View source for Dedication, no date (1608), Benedictus Figulus to Joachim Ernst Markgraf von Brandenburg (BP280)

{{InfoboxParatext
| Author=Benedictus Figulus
| Recipient=Joachim Ernst Markgraf von Brandenburg
| Type=Dedication
| Date=no date (1608)
| Place=Hagenau
| Pages=3
| Language=lat
| Editor=Julian Paulus
| Source=Thesaurinella Olympica aurea tripartita, ed. Benedictus Figulus, Frankfurt am Main: Wolfgang Richter für Nicolaus Stein 1608, p. 147—149
| SourceBP=BP280
| ReprintedFrom=
| Description=
| Abstract=
| Names=
| Places=
| Texts=
| Authorities=
| Note=
| ID=SudhoffBP280,147
| Translation=1
}}

{{MarkupUppercase|Proloquium dedicatorium|u=v}}

{{MarkupUppercase|ad}}

{{MarkupItalics|
{{MarkupUppercase|Illustriss[Imum] Principem Ac Dominum, D[omi]n[um] Ioachimum Ernestum, Marchionem Brandenburgensem, Borussiae, Silesiae, Stetini,|u=v}} Pomeranae, Großiae, Cassubiorum ac Vandalorum Ducem, Burggrauium Norimbergensem, Principem Rugiae, &c. Dominum suum clementißimum.}}

<poem>
: {{MarkupUppercase|Marchio,}} magnanima virtute, Decore refulgens
::: Heroo, Patrii Dux animose soli,
: O Ioachime Erneste, audi, Illustrissime Princpes,
::: Brandenburgensis {{MarkupUppercase|stella}} serena domus.
: Septima fluxit Hyems, Septenaque voluitur aestas,
::: Dum miser à patriis exul oberro focis,
: Fortunae innumeris iactatus adusque procellis
::: Hospes in ignota dum regione moror.
: Vix mihi septenae luces transisse videntur,
::: Dum patienti animo quaeque sinistra tuli.
: Sacra Poësis erat mihi cordi tempore quouis,
::: Haec alimenta mihi curta meisque dabat.
: Mundus at immundus dum respuit omnia Sacra
::: Et sacris Musis denegat hospitium,
: Auxiliatrices nobis dextrasque recusat
::: Heu nimis, ingratis, pectore & ore, modis.
: Spem tamen abieci nullatenus. Ipse {{MarkupUppercase|Iehova,}}
::: Me tegit inuitis hostibus, atque regit.
: Huius nî verbum me sustentasset in arctis
::: Rebus, & hac misera conditione meos,
: Et mihi solamen sine magna fruge dedisset;
::: Mersa fuisset aquis naufraga nostra ratis. {{Pagemark|p. 148}}
: Iam dudum: Ast mitis spaciosi praeses Olympi
::: Hoc Patria auertit pro bonitate malum,
: Gloria dum Christi solummodò quaeritur à me,
::: Non mea, sed Superi Gloria diua Patris.
: Munere de cuius sperno contraria quaeuis,
::: Fallacis linguae liuida tela, minas.
: Ergo Poësis vni mea cuiuis Sacra molesta est:
::: Quae sustentandi prodeat ansa mihi?
: Mens quoque propediem nostris valedicere musis,
::: Non sine re suadet, dum grauis aura tonat.
: Inuitante Deo, Medicas ad Apollinis artes.
::: Et Paracelsaeae transeo castra scholae.
: Scilicet effluxis studium colui quod ab annis
::: Pluribus Hermeticis inuigilando libris.
: Ecce metalliferos placuit mox visere montes,
::: Naturae abstrusum perdidicisse Chaos,
: Et Tyrolanos tractus percurro, deinde
::: Styria visa mihi commoditasque loci,
: Inde Carinthiacae superando Cacumina terrae
::: Vidi, propicio sic mediante Deo,
: Felices sedes, loca ter felicia, Noster
::: In quibus optauit saepius esse locis,
: Magnus Apollo Decus, Theophrastus, coelite Sancti
::: Numinis afflatus sidere, {{MarkupUppercase|Teutoniae.|u=v}}
: In peregrinando dum colligo Scripta Sophorum
::: Plurima, sed Patriae, Dux Ioachime, meae,
: De magni {{MarkupUppercase|Lapidis}} Miraculo ter {{MarkupUppercase|benedicti}}
::: Quo nullum toto maius in orbe Bonum.
: Publica, filiolis doctrinae, ad commoda duxi
::: Participanda statim muneris esse mei.
: Ex quibus in lucem dum profilit Hortulus almam
::: Noster hic Hermeticus, {{MarkupUppercase|Marchio}} Magne faue.
: Nominis Augusti exoptat viridante sub vmbra
::: Septimenta tui fida patrocinii
: Tutelaeque tuae: Liuentia pectora in orbe
::: Plurima nam nobis impedimenta ferunt.
: {{MarkupUppercase|Chemica}} peruerso nam {{MarkupUppercase|disciplina}} Venenum
::: Est Mundo: Spernit Coelica Dona Dei. {{Pagemark|p. 149}}
: Magnum opus aggressus, Duce Christo ac auspice Christo
::: Ipse quod optatâ commoditate beet.
: Nam Rediuiuus erit toto {{MarkupUppercase|Theophrastus|u=v}} in orbe,
::: Si modò subsidium, porrigat alma manus
: Principis Heroi, mihi, nec conatibus obstet
::: Cum Mundi Satanas improbitate sua,
: Hostis ἀληθείας, verae sapientiae alumnis
::: Pestiferae obtrudens somnia vana scholae.
: Denuò sub praelum {{MarkupUppercase|Theophrasti}} scripta dabuntur
::: Propria, cum limâ dexteriore tibi.
: Thειologειa simul mox sub diuina sequetur,
::: (Mundo miraclum nempe futura Nouum,)
: Flaminis aetherii diuinitus inspirata
::: Ductu elementi, Numinis atque Sacri,
: Et remouebuntur Zizania, dummodò libris
::: Mixta fuêre male, Scripta aliena, Viri.
: Fautor Apollineae quia sed tu Maximus artis
::: O Princeps, Patriae, Marchio Diui, Pater,
: Et Theophrastaeam Medicinam pectore toto
::: Prosequeris, studium hoc dulce fauore pari:
: Accipe clementi vultu tibi dona dicata;
::: Primitias genii Philosophantis habe.
: Hesperidum aureolos aditum indubitanter in hortos
::: Menti auidae reserant quae Sacra Scripta Sophûm.
: Imperium sic {{MarkupUppercase|Iova}} tuum fortunet in annos
::: Complures, Patriae sis maneasque Pater, &c.
</poem>

{{MarkupItalics|Vestrae Illustr[issimae] Celsit[udinis] Subiectißimus Cliens}}

{{MarkupItalics|Benedictus Figulus Vtenhouias Francus, Poeta L[aureatus] C[oronatus] Theologus, Theosophus, Philosophus, Medicus, Eremita, &c.}}


{{InfoboxTranslation|Date=2023-02-26}} Dedication to the Most Illustrious Prince and Lord, Lord Joachim Ernest, Margrave of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia, Silesia, Stettin, Pomerania, Greater Poland, Kashubia and Vandals, Burgrave of Nuremberg, Prince of Rügen, etc., his most merciful Lord.

<poem>
Marquis, shining with great bravery and illustrious beauty,
A hero, bravely leading the native land,
Oh Joachim Ernest, hear, most illustrious prince,
Serene star of the Brandenburg house.
The seventh winter has passed, and seven summers have rolled by,
While I, miserable, wander as an exile from my native hearth,
Tossed by countless misfortunes and storms,
As a stranger in an unknown land I dwell.
Hardly do seven days seem to have passed for me,
While I patiently bear each unfortunate occurrence.
Sacred poetry was dear to me at any time,
Providing me with short sustenance and nourishment.
But while the world, unclean, rejects all things holy,
And denies hospitality to the sacred muses,
It refuses us their aid and their right hand,
Alas, too ungrateful in heart and in word.
Yet I have not given up hope. Jehovah himself
Protects and guides me against my enemies.
If not for his word supporting me in these difficulties,
And in this miserable condition of mine,
And if he had not given me consolation without great fruit,
My shipwreck would have been swallowed up by the waters.
Already long ago, but the gentle president of the spacious Olympus
Removed this evil from my homeland for the sake of goodness,
While I seek only the glory of Christ,
Not for my own sake, but for the divine glory of the Father above.
Therefore, I despise any opposing gifts from whoever,
Deceptive tongues, envious accusations, threats.
Thus, my sacred poetry is troublesome to anyone:
What opportunity can it provide for me to support myself?
My mind also soon bids farewell to my muses,
Not without good reason, as the heavy wind thunders.
Invited by God, I turn to the medical arts of Apollo,
And I pass through the camp of Paracelsus.
Certainly, I have been cultivating the study that I have watched
For many years, in the hermetic books.
Behold, soon it pleased me to see the metal-bearing mountains,
To have learned the hidden chaos of nature,
And I traveled through the Tyrolean regions, then
I saw Styria, a pleasant and convenient place for me,
Then, overcoming the heights of Carinthia,
I saw happy places, places thrice blessed, where
The great Apollo, the glory of Theophrastus, the inspiration
Of the saints, shone like the stars, of Teutonia.
While I collect the writings of the wise men as a pilgrim,
Most of all, for my homeland, oh Joachim, my leader,
Of the great miracle of the blessed stone of Benedict,
Wherein there is no greater good in the whole world.
I immediately considered it my public duty to share
The teachings with my little ones, to their advantage.
From these things, while I bring forth into the light,
This garden of ours, the Hermetic one, oh great Marquis, favor it.
It desires the name of Augustus under the green shade
Of your protection and guardianship: For many
Hearts in the world, because of the perverse discipline of alchemy,
Reject the heavenly gifts of God.
Having undertaken the great work, with Christ as my leader and auspice,
What I desire will be blessed with the desired convenience.
For Theophrastus will return to the whole world,
If the benevolent hand of the prince extends aid to me,
And Satan, the enemy of truth, with his wickedness
Does not hinder my efforts,
Imparting pernicious dreams of vain philosophy
To the disciples of true wisdom.
Again, under the press, the works of Theophrastus will be given
To you, after further refinement.
Theology will soon follow under divine guidance,
(A new miracle to the world, of course,)
Inspired by the divine guidance of the ethereal flame,
The element, and the divine and sacred spirit,
And the weeds will be removed, provided that the books
Were badly mixed with foreign writings, O man.
As a great supporter of Apollo's art,
O prince, father of your country, Marquis Divi, father,
Because you wholeheartedly pursue Theophrastean medicine,
This sweet pursuit with equal favor,
Accept these gifts dedicated to you with a gracious face;
May you have the first fruits of the philosopher's mind.
The sacred scriptures of the sages undoubtedly reveal
The entrance to the golden gardens of Hesperides to the eager mind.
May your rule, Jupiter, bless your years for several more,
And may you be a father and stay in your country, etc.
</poem>

Your most illustrious highness's humble client,

Benedictus Figulus Vtenhouias Francus, Laureate Poet, Theologian, Theosophist, Philosopher, Doctor, Hermit, etc.