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A iiij

THE SECRET BOOK

of the most ancient philosopher ARTEPHIUS

concerning the occult art and the philosopher’s stone.

A large decorative historiated initial 'A' at the beginning of the text features a landscape scene with a tree and architectural elements in the background.

Antimony is of the parts of Saturn In alchemical tradition, Saturn is the planetary symbol for the metal lead., and in every way it possesses its nature; and this Saturnine antimony is compatible with the Sun The "Sun" is the standard alchemical cipher for Gold., and within it is a quicksilver original: "argentum viuum"; commonly known as mercury. in which no metal sinks except gold. That is to say, gold truly sinks only in the Antimonial Saturnine quicksilver, and without that quicksilver no metal can be whitened. It whitens, therefore, the laton original: "latonem"; a term for the base or "impure" metal—often copper—that must be purified during the alchemical work., that is to say, gold, and reduces the perfect body into its first matter, that is, into sulfur and quicksilver of a white color, which shines more brightly than a mirror. It dissolves, I say, the perfect body which is of its own nature. For that water is friendly and pleasing to the metals, whitening the Sun because it contains a white quicksilver. And from this you may draw a very great secret for both: namely, that the Saturnine antimonial water must be mercurial and white so that it may whiten gold, not burning it, but only dissolving it and afterwards congealing itself into the form of a white cream.

Therefore, the Philosopher says that this water makes the body volatile, because after it has been dissolved in this water and cooled, it rises upward to the surface of the water. Take (he says) crude gold in leaf form, or in thin plates, or calcined Reduced to a powder through the action of heat or chemical corrosion. by mercury, and place it in our Antimonial Saturnine Mercurial vinegar and salt ammoniac (as it is called) in a glass vessel four fingers wide and high, or more. Leave it there in a temperate heat, and you will see in a short time a liquor like oil rise and float on top in the manner of a thin film. Collect this with a spoon or a feather by dipping it in, and collect it several times a day until nothing more rises. Then, by fire, make the water—that is, the superfluous moisture of the vinegar—evaporate, and there will remain for you the quintessence The "fifth essence" or most purified, potent core of a substance. of gold in the manner of a white, incombustible oil. In this oil, the Philosophers have placed the greatest secrets; this oil possesses the greatest sweetness and is effective for soothing the pains of wounds.

The entire secret, therefore, of this Antimonial secret is that by this