Secret of Secrets

...and that those things which are cited by those men might not be lacking to those who are to inspect this volume, we have decided to append them here; the words of Ioannes Mesue in the chapter on diseases of the eyes are as follows.

Aristotle, instructing King Alexander, says: "The frequent use of a comb upon the head disperses the vapors that impede vision toward the skin, so that they may not obstruct the sight." Likewise, he says: "The viewing of green things in a place of great temperateness strengthens the vision." Likewise, he said: "To look upon a clean, upright mirror and to gaze upon it for a long time strengthens the vision and removes the fatigue of the eyes." Likewise, he enjoined: "After the fatigue of the eyes, to enter a dark house—not of great darkness—and to gaze at windows in which there is some small amount of green, or to look at green water and submerge the eyes in it." Likewise, he said: "The exercise of reading medium-sized letters strengthens the vision and preserves the health of the eyes."

The words of Achillini, moreover, in the question concerning the subject of physiognomy and chiromancy, are these:

"Aristotle also, in the book On the Government of Kings to Alexander the Macedonian, said that Alexander had many properties of the sun, because he was first brought forth into the light from his mother’s womb as the sun was rising from the horizon and traversing its own house, for the heart of a lion flowed into him."

The Preface of a Certain Anonymous Author. Seventh.

Previously, in published codices, the preface of a certain Anonymous is set forth, translated from Arabic into Latin by the same Philip of whom we spoke a little earlier, in which, since some things concerning Aristotle are read which perhaps are not found elsewhere...