# comments on "azoth"

*The Whorl list — 1 messages, 1 voices, 06 Dec 1996*

<https://urth.darkrealm.vip/thread/whorl/8>

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### Peter Cash
*06 Dec 1996, 14:32*

Ranjit Bhatnagar <ranjit at best.com>

> Azoth -- an alchemical term for mercury.  My best guess is that it's a
> punning reference to Terminus Est, Severian's sword in the New Sun
> books.  (Master Gurloes translated "terminus est" as "this is the line
> of division," but I like to imagine Arnold Schwartzeneger translating
> it as "I am the Terminator."  Anyway, the azoth is certainly a line of
> division.)

I always preferred to translate "Terminus Est" as "It is finished". And
when that sword gets through with you, it is definetely all over! 8^)

In addition to "mercury", my dictionary (the huge Merriam-Webster) also
gives "the universal remedy of Paracelsus" as a meaning for "azoth". If
you think about it, the azoth was a pretty drastic remedy, just like
Terminus Est! And yes, I want one!

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                 Die Welt ist alles, was Zerfall ist.   
                  (apologies to Ludwig Wittgenstein)    
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Questions or problems to whorl-owner at lists.best.com
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