A Modern Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery

Part I: An Overview of Alchemy’s History and Theory

Chapter 3: The Golden Treatise of Hermes Trismegistus, Part 4

Introduction: Hermes unveils further secrets of the philosopher’s stone, guiding seekers through the purification of the universal essence. In this section, we explore the alchemical art’s parallels with nature, transforming the dragon-like spirit into a radiant tincture.

Section Three (Continued): Purifying the Dragon

Hermes continues, warning that the philosophical essence, or Mercury, remains mortal while impurities linger: “Remove the vapor from the water, the blackness from the oily tincture, and death from the earthy residue. Through dissolution, you’ll gain a triumphant reward—the essence that grants life.” The dragon, symbolizing the raw, self-willed spirit, carries a poisonous blackness from its natural state. By dissolving this, alchemists purify the essence, freeing it from mortality to reveal its immortal source.

He instructs, “Cause such an operation in our earth that the central heat turns the water into air, scattering the residue through the earth’s pores. Then, the air becomes a subtler water.” This process involves dissolving the essence, letting its volatile spirit rise, then condensing it into a refined form. Hermes suggests, “If you give our old man gold or silver to consume, then burn his ashes and boil them in water until complete, you’ll have a medicine to cure life’s leprosy.” This cryptic metaphor describes feeding the essence with pure metals, purifying it through fire and water to create a healing tincture.

Hermes calls this essence a “temperate unguent,” a fiery medium between the earthy residue and water, acting as the “Perscrutinator” that stirs and purifies the spirit. He explains, “Unguents are called sulphurs because, like fire, they burn and act closely with oils.” This sulphur, the active principle, drives the transformation, purifying the passive Mercury.

He emphasizes the adept’s qualities: “All the world’s wisdom is hidden in this art. To master it, one must be free of arrogance, just, good, profoundly rational, ready to help others, serene, courteous, and diligent, guarding philosophy’s secrets.” Without understanding how to “mortify, generate, vivify, cleanse, and introduce light,” fighting darkness until the essence whitens, one achieves nothing. But mastery brings reverence, even from kings, though these secrets must be hidden from the wicked.

Hermes reiterates, “Our stone comes from many things and colors, composed of four elements. Divide and separate them, mortifying the essence with its own nature to preserve its water and fire. This isn’t ordinary water but fire, held in a pure vessel to keep the spirits from fleeing, making them tinging and fixed.” The stone, a unified essence, undergoes repeated dissolution to purify its spiritual elements, ensuring they remain stable and potent.

He praises, “O blessed watery form, dissolving the elements! To gain the sulphurous form, mingle it with our sharp vinegar. When the water’s power dissolves the composition, it’s the key to restoration, driving away darkness and death, letting wisdom proceed.” This “watery form” (Mercury) and “vinegar” (purifying agent) cleanse the essence, unlocking its transformative power.

Hermes concludes Section 3: “Philosophers bind their matter with a strong chain to withstand the fire. The spirits in the purified bodies desire to dwell there, reviving them. United, they never separate, reviving dead elements, altering bodies, and creating permanent wonders.” The “chain” is the alchemical process, holding the spirit in its vessel to vivify and transform matter, as Democritus’ fable of Proteus suggests, using “manacles and fetters” to compel the essence into its true form.

Section Four (Beginning): The Precious Stone

Hermes celebrates, “O permanent watery form, creator of regal elements! United with your brethren through a moderate regimen, you gain the tincture and find rest.” This refined essence, now fixed, is the philosopher’s stone, ready to transform other substances.

He warns, “Our precious stone, cast upon the dunghill, is made vile despite its worth. Mortify two Mercuries together, venerating the Mercury of Auripigment and the oriental Mercury of Magnesia.” The stone, though divine, appears common in its raw state, requiring purification through dual Mercuries—active and passive principles—to achieve its glory.

Closing: Section 3 completes Hermes’ guide to purifying the dragon-like essence, dissolving impurities to create a tinging, fixed stone, likened to nature’s cycles. Section 4 begins, celebrating the stone’s perfected form and hinting at further refinements. The alchemical art’s transformative journey continues in our next post, unveiling deeper mysteries of the philosopher’s stone.

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A Modern Inquiry into the Hermetic Mystery

Part I: An Overview of Alchemy’s History and Theory

Chapter 3: The Golden Treatise of Hermes Trismegistus, Part 2

Introduction: Hermes continues his sacred guide to the philosopher’s stone, revealing the transformative process of the universal essence. In this section, we explore the delicate art of refining this essence, guarded by cryptic symbols and divine wisdom.

Section One (Continued): The Vulture’s Cry

Hermes concludes the first section with a poetic vision: “The vulture, standing atop the mountain, cries, ‘I am the White of the Black, the Red of the White, the Citrine of the Red, and I speak truth.’” The vulture, a symbol of the newborn philosophical essence, stands in a fiery furnace, its colors—white, black, red, citrine—showing its transformative power. The “mountain” is the alchemical vessel, a space where the essence evolves.

He adds, “The chief principle is the Crow, which in the night’s blackness and day’s clarity flies without wings. From the bitterness in its throat comes the tincture; from its body, the red; from its back, a pure water.” The crow, another name for the essence in its passive state, undergoes putrefaction (night) and resurrection (day), yielding a tincture—its soul—and a water that dissolves metals into their primal form. Hermes urges, “Accept this gift of God. In the caverns of metals lies a noble stone, splendid in color, a sublime mind, an open sea. Give thanks to God, who taught you this wisdom, for He loves the grateful.”

Section Two: The Path of Reverence and Reason

Hermes begins the second section with a solemn admonition: “My son, above all, fear God, the source of your endeavor’s strength and the bond uniting each element.” Divine reverence is key, as the alchemical work depends on aligning with the universal spirit’s sacred law.

He advises, “Whatever you hear, consider it rationally. I don’t take you for a fool. Grasp my instructions, meditate on them, and let your heart embrace them as if you authored them. Applying cold to a hot substance harms it; likewise, a rational mind shuts out ignorance to avoid deception.” This calls for deep reflection, guarding against superficial understanding, much like a seeker closing their mind to distractions to focus on truth.

Hermes instructs, “Take the volatile essence, still flying, and drown it in its flight. Separate it from the rust that binds it in death, drawing it forth to live and serve you, not escaping to the heavens but held by your reason.” This describes capturing the philosophical Mercury, freeing it from impurities, and guiding it through a controlled process to prevent its loss. He continues, “If you free it from its confinement and rule it with reason over time, it will become your companion, adorning you as a conquering lord.”

Next, he says, “Extract the shadow and impurity clouding its light. Its fiery redness, when burned, holds the live coal of its fire. Withdraw this redness repeatedly until it’s pure, and it will join you, cherished by the one who nurtured it.” This process involves purifying the essence through repeated dissolution and refinement, removing its “shadow” (impurities) until its radiant soul emerges, ready to transform other substances.

Closing: Hermes completes Section 1, introducing the philosopher’s stone through symbols like the vulture and crow, revealing the essence’s transformative colors. In Section 2, he begins detailing the process—capturing and purifying the volatile Mercury with divine reverence and rational focus. The delicate art of refining this essence continues in our next post, unveiling further steps toward the stone’s creation.

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