writings of the Arabians, and the art of medicine 
engaged their particular attention®!. The Chronicon 
Casinense 2, written by Leo, cardinal bishop o 
Ostia, in the eleventh century, and Peter Diaconus, 
both monks of Casino, have given us catalogues 
eminent men who flourished here. Of these, the 
abbot Bertharius was of the royal family of France, 
and was murdered by the Saracens, and amongst 
other learned works, wrote two books upon medi- 
cine. Alfanus the second, elected abbot in 1057, 
was a philosopher, a musician, a theologian, a 
orator, and a poet, wrote medical books upon the” 
union of the soul and body, and upon the four hu- 
mours. Another abbot, Desiderius, afterwards pope 
Victor the third in 1085, was a learned man and a 
skilful physician, and furnished the library of q 
t 
2° Mabil. vol. ii, p. 55. Muratori. Script. Ital. vol. iv a) 
10 INTRODUCTION 
Latin®*, They were equally familiar with the 
s 
if 
at ees Diacon 
22 ore ~ Menuihe rii Casinensis, auctore Leone, cal 
dinali episcopo Ostiensi, continuatore Petro Diacono, ejusdem 
0 his. Leo ehends from the foundation 
there is r work of Peter, De viris illustribus Casinet 
sibus, with Mari’s notes. Grav. et Burman. ibid. p: 329. 
