The eggshells calx and cooking diverting the Sunbeams by a mirror. The last part of my translation from Ortheli Explicatio Verborum Mariae Prophitissae.
My translation has been kept verbatim for the operative parts and more interpretative for the speculative ones. It is fair to say that Orthelius latin is imprecise and full of neologisms. And, incredibly enough, the speculative parts, that’s to say those on the two Suns, celestial and terrestrial, are so chaotic and incorrect to make the puzzled reader ask him/herself whether Orthelius is making fun of us or is serious. Anyway, the pages are here produced, so you can judge yourself. My translation is in quotation marks and comments are normal.
You can find the first part in Orthelius Commentary on Maria Prophitissa. Part 1. On page 3 of the first part, you can find a reference link to the “Dialogue between Maria and Aros on the Alchemical Art”.
Theatrum Chemicum tome 6, page 481: “Inito itaque Solis & Lunae matrimonio, necesse est ulterius rem perfequi, in quem finem textus ait, utrumque Zaybech, vel fumos, vel aquas currentes debere vitrificari… And so of Sun (Sol) and Moon (Luna) the marriage is stipulated, it is necessary to bring the thing even more to perfection, in that the test has its goal, either Zaybech, or fumes, or running waters must vitrify, that’s to say to fix and solidify.”
The marriage is stipulated, that’s to say there is a promise, a declaration, but not the real marriage yet. Because there cannot be a physical union in the form of matters too much difficult to handle yet. As said in the first part, vitrificari is a neologism from Italian rather than latin.
“The agent is here indicated, which is humid calx. From this matter, the calx is really prepared, either by means of the body of mountain dwellers ( ex corpore monticulorum) or eggshells (seu corticibus ovorum), this is partly made clear from the test, and my experience.”
Now, eggshells are easily intelligible, but the body of mountain dwellers. Never, ever, read of this “tool”. I said tool since we are not talking of ingredients here, but instrumental matters. Not only, but it is pretty impossible to clearly guess what Orthelius does mean by monticulus. Monticulorum is the genitive plural of monticulus, that’s to say a “slight rounded projection above a surface, a little hill”. Wallerius and J.Manget mention the word as a hidden synonym of the human pubic area, which seems rather extravagant for an alchemical use ( we are talking of gold and silver, after all). Or maybe Orthelius does mean something different, almost suggested by the wording” body of monticula”. Surely in ancient Latin, the word for sparrow was “passer”, very similar to the Italian passero, indeed. The scientific definition of a sparrow is monticola solitarius, that’s to say lonely mountain dweller ( nevertheless, monticola is an incorrect modern spelling of monticula). Anyway, would a sparrow corpse play the same role as eggshells? A pile of feathers and small bones? Not to mention that the scientific name is a modern definition ( even if in Latin). Dom Pernety, in his Dictionnaire Mytho-Hermétique, says: “….Quelquefois les Alchymistes ont entendu par le terme de Montagne, leur vase, leur fourneau, et toute matière métallique.” Sometimes Alchemists by the term Mountain mean their vase, their furnace, and any metallic material. Mind that further on we will encounter the wording calx monticulorum, calx of little hills.
Concerning the eggshells, Orthelius doesn’t mention whether they should be crushed into powder, or almost keep their form. My question is not pointless, since further on we will encounter the wording ” calx of eggshells”.
“It is described elsewhere how the starting point of the common air calx (calx vulgari aeri) without either snow or rainwater, saturated with the hidden air chill, tends to fail and how, by this power, Mercurius Saturni in turn, after twelve days of digestion, gets coagulated in form of either Magnesia or Zineti.”
By the way, snow and rainwater are also rich in Secret Fire, or Mercurius Universalis in this case. Mercurius of Saturn is the right definition when the matter has to undergo digestion. Of course, the Magnesia is coming out of this operation, and then Zineti, which perhaps is a synonym of ferment, that’s to say a step forward the white Magnesia ( nevertheless, according to some alchemists, Magnesia can also be the black before the white).
“It is very likely to have to wet as required with the Elzarog gum the calx of eggshells freshly removed from the fire, and mix on Porphyrio so as to get chilled and frozen (in the sense of coagulated) virtue.”
Rulandus says Porphyrio is a red marble. Concerning Elzarog, Dom Pernety, in his Dictionnaire Mytho-Hermétique, comes to rescue: ” Elzaron. C’est le sel des Sages qu’ils appellent leur corps, leur gomme. Prenez le corps clair, pris sur les petites montagnes, qui ne se fait point par la putréfaction, mais par le seul mouvement. Broyez ce corps avec la gomme EIzaron et les deux fumées. Car la gomme EIzaron est le corps qui saisit l’esprit. Marie, Epît. à Aros. It is the salt of the Sages they call their body, their gum. Take the clear body, taken from the little mountains, which is not developed by putrefaction, but by movement. Grind the body with gum EIzaron and both fumes (1). Because the gum EIzaron is the body that captures the spirit. Maria to Aros.” Orthelius in a side-note states: Elzarog est aqua saturni, or water of saturn. But, don’t stop now to ask yourself what does it mean, since the process is not finished yet.
Water, the element Water, doesn’t mean to necessarily a liquid, but something flowing. As for “monticula”, we have bumped again into the little hills. But, mind, Orthelius says we need the body of these little hills. Anyway, the eggshells apparently do the same function. (2).
“Simile processes too; they teach imbibitions and exsiccations must be repeated.”
A major difference between Alchemy and Chemistry is the repetition of the operations. In fact, the Secret Fire tends to come out after reiterated operations.
” This done, I place two Mercurii of Sun and Moon joined together and raised to stratify in the above-mentioned setting, and this till they can be kept at a moderate heat to a perfect hardening. On the other hand, is the Elzarog gum, which of course as a medium is embracing or getting them embraced, and incorporates the Tincture in itself, as in the text is described by the excerpt, since the water of Saturn has the power to hold tight either the common mercury or the Mercurius of bodies.”
Here we have three salts: the alchemical marriage celebrated by either the bishop or the servant. Though in very complex construction. Of course, if Elzarog can hold tight both the common mercury and Mercurius of bodies, is unquestionably our universal dissolvent. So, yes…apparently we have three Mercurii joined together. Of them one will be called Sulphur, acting as a male, or carrier of metals seed. That’s to say a Dissolvent into which metal has been reincrudated.
” Maria Prophitissima suggests a simile idea in her dialogue to Aros about this Water ( if I remember right that Mercurius in the real Water tends to harden ). Paracelsus too mentions this virtue. Where Saturnus makes a disquisition on its own nature: the stone cold ( lapis frigiditatis) is within me, which is my own water, by which I froze the corporeal spirits of my brothers.”
Here Orthelius plays with Saturnus’ meanings, Dom Pernety tells us this god devours his children. Saturnus is a synonym of Mercurial Dissolvent as well as of one the major metals. But the real difficult concept to understand is how mercurial water, so a dissolvent, can actually freeze, or harden, our volatile matters.
“Actually the first and last part of that Great Work is by that enough clear. An even the other part is rigorous; if one goes on the right way, even following a slightly different practice, provided he/she obtains either vitrification or congelation of the running water, an operation which does not prevent the main work.”
What is Orthelius referring to? The color passages are the Main Work’s major feature.
” This is my opinion, I don’t want to compel anybody or reject any other artist or philosopher’s opinion. If one carefully follows my lessons and generously compares, no doubt with God’s help will succeed. As more eyes can see better than only one. Although Maria tells Aros: by ancient wise the secret was not revealed to them through researching and pondering. Aros replies: Nevertheless has not always been so, Hermes’ heirs and successors communicate their opinions and experiments and on this same secret finally something was revealed.
So the two Zaybech are made corporeal and joined together and the embracing medium, of course, the Saturnus cold, in themselves they conceive, as in aerial form as frozen they appear, then the first part of this Work is done, as well as the beginning of the following… “
The end of the preparatory works is roughly the achievement of Mercurius Philosophorum, the division, duplication, and marriage (see an Opus Magnum scheme).
“… the science of Hermes does miracles, in three hours’ time they (arrive to perfection, by the virtue and power of the celestial solar fire, which is the igneous Jehovah’s instrument supplying the fertility of all inferior things, bringing them to ripeness and perfection. This fire with expressed temporal names is overtly indicated. It is said to liquefy by the secret of nature.
On the other hand, the measure of your fire has to be that of the temperature of the Sun in June and July. And additionally says: the whole regimen consists of the fire time. Every attention has to be taken in the right setting of the constellation in the month of July, with the Sun in its own dwelling, of course during Leo, in which this fire manifest a great effect. Really this work’s perfection is directly divine. In fact, it is uniquely God’s job. There the Philosopher sits making use of the divine instrument, and with that, the divine blessing is exerted.
On the other hand, this operation is, successfully performed by the terrestrial sun and the virtue of the celestial sun, as well as the divine power, one perceives the creation growing, minute by minute, degree by degree, color by color, by the Sun essential fire, more and more starts to grow, till arrives at perfect maturation.
On this occasion, the sympathy between the Inferior and superior Sun must be considered. That’s to say the magnetic invisible and spiritual virtue of the terrestrial Sun. In the same way, a corporeal contact is made and a wish of the superior celestial Sun to affect the inferior in every aspect provided there is free access and no obstacle standing in the way. For this immeasurable merge to rise, the inferior terrestrial Sun should be more penetrable while the incomparable spiritual and essential virtue of the superior Sun should actually become visible and corporeal, and by such an impetuous transformation that no human being could ever see this miracle, that did not mute unless he was completely stupid and unable to discern the miracle in all this, It has to be noted that the brightness of the Sun is not naked and external but by its essential and at the same time internal natural power and heat feeds and digests everything. “
The next paragraph is side-noted as “the external heat of Sun (Externus calor Solis). These passages are so badly written, probably intentionally, that in most cases more than a translation it has been a deciphering operation word by word. Anyway:
“The external one (heat and power) is like a lantern or candle, in the nearby; a quantity of bright and transparent air aggregation returns-emits while illuminating (Iste externus similis est lucernae vel candelae accesae, vicinumque; tantum aeris complexum illuminando reddit perspicuum & lucidum), either without any other (alone, I guess) or taking part in something, or with the imprint of life and animated. Indeed, it is the darkness and the surface of its interior is off, as well as the parts placed in the top; to summarize; I said this spirit to be a body of middle of the way nature, and corporeal dwelling… “
… corporeum habitaculum magni illius spiritus mundani. This is, to me, quite impossible sentence to translate. In fact, magni and mundani are genitive but they are adjectives, where are the substantives? Habitaculum and spiritus? and why these are instead in nominative case? Probably Orthelius here misses the declination of “illius spiritus”, which instead should be at genitive. So, dear readers, content yourself with a ridiculously interpretative translation, but logic ( the bad of most interpretative translations from latin)…
“… and corporeal dwelling of this material spirit. Actually of course this interior power and heat is the same real royal and essential Sun power that vivifies the essence of all things, the only one they wish, and a single technique, nevertheless the Philosophers manage to derive and find the magnetic virtue in the inferior hidden Sun, from the superior. the natural property of the instantaneous beam is a simile, to not be brought without distinction with light as part of the air, not even illuminates the air with the outside light, but the magnetic and floating is made to move and pulled to a determinate place by the power of its compliant and familiar nature, which only brings (sets in motion) all remaining and unharmed…
… vimque suam activam evidenti nota impressa clare demonstratas as by the visible impressed distinctive note clearly demonstrates it is active ( I failed to find the substantive object of the action since suam activam are pronoun and adjective in accusative case)… “Additionally, here Orthelius opens a long parenthesis in which he takes more than three lines to designate a subject of the following action…
“… very much we are interested in those works, which with the light of the Sun at the same time effective and living manages the economy of the essential powers, and the same for the body, of the gold well open and quite distributed, as well as the subject self, harmonized and proper and largely made to flow and penetrate. “
The subjects of this action are in the parenthetical phrase (relictis illis superficialibus & relollaceis radiis externi, utpote qui absq; vitalium virtutum energia lumen tantum praebent otiosum et sterile)…
“… those neglected external superficial beams, whose energy-light of their fertility and virtue proves useless and sterile…
Now let’s put together subjects and action: “so (those neglected external superficial beams, whose energy-light of their fertility and virtue proves useless and sterile) very much we are interested in those works, which with the light of the Sun at the same time effective and living manages the economy of the essential powers, and the same for the body, of the gold well open and quite distributed, as well as the subject self, harmonized and proper and largely made to flow and penetrate. “
The following paragraph is side-noted as ” Proceeding Method to perfectly use a Mirror”.
“On this essential Sun Heat has been said by Morienus who talked about. The cooking of the making Stone is about the heat. The same. Place it under the boiling Sun. The equipment in turba (Mundus in turba)… “
I doubt the right translation may be: the equipment in the “pile” (mundus in turba). But, very likely, here Orthelius means to indicate the treatise Turba Philosophorum, not a bland pile.
“After in the fiery Sun dry as long as the Stone is done. Rosarium (Philosophorum): the Sun’s heat is an excellent aggregate (complexionem), with which sometimes the fire can be imitated etc.
On the other hand about the proceeding method, to set a process, two for us are the Works to accomplish this opus, of them one is the Olympic fire of the Sun, according to some is the natural fire, according to Paracelsus is called the invisible fire of the Sunbeams. This fire occurs by means of a mirror made from either steel or crystal, visible by eyes, is sensitive to the remaining senses, and greatly demonstrates its efficacy, as metals and other flowing and greasy things on a table can liquefy. On this subject the ancient …..wrote (De qua re veteres ne gry quidem scripserunt….I fail to catch who does in earth “ne gry” mean).
The second is the required, is the vessel in which, or upon which this opus is carried out to perfection, of which the text is about, how vitreous and closed must be, since this is what it says.
You should be on guard and watch out for any fume not to escape, also when it will be open and chilled out.”
The following paragraph is side-noted as ” Use of the mirror”.
“So i push as in the second and third part of this opus separately (Unde conicio quamvis secunda & tertia pars huius operis separatim. I cannot see a precise point where to insert the adverb “separately”. It is up to you), whichever performed by its self, nevertheless nobody can carry out both together at the same time. As in the previous process the calx of “monticulorum” ( see above for eggshells and calx of eggshells) has to be placed with moisture Elzarog gum in an oblong glass phial, and add on the joined Mercurius of Sun and Moon, and this done close tightly the vessel’s opening, as over the said fire will be heated, perfectly fulfilled. The use of this fire is otherwise not in a closed vessel but usually on cinders, evidently together with the frozen-fixed Mercurius Saturni (see above) or similar easy medicine powders get placed over cinders (super cineritio) with a winch, and in removal, I put, under full Sun when in summer its heat is of extreme force.
Then a concave, triangular, or round, smooth, and clean incendiary mirror, from steel, air, even prepared from heated air, you to have, and that even of the Sun must hold hands to place in front and align, to be increased the collecting of many rays in it, and in the center joint, rebounding hits the cinders, so the brightening of the Sun and mirror hits your matter with rays, then as Mercurius causes your medicine to move and begins to turn around, this done to check the golden Ungarian calx, or something else whether the opus is active according to the process of your work, step by step and when can receive bring into.”
Orthelius, like Johann Isaac Hollandus, uses the word “cineritio” to mean “cinders”. This is a neologism from Italian composed of the real latin word cinis-cineris (cinders) and the ending “itio”, a typical ancient Italian to indicate a whatever apparatus. Anyway, Orthelius here seems to mean that the Sunbeams have to hit the cinders as well. What he doesn’t mention is if those cinders must be already hot, before being exposed to the Sun, or not.
Look at this with wonder so the God’s work you are allowed to contemplate, on that the text so states: linger beside the vessel, watch inside. It is prodigious, how the matter is moved from color to color. “Thus in front of the mirror ( Sicque sub speculo. Unfortunately the preposition sub also means: under, before, just after, in the bottom, close to, inside, all with ablative case) to turn you will finish, as long as the sky of Saturnus (Saturni coelo) by itself evaporates-vanishes, or its matter rests motionless.
We know that in the Main, or second, Work our matter goes from color to color. And also in the third the matter being given the Cauda Pavonis, peacock tail. As Orthelius talks of a marriage to be done between two Mercurii and celebrated by a third, probably the matter enters the rotations from black to red through white, that’s to say the Main Work, indeed. In many paths, this color rotation is performed by the alchemist with exhausting operations and common fire. In some paths, the amount of Secret Fire inside the matter is so powerful to do a part of the work. In this case, the sunlight helps with cooking a lot.
“Only in this way through an incendiary mirror, many other things, actually almost hard mineral things, the beast of their unripeness is torn by the Sun, brought to maturity in the amount of sweet honey, and useful for health, is reduced.
Even this operation is not achieved, but because of the internal power of the external Sun, a matter naturally implanted, the only way to be brought from power to act: But at the same time its extrinsic virtue gets pushed inside the matter. If in fact only from the external heat and internal form is moved. Why the hypocaust furnace, or lazy Henricus as they called it, does not offer a similar effect and impregnation? therefore just like grapes and fruits cooked in the hypocaust heat, have nothing to do with those completed under the Sun, therefore everything I say of this work is rational. As what is said of wine can endorse. In wine, this is usually done by heat and light, from which it drew down and shifted. While this happens, however, there is no way to refuse digestion, which by artificial and material fire used strongly to be, and to many useful functions is necessary, to Maria Prophitissa’s practice is not required.
This paragraph is side-noted as ” Preparation of Regulus of Antimonium by the Sun”: In the same way, Suchten makes his regulum Martial Antimonii digest, liquefy and get to perfection, as for the second instead it is derived that Hercules proved to be a strong hero and conqueror of all evil. “
The labors of Hercules are a synonym with preparatory works, that’s to say the operation to achieve our Volatile Mercurius, the part described in the previous article. By those works, the raw matter is taken to salts and then volatilized. See Carlo Lancillotti’s commentary on Basilius Triumphant Chariot of Antimony.
“On that, they wrote:
Just like the apple acidity and taste sour of grapes are unpleasant. unless first they get cooked and ripened from the sun, the same it is understood on the starry Regulus Antimonii, that when raw there is nothing less mature as medicine. And therefore by means of the sky, this opus has to maturate, neither by our invented first, second, third, or fourth heat degrees nor in balneum, cinders, or sand.
Take the following example. Look at the fire lighted on a tree, and wish to eat, nevertheless an unripe stony, and hard is. If the tree remains, with time softens. Eat fittingly it will be: if really extinguishes and into your furnace, even another heat turns on by itself, what are you going to do? What if I ask the difference between the fire you have lighted and the other that in the time was growing up?”
The other fire Orthelius is mentioning, is our Secret Fire/Mercurius extracted from the raw matter.
“Certainly the greatest difference; the same felt by alchemists, who varied furnaces have made and find out subtle digestions, nevertheless some (who do not lack artificial fire) set up, even convince themselves, I ask for advice on how I can prepare a subtle artificial fire, which the degree and efficacy of natural fire be matching, but they completely mistake, since they don’t consider his fire, that is not because of it that God is less effective.
So why is their own fire not an instrument of the God Creator, for this reason, therefore, they attempt to operate with that, that to them is not given, but it is due as a divine and universal tool, since only by virtue of this divine it receives. How does a wheat field ripe? How is the fruit in the garden? How do the grapes in the vines? God demonstrates himself by heaven, which is his instrument. “
The last paragraph is side noted “Mercurius maturation”.
“If even with our fire we can do, more certainly we will be estimated. But God does not like, and therefore it is forbidden even this, meanwhile, however, we are debtors, and it is necessary that we do mature Mercurius since we are forbidden to make ( noster ignis hoc efficere nequeat) so to hunt the real fire for us is necessary. Whereas we will take and try to get.
Perhaps we need to ascend to heaven and subtract this fire from God’s hands. Not at all. But we have to implore the grace of God and do what they did. It is a gift from God. It is that a creature of God therefore not of humankind. Anyone can give to anyone, this is not ours, but to indicate, where to search. What do you think?
Rather from the highest degree of heaven will come down? Not at all? This is a great job and a great difficulty, they studied that before, and now they are understood. Not without cause therefore even wrote about this in different ways, and parables, allegories, and metaphors that they threw in their books, in accordance with their minds of that handles.
To humankind it needs to be sensibly easy, a great mystery is contained in these things, you can not know, words of Suchten, so by this short interlocutory sentence I finish.”
You can find the first part in Orthelius Commentary on Maria Prophitissa. Part 1.