This golden table of Solomon and Hermes was issued as a large engraved frontispiece to a German book of 1739 whose title translates as the genuine spaghetti and philosophical revelation of homogenise between the Sun and Moon we see a triangular pyramid form divided into a number of sections it has two Texts along its top edges the first points us to the strange magical metamorphosis of the alchemists which is likened to the time of Midas when everything that he touched was changed into gold and silver the text on the right says that the blessed stone of the Philosopher’s was the first matter of Our creation and is a true medicine for our restoration at three corners of the triangle are symbols connected with fire in different ways on the left is the Phoenix which was revived in flames and its former body destroyed and another arises again in an incorruptible and eternal form below the Tech states from me is created the son of the following generation on the right is a salamander which pair severes and the flames and possesses a blood more precious than any treasure and sweeter than honey the text below says from my unique birth the son of the son is Created at the apex of the triangle is mercury who contains the soul of all fixed and immortal things his food is fire and he consumes three parts of his body by this fire and nothing remains except the smallest part still with his virtue entire the other symbols in this Diagram are linked together in polarized pairs of opposites forced the snake and dragon on the left the snake says I do harm to the imprudent I bear death and poison but if you use me correctly I give health and life on the right the dragon warns that he Destroys those who resist nothing in all the world is able to resist him except the humid root of the metals next we see two well-known alchemical birds traditionally associated with the black and white stages of the alchemical process the black crow on the left is undeservedly despised but it holds the Most precious balsam of life in itself and can call back life from dead the white swan on the right is a most fortunate messenger it has been nourished with its own flesh but will rise again the lion on the left is the bravest of all beings he attacks Everyone even the strongest and dies fighting but his death is a life of all things the king on the right is the son of the son by his virtue he rules and can break through the most solid ramparts and by his force shatter the strongest defenses on the left side of The emblem we see an alchemist with flasks the text tells us that the more haste the less speed steady progress brings profit to digestion but he starves the work on the right is a furnace the device of the wise which incorporates the fire of nature and enables one to mimic the careful Operation of nature next we note two trees one with white and one of the red fruits obviously emblem enticing the white and red tinctures of alchemy the tree on the Left states I bring about total health and produce fruits as white as the whitest lilies which cure every severe illness and leprosy the Tree on the right gives everlasting life for its fruit is immortal and imperishable which by a wonderful manner make all barren trees fruitful in the center of this pyramid are three alphabets at the top are all chemical images supposedly carved in golden letters in the cave or mines of Solomon Which only humble devout and charitable souls are able to climb down and see next we see the Egyptian hieroglyphs of the father of philosophers the greatest philosopher the Pontifex Maximus the most powerful King of the Egyptians Hermes Trismegistus describing the complete process for the blessing stone the lowest of these panels shows the Conventional or chemical symbols for substances and processes found in alchemical books the text describes these as the signals of Solomon and the most true signs of this wonderful art these are concealed and hidden in nature he bring forth powers into the open not so much an art As a nature to whom art as a servant ensure these to be beyond the capacity of thought you Video Information
This video, titled ‘Alchemical Emblems Golden Table’, was uploaded by Adam McLean on 2013-05-23 09:48:47. It has garnered 2116 views and 48 likes. The duration of the video is 00:07:22 or 442 seconds.
Adam McLean has created a number of study courses on alchemical symbolism in the form of books and downloadable files. https://www.alchemywebsite.com/bookshop/courses.html ================================================== The Golden Table of Solomon and Hermes analysed by Adam McLean in his Exploring Alchemical Emblems Study Course.
Exploring Alchemical emblems A series of 24 audio-visual presentations
1. Alchemical Grotto (13 Megs – 9.3 mins) 2. Oratory and Laboratory (8.3 Megs – 7.5 mins) 3. Alchemical Tree (10.2 Megs – 9.7 mins) 4. Mirror of Art and Nature (9 Megs – 7.6 mins) 5. Fludd’s Macrocosm and Microcosm (10 Megs – 6.5 mins) 6. Lullist Alchemical Tree (14 Megs – 13.3 mins) 7. Golden Table (9 Megs – 7.5 mins) 8. Hermaphrodite (10.5 Megs – 12 mins) 9. Table of rich inventions (10 Megs – 10 mins) 10. Materia prima (8 Megs – 7 mins) 11. Liber Sapientiae (11 Megs – 6.7 mins) 12. The Alchemical Globe of Libavius (8 Megs – 7.5 mins) 13. Sabine Stuart’s Philosophical Sanctuary (7 Megs – 7 mins) 14. An Alchemical Mountain (6.5 Megs – 6 mins) 15. Mylius’ Macrocosm and Microcosm (9.4 Megs – 10.3 mins) 16. Ergon and Parergon (8.5 Megs – 9.5 mins) 17. Mylius Titlepage (8 Megs – 9.2 mins) 18. The Ripley Scrowle (12 Megs – 14.7 mins) 19. The Hermetic Triumph (6 Megs – 5.4 mins) 20. The Cosmic metals (7 Megs – 6.7 mins) 21. Fountain of Bernard (7 Megs – 7 mins) 22. Flamel Hieroglyphic figures (10 Megs – 10 mins) 23. Secret Symbols (14 Megs – 14 mins) 24. Freher Cosmos (9.5 Megs – 11 mins)
For large format prints of some of these images see my alchemy website
www.alchemywebsite.com/bookshop
