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THEOPHRASTI

PARACELSI OF HO-

henheim, Sixth Part of his Books.

BOOK ONE

ARCHIDOXIS FROM

Theophrastus Paracelsus

the Great:

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If we were to consider and reflect upon our misery and abandonment, dear sons, and how we were surrounded by so much burdensome hospitality and hunger with many fine and scornful conditions, so that we could neither thrive nor rise up, as long as we were followers of medicine as the ancients had described it, but rather were captured in much poverty and misery, bound in bitter chains, and all this turned out for our detriment; likewise with others who stood in the same balance as we, whom the ancients with their little books could not shoot for help, and were failing. There are therefore many reasons, which we do not indicate here. And there are many doctors who have come to great wealth through the ancients, but have attained it with little praise, and rather with much lying. That which we then memorize, through which we might come to certain ends and practices: the great mysteria naturæ mysteries of nature encounter us, which are so wondrous, more than will ever be experienced. Therefore we must consider how art holds itself with the mysteries of nature, against those who do not reach the art. Thus the mysterium naturæ is in such powers when it is relieved of its impediments: just as there is the captured man who is relieved of his bonds, to whom all his spirit is free. For the mysterium naturæ in bodies is like a fire in wood that is wet and would gladly burn, but cannot because of the wetness. Thus, if such a defect exists in things, it is to be considered that it be removed: when that which is in the way comes off, the art of this separation is like a light in darkness compared to the art of apothecaries. For we do not mention this against us out of pride; rather, only because the great villainy which is practiced in the pharmacies and by their doctors is failing us. Therefore we rightly call it a darkness, and well a thief's and cheater's pit, rather than a darkness. For from the ignorant stumblers, many a one is treated for money: where he would not have it, they offer him up as healthy; and in addition, they know that there is no help in their clumsy advice. Thus the art is that which indicates the mysterium naturæ, as through a quinta essentia fifth essence/quintessence a contractor is healed in four days, who otherwise would have remained lame until death; and a wound is healed in 24 hours to the end, which with their bodies cannot be ended in 24 days. We want to fall upon the mysteria naturæ with a good mind, and through experience separate them from the impeding bodies, and first consider what is most useful and noble for man: solely to know the mysteria naturæ. From this is considered what God is, what man is, what the exercises of both are; heavenly in the divinity of eternity, earthly in fragility. From this then arises what theology is, what law is, what rhetoric is; how the mysteries of nature alone are the life of man: to know and to follow them, through which God and the Eternal Good may be recognized and attained.