The Triumphant Chariot of Antimony

Book excerpt: In alchemical symbolism Antimony is characterized as a lion (able to devour all metals except the royal Gold). The element itself has had a chequered past, being on occasion considered almost a panacea, and at other times condemned by both church and state. Basilius Valentinus is a shadowy 16th century figure, thought by some to have been Canon of the Benedictine Priory of Saint Peter in Erfurt, Germany. Some of his writings, such as 'The Twelve Philosophical Keys' are as obscure as the author's own origins, but this present work, 'The Triumphant Chariot of Antimony' is a far clearer exposition of Antimony's alchemical properties, intermixed with vibrant Gnosticism and not a little medical perceptiveness. The Annotations of Theodore Kirkringus, (who claims to have known the mysterious author), are equally illuminating. Regarded by many as the first monograph on a chemical element, 'The Triumphal Chariot of Antimony' is an important primary text for all those interested in the 'Royal Art' of Alchemy and the occult wellsprings of modern science.