Theophrastus von Hohenheim “Paracelsus” 1530
Theophrastus von Hohenheim, also known as Paracelsus, was a great Swiss
physician, alchemist and occultist of the 16th century. His extraordinary mind
was one of the most brilliant ever to grace humanity. He was a prolific writer;
his publications revolutionized medicine in Europe. He made major contributions
to Western mysticism, including a small book of 32 prophecies called Prognosticatio
eximii doctoris Theophrasti Paracelsi (ca. 1530). Though the predictions
were written in symbolic terms, several of them have been satisfied by history.
Several others can be reasonably interpreted to give some understanding of his
view of the future. Paracelsus
associated the 4th Monarchy (the millennial new age) with the rediscovery of
the alchemical Philosophers' Stone by the Grand Monarch, as suggested by the
following section of a longer prophecy.
“The people of
the earth shall then be in commotion, and no ties of brotherhood, marriage, or
friendship will be respected.
The lion will join himself to the fishes.
And the crown will be subject to the fine hat.
Then will the rue-wreath be soiled with milk.
And the pelican shall be devoured by his young.
But the phoenix shall be consumed in the fire, and when the dew moistens the
ashes he will revive again according to his nature.
But he will become a noble phoenix, and will press hard upon the toad, and he
will take to the lion and give him a choice.
The lion will select the best and no more.
Upon the other wild horse this phoenix will place a bridle and will ride it
with spurs but without a saddle.
Then a new generation of beasts with various strange heads shall be born. They
will have many mouths and stomachs, but only one natural draught.
The most profligate will maintain his magnificence, and his angels will be
clothed in blood. They will be intent upon one work alone.
A pair of horses will appear and in all places the wail of the fugitives will
be heard.
The dragon of sleep will cause the eagle to become weary of all magnificence.
The fountain of life will commence to flow.
And a white eagle will be changed into black.
Milk and blood will decrease, and the animal tree will begin to grow.
An old lion will be bound and a young lion will become free. He will please all
those animals which the old had vexed.
He will do even more, for he will change his mane and hair into silk.
The bear will lay snares, and the ox-head will seek to gore him.
The griffin will fly over him but will not harm him.
Then shall the pearl, so long lost, be found by one of humble estate, and will
be set, as a jewel, in gold.
It will be given to the prince of all beasts, that is, to the right lion.
He will hang it around his neck, and wear it with honor.
He will resist the bear and the wolf, and rend them asunder; so that the beast
of the forest shall be safe.
Then will the old art flourish and no heed will be given to the new.
Then will the New World begin, and the white and black shall disappear.
All vain glory will be ended, and the plumes of the bird of the East shall be burned
by the sun of the south.
How then will it be with thee, oh thou lion and earthly one who art painted and
bound with gold?
All thy doing shall be changed, and the seven heads shall become one head. Out
of this one, a head shall be born that shall be armed with a horn.
This horn shall bruise all that which has so long brought sorrow to Iffinos.
And the great city shall be the head of the less and shall become free from
servitude.
Europe shall be the head, Asia the crown, but Africa shall be the jewel.”
This prophecy
is difficult to interpret, but some of the symbols are obvious: the phoenix is
the alchemist king, who will be graced with the Philosophers' Stone, "the
pearl, so long lost." The toad is France: that animal was the glyph from
which the present fleur-de-lys was derived. The bear is Russia, the lion is
England, and the griffin might the USA. The ox represents the Muslims.
Several of
Paracelsus' 32 prognostic figures have been fulfilled by historical events. The
following seven figures are relatively clear and seem to pertain to our future:
"Figure 7: Bishop
Surrounded by Spears --- Because from time to time thou hast been self-willed,
thou art predestined to be surrounded by much adversity. For thou hast not
considered of thyself how thou art prefigured magically under the symbol of a
stone, as both fat and lean. Thou dost not know it, therefore thou hast fallen
beneath the punishment that hath broken up all empires. Had thine pretended
wisdom and understanding been thine own thou would have taken thee as a mirror.
But it is not so; therefore thy wisdom proveth to be a folly at this time.
Figure 7 
Figure 8 
"Figure 8: Sword & Crown --- Who is he that knoweth on whom
the sun shines, or whom it shall give, what man by himself can in no wise take?
Therefore, because it is in the hand of God and He giveth it to whom He wills,
thence it follows that man's resistance is in vain. For the hour hath come that
thou shalt cease to be, notwithstanding thy strength, thy allies, thy power.
For all thou hast established shall fall with thee. Thou shalt delude thyself
and others to thy own pity."
In the 1666 Strassburg edition of his works, Paracelsus offered some
"Elucidations" to the figures:
"Elucidation 7: They will seek much assistance from strangers, and
bind one chain into another, and will erect and again let fall, break and make,
and seek hither and thither where shelter from the heat may be found.
"Elucidation 8: But the eighth symbol shall gain victory and
triumph.
"For if that were not to come to pass it would be impossible that
on earth there should ever again be peace or rest so long as the world endures.
"So totally will everyone act according to his will and forget why
they are on earth, but only declare: Thus I will, thus I do."
Here Paracelsus is condemning the Catholic Church for its pretensions,
bigotry, and persecutions. The Church will be made to suffer in like wise for
the past 2,000 years of superstitious suppression committed in the name of
Jesus Christ. The weather will be terribly hot.
"Figure 11: Bear Sucking His Paw --- Although the sun did once
shine upon thee, and thou hast glutted thyself with food and plunder, yet thou
hast not wisely considered the end, and hast forgotten the winter; therefore he
taketh away thy pleasure, and will compel thee to suck thine own paws. For thou
art bear-like, and have no further reason. Magic hath driven thee into the
toils that thou shouldst be known. But if the wit of man had been thine, the
winter wouldst not have overtaken thee.
Figure 11 
"Elucidation XI: To munch the paws is a meager diet, and it is
painful to freeze after sunshine. But what one does of one's own choice, one
must one's self have."
The bear is Russia or Germany; Hitler's invasion of Russia can be inferred
here, or else the collapse of the Communist regime.
"Figure 26: "F" on a Rose in a Crown --- The Sibyl
hath been mindful of thee when the placed the "F", and right well art
thou not standing in the rose; for thou art ripe and time hath brought thee.
What the Sibyl saith of thee shall be accomplished and even more shall be said
of thee. The summer that bringeth roses is that contrary time where in all
things are divided; which is an indication that man was building on sand. This
must pass away, and thou shalt set it upon the rock that many shall be
astounded. For when the time cometh, also herewith cometh that wherefore the
time hath come.
Figure 26 
"Elucidation 26: For the sun shall enlighten him that will be the
judge of himself."
This prophecy probably refers to the Grand Monarch. The letter
"F" may represent France, or a Quabbalistic initiation. The other
references to the seasons, sand, rock and roses are alchemical symbols, though
they may well have other meanings.
"Figure 27: Five Swords --- It hath been forgotten that many
heads rule badly, and that , but that each one should serve the other also only
one should rule and not more. This is the cause that they have split up and
parted, each one seeking his own opportunity. But it is not right to seek one's
own opportunity, but that each should serve the other, and seek to be useful to
the other and leave his own, as doth indeed but seldom happen, for this reason
they will be put down; and to whom it is destined to be united, he shall be
foremost, and under him shall rejoice those who have been long afflicted and
distressed.
Figure 27 
"Elucidation 27: And neither alliances nor chains shall there be
strong enough to hinder each from being harnesses to his own plow, even as is
ordained for him.
"Figure 30: Monk, Preacher & Mystic --- Thou hast often assembled,
and much congregated, but the enemy was not with thee, therefore all things
thou hast resolved were to no purpose and in vain. It must be alone that thou
wilt forego thy claims, and what thou wouldst do if thou were to turn aside,
and wouldst acknowledge thyself and others; then wouldst thou cease. But as
thou desireth to be what thou shouldst not be, and wilt sit upon the chair of
St. Peter, and whereas the same must fall; therefore thou mayst not continue in
thy plots, for he shall turn aside thy design who is thy master.
Figure 30 
Figure 31 
"Figure 31: Four Dancing Children --- There shall be such a
total renewal and change that they will be as children that know nothing of the
cunning and intrigue of the old. This shall be when they count LX, a little
less, but not more [when LVX, Lux, Light comes]. Therefore it is well that we
should remember that the time appeareth to be a long time according to a man's
lifetime, but as a short time should we observe and consider it. For to cause
so much to fall and to be overthrown, with such a raging and roaring lion that
has so long grown, this cannot be done in a moment. But how well shall it be
with him that shall be as a little child, for human knowledge causeth but
unrest and grief.
"Elucidation 31: And as little children without cunning or guile
shall they appear."
In Chapter 8 of his treatise De Minerabilis, Paracelsus predicted
the advent of Elias Artista (Elias the Artist), Master of Alchemy. Elsewhere in
the literature of Hermetic science, Elias Artista is referred to as "a
symbol of the ripeness of the age! He is the great day to come when all secrets
shall be brought to light, and things now rooting in the dark earth shall be
brought to light, and things now rooting in the dark earth shall come forth to
full growth and flower and bear a treasure, which is for the healing of
nations... a symbolic representation, the collective breath of generous
vindications. Spirit of Liberty, of science and love which must regenerate the
world!" (18)
Paracelsus, Glauber, Thomas Norton, Alexander Seton and other alchemists
wrote of Elias as if he were an individual. Paracelsus wrote: "What is
small and humble, God has revealed, but the more important is still in the dark
and shall likely remain so until the arrival of Elias Artista... One shall come
after me whose splendor is not yet in this life, and who shall reveal
much." According to Glauber, "This Elias Artista shall restore the
true spagyric medicine of the old Egyptian Philosophy which was lost over a
thousand years. He shall bring it with him and show it to the world."
Other Prophecies
In his book "Prophecies on
Future Happenings" published in 1536, Paracelso said that the last century
of the millennium would be a time of "changes, unquietness,
dissatisfaction and illness".
References
Taken from
Prophecy: A History of the Future by Robert A. Nelson (Internet Edition) at
http://www.rexresearch.com/prophist/phf3eu~1.htm#PHF364