The Number and Nature of Those things…

Foto van de vier elementen

In ‘The Three Books of Occult Philosophy’ by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, I came across the following. It is an excerpt from a poem about the elements by Publius Vergilius Maro, a famous Roman poet who lived from 70 to 19 BC. I think it is very pretty. If you are interested, you can download or read the books of Agrippa everywhere online (no copyrights). Some of the texts are difficult to read but the part about the elements is doable and also very interesting!

The number and the nature of those things

Cal’d elements, what fire, earth, aire forth brings

From whence the heavens their beginnings had

Whence tide, whence Rainbow in gay colors clad

What makes the clouds that gathered are, and black

To send forth lightenings, and a thundering crack

What doth the nightly flames, and comets make

What makes the earth to swell, and then to quake

What is the seed of metals, and of gold

What vertues, wealth, doth nature’s coffer hold

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