Dedication, no date (1576-09-04), Adam von Bodenstein to Bürger und Rat der Stadt Basel (BP.Bod.1577-01)
| Author: | Adam von Bodenstein |
| Type: | Poem |
| Date: | no date [1577] |
| Pages: | 1 |
| Language: | German |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2383 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Adam von Bodenstein, Herrlicher Philosophischer rhatschlag zu curirn Pestilentz/ Brustgeschwer/ Carfunckl, [Basel: Pietro Perna] 1577, sig. A2r-A7v [BP.Bod.1577-01]
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| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | In this text, the author expresses gratitude to God and Theophrastus and offers their expertise in medicine and philosophy. He discusses the efficacy of certain remedies, particularly in treating the plague, and emphasizes the importance of preparing medicines with utmost potency and extracting their true virtues. The author also mentions the need for spiritual and natural remedies to combat diseases, attributing the origin of plagues to human sin. He highlights his own knowledge and experience in medicine and philosophy, offering his services to those in need. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Adam von Bodenstein |
[sig. A2r] Magnificis prvdentissimisqve Dominis, Consvlibvs, Tribvnis, Senatvi, populoq́ue Basiliensi. Salvtem precatur.
Edlen/ Gestrengen/ Ehrnuesten/ fromme weysen G[nädigen] lieben herren/ demnach in E[uer] G[naden] Stett vnnd Land zu sterbender zeit/ insonderheit des verfloßnen drey auch vier vnd sechtzigsten jars/ alß die grimme lues pestifera alhie vnnd vilen enden mit grosser exaltation sich eingerissen/ ich mich wol gebrauchen auß eignem willen mit ernst vnd fleiß lassen/ vnd sonderlich domalen die mummiatam [sig. A2v] Theriacam/ welche Paracelsus beschrieben/ vilen personen mitgetheilet/ befunden (vormittelst Göttliches segens) jhr vberschwenckliche gute probam. Also/ daß welchem ich solche eingegeben/ vnnd er dieselbig bey sich behalten/ biß das nahergefolget dosis altera/ zum andern mal einzunemmen/ dem warde sein kranckheit inn gesundtheit verkehrtet. Darauß vnd anderen circumstantijs mir ein grosse freude begegnet/ ja daß ich ein prædiction bekam/ stellen dorfft vnd sagen/ wie sichs in diesem leger mit dem patienten zutragen würde: Dann wo ernente medicin nicht platz haben/ daß sie jr würckung vben mocht/ sonders von dem feinde durch erbrechen außgeworffen/ etwann durch mich ein mal/ etwann biß inn des dritt administriert/ vnnd alweg wider außgeiaget worden/ So konte ich schliessen/ das menschliche hilff/ vorsichtigkeit vnnd natürliche mittel nichts mehr verfangen mochten. Es was dieser weissagung ein vrsach/ [sig. A3r] weil die natur der inner Adech die remedia respuirt/ nicht zu hilff annam/ so kontents die innaras proprietates jhme nicht mit theilen/ Wo aber sie angenommen/ verfolgte gewißlich/ daß diese plag dem medico vnnd der medicin auß lauterer barmhertzigkeit Gottes vnterworffen vnd natürlich worden/ auff des dem menschen sein leben verlengeret. Weil nun gnedige Herren/ ich solches auffsehens in ernenter Pestilentzischer regierung auch andern zuuor gehabt vnd erfahren/ daß pestis Ein vnnatürliche kranckheit/ Ein besondere růr vnd plag/ so sich erhebt auß des menschen sünde/ Ein vnsichtlich/ vngreifflich/ geistlich wesen/ (wie das beschrieben von Paracelso so keins wegs herkünfftig von einigem humore/ sonders aussen ane in den menschen auch seinen liquorem sich alß ein dampff vnd rauch durch anziehung des geruchs/ Oder wie ein donnerstral vnd schutz der kugel auß der bixen/ oder ein stich vom schwerdt oder wunden inn den [sig. A3v] menschlichen corpus sich begibet/ eindringt vnd oben herab widerfart/ So müß diß bey allen der grund sein/ daß zweyerley geistliche formalische remedia müssen fürgenommen vnd gebrauchet werden/ nämlichen das erst/ Dz wir alle sampt vnd sondere mit fasten/ almůsen geben vnd betten versünent durch fürbitt vnsers seligmachers/ Gott seinen grimmen zorn vnd gerechtigkeit/ vnd bewegen in barmhertzigkeit/ alß Niniue. Das ander/ daß der medicus die Alexipharmaca in jrer höchsten potentia/ kraft vnd tugent gebracht hab: in die sie von Gott anfangs der erschaffung geordnet/ vnd jme dise inuoluirte/ vermischte eingewicklete kraft herausser von corpore ziehe/ wie der berckman die volkommne metallen auß den berck vnd flüchtigen ärtz absönderet/ außzeucht/ dz rein vom vnreinen vnd onbestendigen (jeglichs in seiner art) segregirt/ also vil vnd offtmalen/ biß er gereicht vnd kompt zu dem fixen vnnd feinen klaren metallen/ vnd dann ist der medicus gerecht in seinem werck/ vnd wol- [sig. A4r] gefasset in seinem beruff: wann er/ sprich ich/ die confusion so mit der natur in allen createn laufft hat gscheiden/ wie der schöpfer himmels vnd erdrichs anfangs dz chaos zerteilet vns zu einem reichen/ exempel/ Dann im schweiß seines angesichts soll jder in seiner vocation sein brot bekommen/ die natur producirt vns nichts dz gerichts vnd stracks ins volkommen gebracht seie/ Vns wachsen kein hosen oder schuch/ aber wol die thierer so die heüt vnd wollen geben/ Vns wachset kein brot/ aber die frucht/ die drescher bringens erst vom helm/ seigerens von vnrat/ werffens von onfruchtbaren mißkorn/ der müller malts/ reinigts von kleien/ der beck bachts durch feürs hitz/ vnd in diser reuerberirung behalts erst die prob dz es brot sey: Vnd solch brot/ darin aller tierer fleisch vnd blůt ist/ denen diß zu nutriment erschaffen/ issets ein mensch/ so verkerts sich zu menschen fleisch: jssets ein hund/ so wirts hunds fleisch/ &c. Ebs nu ins end gbracht ist/ vnd bleibt also gewachsen auß dem samen/ wer wurd von stengl/ stro/ sprür vnd wie es producirt langwerendes nutriment [sig. A4v] dienlich fleisch vnnd blut zu werden/ (besonders im mensch) entpfahen? Wurde etwann nutzbarer erscheinen die locustas/ sprößling in der wüste zu essen der gewechsen. Auff solchen grund müssen vnnd sollen wir vnser andere remedia ordnen/ damit gebracht werde defensiuum vnd curatiuum in formalem medicinam/ alß vil lumen naturæ gedulden kan/ auff des spiritus vitæ dardurch eylenden beistand befinde/ vnnd in schnelle gegegen were/ sich bewapnen möge/ durch vnsere Christliche natürliche kunst/ welche ohne spagiria nimanden vnter die handt zu vnsern zeiten geben wirt. Also spreche ich/ das gifft des Pestilentzischen geschosses/ vnnd der brand durch jre gewisse emunctoria vnd des zufellig gifft durch andere meatus hinauß getriben/ alß im büchli vermeldet wirt/ auch von aussen ane anzogen/ gedemmet (wie ein brannt gemeiner bixen kugel/ so mit knobloch oder speck vergifftet/ durch des öl von der glette vnd krebß safft ge- [sig. A5r] demmet vnd abgelöschet wirt) Ja ie höher vnnd subtiler der medicus die medicin præparirt/ je eher auch stercker des menschen krafft/ der innerlich mensch der Adech hilff bekompt/ vnd deren er warlich hochnötig/ quia periculum in mora: Dann so die medicin sich lang im nechsten magen saumen muß/ wegen jhrer grobheit/ daß der mag des medici arbeit erst thun soll/ zu scheiden das grob vom reinen/ das ist/ das corpus von der tugendt/ so nimpt vnser feind der todt inn solchen indutijs vnnd vertrag/ die beste plätz vnd befestungen ein/ spargiert das gifft in die blutadern vnd neruen des marcks erschrockenlich/ &c. So ist wahr/ daß vor mir viel loblicher menner gyfftiagende[c1] durchtringende media gesucht/ geschriben compositiones/ Theriacum/ item den Methridat vnd Electuarium de ouo/ &c. Aber diserer vnserer zeit/ inn deren bey allen völckern alles in das subtilist auff das höchst gestigen/ die Sünde/ Eigennutz/ Vnbill/ auch Straff/ [sig. A5v] Krieg/ Pestilentz[c2] wils nimmer angehn/ dann solchr receptorum compositiones alle zu vil mit crassa substantia verwicklet sein/ welchs ich nun emsiglich gesucht/ darbei weder meiner arbeit noch meines geldes verschonet/ sonders gedacht/ was fürzunemmen/ dadurch die antidota auch in höchste gradirung zubringen/ auff daß sie gegen der kranckheit stehen mochten. Also auß Gottes barmhertzigkeit mein beger durch fleisig suchen erlangt vnd gfunden/ namlichen curam der verletzung/ das dann das grössist vnd notwendigst. Die beschirmung vnd bewarung für solchen einfal ist also zuuernemmen/ dz der jenig/ welcher hinder einer dicken maur steht/ etwz defensionis hat/ für ringes gschütz/ jedoch so maurbrecher/ die kunstliche kuglen auß den mrösern/ hagelgschitz vnd tormenta darwider gebraucht werden/ so ist die sicherung am ende/ welche das harnisch vnd die maur mitgeteilt. Gleicher gstalt ists mir præseruantibus/ welche gwißlich vor allr feulung den corpus bewaren/ dz jm dise contagio vnd bestis/ welche natürlich geworden/ nit [sig. A6r] wol schaden zuzufügen vermag/ jdoch den sterckern gschoß so vnnachlaßent geer zuring. Diser ich ausserthalb deren balsamischen arte/ so in meinen antidoto ist/ hierin geschwigen mererteils/ Weil wol bekant bei auffrechten medicis die proprietas vnd eigenschaft im saltz/ myrren/ saffrag/ aloe/ schwebl ist/ Seint gleichwol herrliche hohe gaben Gotts/ innerlich/ dz ist/ in jren kreften wenigen bekant/ denselbigen sag ich/ so jre medicinen in geschribnen materien lernen wollen/ disen finaliter im ende begegnen wurde/ alß einen vermeinten handwercks vnterrichtung one eins lebenden artificis anleitung gelernet/ vil daruon plauderer/ vnd wann ers ins werck richten/ sol sein meisterstuck thun/ ist kein grund da/ sondern alles im Labyrinth.[c3] Die Alchimia so allr faulkeit ein feint ist/ dise ist ein füreri zur natur vermögenheit/ vnd wegen der arbeit ein grossr dorn den vermiedeten vnd faulen leuten für den augen/ Wann sie bedechten/ dz es greiflich vnd sichtlich wahr ist/ dz die todte abgestorbne cörper/ dz fleisch auß der metzig [sig. A6v] vor feulung vnnd gestanck zu bewaren mit grobem vermistem balsam/ darinn nicht das prædestiniert elementum florirn kan/ sonders alle viere durch einander vermischt sein/ ist. Wurdents bald mit vns stimmen/ dz vil mehr der lebendig corpus/ dem hilff von spiritu vitæ beschicht/ durch extractiones vnnd separatas rerum essentias zu balsamirn were/ wie solches dem vigilanti vnd industrio[c4] medico/ scrutatori physicalium/ vnnd philosophiæ (welcher an allen enden Gottlob/ vil sein) wol bekant/ vnnd je lenger je mehrer von Gott dem dürfftigen krancken zu trost offenbar wirt. Das ist nun dahin gesagt/ damit verstanden werde/ daß præseruantia sein/ vnd wie weit jhr vermögenheit/ Was des curatiff vnnd sein macht zu balsamirn belanget/ so ich auß der Alchimia der wahren vnd einigen philosophia naturali erlernet/ sampt des Paracelsi schreiben von krafft Mummiæ/ hab ich E[uer] G[naden] vnd auch einem ersamen Rhat gemeiner Burger- [sig. A7r] schafft zuerzeigung meines redlichen gemüts/ hiemit offerirn vnd zu offenbaren vnternommen/ dann ich (niemants warhaffter anderst von mir reden soll) von Gott darzu erkieset/ daß ich nit mir allein/ sonders meinem vatterlandt vnnd freunden/ lebete/ auch in rechten zugelassenen guten Christlichen künsten mich jeder zeit geübt vnd vben werde/ Wol ohne rhum/ aber mit warheit dörffte sagen/ daß ich mehr gesehen vnnd erfahren inn medicina vnd philosophia weder vil andere/ Soll mir der verdacht ohngöttlicher kunst/ ohnbillicher weiß wider das gebott der liebe nicht zugelegt/ sonders danck darfür gesagt werden. Jch sage meinem Gott vnnd Theophrasto ewigen danck/ daß ich aller meiner künsten mich befrewen/ berümen vnd in nöten drauff verlassen darff die auch vor Keisern vnnd Königen vnnd allen ehrliebenden wol eröffnen/ alß einen grossen schatz/ so mir mitgetheilet den Menschen zu wolfarht/ Gott zu preiß/ &c.
[sig. A7v] Bitte E[uer] G[naden] wolle solch mein oblation/ wie sie trewhertzig beschicht/ von mir annemmen/ deren ich jederzeit mit willigen diensten geneigt. Datum Basel mense Septembri 4. M. D. LXXVI.
E[uer] g[nädig] G[estrengen] e. w. vnd: Burger Adam von Bodenstein.
Apparatus
Corrections
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 30 May 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 most magnificent and prudent Lords, Consuls, Tribunes, Senate, and the people of Basel, I offer my greetings.
Noble, stern, earnest, pious, wise, gracious, dear lords, considering that in your honored city and land during the dying time, especially in the past three, four, and sixty years, as the grim lues pestifera (the pestilential plague) here and in many places with great intensity has erupted, I, out of my own will, with earnestness and diligence have allowed myself to be useful. Especially at that time, the mummified Theriac, which Paracelsus described, I shared with many people, and found (through God's blessing) it had an exceptionally good effect. Thus, whoever I administered it to, and he kept it until the next dose to be taken at another time, his illness turned into health. From this and other circumstances, I encountered great joy, to the point that I got a prediction, dare to postulate and say, how it would fare in this camp with the patient: then where the aforementioned medicine could not take effect because it was expelled by the enemy through vomiting, sometimes administered by me once, sometimes until the third time, and always vomited out again, I could conclude that human help, caution and natural means could do no more. The reason for this prophecy was that the nature of the inner arteries repelled the remedies, did not take them to help, so they could not share their internal properties with them. But if they were accepted, it certainly followed that this plague was subjected to the doctor and the medicine out of pure mercy of God and became natural, to prolong the life of the man. Since now, gracious Lords, I have had such experiences in the management of the aforementioned plague and have found beforehand that the plague is an unnatural disease, a special stirring and plague, which arises from the sins of man, an invisible, intangible, spiritual being (as described by Paracelsus, in no way originating from any humor, but outside and in the man and his liquid as a vapor and smoke through the attraction of the smell, or like a lightning bolt and the shelter of the bullet from the gun, or a thrust from the sword or wounds into the human body, penetrates and befalls from above downwards), so this must be the basis for all, that two types of spiritual formal remedies must be taken and used, namely the first, that we all together and separately with fasting, alms giving and praying appease through intercession of our Savior, God's fierce wrath and justice, and move into mercy, like Nineveh. The second, that the physician has brought the Alexipharmaca to their highest potency, strength and virtue: into which they were ordered by God at the beginning of creation, and he extracts this involuted, mixed, enfolded power from the body, as the miner separates the perfect metals from the mountain and volatile ores, extracts, purifies the pure from the impure and unstable (each in its kind), as often and as many times, until it reaches and comes to the fixed and fine clear metals, and then the physician is justified in his work, and well established in his profession: when he, I say, has separated the confusion that runs with nature in all creatures, as the creator of heaven and earth initially separated the chaos into a rich example. Then in the sweat of his face each one should get his bread in his vocation, nature does not produce anything for us that is brought to perfection immediately. We do not grow trousers or shoes, but well the animals that give us the hides and wool. We do not grow bread, but the fruit, the threshers first bring it from the stalk, sift it from waste, separate it from infertile grain, the miller grinds it, cleans it from bran, the baker bakes it through the heat of the fire, and in this transformation it first proves to be bread: And such bread, in which all animals' flesh and blood are, those created for this nourishment, if a man eats it, it turns into human flesh: if a dog eats it, it becomes dog's flesh, etc. When something is brought to the end, and remains grown from the seed, who would expect from stems, straw, chaff and whatever it produces to become durable nourishing flesh and blood (especially in man)? Would the locusts, the sprouts in the desert that have grown to eat, appear useful? On such grounds, we must and should arrange our other remedies, so that a defensive and curative medicine is brought into form, as much as the light of nature can endure, on which the quickly helping support of the spirit of life is found, and can quickly oppose, arm itself through our Christian natural art, which will not be given to anyone without spagyric in our times. Therefore, I say, the poison of the pestilential shot, and the fire driven out through their certain emunctories and the incidental poison through other meatus, as mentioned in the little book, also drawn from the outside, is dampened (like the burn of a common musket bullet, poisoned with garlic or bacon, is dampened and extinguished by the oil of the loach and crab juice). Yes, the higher and more subtle the physician prepares the medicine, the sooner and stronger the human strength, the inner man of the artery gets help, and he needs it indeed, because there is danger in delay: For if the medicine has to linger long in the stomach because of its coarseness, that the stomach of the physician's work must first separate the coarse from the pure, that is, the body from the virtue, so our enemy death takes in such truces and treaty, the best places and fortifications, spreads the poison in the blood vessels and nerves of the marrow terrifyingly, etc. It is true that before me many commendable men have sought penetrating media, written compositions, Theriacum, also the Mithridat and Electuarium de ovo, etc. But this our time, in which among all peoples everything has risen to the subtlest and highest, sin, self-interest, unfairness, also punishment, war, pestilence, will never do, because such receptor compositions are all too much involved with gross substance, which I have now diligently sought, sparing neither my work nor my money, but thinking about what to undertake, by which to bring the antidotes also to the highest gradation, so that they could stand against the disease. Thus, from God's mercy, my desire achieved and found through diligent searching, namely the cure of the injury, which is then the greatest and most necessary. The protection and preservation from such an attack is to be undertaken in such a way that the one who stands behind a thick wall has some defense, against surrounding artillery, but if wall breakers, the artful bullets from the mortars, hailstorm and torment are used against it, so is the insurance at the end, which the armor and the wall have shared. Similarly, it is with my preservatives, which certainly preserve the body from all decay before this contagion and beasts, which have become natural, can hardly cause harm, yet the stronger shot continues to ring. This, I mostly keep silent about outside of the balsamic art, which is in my antidote, because the properties and characteristics in salt, myrrh, saffron, aloe, sulfur are well known to upright physicians. Yet these are glorious high gifts of God, inwardly, that is, in their powers known to few, to those, I say, who want to learn their medicines in written materials, this would finally meet at the end, as a supposed instruction of craft learned without a living artisan's guidance, much talk about it, and when he puts it into action, do his masterpiece, there is no foundation there, but all in the labyrinth. Alchemy, which is an enemy of all decay, this is a guide to the power of nature, and because of the work a great thorn in the eyes of avoided and lazy people, when they consider that it is tangible and visibly true that the dead bodies, the meat from the butcher to preserve from decay and stench with coarse mixed balsam, in which not the predestined element can flourish, but all four are mixed together. They would soon agree with us that much more the living body, to which help from the spirit of life happens, by extractions and separated essences of things to balsam were, as this to the vigilant and industrious physician, scrutator of physical things, and philosophy (which thank God, there are many at all ends) well known, and the longer the more from God the needy sick to comfort becomes apparent. This is now said so that it may be understood that preservatives are and how far their ability. As for the curative and its power to balsam, which I learned from alchemy of the true and only natural philosophy, along with Paracelsus' writings about the power of mummy, I have undertaken to offer and reveal this to Your Grace and also to a respectable Council of the common citizenry to show my sincere mind, for I (no one should truthfully speak of me otherwise) am chosen by God to live not only for myself, but for my fatherland and friends, and always practice and will practice in rightful allowed good Christian arts, can say without glory, but with truth, that I have seen and experienced more in medicine and philosophy than many others. The suspicion of ungodly art, unfair way against the commandment of love should not be imputed to me, but thanks should be said for it. I give eternal thanks to my God and Theophrastus, that I can rejoice in all my arts, boast and rely on them in times of need, which I can also reveal before emperors and kings and all who love honor, as a great treasure that has been shared with me for the welfare of people, to the praise of God, etc.
I ask Your Grace to accept this my offering, as it is sincerely given, from me, to whom I am always inclined with willing services. Dated Basel, September 4, 1576.
Your gracious Sir and: Citizen Adam von Bodenstein.
