The Secret of Secrets and Other Philosophical Treatises

are these: lightness of the body, clarity of the intellect, and the movement of appetite. But the signs of a bad stomach, weak digestion, and a poor temperament original: "complexionis," referring to the specific balance of humors in an individual are these: heaviness of the body, sluggishness, laziness, twitching of the face, frequent opening of the mouth This likely refers to yawning, seen as a sign of lingering "vapors" from poor digestion, heaviness of the eyes, and foul or bad belching. This includes saliva that tastes sour, tasteless, bitter, watery, or stinking. Because of these things, bad humors The four vital fluids: blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile, gases, and bloating are generated in the belly, and the appetite is diminished. If, however, the matter is of a greater quantity, there arise from this the stretching of the limbs, twisting of the members, tremors of the body, yawning, and certain other evils which are all contrary to health, destructive to the body, and corrupting to nature. You must therefore, most merciful king, diligently guard yourself against the inconveniences mentioned above.

O Alexander, since the body itself is corruptible, and corruption happens to it from the opposition or operation of the temperaments—of the salty, hot, cold, vital, moist, and dry qualities that are within it—it seemed right in this present work to write down certain useful and entirely necessary secrets of the medical art with which you may be satisfied. This is especially important when the signs are gathered so that they may appear to a physician before the king’s illnesses take hold. If you inspect this model

diligently, and if you are preserved according to this most precious order, you will have no need for a physician, except for the accidents of war and other dangers that cannot be avoided at all.

Concerning the rule of living and the customs to be observed.

O Alexander, when you have risen from sleep, you should walk a little, stretch your limbs equally, and comb your hair. This is because the stretching of the limbs strengthens the body, and the combing of the head draws out the vapors that ascended to it from the stomach during the time of sleep.

In summer, you shall wash your head or face with cold water, because this constricts and retains the heat or the evaporation of heat—that is, from the head—and it is itself a certain stimulation of the desire to eat. Then, clothe yourself in the best and cleanest garments, and adorn yourself with the most beautiful ornament; for your soul naturally delights in such an appearance, and it will be delighted by beauty. Your strength will be comforted and expanded in the splendor of your clothing, and your soul will be greatly pleased. Next, you should rub your teeth and gums with warm aromatic barks of a bitter flavor. This greatly helps the tongue, cleanses the teeth and the mouth, thins the power of phlegm original: "flegmatis," one of the four humors, often associated with sluggishness and moisture, refines the tongue, clears the voice, and creates a desire for eating.