PRAISE

C Since I provide a more immediate remedy, yet one involving less expense and less risk to one's health—I mean, of course, that diseases should be treated with simple medicines and herbs alone—certain men might suspect me of nurturing some kind of monster. They may think I intend to condemn their mixed antidotes original: μεμιγμένα ἀλεξιφάρμακα (memigmena alexipharmaka); complex multi-ingredient drugs, their amulets, and their substitutes original: ἀντιβαλλόμενα (antiballomena); the practice of swapping one drug for another. For so it usually happens, that every guilty man is startled by every sound, and as the Poet says, "fear reveals degenerate souls."

And yet, I am attempting no such thing, so may all the Muses love me well! By that most sacred oath of Hippocrates The Hippocratic Oath, the ethical foundation of medical practice, no crime was ever further from my mind. I do not think so highly of myself that I would seek to overturn the decrees and master-compositions of so many most learned physicians; nor, if I were able, should I do so. But since we are laboring upon a Book of Herbs, and have once for all set our minds to restoring herbs to common use and knowledge—lest they be held in as little account as the Megarians A reference to a Greek proverb about people of no importance or value—it pleased me to show the new candidates of medicine, at least in passing before we proceed to explain the plants themselves, how great their utility is and how highly they were once commended by the men of old. This we shall do to the best of our ability, provided we first obtain this much from the perfumers and apothecaries original: myropolis; sellers of ointments and drugs: that they cast away all malicious suspicion of us. Just as they themselves prize their own compositions and decorate them with grand titles, gilded and painted, so let them not begrudge herbs and simples their own glory. If we say things that are agreeable, let them obey these healthy warnings; let them cease to be angry with us. But if we say things that are nothing to the purpose original: τὰ ουδὲν πρὸς ἐπός (ta ouden pros epos), let them in turn advise us and refute our

D arguments with better ones. This will be as pleasing to us as anything could be. We are so far from wishing to be considered "innovators" or from condemning anyone's merchandise, unless equity itself, or the facts themselves, or the first great masters of the art have not already rejected and condemned them. If we have said anything too harshly, we implore all good men to take it as being said against the wicked, not as an insult to themselves. Let them remember that there are many who, under the guise of this trade, impose upon the world; they not only rob many thousands of people, but actually finish them off and kill them.

Nor should anyone expect me to write down every single use of every herb. That would be a laborious task of infinite business; if I were to strive for that, I would be doing nothing other than writing a long Iliad after Homer A metaphor for performing a redundant or impossible task. However, since today certain apothecaries (I speak of the bad ones) practice mere deceptions, we shall uncover their disguises only so that they may finally be brought into order. All good men will wish for this along with me; even if our words displease the charlatans and impostors, one must still dare to speak for the truth. And I ask that they listen to me for a little while, even if I am wandering; they will soon realize that even a gardener has spoken words in season A classical proverb suggesting that even a simple person can give timely advice.

In ancient times, herbs were held in great praise among the Elders. Although this can be demonstrated and proved by many examples, it is not the least of these that herbs were assigned to the Gods as their inventors. Thus Homer, in the tenth book of the Odyssey, attributes that most praised herb, Moly, to Mercury The messenger god Hermes/Mercury, who showed it to mortals out of a certain divine mercy.