PHILOSOPHY TO THE ATHENIANS

original: "PHILOSOPHIÆ AD ATHEN."

A

Although we are mistaken, nothing is more contrary to us than our desire to regard the natural courses of the world as miraculous signs, or to prophesy as the prophets do. All that the heaven and its firmament signify has a different meaning; they indicate nothing to us except that their course is simply as it is. And if something follows us thereafter, let it be noted that our own course was such. But even though an element may suffer an error In this context, an "error" refers to an anomaly or deviation from the natural order., it weakens the others: for they should all run perfectly and maintain their path. And although it is true that the other three elements serve us for our nourishment, the other three serve just as well the firmament, the air, the water, and those who dwell therein; and each is nourished by the other, like the many types of trees belonging to a gardener. The lack and error of the firmament may be seen and noted by us just as well as the firmament sees our own lack. Likewise, such an understanding applies to the others.

The Eleventh Text.

Thus, it is a simple philosophy to place all bliss and eternity solely in our element of Earth; and it is a foolish opinion that we should consider ourselves alone to be the noblest of creatures, since there are more worlds than ours alone. Also, it is even more of a folly that we do not recognize those who come from our element and are also people, such as the Nocturnals original: "Nocturnaliſchen"; beings or spirits associated with the night and the Gnomes elemental spirits of the earth. And although they do not dwell in the sun’s shine, nor make use of the light from the firmament, but rather hate what we love, and we love what they hate—likewise regarding our form and essence, they are maintained, but not in the same likeness as us. So we should not wonder at this, for the reason that they are so created in the Great Mystery original: "Mysterio Magno"; the primordial, undifferentiated source of all creation in Paracelsian thought; and not only we, but many more exist whom we do not recognize. Therefore, it is to be understood that more bodies existed in the Great Mystery than just one kind: but yet only one Eternal thing is contained in all, and one Perishable thing. B And thus, as they have created the elements in many kinds of forms and many strange shapes, it is not possible to recount everything. But it will undoubtedly be known at the End, when the eternity of all such things shall come together. At the End, much that was unknown will be recognized, and will appear in many ways: not only from those who possess eternity within them, but also from those who have contained, nourished, and shown that which has an eternity in it. For the Eternal is to be understood in two ways: one to rule and govern, the other to serve as a witness to the same. For it is against philosophy to say that little flowers should be without eternity: although they perish, they will yet appear at the gathering of all generations. For nothing is created out of the Great Mystery that will not have an image outside of the Ethers original: "Etheren"; the celestial or spiritual realms.

The Twelfth Text.

But from this, and as all Procreations original: "Procreationes"; the beings or substances generated by the elements indicate, there must have been four Mothers over all things, no more and no less. But this cannot be understood from the foundational ground according to a complete indication of the present Great Mystery as it appears in the beginning of its properties: rather, the first Great Mystery is recognized and understood through the last mysteries and through the procreations that have gone out and grown from the first. For the beginning does not make the philosopher, but the end makes the master: to know a thing in its perfect nature is found only at the end of its being. C Perhaps more elements were possible than were given to us: yet in the final knowledge, only four are found in all things. And although we consider that it would have been possible for the Creator to do more, who then created only four: yet because such a perishable world is created in only four, we consider that more could not have stood. We may rightly think it true that other elements will be born after these four cease, unlike these four in all their essence: and that after the perishing of this now-created world, a new Great Mystery will be made, which will possess a greater understanding than that of the past. However, we do not intend to set down the origin of that future state; it is for everyone who wishes to be skilled in the beginning of the world to recognize that the origin of the world comes from the elements, and of those there are four, and thus also four worlds; and in each one a special being and race, according to its necessity and need.

The Thirteenth Text.

And although all things stand within the four elements, we do not posit that the four elements are in all things, or that the four elements dwell in everything. The reason is this: The world which is separated and procreated from the element of Fire, that same world needs no air, water, nor earth at all: likewise also the world of Air is in no way dependent on the other three: the Earth and Water are also in such a form. For the foundation of the elements does not imply that the world must be maintained by four elements together, but each by one element—that is, by that from which it originated. And although it is true that the firmament Here referring to the starry, fiery heaven nourishes the world through its elemental power, which goes forth from it entirely fiery upon the earth: yet that same nourishment is not necessary. For the world will not perish by itself; it is sufficient to nourish itself, just as another world nourishes itself without the earth. As with Water, the Earth contributes nothing fruitful to its own essence: also the Water contributes nothing to the Earth, nor the Air likewise...