On Occult Philosophy or the Secret Miraculous Birth of the Seven Planets and Metals

married them ceremonially, and a very warm mist rose from the depths of the earth from the sunset toward the Orient, so that the world was filled with it; it hung above so that a great rain fell upon the earth, which disappeared and became [vapor] again, and the rays of the sun easily dried the moisture entirely out. As that happened, so that the child in the womb felt no more moisture and began to suffer hunger, the fruit came to an end, for the world desired to increase, and the third day of wisdom was over. And one found on a mountain long ago a very high and old castle, decorated with stones, in which a book had been found, very deep under the earth, in which was written that a scepter should be left by Saturnus to his children's children and all descendants, yet Saturnus should first suffer much trouble through great cold and then through great heat, which prophecy has first had to be fulfilled, for the spirits of hell are mas-