Golden Fleece — Trismosin (Splendor Solis Author), 18th-Century MS

Third Similitude.

Avicenna Ibn Sina, a Persian polymath and influential alchemical authority treating of humidity and all its effects, says that one perceives in the first place some blackness, when heat performs its operation on some humid bodies. This is why the Ancient Sages without otherwise developing the ambiguity of their enigmatic figures, say they noticed from afar a fog that rose, surrounding all the earth and making it humid; they say also they foresaw the great impetuosity of the sea and the abundant concurrence of waters swimming over all the face of the earth, in such a way that the form and the matter destitute of their first strength and filled with putrefaction, will see themselves amidst the very shadows shake even the King of the earth, whom they will hear thus cry and lament with a pitiful voice full of compassion: "He who will redeem me from the servitude of this Corruption, must live with me in perpetuity very content, and reign glorious in clarity and brilliant light above my Royal Seat, surpassing even in price and honor the precious brilliance of my golden Scepter." The blindfold of the night put an end to his complaint by a charming sleep, but at the break of day

one saw coming out over the person of the King a very resplendent star, and the light of day illuminated the shadows, the Sun appearing radiant between the clouds adorned and embellished with various colors, the brilliant Stars penetrated, with a very odoriferous scent which surpassed every kind of balm, and there proceeded from the earth a beautiful clarity shining with sparkling rays; everything finally that can serve as contentment or agreeable pleasure to a great King who wishes to delight in rare novelties. The Sun with golden rays and the silvery Moon surrounding this excellent Beauty made themselves admired by several Spectators, and this King ravished in the contemplation of a sweet feeling made three beautiful and magnificent Crowns, with which he adorned the head of this great Beauty, one of which was of iron, the other of Silver, and the third of Gold: then one saw in his right hand a Sun, and Seven Stars around it, which rendered a very clear light; his left hand held a golden apple, on which rested a white pigeon, which sparkling Nature came still to embellish with Silver, and decorate its wings with gold.

Aristotle says that the Corruption of one thing is the life and the renovation of another: which can be understood regarding the Art of our Magistery and preparation of corruptible humidities, renewed by this humid substance, for