70 
MESSRS. H. E. STAPLETON AND R. F. AZO ON 
sayings contained in them. These we shall divide into two classes, the first giving 
those which include an account of what the f Stone ’ is, and the second giving those 
dealing with its Preparation. We shall select the clearest from amongst them, and 
those that least need annotation, to prevent our book from being overladen with ex- 
planations of the obscure. Nor shall we give many of these quotations, seeing that 
the few will dispense with the need for more. It should be noted, however, that owing 
to our not having been able to procure — much less read — all the works composed by 
alchemists, we have not found ourselves in a position to make a more thorough 
compilation of the obscure passages in which the Sages have faithfully revealed their 
mysteries.” 
The treatise includes excerpts from the writings of the following authors : — 
Hermes 1 (the Chief of the Sages). Maria the Sage . 3 
Ostanes . 2 Aristotle/ 
1 The author of the Fihrist (ed. cit., p. 353) writes as follows regarding Hermes : — 
“ The people who practise Alchemy, that is to say, the art of manufacturing gold and silver from other metals, 
state that the first who gave an account of the science of the Art was Hermes the Sage, a native of Babel (Babylon), who 
removed to Egypt after the dispersion of the peoples from Babel. He reigned in Egypt, and was a wise man and a philo- 
sopher. He succeeded in practising the Art and composed several books on the subject. He studied the properties of 
substances and their spiritual virtues, and thanks to his researches and work, he succeeded in establishing the Art of 
Alchemy. He also discovered howto make Talismans and wrote many books on the subject. Those, however, who 
ascribe to everything great antiquity allege that this science existed thousands of years before Hermes. 
Hermes the Babylonian. 
“ Opinions differ regarding this man. According to some he was one of the Seven High Priests appointed to guard 
the Seven Temples, and was in charge of the Temple of Mercury. Hence his name ; for Mercury in the Chaldaean 
language is Hermes. According to others, he removed, for various reasons, to the land of Egypt and reigned over that 
country. He had several children Tar, Sa, Ashiniin, Ithrib, and Ouft, and he was the wisest man of his age. After his 
death he was buried in the monument in the town of Misr (Cairo), known under the name of Abu Hermes, which the 
common people call ‘ The Two Pyramids.’ One of them was his tomb, and the second that of his wife, or — as others 
say — of his son, who succeeded him after his death. 
Books of Hermes on the Art. 
“ The book of Hermes to his son 011 the Art ; the Book of Liquid Gold ; the Book for Tar on the Work ; the Book of 
the Making of the Bunch (of grapes) ; the Book of Secrets ; the Book of Al-Harlrus ; the Book of Al-MalatTs ; the Book 
of Al-Astamakliis ; the Book of As-Salmatis ; the Book of Armtnus, disciple of Hermes ; the Book of Niladus, disciple 
of Hermes, on the opinion of Hermes ; the Book of Al-Adkhlqi ; the Book of Dimanus addressed to Hermes. 
Thanks to Egyptologists, e.g., Maspero, we know now, however, that Hermes was simply the Greek name of the 
Egyptian God Thoth who was worshipped at Hermopolis (the present Eshmunen, north of Asyut) ; cf. note (6;, next page. 
2 The Fihrist ( loc . cit.) gives the following account of this alchemist: “ Among the philosophers who practised the 
Art and who were celebrated as alchemists and who wrote books on the Art is Ostanes, the Greek, a native of Alex- 
andria. He composed, as he mentions in one of his treatises, a thousand books and pamphlets, each with a separate 
name. The books of all these people are full of enigmas and riddles. Among the works of Ostanes is ‘ The Book of 
the conversation of Ostanes with Tauhlr, King of India.’ ’ ’ 
From An-Nadim’ s silence, the books of Ostanes seem to have become very rare in Arabic times, and Berthelot only 
refers to one Arabic book ascribed to Ostanes as being now extant {La Chimie, III, pp. 116-123), while only the merest 
fragment attributed to him is found in the 9th Cent. Greek MS. collection of alchemical treatises in the St. Mark’s 
Library, Venice (B., Coll., Ill, pp. 250-252). For his relation to Democritos, vide p. 25, note, infra. 
3 This woman alchemist was prior to the time of Zosimus, by whom she is constantly quoted (cf. B., Coll., Trans., 
II, passim). An-Nadim mentions the ‘ Great Book of Mary ’ (loc. cit., p. 354 ), and the reference in the same place to the 
‘ Book of Mary the Copt with the Sages, when they had met together,’ shows that in Islamic times she was confused 
by Arabic alchemists with one of the wives of Muhammad, just as in Christian times she was called ' the sister of Moses.’ 
* An-Nadim apparently did not believe that Aristotle was an alchemist, as he quotes no books by him on the sub' 
ject, while at the same time he indicates Ar-Razi as the author responsible for alleging that Pythagoras. Democritos, 
