The Secret of Secrets and Other Philosophical Treatises

...certain intellectuals original: "intellectos," referring to the Persian nobility or wise men with abundant reason and venerable intellect, who strive to dominate others and to acquire and extend their kingdom. Wherefore we proposed to kill them all. Signify to us by your writings what you are moved to think about this.

To which Aristotle responded: "If you can change the air of that land, and the water moreover, and the disposition of the cities, then fulfill your purpose. But if you rule over them with goodness, you will preserve them with kindness. If you do this, I have confidence that by God's help all your subjects will be at your pleasure and command; and through the love they will have for you, you will rule among them peacefully for a long time."

Therefore, having received the letter, Alexander followed this counsel diligently, and those peoples were more obedient to his empire than any other nations.

The second prologue, which the translator published.

I, John, son of Patrick Johannes filius Patricii is the Latinized name for Yahya ibn al-Bitriq, a 9th-century Syrian Christian scholar who translated many Greek works into Arabic., left no place nor temple in which the philosophers were accustomed to compose and store their works and secrets that I did not visit, until I came to the oracle of the sun, which Esculapius The legendary Greek god/hero of medicine. constructed for himself. In that place, I found a certain man, abstinent and solitary, most skilled in philosophy, to whom I humbled myself as much as I could. I served him diligently and supplicated him devoutly so that he might show me the secret writings of that oracle. He eventually handed them over to me. And among other things,

I found the desired work, for the sake of which I had prepared for that place; and with long labor I translated it, first from the Greek language into Chaldean original: "caldeam"; in this context, it refers to Syriac, which was the bridge language for many ancient translations., and from that into Arabic. First, therefore, just as I found in that book, here is the treatise of the most skilled Aristotle, in which he replied to the petition of King Alexander in this form:

The letter of Aristotle to King Alexander.

Most glorious son, most just emperor, may God confirm you in knowing the path of truth and virtue, restrain your beastly appetites, crown your kingdom, and illuminate your genius for His service and honor. Indeed, I received your honorable letter as was fitting, and fully understood your desire for my presence—that I should come to you. You [wondered] why I have abstained from the journey, arguing that I [neglect] to help you with your works. For this reason, I signify to your clemency the cause of my absence and send to you the rule original: "canonem" of your clemency, which will serve as a guide... supplying [my] presence, and the most precise rule for all that you wish, which I would have shown to you if I were present with you. You should not, indeed, argue with me, for you know, or should know, that I do not do this out of contempt for your majesty, but because the gravity of my age and the weakness of my body hinder me and render me heavy and unable to travel. Furthermore, what you ask and...