Michael Maier (1568-1622) in his major work ‘Symbola Aureae Mensae’ The Emblems of the Golden Table of the Twelve Nations, created a series of twelve books, each focussing on an alchemist representing each country. This is the first in the series and is devoted to Hermes. The introduction states ‘A work most useful not only for Alchemy, but also for all those intensely eager for antiquity and the most worthy matters to be known, explained and delivered in twelve books, with copperplate engravings added throughout. By the author Michael Maier, Count of the Imperial Consistory, nobleman, exempt, Doctor of Medicine, formerly an imperial courtier.’ Adam McLean has translated this from the Latin, and uses his hand coloured versions of the emblems. The twelve books will by issued gradually over 2025-26. 1 Hermes the Egyptian 2 Maria the Jewess 3 Democritus the Greek 4 Morienus the Roman 5 Avicenna the Arab 6 Albertus Magnus the German 7 Arnold of Villanova the Frenchman 8 Thomas Aquinas the Italian 9 Raymund Lully the Spaniard 10 Roger Bacon the Englishman 11 Melchior Cibinensis the Hungarian 12 Anonymous (Michael Sendivogius) the Pole