Dedication, 1566-08-01, Gerhard Dorn to Adam von Bodenstein
| Author: | Gerhard Dorn |
| Recipient: | Adam von Bodenstein |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | 1 August 1566 |
| Place: | Lyon |
| Pages: | 3 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2647 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Gerhard Dorn, Clavis totius philosophiae chymisticae, Lyon: Jacques Giunta (héritiers) 1567, sig. a2r–a3r [BP.Dorn.1567-01]
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| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | Dorn acknowledges his debt of learning to Bodenstein and to their common mentor, Theophrastus Paracelsus. The letter laments the ungratefulness and shortsightedness of their contemporaries, especially university scholars, who deride Paracelsus for his unconventional writing style and ideas. Dorn champions Paracelsus's contributions to medicine, physics, and metaphysics and asserts that truth will eventually triumph. In conclusion, he urges Bodenstein to continue advocating for Paracelsus's work and ideals, expressing faith in Bodenstein's commitment to the cause. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Gerhard Dorn |
[p. 3] Generoso viro virtutibus ac doctrina clarissimo, domino Adamo à Bodestein, Medicinæ Philosophiæq́ue Doctori, hac tempestate nemini secundo.
Vervs ingenuè fatetur discipulus per quem profecerit, quod sub silentio præterit apostaticus. Quapropter ne talis, & ingratus aduersus præceptorem videar, quantum equidem potui mundo facere palam (quamuis inculto sermone) volui, tantillum hoc, quod de Physicis, Methaphysicis, & Chymicis hucusque sum assequutus, Deo primùm, Doctori demum, & præceptori nostro Theophrasto Paracelso, Medicorum ac Philosophorum facile principi, debere me gratum & acceptum ferre. Quod licet exiguum sit, indignúmque magis, quàm vt Theophrasti per discipulum fœtus dici mereatur, nihilominus eo ditatum, quòd pro pauco tantas agat, quantas pro plu- [p. 4] rimo multis dare suis doctoribus gratias (quod vitium est illis) rarò contingit. At cum præceptori nostro mundo functo, æternísque fruenti, gratitudinis, hoc qualecunque sit officium præstare non possim, id tibi, tum quod ipsum Paracelsum doctrina facilè referas, tum quòd inter omnes quos habuerit auditores, illi gratissimus exiteris, dicatum velim. Est quod conquerat animum torquere meum ingrata conuitia, quæ seculum istud ferreum in veritatis professores ingerit, verùm hoc solatur, cuius ab æterno testimonium habemus verissimum, persequutionis omnis in veritatem fructus veros persequutæ veritatis gloriam esse, ruinámque persequentium. Non cessant enim vniuersitatum sapientes Theophrastum & suos impugnare, quod cum faciunt, ignorant ignem igni proprium in caput accumulare se: nam quo magis veritati contradixerint, eo surgent abundantius, qui profitebuntur eam, & quibus resistere non poterunt. Dum isti nil inueniunt quod in Paracelsum rodere valeant argumenti, puerile [p. 5] solùm hoc adferunt in medium, obscurè scripsit (inquiunt) & vulgariter, vt non intelligatur. Ego nunc inter omnes, qui de scriptis eius aliquid reportarunt minimum, hæc tam humili stilo Theophrastica dare non vereor, nec metuo, quibus tum videant iam apertè sibi non amphibologicè loqui Theophrasticos, tum etiam quæ fundata supra petram sunt, suis non cedere flatibus. Theophrasti pupillarem hunc igitur in tutelam, quem etiam solus defendere potes fœtum, pro tuo arbitrio corrigendum suscipe precor: quod etiam ego de tua benigitate mihi policitus, adepturum me non dubito. Vale. Lugduni Calendis Augusti, 1566.
Tuus vt ipsius Theophrasti minimus discipulus,
Gerardus Dorn.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 29 June 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
To the generous man, famous for his virtues and learning, Master Adam von Bodenstein, Doctor of Medicine and Philosophy, second to none in our time.
The true student sincerely acknowledges the one from whom he has gained knowledge, which the apostate overlooks in silence. Therefore, so that I do not seem to be such a person, and ungrateful to my teacher, I wanted to publicly acknowledge to the world, as much as I could (although in an uncultured speech), this little that I have so far achieved in Physics, Metaphysics, and Chemistry, that I owe primarily to God, then to our teacher, Theophrastus Paracelsus, easily the prince of doctors and philosophers. I bear it gratefully and accept it. Even though it is meager and more unworthy than deserving to be called a fruit of Theophrastus through a disciple, nonetheless, it is endowed with the fact that it accomplishes so much for so little, as to rarely give thanks to its teachers for many things (which is a vice of theirs). But since I cannot perform this duty of gratitude, however humble it may be, to our teacher who has left this world and is enjoying eternity, I would like it dedicated to you. Both because you can easily recall Paracelsus himself through your teaching, and because among all his listeners, you were the most grateful.
What vexes my soul are the ungrateful insults that this iron age heaps upon professors of truth. But this is comforted by the fact that we have the most truthful testimony from eternity that the fruit of all persecution is the glory of the persecuted truth and the downfall of the persecutors. For the wise of the universities do not stop attacking Theophrastus and his followers, and when they do this, they are ignorant that they are heaping fuel on the fire: for the more they contradict the truth, the more abundant will be those who will profess it, and those who will not be able to resist it.
While these people find nothing in Paracelsus worth arguing about, they only bring forward this childish argument, he wrote obscurely (they say) and vulgarly, so that he cannot be understood. Now, among all those who have said something about his writings, I am the least, and yet I do not fear to give these Theophrastan things in such a humble style, nor am I afraid that those who now clearly see the Theophrastans speaking unambiguously to them, and also that what is founded on a rock does not yield to their blasts.
Therefore, I pray that you accept this pupil of Theophrastus, whom you alone can defend, for your discretion to correct: which I also promise to myself from your kindness, I have no doubt I will obtain. Farewell. At Lyon, August 1, 1566.
Yours, as the least disciple of Theophrastus,
Gerard Dorn.
