Amphitheater of Eternal Wisdom (1602) - Page 24

An intricate seventeenth-century engraving from Heinrich Khunrath's "Amphitheatrum sapientiae aeternae," depicting the "Gate of the Amphitheater of Eternal Wisdom." On the left, a radiant sun with beams of light illuminates a sheer mountain cliff. The cliff face is inscribed with Latin and Greek text. At the bottom of the cliff, two figures in early modern attire stand in discussion. To the right, the cliff forms the entrance to a dark grotto or cave. Inside the entrance, a series of inscribed tablets or rays are arranged in a circular pattern around a central point of light. Within the cave, a solitary figure is shown walking toward the light. A large block of Latin text at the bottom serves as a legend for the image.

Partial text on upper right cliff:

PROC [procession]
AB [from]
PRO [for/on behalf of]

Inscriptions on the left rock face:
ALL THINGS,

STE

truly

verily

DIVINE

and that which spec-

tators

all, espe-

cially the more

diligent, into

admiration

and love of it

rightly raps.

Inscriptions on the tablets within the cave entrance:

II.

JEHOVAH ONE

OF ALL THINGS

CREATOR;

OTHER

POWERS

MINISTERING

HAVE

THEM.

III.

PRAI

IV.

BUT IF, BY CHANCE

A PETITION TO THE IN-

FERIORS HAS PRO-

CEEDED, UNLESS

BY A MANNER

DELEGATED,

FROM THE FIRST

OF THE ADMINISTRA-

TION, THE INTEN-

TION IS NOT

TO BE.

VI.

TOWARD THEM,

ACCORDING TO

THE NOTED PRO-

BATION,

JOYFUL

OBEDIEN-

CE BE.

GATE OF THE AMPHITHEATER OF ETERNAL WISDOM, of the Solely TRUE, [regarding] its mystical [nature], namely the prologue itself, prefixed to it, signified here by the picture, the steps [of] the tract of GOD the father as immediate, purely enthusiastic (O slanderer!) as variously mediated [before] the gate, the abundance of entering, and with the eyes of both body and mind [of the] CHRISTIAN... to contemplate and investigate what may be the Wisdom, Goodness & Power of the CREATOR: that [those] wise [by] physio-didactics, [the] created, in sincere PHILOSOPHY truly philosophically declare [the] Works [of] HENRICO KHUNRATH of LEIPZIG, faithful lover of Theosophy, & DOCTOR of both MEDICINES.