Preface, 1575-08-03, Pietro Perna to the Reader
| Author: | Pietro Perna |
| Recipient: | Reader |
| Type: | Preface |
| Date: | 3 August 1575 |
| Place: | Basel |
| Pages: | 4 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2116 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Paracelsus, Operum latine redditorum tomus I., ed. Adam von Bodenstein, Basel: Pietro Perna 1575, sig. **4r-**5v [BP165]
|
| CP: | Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum |
| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | The printer addresses the reader, explaining their goal to make the works of Theophrastus available in both German and Latin to reach a wider audience. They face challenges collecting and translating the scattered works. The printer has begun publishing the Latin volumes, with the first volume containing twenty previously published and unpublished works, and the second volume focusing on theory. They are also working on the practical aspects of the texts, with the help of Master Georg Forberger. The printer asks the reader to enjoy these treasures and prepare for more to come. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Pietro Perna |
[sig. **4r] Typographvs Lectori benigno & æquo S[alutem] D[icit].
Consilij & instituti nostri, amice lector, summa est, vt Germanis, qui Theophrasti authoris nostri linguam intelligunt, Germanica, externis verò nationibus, quæ eam ignorant, eadem Latina legenda typis nostris proponamus. Id verò nunc integrè præstare difficillimum est, duabus præsertim de causis: cùm quòd omnia colligere, quæ author toto ferè orbe peregrinus & vagus, vt gallina oua, sparsa reliquit: tum quòd hodie à pluribus eius doctrinæ studiosis auidissimè conquisita pertinacissimè occultantur, & auarissimè detinentur, ita vt ferè impos- [sig. **4v] sibile videatur, vnius hominis ætate ista omnia vel multa pecunia & labore, quamuis diligentissime id fiat, conquiri & colligi posse. Quare obiter rogatos velim omnes Paracelsistas, vt tanquam ab eius spiritu prognati, quemadmodum ipse ea scripsit & elaborauit, vt & veræ medicinæ & ægrotis consuleretur, ita & ipsi eadem charitate permoti, in commune consulere velint: & alios qui doctrinam non magni faciunt, sed ex alienis laboribus lucrum quærunt, nobis ad commundem Reipubl[icæ] vtilitatem satagentibus, quæ habent huius hominis scripta, accepto pro nostra tenuitate honorario aliquo, ad imprimendum tradere velint. Cœpimus nunc tandem Latina, quæ (etiam persequemur) per tomos in lucem dare, vt extraneorum, [sig. **5r] & præsertim Gallorum desiderio, quantum in nobis est, satisfaciamus, & Deo bene fauente panes istos pro famelicis plures coquemus. Hoc igitur primo tomo ad viginti volumina ordine quo potuimus meliori & edita antea & non edita Latinè, disposuimus, cum vtili admodum præfatione clarissimi & nobilissimi viri D[omini] Adami à Bodenstein, huius philosophiæ & medicinæ facilè principis. In secundo verò volumine paulò pauciores libros, omnes ad theoriam spectantes, & eos fere nunquam antea Latinè editos ritè collocauimus. Quæ vero praxim respiciunt, nunc elaboramus, opera præsertim præstantissimi viri Magistri Georgij Forbergerij Misnensis, fidelissimè & appositè vertentis, & ordine disponentis tam [sig. **5v] Germanica quàm Latina. Cuius etiam partes erant, si præsens fuisset, in suas ipsius versiones præfari: sed cùm hoc tempore tam longè à nobis absit, quamuis per literas petierimus, nihil tamen tempestiuè nobis allatum est: nihilominus ei liberum erit, cùm voluerit, præfari, & suæ versionis rationem reddere, & operum præstantiam atque vtilitatem ostendere. Deinde philosophica, astrologica, & alchimica, vita comite, persequemur. Interim humaniss[ime] lector istis fruere thesauris, & ad lautiora fercula te para. Vale: Baseleæ, iii. Nonis Augusti 1575.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 22 April 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.
Greetings to the kind and fair reader from the printer.
The main goal of our counsel and enterprise, dear reader, is to present to Germans, who understand the language of our author Theophrastus, his works in German, and for foreign nations who do not understand it, to offer the same works in Latin with our types. However, it is extremely difficult to achieve this fully at present, for two main reasons: firstly, because it is necessary to gather all the scattered works left by the author, who traveled and wandered almost all over the world, like a hen laying eggs; and secondly, because today many of his most ardent students fiercely hide and greedily withhold the sought-after teachings, making it seem almost impossible for a single person to acquire and collect all these works in their lifetime, even with a great deal of money and effort.
Therefore, I kindly ask all Paracelsians, as if they were born from his spirit, to consider the same charity with which he wrote and worked so that both true medicine and the sick could benefit, and to be willing to consult with each other for the common good. I also ask others who do not value his teachings but seek profit from the work of others, to give us his writings for printing, receiving some remuneration for our modest efforts, for the common benefit of the republic.
Now, at last, we have begun to publish the Latin works (which we will continue to do) in volumes, to satisfy the desires of foreigners, especially the French, as much as we can, and with God's blessing, to cook more bread for the hungry. In this first volume, we have arranged about twenty volumes of both previously published and unpublished works in Latin, in the best order we could manage, with a very useful preface by the most illustrious and noble Lord Adam von Bodenstein, easily the prince of this philosophy and medicine. In the second volume, we have placed slightly fewer books, all relating to theory, and almost all of them never before published in Latin, in their proper place.
We are currently working on the practical aspects, primarily through the efforts of the most excellent Master Georg Forberger of Meissen, who faithfully and appropriately translates and arranges both the German and Latin works. It would have been his role to introduce his own translations if he were present, but since he is so far away from us at this time, we have not received any timely response, despite our written request. Nevertheless, he will be free to write an introduction whenever he wishes, to explain his translations, and to demonstrate the excellence and usefulness of his works.
Then, accompanied by life, we will pursue the philosophical, astrological, and alchemical works. In the meantime, most humane reader, enjoy these treasures and prepare yourself for richer fare. Farewell: Basel, August 3rd, 1575.
