HISTORY OF BOTANY. 19 



Great among these pliilosopliers was al-Kiiidi, called 

 Alchindi, or Alkindus. He was born at Bassora, and was 

 of noble blood, reckoning among his ancestors princes of 

 Jemama and Bahrein. He stayed some time at Bagdad, 

 induced by the Caliphs al-Mamum and al-Motasim, who 

 reigned from 813 to 841. He seems to have lived mitil about 

 the year 873. His writings, which have been set down at 

 over two hundred, are on various subjects, many on medi- 

 cines and the treatment of diseases. 



Yahya Ben Mdseweih, called Mesne the elder, came from 

 Dschondeifabm*, where his father was an apothecary. He 

 became director of the hospital at Bagdad, and was for half 

 a century physician to the Cahphs from Harun,* who parti- 

 cularly employed him in the collection and translation of 

 Greek works, to al-Motewekkil, and he died 857 at 

 Samara. 



To this period also belongs Abu Zeid Honein al-Ibad, 

 *. c, of the Christian- Arabian family lb ad, which dwelt in 

 and about al-Hira; he is known by the Latinised name 

 Johannitius, or simply as Honein. He was born at al-Hira, 

 where his father was an apothecary, in the year 809, and 

 when he was grown up, and had received a good education, 

 he went to Bagdad, where he attended the lectures of Mesne 

 (just mentioned), whose amanuensis he became. In a while 

 he was led by his thirst for knowledge to visit the Greek 

 towns, where he perfected himself in their language. After- 

 wards he went to Bassora, in order to perfectly master the 

 Arabian language, and then returned to Bagdad as his per- 

 manent residence. Here he began to give medical lectures, 



noble King AKred the Great was liiinself translating works into 

 Anglo-Saxon (among wliieli were '^Esop's Fables' and ' Bede's History 

 of the Saxon Chui-ch'), and founding the University of Oxford. 



"^^ Harun al-Eashid is well known to all readers of that inimitable 

 work ' The Ai-abian Nights' Entertainments.' 



c2 



