| Author | Post |
|---|
Rafal T. Prinke
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 4th, 2008 |
| Location: | Poland |
| Posts: | 150 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 7th, 2010 11:07 am |
|
In the anonymous Vita Sendivogii Poloni the author says that Sendivogius was initiated in alchemy by a Greek Patriarch. I wonder if anyone can recall other instances of such references to (real or imaginary) Greek alchemical masters of late medieval or early modern periods (i.e. not to the Greek alchemical authors of late antiquity). I find two other examples: (1) the Greek monk Lascaris; (2) Cagliostro's master Althotas (though he is sometimes identified as an Armenian).
There are also some references in Ben Jonson to "heathen Greek" but it is not exactly what I am looking for.
Best regards,
Rafał
|
Paul Ferguson
Member
| Joined: | Fri Feb 15th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1538 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 7th, 2010 05:43 pm |
|
Rafal T. Prinke wrote:
In the anonymous Vita Sendivogii Poloni the author says that Sendivogius was initiated in alchemy by a Greek Patriarch. I wonder if anyone can recall other instances of such references to (real or imaginary) Greek alchemical masters of late medieval or early modern periods (i.e. not to the Greek alchemical authors of late antiquity). I find two other examples: (1) the Greek monk Lascaris; (2) Cagliostro's master Althotas (though he is sometimes identified as an Armenian).
There are also some references in Ben Jonson to "heathen Greek" but it is not exactly what I am looking for.
Best regards,
Rafał
1. Johannes Archipresbyter
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=1094&letter=A (under 'An Important manuscript')
2. Hieronymus Makropulos
Pops up in an opera by Janáček (actually existed or just legendary?)
3. Was not Berthold Schwarz the gunpowder man half-Greek?
4. Michael Psellos.Last edited on Thu Oct 7th, 2010 06:06 pm by Paul Ferguson
|
Carl Lavoie
Member
| Joined: | Wed Feb 25th, 2009 |
| Location: | Canada |
| Posts: | 215 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 8th, 2010 07:08 am |
|
.
Hi Rafał,
I found two mentions while skimming Figuier (L’Alchimie et les alchimistes, Bibliotheca Hermetica, 1970). Needless to say, you’ll have to check out with the ‘real’ authors.
Bernard Trévisan (pp. 201-202, in Figuier) :
Il séjourna particulièrement dans la Grèce méridionale, parce que les autres parties de ce pays était continuellement inquiétées par l’invasion des troupes turques. S’attachant surtout à visiter les couvents, il travaillait à la préparation de l’œuvre avec les moines que leur renommée désignait à son attention. Il ne dédaignait pas cependant le savoir des laïques. […]
En 1472, il arriva à Rhodes […]
A Rhodes habitait « un grand clerc et religieux » que l’on reconnaissait dans tout l’Orient, comme ayant le bonheur d’être en possession de la pierre philosophale. C’est pour se mettre en rapport avec lui que Bernard s’était arrêté dans cette île.
........................................................................
The other one is Denis Zachaire (p. 187) :
Il fallait cependant faire un choix parmi un si grand nombre d’opérateurs. Zachaire se décida à accorder sa confiance à un Grec arrivé pendant l’été, et qui prétendait savoir changer en argent le cinabre mis en forme de clous.
And there’s even a kind of link with Sendivogius : the murder of Zachaire has been retold by Mardochée de Delle ...
Cet événement [the murder] fit beaucoup de bruit en Allemagne mais on ne put retrouver les traces de l’assassin. Mardochée de Delle, le poète de la cour de Rodolphe II, composa plus tard sur ce sujet une pièce de vers
... who also wrote about Sendivogius’ success. (Lives of the Alchemistical Philosophers, article ‘Michael Sendivogius’) :
A marble tablet with the inscription―
Faciat hoc quispiam alius
Quod fecit Sendivogius Polonus,
Was set up in the chamber where the transmutation had been performed, and the occasion was celebrated in verse by the court poet, Mardochie de Delle.
.
|
Rafal T. Prinke
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 4th, 2008 |
| Location: | Poland |
| Posts: | 150 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 8th, 2010 10:11 pm |
|
Hi Paul and Carl,
Thanks a lot for those references, they are all helpful.
I think Makropulos was invented by Capek -- but will try to check.
|
Paul Ferguson
Member
| Joined: | Fri Feb 15th, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 1538 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 9th, 2010 02:15 am |
|
Possibly also of interest: Michèle Mertens's paper on the Byzantine reception of ancient Greek alchemy is available in its entirety on Google books:
http://books.google.com/books?id=muGVUiKEYccC&pg=PA205&lpg=PA205&dq=%22alchemy+in+byzantium%22&source=bl&ots=q5Y5gVImf7&sig=p8nM7aX9qlOpI0mZe4xzYdD1dds&hl=en&ei=o8CvTK7-O9jPjAeSqoRG&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&sqi=2&ved=0CDAQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=%22alchemy%20in%20byzantium%22&f=false
Alan Pritchard may also want to note this one.
|
Rafal T. Prinke
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 4th, 2008 |
| Location: | Poland |
| Posts: | 150 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Sat Oct 9th, 2010 10:03 pm |
|
Thanks, Paul. Actually, I have that book but forgot about it :-)
But I am more interested in the "archetype" of a Greek alchemical master in the West than genuine Greek alchemy. Still, it is important for background and comparison (reality check).
|
Alan Pritchard
Guest
| Joined: | |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 11th, 2010 03:11 pm |
|
Yes, got that one, Paul. Thanks
Note that a downloadable copy of the paper is available from
http://orbi.ulg.ac.be/bitstream/2268/14188/1/205-230%20M.%20Mertens1.pdf
Alan
|
Carl Lavoie
Member
| Joined: | Wed Feb 25th, 2009 |
| Location: | Canada |
| Posts: | 215 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 13th, 2010 01:27 pm |
|
Salut Rafał,
Maybe this one too, from the Compass of the Wise, by Adam Michael/Melchior BIRKHOLZ :
"To carry out my duty also in this regard and upon the express order from high Superiors, I have dealt with the beautiful, thorough and clear, hitherto secret writings of one of our worthy dear Brethren who, although he has at present incurred in a certain punishment constitutional in our Order by his undutiful conduct, he has nevertheless so clearly discovered the great secret of the Philosophers' Stone, according to the most ancient, best, and surest way of the Patriarchs, Egyptians, and the other ancient Oriental and southern countries, that nothing like it has never been seen. I have put his writings in order from a rather faulty copy and provided them with notes and preface in which I have completely truthfully presented the history of our great Order. "
.
|
Rafal T. Prinke
Member
| Joined: | Tue Mar 4th, 2008 |
| Location: | Poland |
| Posts: | 150 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
|
Posted: Mon Oct 25th, 2010 08:39 pm |
|
Delayed thanks, Carl!
|
Current time is 09:32 am | |
|
