Dear Greeks, I a Polish Barbarian have a question! What’s written inside that dragon-like creature? I’ve found this attached to a shitpost on tumblr. Thanks in advance! <3
Dear Greeks, I a Polish Barbarian have a question! What’s written inside that dragon-like creature? I’ve found this attached to a shitpost on tumblr. Thanks in advance! <3
12 comments
While I cant understand whats being written inside(its definitely greek probably byzantine calligraphy) the creature is ouroboros the serpent thats been eating its tail and symbolizes the eternal cycle of renewal or the cycle of life so maybe its regarding something in science or alchemy.Also get off tumblr is bad for your mental health too many freaks there.
EDIT:From wiki this is an 1476 alchemical text .[here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ouroboros)
EDIT2:Also I found this [https://www.reddit.com/r/WhatIsThisPainting/comments/iom14x/looking_for_the_source_of_this_ouroboros/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/WhatIsThisPainting/comments/iom14x/looking_for_the_source_of_this_ouroboros/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
All in all its an alchemical text by Theodoros Pelekanos ca 1476.
Something about a light being, I guess, and something about something green. Can’t really understand the handwriting. It’s definitely Greek and definitely of one those occult/alchemist pieces of work probably related to the Greek presence in Egypt, Libya or Iran of ancient times, later reworked during the Medieval times by Greeks, Persians or Arabs.
I am bit rusty but more or less the text is:
Φώτα των μυστηρίων κε
επί ταύτου η ξανθωψία
πράσινον αυτού εστίν ίωσις,
εστίν η σήψις αυτού
πόδες αυτού οι τέσσαρες είσίν
σώματως [;] τε λ(…)
I am afraid that i cannot provide you with an in-dept answer without knowning at least about the origins of this text. It is true, as Heresiarches said above, that the ouroboros is known as the oldest allegorical symbol in alchemy, represented the concept of eternity and endless return and it was adopted as a symbol in Gnosticism and Hermeticism and of course in alchemy.
Edit 1: the text inside the ouroboros doesnt make sense because it’s only a small part of a much larger full text. The full text of the current page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ouroboran/2288405597/in/photostream/
I’ll give it a try, but Byzantine calligraphy is not super easy on the untrained eye, especially when factoring in potential alternate spellings and accent marks.
Φώτα των μυστηρίων της εστίν ταύτου η ξάνθωσις
(Lights of its mystery, is his blondening)
Πράσινον αυτού εστίν ίωσις, στίν η σήψις αυτού
(Green is his colour, in which (/it is) his rot)
Πόδες αυτού οι τέσσαρες εισίν(?), σωμεία (??) της τέχνης
(His legs are the four, marks(??) of the art).
Where (?) it’s not certain that this is exactly what’s written, and (??) doesn’t seam to be a word, so something else must be what’s written. A close alternative could be “σημεία”, meaning “marks/markers”.
Ouroboros is also the algorithm behind cryptocurrency cardano (ADA), just saying 😝
There were more attempts here:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/translator/comments/cr9g7z/unknown_english_i_came_across_this_image_of_an/](https://libredd.it/cr9g7z)
The link has translation efforts and a full manuscript picture.
https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10723905w/f285.item.r=grec%202327.zoom
Edit: It seems relatively easy to translate for someone that has the full handwritting of the author at his disposal, and a general idea of the subject, but I am looking for a translation/transcription of the work and can’t find anything.
There is also another Ouroboros at page 202 of the manuscript that I posted above. The text seems to be similar, maybe it can help someone with reading it.
I think this is the text
φώτα τών μυστηρίων τής
επί ταύτου ί ξάνθωσις –
πράσινον αυτού εστίν ίωσις
τινή σήψας αυτού –
πόδες αυτού οί τέους αρεστοίν
σώματης τέχνης
It’s letters are in cursive form and it’s hard to read. Also I’m not sure from what period that text is, but it seems more archaic than medieval greek (εστιν instead of είναι for example).
My attempt at translating this (Last time I had any contact with ancient greek was many years ago in high school):
lights of her mysteries
on that the enlightening (of the color) –
the green of him is sickness
the decomposition of him –
feet of him are the previously likeable
body of art
Νομίζω ότι το ξανθό οι αρχαίοι το χρησιμοποιούσαν για να περιγράψουν το αίμα που όταν ξεραίνεται παίρνει ξανθωπό χρώμα.
I finally found a French translation of the text:
[http://remacle.org/bloodwolf/alchimie/alchimieI.htm#VI](http://remacle.org/bloodwolf/alchimie/alchimieI.htm#VI)
It is an 1885 text on Greek Alchemy.
This is the tranlation in french. I am looking for a transcription of the actual text, or a translation of this book in english. If I can’t find something, I will attempt to translate this in English.
I. VI. — LE SERPENT
1. Voici le mystère: le serpent Ouroboros, c’est-à-dire la dissolution des corps effectuée par son opération.
2. Les lumières[119] des mystères de l’art, c’est la teinture en jaune.
3. Le vert du serpent, c’est l’iosis, c’est-à-dire sa fermentation; ses quatre pieds, c’est la tétrasomie employée dans la formule de l’art; ses trois oreilles, ce sont les trois vapeurs et les douze formules; son ios,[120] c’est le vinaigre.
4. Or toi, mon ami très cher, applique ton intelligence sur ces matières.
5. Un serpent est étendu, gardant le temple (et) celui qui l’a dompté. (La suite comme au § précédent.)
[https://archive.org/details/collectiondesan04bertgoog/page/n325/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater](https://archive.org/details/collectiondesan04bertgoog/page/n325/mode/2up?ref=ol&view=theater)
Page 326.
I have also posted the French translation of the Greek text.
Rough translation in English by me:
This is the mystery, the tail-devouring Dragon. That is; the dissolution of the bodies of his work (or by his work).
And the lights on the mysteries of the craft (art) are in his yellowing (xanthosis, jaundice).
And his green is sickness, that is; his rοtting (sipsis, rotting of flesh).
His four legs are the four aspects of the crafting of the formula (mixture, ointment).
His three horns (ears) are the three vapors (smokes, smog) and his twelve formulas. And his poison, that is; the acid (vinegar, bile).
Edit: I would really like to hear the opinion and comments of others that have posted here, that know more than me. I spent hours looking for this 😛
This picture makes no sense because the scripture continues on the sides. Here is the whole [picture](https://www.flickr.com/photos/ouroboran/2288405597/in/photostream/), it reads:
“Toύτο εστί το μυστήριον, ο ουροφόρος δράκων, τουτέστιν η λειωσις(?) των σωμάτων της εργασίας αυτού.
Τα δε φωτα των μυστηρίων της τεχνης αυτού, εισι ταύτου η ξάνθωσις.
Tο δε πράσινον αυτού εισίν ιωσις, τουτέστιν εισιν η σήψις αυτού.
Οι δε πόδες αυτού τέσσαρες εισίν, η τετρασωμια (?) της τεχνης του συνθέματος .
Tα δε τρία ώτια αυτού εισι αι τρεις αιθάλαι .”
και μετά έχει κάτι συντομογραφίες αλχημικές που δε ξέρω τι λένε και είναι και μπερδεμένο
Μετά συνεχίζει:
“Δράκων τις παράκειται φυλλάττων τον ναόν τούτον, τον χαρυσάμενο(? βρήκαμε το σωστό λέει χειρωσάμενον, δηλαδή υποταγμένον )
Πρώτον θύσον, και αποδερμάτοσον,
και λαβών τας σάρκας αυτού εώς των οστέων,
προς το στόμιον του ναού ποιήσον αυτον βάσης
και ανάβιθη, ευρίσας εκει το ζήτουμενον χρήμα.
Τον γαρ ιερέα τον χαλκάνον μετετέθη του χρώματος της φύσεως και γέγονεν αργυράνον.
Ον μετ’ ολίγας ουν ημέρας, εαν θελήσας, ευρίσκεις αυτόν και χρυσάνον.”
Μετα αλλάζει σε τίτλος οπότε αλλάζει θέμα άρα έχουμε και λέμε:
Αυτό είναι το μυστήριο, ο ουροβόρος όφις, που σημαίνει το λιώσιμο των σωμάτων εξαιτίας των καμωμάτων του ίδιου.
Τα φώτα του μυστηρίου της τέχνης του είναι η ξάνθωσις *(αυτός είναι σίγουρα αλχημικος όρος που συνδέεται με τα 4 υγρά του σώματος, πχ έχουμε την ξανθή χολή τη μέλανα χολή κτλ, άρα ίσως φώτα εννοεί χρώματα).*
Το δε πράσινο του *(φως άρα χρώμα)* είναι η δηλητηρίαση, δηλαδή η σήψις του.
Τα δε πόδια του είναι τέσσερα που συμβολίζουν τα τέσσερα σώματα (είδη? τρόπους?) στην τέχνη της ανάμιξης(?).
Τα τρία αυτιά του είναι οι τρείς αιθάλες.
Κάποιο φίδι στέκεται και φυλάει αυτόν τον ναο που τον έχει του χεριού του. ( *νομίζω οτι προσπαθεί πια με αλληγορικό τρόπο να δώσει συμβουλές σε επιδοξο αλχημιστή για να χρησιμοποιήσει “το μυστικο”. Οτι δηλαδή ο ουροβόρος όφις φυλάει ένα ναό στον οποίο πρέπει ο αλχημιστής να μπει)*
Πρώτα θυσιασε και γδαρε *(τον οφι*) και αφου πάρεις τη σάρκα του ως τα οστά,
μπροστά στο στόμιο του ναού κάντον βάση
και ανεβαίνοντας την (πατώντας στη βάση δηλαδή) θα βρείς εκει το χρήμα που ζητας *(γιναμε αδερφια )*.
Στον χάλκινο ιερέα αλλάζει το φυσικό του χρώμα και τον κάνει αργυρό, τον οποίο μετά από λίγες μέρες, εάν θέλεις, τον βρίσκεις και χρυσό.
Ορίστε. Ας το μεταφράσει κάποιος στο πολωνό γιατί κουράστηκα.
Επίσης: 20 ευρώ μ αφήνετε.
Εdit: Δε γαμιέται δε νυστάζω ακόμη, ήπια αργά καφέ.
Beloved Polish Barbarian,
I humbly suggest you read this with your most inner gandalf-like voice :
*This is the secret: the uroboros snake, in other words the melting of living subjects by their own doings. The mystic lights (colors) of his art are yellow. The green color means poisoning, in other words the rotting of himself. His legs are four, showing the fourways in the art of mixing. His three ears are the three vapors. (He then writes something in a symbol that i have no idea what it means, and continues).A snake stands guard at the temple. First, sacrifice and flay it. And when you rip and tear its flesh from the bones, place it in front of the temple, make it a step to rise on and there you’ll find the wealth you seek. It changes the color of the priest, it makes the bronze one silver, and if you wait a few days it makes him gold.*
>I a Polish Barbarian
You surely know how to flatter those Greeks, my friend 🙂