The Most Secret Secrets

The Summit

At the top of the frame, a heroic figure sits atop a rugged mountain peak among the clouds, holding a staff and a shield.

This figure represents Hercules, whom the author Michael Maier interprets as a personification of the alchemist's labor and the "Athlete" of the chemical arts. His position at the peak signifies the successful completion of the "Great Work."

The Central Space

Faint ghosting of text from the reverse side of the page: "Hercules the Champion" original: "Herculen Athleta"

In 17th-century printing, such architectural frames were often reused across different books. The central void here is blank, though a faint circular guide-line suggests it was prepared for a specific emblem or a handwritten title. The Latin "Herculen Athleta" visible in the center is actually "bleed-through" from the text printed on the other side of the paper.

The Foundation

The frame is supported by two fluted columns resting upon a heavy, tiered pedestal. Each column is topped with a sphere.

The two columns are a common symbol in Western esotericism, often representing the duality of the alchemical process: the "Fixed" (solid/permanent) and the "Volatile" (gas/spirit). The spheres at the top represent the Earth and the Heavens, signifying that the science contained within the book unites the physical and spiritual worlds.