[The Wolf coming from the Eaſt and the Dog coming from the Weſt have bitten each other.]
E
PIGRAMMAXLVII.
Hinc, ubi Sol oritur, Lupus aduenit, aſt ubi Ponto Mergitur, inde canis, qui duo bile tument: Hunc is, & hic illum, stimulate furore momordit,
Et rabidus rictu uiſus uterque fuit.
Sunt gemini hi lapides, gratis qui dantur ubique Omnibus atque omni tempore, quos teneas.
D
ISCOURSEXLVII.
The Philoſophers in many places make mention of two Stones that are freely given to us, as Arnoldus, Iſaick, and others. Avicenna amongſt the reſt affirms that they are thrown out in the Dung, neglected by the Vulgar, but if they be joined together, they perfect the magiſtery. Some extol the Occidental Mercury, which hath proffered itſelf before Gold, and overcome it. But the author of the Conſilium Conjugi Solis and Luna, out of the Epiſtle of Ariſtotle, does beſt of all deſcribe the two Stones, when he ſaith there are Two Stones, principals of this Art, white and red, of wonderful nature. At the Setting of the Sun the white begins to appear upon the ſurface of the Waters, hiding itſelf till Midnight, and afterwards deſcends to the Bottom. But the red Operates otherwiſe, for it begins to ariſe upon the Waters at the riſing of the Sun till noon, and afterwards deſcends to the bottom. Theſe Stones therefore are the two, Sent by Jupiter out of Delphos, as we ſaid before. Thoſe alſo are the Wolf and Dog coming from different parts of the Earth, which Bite and worry one another, and both become Mad. As Rhaſis declares in his Epiſtles, “Thoſe Stones are the moſt true Bezoar, which comes from the Eaſt Indies, taken out of the Bellies of wild Beſts. The Weſt Indies yield another, but of leſs Efficacy, and is called That of Peru, and taken out of Tame animals.” So, the Eaſt affords a moſt fierce Wolf, the Weſt a Dog Familiar to man. That is: Sulphur comes from the Eaſtern as Mercury does from the Weſtern Regions; of which the one is ſoft and tractable, the Other is Choleric and fierce. As ſoon they meet they fall upon one another. But the Dog, being of a remarkable Size, obtains the firſt Victory by Proſtrating the wolf, and almoſt killing him. Then the wolf recovering his ſtrength, Overthrows the Dog and never Suffers him to riſe again, but kills him in the main. The Wolf receives ſuch wounds from the Dog, that are not leſs mortal than thoſe he gave him, and ſo they are wounded to death by one another.
Roſinus to Euthicia ſays, concerning the Wolf, that, “He is a Stout Soldier, Conqueror of Two, and of much Eſteem and moſt intenſe Strength, that can perforate Bodies when he meets with them, and is white in Appearance, red by Experiment, and is the male that took Luna to wife (which ſome men ſuppoſe to be Gold of a moſt precious Connection, whoſe Congelation is never diſſolved, nor footſteps or Imperfections ever defaced ) which God has beſtowed upon the holy and Elect Philoſophers. You muſt know that Nature has taken an Equal as an
afterwards fly away, becauſe the Soul hath Perforated it. And in like manner, the Tincture of the ſoul hath perforated and Mixed with the Body, and the Body hath contained the Soul and refrains the Natural flying of it. “
And then to one demanding which of the two Stones was Strongeſt, he anſwers, “That ſtone which is No ſtone, is ſtronger than the Other Enemy. But if Red is Stronger than that which hath Strengthened his Companions by his Fortitude, the Oriental Wolf is therefore Stronger than the Occidental Dog, although he does not obtain the Effect of his Victory but by falling Together with his Enemy.”
For the tingeing poiſon is produced from both. The Differences therefore between the Wolf and the Dog is but ſmall, for a Maſtiff or dog may appear with the form or kind of a Wolf, ſo as to ſeem to have been a wolf Originally, but to have become tame running through many Generations. After the ſame manner, Sulphur and Mercury differ but little from one another, becauſe That proceeds from This, and This from That: Mercury indeed begat Sulphur, but Sulphur Purged Mercury, and rendered it to itſelf.
The ſame Roſinus aſks theſe queſtions, “Whence comes its Colour?”
And anſwers, “From its Moſt intenſe bitterneſs.” ”Whence comes its bitterneſs and Intention?” Anſwer, “From the impurity of the Metal.” ”Is its red Colour never Suporeminent?” He anſwers, “Yes.”
And again he aſks, “Is it never hotter than fire?”
Anſwer, “Fire in reſpect of it is as water in reſpect of fire.” Again, Queſtion, “Is it not ſtronger then fire?”
He anſwers, “Not, when then do you aſſert it to be ſtronger than fire.” He anſwers, “Becauſe Fires meeting together do deſtroy one another.”
It is therefore manifeſt that one is the food and aliment of the other. And ſo much as the one Increaſes, the other Decreaſes, till that which increaſes, Prevails, and the Dragon devours the Serpent.
In great Battles it Often happens that they who undergo the greateſt Slaughter, win the field and Victory. So alſo, though the Dog lie Proſtrate, yet he was not ſo Overcome at his death but that he could [not] hold his Enemy ſo faſt, that as the other could not live without Him, ſo neither could he without the Other.