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if I have not satisfied you by my knowledge itself, then at least by my faithfulness and goodwill. Truly, as the effort belongs to men, so the outcome belongs to God, the eternal governor. Furthermore, I do not envy that your condition of life is more tranquil than ours, and I rejoice that your art is so useful daily to so many—and for the most part, most excellent—men. Nevertheless, may you scarcely ever be separated from Philology The love of learning and literature and daily joint inquiry original: "συζητήσει" (syzētēsei) — mutual philosophical discussion; rather, may you gather those fruits of learning which are greatest, so that you may trust in and handle those things whose use and delight is to be preferred by all discerning people original: "τῶν φιλοκρίνων" (tōn philokrinōn) over the deeds and pleasures of those who are always groveling original: "ἀεί χαμαιρρέπων" (aei chamairrepōn) — literally 'creeping on the ground'. Indeed, I consider these days of your commentaries on the history of simples Simples: individual medicinal herbs or minerals used as ingredients in remedies to be the very likeness of life itself, and I would gladly concede all profit to everyone else, provided that I might be allowed to live in that manner with no necessity interrupting. Having imitated this as best I could during the winter that followed—now that my ailments are clearly growing old Likely referring to chronic illnesses fading or becoming manageable with age—I wished to return into favor with my old friends, that is, with my books; although I had not put aside the use of them because I was angry with them. But at that time, so much effort was consumed both by the things I mentioned and by domestic business, that I could not cut away even a moment of time from them to bestow upon either reading those books or arranging annotations (wherever there was a need). Nor, truly, would I wish this to be thought of as a statement made in idleness. For when I was unrolling Reading through a scroll or volume the "Simples" of the Prince of Physicians Referring to Galen, the most influential physician of antiquity, translated into the Latin language by Theodoric Gerard Gaudanus A 16th-century Dutch scholar and translator, a truly learned man, and comparing them with the Greek—

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