Page 33 - Paracelsus Three Books of Philosophy

and culled out of the Evester, as it were by the light of nature. A prophet therefore
doth Evestrate, that is, he doth prophesy from the Evester. But if a spirit prophesy, it
doth so without the light of nature. And therefore may deceive us, being full of guile
and doubtful, as well as prove certain and true. Thus Trarames also would be divided
in the shadow of reason.

Again, when all things shall be dissolved then Evester and Trarames too shall come
to an end, yet not without some relics of eternity. The Evester is no otherwise but as it
were the eternal of the firmament in the four worlds. The firmament is fourfold,
divided into four perfect essences, according to the four worlds, every world perfectly
respecting its own creature, being just such another thing as itself is; one creature out
of the firmament in the earth, one in the water, air, fire. The firmament that is in the
Evester is dispersed. Those be not stars which we see, they are the firmaments of the
Nymphs, which are not stars, nor have any use of stars, but have their peculiar and
proper firmament, as the Fates have a fiery one, every one hath an heaven, earth,
mansion, habitation, firmament, stars, planets, and other such like, which are not in the
least one like another; As water and fire, substance and that which cannot be felt,
visible and invisible are to each other, so are those things. In these the Evester is
divided in the Fatalls, and its shadow stays behind the essence after the dissolution; and
the Evester when the fire is out cleaves to the fiery man, as another to the watery, and
so to the earthy. This Evester is that which deceives and makes the world mad,
cunningly covering itself from one world to another, showing visions, flashes, signs,
forms and shapes. Hence arises the Evester of comets, the Evester of impressions, the
Evester of miracles. But these three Evesters are prophesying Evesters, or shady
Evesters. The high and noble mind is with the prophetic and umbratic [shadowy]
Evesters.

The prophetic Evester is first necessary to be known. For the great Turban23,
which presages all things that are in the four worlds, is of the same kind of essence.
Whatsoever shall fall out monstrously, or happen contrary to nature, or contrary to life
and common expectation, is known by the prophetic Evester, which overshadows
itself, and is taken out of the great Turban. A prophet must of necessity know the great
Turban. It is united to reason, and hard to be found out. But it is possible for man to
know the great Turban, even to its utmost resolution. From this it was that all the
prophets spoke. For in it are all the signs of the world. Out of it are all Evesters

23 Turba Magna - An innumerable multitude of stars in the firmament of heaven. Also a presage of all
those things which are done in the fourfold inferior world of the elements.

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