Book 1. Of the Egyptian-Greek Hieroglyphics.

discovered by the same, which in sacred letters, as has been said, are truly attributed to the fathers before the deluge and the first in the world. But if anyone has any knowledge of the art which is in question, he will know not only negatively to what things the things stated thus far should not be ascribed, but also affirmatively to what they solely correspond; namely, that Osiris and Isis are the agent and the patient in one subject; and by the expedition of Osiris, the most secret solution of the work is denoted, where one arrives first at the black Ethiopians, then at the Red Sea; which colors it is necessary to intervene as the first and the last; black in the beginning, which through intermediate colors passes into whiteness, and then into redness. These things were created, says Flamellus original: "Flamellus", in this earth of ours of Ethiopia; and Rasis original: "Rasis", Whiten your crow, if you wish to whiten him with the Nile of Egypt, it whitens first, then with Persia in secrets, and with this and this will appear the redness, like the poppy in the Desert: If the Nile is not kept within its boundaries, but overflows too much into the fields, the greatest harm would come from it; it is necessary, therefore, that Prometheus with prior reason, and Hercules as a companion in labor, that is, the artist, should take precautions with ingenuity and hand. There are nine Muses present, and his brother Apollo, that is, nine eagles and one part of black earth, as others explain. There are leaping Satyrs present, and choirs of women leading dances, namely Nymphs and Lymphae original: "Lymphæ" (water spirits), ascending and descending; the seed is thrown into its field, over which Triptolemus presides, although the vine is planted bearing the most copious grapes; Mercury is the consultant of Isis, and Hercules is given as the governor of Egypt; that Hercules is the artist and Mercury is the first, middle, and last of the work, will be shown more widely below. If anyone, therefore, considers all and each of the acts of this expedition, he will see that nothing is placed there without a singular cause, but that everything squares to a fingernail with said solution; it is said that the sacred rites for Osiris were instituted by Mercury and Isis, and many other things added to his worship by mystical power: Where by mystical power it is sufficiently declared that another sense, besides the historical and literal, is present, which we have sufficiently insinuated in most places to those who understand. Which