Dedication, 1577-08-12, Gerhard Dorn to François de Valois, duc d’Alençon
| Author: | Gerhard Dorn |
| Recipient: | François de Valois, duc d’Alençon |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | 12 August 1577 |
| Place: | Basel |
| Pages: | 5 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2023 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Paracelsus, Aurora thesaurusque philosophorum, ed. Gerhard Dorn, Basel: [Thomas Guarin] 1577, p. 3-7 [BP177]
|
| CP: | Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum |
| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | The text discusses the dedication of accomplished individuals to promote and defend truth in various sciences and fine arts, dedicating their writings to the powerful King Francis and now to his grandson, the Prince. The Prince is praised for his great qualities and virtues, including his desire to translate the works of Theophrastus Paracelsus, who is seen as superior to the heathen teachings. The author suggests that Paracelsus' teachings using the spagyric art can bring about unity and proportion to health, using medicines free from corruption. The author asks the Prince to accept and protect these new ideas against the enemies of truth and injustice. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Gerhard Dorn |
[p. 3] Illvstrissimo ac potentissimo Principi, Francisco Valesio, Henrici II. Piæ Memoriæ Regis Galliarum Filio, Fratrique Regio Vnico, Duci Andegauorum, Biturigum Alenconio, Turonensi, &c. Salus.
Non sine Fato factum, Illustrissime Princeps existimandum, vt Serenissimi Regis Francisci Magni Valesij, eius nominis I. Piæ Fœlicisque Memoriæ, Tuæ Celsitatis Aui, nomen geras, Cum re ipsa Magni eius Animi dotes atquæ virtutes omnes facilè refereas: accitis vndiquæ pollentibus ingenio viris, qui suscitandis, prouehendis, ab iniurijs vindicandis, et ad Veritatis normam adducendis, in omni scientiarum genere bonis artibus, nauent operam. Non immeritò igitur, si quid isti viri suis [p. 4] lucubratiunculis (Dei dante tamen) assecuti sint, Benefactori suo Deo primùm, denique Principibus eiusmodi Mœcentatibus, dicatum volunt. Idipsum et Henricus Ille II. Rex Potentissimus, Piæ Memoriæ Pater, ac modo Henricus III. etiam Rex Inuictissimus Frater, Fœlicis Galliæ Reges omnes, semper in delicijs habuerunt. Quid enim Regibus ac Principibus dignius esse potest, quàm ardua regiminum Consilia, literis interdum vt salibus condere? Hoc ipsum attestatur, ea in re, Animi tui splendorem eximium, dum etiam Translationem Physicam librorum Germanicorum Theophrasti Paracelsi, Germanici Philosophi præ cæteris acutissimi, doctissimique viri, maximopere fieri cupiat, vt & Gallia per te, Literaria hac fœlicitiate fœcundior euadat. Cui muneri quidem & officio, quòd me (licet indignum) Celsitas Tua pr&ælig;ficere dignata sit: Tuo sub tuto Patrocinio, non nisi [p. 5] fœliciter auspicari possum: idque maximè, quia labor hic, eò neruos totos intendit, vt ars medica potissimùm & physica, falsis innixa fundamentis Aethnicorum, ad sua nempe veritatis primordia redeant. Non parum sanè referre videtur, quibus medicamentis, quibusuè medicis, homines, præsertim Reges atque Principes, vitam suam committant, prospicere. Sunt entim ipsamet quæ hactenus vsu veniunt, malè sana, & corruptioni obnoxia pharmaca, vt etiam per se aliquantisper asseruata, & non assumpta, morbesant, morbosque quos propulsare deberent, potius introducant. Quando quidem ex quouis generari, sibi simile necessum est, vt ex morbo morborum: non aliter, vt ex sano sanum, ex corrupto corruptum. Docet itaque Præceptor[c1] noster Paracelsus, longè præstantiori Methodo, corruptione laxa dissonaque vitæ membra, medicamentis ab omni corruptibili remotis, arte spagirica, [p. 6] multifariam ad Vnitatis & sanitatis proportionem, simpathia quadam adducere: non ex infidelium Aethnicorum scholis, verum ex vero scientiarum omnium vnico fonte, centroque Veritatis, cuius ignari fuerunt AEthnici prorsum, & eorum discipuli. Vtin Monarchia mea patebit latiùs: quaquidem artis medicæ vera fundamenta solidissimis argumentis, innotescent, & quæ Paracelsus prodit in lucem principia medica, in concuso fundamento stabilientur. Breuibus vt rem expediam. Ars & omnis sapientia nulla, qua non ex Vnitatis Veritatisque centro fluxerit, vt ex puncto linea. Suscipe igitur Princeps Illustrissime quæso, de manibus humilimi serui tui, quæ hactenus ita luculentè, fuerunt inaudita, Patrocinioque tuere contra gigantos homines inimicos veri, vt potes, etiam ab iniurijs et inuidia defende. Interea valere Tuam Celsitatem in Iesu Christo, & in æuum [p. 7] viuere fœliciter opto. Datum Basileæ pridie Idus Augusti 1577.
Illustrissimæ Tuæ Celsitatis
Humilimus Interpres. Germanicus.
Gerardus Dorn.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT on 30 March 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 illustrious and powerful Prince, Francis of Valois, son of the late Henry II, King of France, and the only brother of the royal family, Duke of Anjou, Alençon, Touraine, etc. Greetings.
It is to be considered a stroke of fate, most illustrious Prince, that you bear the name of His Serene Majesty, Francis the Great of Valois, of blessed memory, your grandfather, and that you easily display all the great qualities and virtues of his magnanimous soul. Accomplished and talented individuals from all over, who have devoted their efforts to promoting, advancing, defending against injustices, and guiding towards the standard of Truth, in all kinds of sciences and the fine arts, have been summoned. Therefore, it is not without merit that these individuals have dedicated their writings (with God's help) to their benefactor, first and foremost, and then to such a worthy Prince. This is the same sentiment that the most powerful King Henry II, your father of blessed memory, and now even the invincible King Henry III, your brother, have always held dear. For what can be more fitting for Kings and Princes than to polish difficult governance decisions with a seasoning of literature? This is evident in the outstanding brilliance of your mind, as you are eager to translate the physical works of Theophrastus Paracelsus, the most acute and learned German philosopher, above all others, and as a result, bring more fruitful abundance in literature to France through your efforts.
I am humbled and unworthy, yet your Highness has seen fit to entrust me with this task and duty. I can only hope to succeed under your protection, and especially because this endeavor requires my full attention, so that the medical and physical arts, which rely on false foundations of the heathens, can return to their original roots of truth. It is certainly worthwhile to observe what medicines and physicians individuals, especially Kings and Princes, trust their lives with. For indeed, the very drugs that have been used thus far are ill and subject to corruption, and even when slightly preserved and not consumed, they produce sickness and introduce diseases, which should have been kept at bay. For as it is necessary for anything to generate from its own kind, it is necessary for sickness to generate from sickness, just as health generates from health, and corruption from corruption.
Therefore, our teacher Paracelsus teaches with a far superior method, using the spagyric art, to bring about unity and proportion to health, with a certain sympathy, by relaxing the corruption and dissonance of life, using medicines free from all corruptibility, and this not from the schools of infidel heathens, but from the one true source of all knowledge and the center of Truth, of which the heathens were entirely ignorant, and their disciples. Thus, my monarchy will be revealed more broadly: for the true foundations of medical arts will be made known through the strongest arguments, and the medical principles that Paracelsus has brought to light will be established on a firm foundation. In short, there is no art or wisdom that has not flowed from the center of Unity and Truth, as from a point to a line. Therefore, most illustrious Prince, I humbly implore you to accept, from the hands of your humble servant, things that have hitherto been unheard of, and to protect them against the enemies of truth, like giants. Defend them, if possible, even against injustice and envy. In the meantime, I wish for your Highness to be well and to live happily forever in Jesus Christ. Given in Basel, on the day before the Ides of August, 1577.
To your most illustrious Highness,
Your humble interpreter, a German,
Gerardus Dorn.
