Rosarium philosophorum, 8° Ms. chem. 21, c. 1551-1600
The Rosary of the Philosophers (Rosarium philosophorum sive pretiosissimum donum Dei) is a 16th-century alchemical treatise. It was published in 1550 as part II of De Alchimia Opuscula complura veterum philosophorum (Frankfurt). The term rosary in the title is unrelated to the Catholic prayer beads; it refers to a "rose garden”.
“The Rosarium philosophorum (the Rosary of the Philosophers) was first printed at Frankfurt in 1550 as the second part of an alchemical compendium De Alchimia opuscula complura veterum philosophorum. Its has nothing to do with the Catholic idea of the rosary, but this term 'Rosarium' referred to a gathering of sayings of philosophers. The Latin text of the Rosarium is just this, a collection of the sayings of alchemical and other philosophers. The text is in itself quite interesting but it very much enlivened by the inclusion of a series of 20 woodcuts. There is a further woodcut on the title page which shows six philosophers disputing and this links us with the idea of a 'Rosarium' as a collection of their sayings. The series of 20 woodcuts appears with German text (not the Latin of the text of the book) of some verses, and thus it may have been taken from some other printing project for a book in German. We will see later there is a German manuscript with some similar images apparently predating the Rosarium.” - Adam McLean
The Rosary of the Philosophers
A Commentary on the Rosarium Philosophorum
“The Rosarium, because of its interweaving of soul and physical alchemy, was of particular interest to the psychologist Carl G. Jung, who perhaps quoted from it in his writings upon Alchemy more than any other single text. Jung, indeed, wrote an essay on the Rosarium series of illustrations under the title 'Psychology of the Transference' which is included in Volume 16 of his collected works, and this provides us with a most valuable foundation upon which to construct an interpretation. Jung, however, only shows us 11 of the 20 illustrations. Furthermore, he suggests that figures he labels 5 and 5a (Rosarium illustrations 5 and 11) are alternative versions of the same figure, whereas on examining the full series of 20 illustrations we find this untenable. Perhaps Jung did not have access to a complete edition of the book, but that as often happens over the centuries, some of these illustrations had been removed from his copy. At any rate, Jung's interpretation is based upon seeing the illustrations as 10 stages, whereas as we have seen there are 20. Indeed, if we read again Jung's analysis of the Rosarium, with a consciousness of the existence of the extended series of 20 illustrations, we will find a further level of integration of the masculine and feminine facets of the soul, which does not contradict Jung's thesis, but amplifies and extends it.” - Adam McLean
“Here beginneth the Book of the Rosary of the Philosophers most diligently compiled and brought into one volume.”
We are the beginning and first nature of metals, Art by us maketh the chief tincture. There is no fountain nor water found like unto me. I heal and help both the rich and the poor, But yet I am full of hurtful poison
