The Secret of Secrets and Other Philosophical Treatises

and with God’s granting. Do not dwell on past regrets, for this is the work of weak-willed people original: "debilium mulierum" – literally "weak women," a common medieval trope used to denote a lack of perceived masculine "fortitudo" or strength of character. Show your integrity. Restrain your greed. Practice goodness. In this lies the prayer for the kingdom’s stability and the destruction of your enemies.

Purthermore, observe these things: Establish universities studia in the cities of your kingdom. Permit and command the centers of learning to teach their sons the knowledge of letters, and make them study the liberal and noble sciences liberalibus & nobilibus scienciis. Your wisdom ought to provide for them in their necessities and come to their aid. Grant another special privilege to the best students, so that by this you may offer to other scholars an example and a reason for staying vigilant in their studies.

Hear petitions; receive and pay attention to letters. Praise those who deserve praise; reward those who deserve reward. In this way, you will inspire the learned to immortalize your name in their writings. This method is commendable and worthy of your wisdom's praise. Through this, honor and power will grow; the entire kingdom will be decorated, and your court will be enlightened. The royal annals and deeds will be better committed to memory. Who was it that exalted the kingdom of the Greeks? Who spread their deeds throughout the whole world? It was the diligence of students and the integrity of the wise, who loved the sciences beyond measure—and because of this, they earned such fame. Knowledge reveals the course of the year, the coming feasts, the solemnities of the months, the locations of the planets, the causes for the shortening

of the day and night, the full revolution of days and nights, the cycle of days, the signs of the stars, judgments of the future original: "iudicia futurorum" – this refers to judicial astrology, the practice of predicting future events based on planetary alignments, and infinite other things which belong to the art of the heavenly bodies.

On the care of the king's body.

19.Alexander, do not trust at all in the works and services of women. Do not commit yourself to them; and if necessity demands it, commit yourself only to one who is believed to be faithful and beloved by you. For while a woman handles your person, know that you are like something placed in her trust and commissioned to her, since your life is in her hands.

Beware, beware of deadly poisons! For the various types of poisons are not a new invention. It is known how great a multitude of ancient kings and lords met the day of their death and perished by lethal potions.

Alexander, do not trust in a single physician, for one physician is powerful enough to do harm, and may easily dare to presume a great crime or wickedness and carry it out. Therefore, if it is possible, let there be ten physicians instead of one, and make them come together as a group. And if medicine must be taken, do not take it except by the counsel of several. If the ingredients original: "res" – literally "things" or "materials" must be acquired, you should have one faithful person who knows the types of spices and their qualities; he should collect everything necessary for the composition, and by the counsel of the physicians, with certain weight and measure, he should prepare the whole mixture as is proper. Alexander, recall what the Queen of the Indians did, she who sent to you... This refers to a famous legend in the Secretum Secretorum about a "Poison Maiden" sent to assassinate Alexander.