Tumba Semiramidis Hermeticè sigillata, Quam Si Sapiens aperuerit, Non Cyrus, Ambitiosus; Avarus, Regum ille thesauros, divitiarum inexhaustos, quod sufficiat, inveniet.

n.p. [Germany]. 1674.

"the perfect Cure of all Diseases". The search for the Philosopher's Stone.

First edition. 12mo. pp. [10], 37 [1bl]. Text in Latin. Bound in 19th century decorated cloth covered boards. Some scratches to the covers and browning to the text but otherwise a very good copy of a rare work, Worldcat locating 12 copies and no copies appearing in the auction records. 
The book opens by stating that "nothing hath been deeper buried, nor hitherto more desired by all than the knowledge of that great Mystery of the Philosophers, which by a known word is called the Philosophers-Stone". This mythical substance was capable not only of alchemising base metal into gold but could also confer eternal youth. The search for the Philosopher's Stone lay at the heart of alchemy but was also taken up by more mainstream religions which saw it as an allegory of the divine.
Allegory is the method applied in this short but influential work. The title translates as The Tomb of Semiramis Hermetically Sealed, Which if a Wise-man open (not the Ambitious Covetous Cyrus) he shall find the Treasures of Kings, inexhaustible Riches to his content. It was Plutarch who first recorded the inscription on the tomb of the Assyrian Queen Semiramis which promised these "inexhaustible riches" to anyone who successfully broke into it. Plutarch also noted that Darius had broken into the tomb where he had found not great wealth but merely another inscription which read "if you were not a wicked man with an insatiate greed for money, you would not be disturbing the places where the dead are laid". In other words, the search for the riches hidden in Semiramis's tomb is as difficult and,ultimately, as fruitless as the search for the Philosopher's Stone. However, even if one cannot entirely uncover the secrets of the Stone, this little book is a helpful guide to Philosopher's Stone, what it is, how to prepare "philosophical fire", how to make the Stone and how to use it once you have it. H.V.D. concludes by prescribing one grain or two "in a draught of warm Wine" in order for it to work as "the perfect Cure of all Diseases". Which is probably better than "inexhaustible riches".

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