Solvite corpora et coagulate spiritum “Dissolve the body and coagulate the spirit”
"Volatilize the fixed and fix the volatile". In this way we achieve, as Hermes has said, "The Glory of the whole world".
Solve et Coagula
Separatio and Coniunctio
‘Thou shalt separate the Earth from the Fire’ (this refers to the separation of the solid and subtle states of sulphur), ‘the subtle from the gross, softly, with great ingenuity’. It rises from the Earth to the sky [solve] and again descends into the Earth [coagula] and receives the force of things superior and inferior.”
‘Make the Earth light, and give weight to the Fire, if you would meet what is rarely met,’
Si fixum solvas faciasque volatile fixum, Et volucrem figas, faciet te vivere tutum - La Fontaine des amoureux ‘If you dissolve the fixed, and make fixed the volatile, and make fast the winged thing, it will make you live safely.’
"Dissolve and coagulate, ferment, augment, this is the whole magistery, in which the entire art, all labor, and the entire work of the Philosopher consists. To God alone be the glory. Nothing is more blessed than to know, nothing more divine than to act."
- Alchemistischer Traktat vom Stein der Weisen oder der Universaltinktur, 1701-1750
“Every body is dissolved with the spirit that is joined to it, and doubtless also becomes spiritual. And every spirit is modified and coloured by bodies, to which spirit is thus added a tinging colour which stands the test of fire.” - Morfoleus. The Crowd