The first of all Philosophers that knew it
Was Hermes Trismegistus and he said:
'Doubtless the dragon never can be dead
Or mortify, unless you also slay
His brother with him. Put another way,
The dragon stands for Mercury, none other,
And sulpher, known as brimstone, is his brother,
And these are drawn from Luna and from Sol,
Therefore,' said he, 'observe this protocol:
Let no man busy himself to seek this art
Unless he knows the language and the heart
Of science, both in aim and technical term,
For, without these, he is an ignorant worm
This is a craft and science that is furled
As secrets of the secrets of the world.'