as summarized by Professor Schmieder in his History of Alchemy, 1832, and veiled in the Pictures and Treatises of SPLENDOR SOLIS is given with all reservation and without assuming any responsibility for its correctness or efficacy» — el proceso del León Rojo, publicado con reserva expresa.

«The Medical efficacy of the Tincture is affirmed in the book ARUM VELLUS (TOISON D'OR) not only in general terms, but in particular instances of restoration to health, and of rejuvenation, of the aged there given.» — el Arum Vellus como fuente de la eficacia curativa.

«Thus far the unguaranteed directions for making the Philosophers Stone, which, if they fail to give the promised result, will at least ha» — «have that virtue left»— — la ironía del propio editor; y su pregunta: «Is AURUM FULMINANS the PHILOSOPHER'S STONE?».

«In an 18th Century Cyclopedia (Zedler, vol. 39), Splendour is called, the brightness, or brillance of light, which a dark body incapable of giving out light has revived from a luminous body. It differs from radiance, or rays emanating from a luminous body. Splendour also means Magnificence, Excellence, Glory.» — la definición que el aparato toma del Zedler.

«Sol, in Alchemy, simply means Sulphur of the Philosophers, and in common Chemistry, GOLD. 4. The SOL or SUN of the Philosophers of Mercurial Origin, is the FIXED, while the MOON is the UNFIXED part of Matter of the great work. These are the two Dragons of Flamel.» — la equivalencia Sol ↔ Azufre de los Filósofos ↔ Oro, y los dos dragones.

«As the Unfixed and Fixed are drawn out of the same Mercurial source, the Philosophers say the SUN is the Father and the MOON the Mother of the Philosopher's Stone. (PERNETY, DICTIONNAIRE MYTHO-HERMETIQUE» — Pernety como fuente de la simbología padre/madre.

«composed in Latin Rhymes, was written by Rhases Castrensis, or of Castres, in Languedoc, and it is an error to attribute its authorship to the Arabian physician.» — el aparato sigue a Schmieder para adjudicar el Liber Lumen Luminum; Hoefer menciona el Lumen Luminum Magnum y su preparación de ácido sulfúrico comparable al proceso de Nordhausen, en la misma plana.

«ROSINUS, an Arabian Alchemist, first quoted by 14th Century writers. The ARTIS AURIFERA, BASIL, 1610, contains three treatises by this author: (1) AD EUMICIAM. (2) AD SARANTANTAM EPISCOPUM. (3) LIBER DEFINITIONUM» — grafías TAL CUAL del impreso, sin cotejo contra el facsímil.

«The SCALA PHILOSOPHORUM, is attributed to GUIDO MONTANOR, a:French Alchemist, of whom very little is known.» — el aparato añade que cita a Roger Bacon y a Ricardus Anglus.

«is RALLED RACHAIDIB, an ARABIAN Alchemist, who lived about 1200. His book laid the foundation to the theory of Trimaterialism, i.e., that all metals consisted of Salt, MerCury, and Sulphur.» — grafía TAL CUAL del impreso, autor del «Book of Three Words»; sobre este nombre cuelga la adjudicación del trimaterialismo.

«The ideas on the origin of mountains, &c., in "THE FIRST PARABLE" are largely taken from AVICENA DE CONGLUTINATIONE LAPIDIS» — la fuente que el aparato adjudica a la Primera Parábola.

«ARISTOTLE, the Alchemist, is not identical with the Stagirite Philosopher (384-322 B.C.) but the Fourth Book, METEOROLOGICORUM, referred to in the Preface, is of the ancient Greek Philosopher. The " LETTER TO ALEXANDER" is, of course, spurious.» — el aparato separa las dos figuras.

«The author's name may be forged, but the contents of the work may nevertheless be of great value. The wisest Adepts, possibly, concealed their identity behind these ancient names. In times when it was dangerous to be suspected of Occult knowledge, such precautions were necessary.» — la posición declarada del editor sobre el pseudoepígrafe.

«attributed to a Latin writer named sometimes ARISLEUS, at other times ARISTEUS, supposed to have lived in the 12th century.» — la atribución de la Turba, con las dos grafías; Hali, Menaldus, Miraldus y Senior se consignan como nombres que ocurren dentro de ella (p. 117).

«Some names are fictitious, others are of writers whose works are actually quoted.» — el aparato sobre los nombres de la Turba.

«The sayings foisted upon PYTHAGORAS, SOCHATES, &c., though never uttered by those ancient Greek Sages, may nevertheless convey valuable suggestions.» — grafía SOCHATES del impreso.

«Este mito de dolor, muerte y resurrección se irá ampliando con elementos cristianos tal y como muestra la célebre obra ¡^Splendor Solis (siglo XVl) que hace referencia explícita a Rósino» — el aparato la sitúa en el siglo XVI y la liga a Rósino (Zósimo); grafías del troceo, el ¡^ es la marca de remisión de la enciclopedia y el XVl lleva ele por i.

Von Franz lo data «alrededor de 1490» y consigna que contiene pasajes tomados de la Aurora consurgens.

El Dictionary lista a Trismosin entre los «autores legendarios» de las series pictóricas alquímicas, y consigna que se lo presenta como maestro de Paracelso aunque su biografía es ficticia.

«whose name Schmieder believes to have been Pfeifer, and that he was a Saxon, it is related in the Preface to the book " ELUCIDARIUS CHYMICUS, 1617 " that he lived by virtue of (or perhaps, despite) his MEDICINE to an age of ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS» — la longevidad y el nombre real, en una sola frase del editor.

«Die Zahl der in spätmittelalterlicher Zeit bebilderten Alchemica einschließlich der deutschsprachigen Schriften31 scheint gering» — Telle enumera en esa misma plana el Splendor solis, um 1500, entre esos pocos alquímicos ilustrados, junto a la Aurora consurgens y el Donum Dei.

Traducciones consignadas: la francesa de «L.I.» (París, 1612) y la inglesa de Backhouse (s. XVII); Glockendon como posible ilustrador sin pruebas concluyentes.

«ALCHEMICAL TREATISES OF SOLOMON TRISMOSIN ADEPT AND TEACHER OF PARACELSUS Including 22 Allegorical Pictures Reproduced from the Original Paintings in the Unique Manuscript on Vellum,» — la portada de 1920 declara la atribución y el testimonio: tratados de Trismosin, adepto y maestro de Paracelso, con veintidós láminas del manuscrito en vitela.

«and if he declares to have reached that Eldorado of Hermetic Knowledge wherein is found the prized Philosopher's Stone, although we may feel inclined to doubt his word, we are, nevertheless not in a position to entirely dispute his statement.» — J.K. abre reconociendo la duda sobre la palabra de Trismosin y a la vez negándose a desmentirlo del todo.

«The very Elementality of the chemical Elements is questioned, and the alchemical idea, that Metals can be decomposed into three ultimate principles : SALT, MERCURY, and SULPHUR, may not be so absurd after all.» — el argumento de actualidad de 1920: la radiactividad habría vuelto discutible la elementalidad de los elementos, y con ello menos absurdos los tres principios.

«a minute description of the 22 pictures, fully aware of their Mystic meaning, has been inserted in the middle of the text of SPLENDOR SOLIS, that the allegorical importance of the figures may not be overlooked.» — J.K. declara por qué intercala en mitad del texto la descripción minuciosa de las láminas: la fotografía no reproduce el color del manuscrito.

«The Alchemical theory describes in veiled terms a Gold Process, possibly the very process of which Kiesewetter observes, in his History of The Occult Sciences, that it stretches through the History of Alchemy like a Sea-serpent.» — atribuye a Kiesewetter, en su historia de las ciencias ocultas, la imagen del proceso del oro que atraviesa la alquimia entera.

«It may, for all that be the true Process, that has been transmitted by tradition, and the Sea-serpent may be a living aquatic monster, that has survived the Deluge and other Cataclysms» — y la sostiene: la serpiente marina podría ser un animal real sobreviviente, igual que el proceso podría ser el verdadero.

«It is with the Philosopher's Stone as with the Sea-serpent, some say they have seen it, while the whole mass of mankind has not ; but the evidence of the few who have seen, outweighs the opinion of the many» — el criterio probatorio que J.K. propone: el testimonio de los pocos que vieron pesa más que la opinión de la mayoría que no vio.