THE LIFE OF PRINCE AVICENNA

FROM SORSANUS THE ARAB, HIS DISCIPLE

Translated into Latin by Nicolaus Massa, philosopher and physician.

A large decorative drop cap 'A' at the beginning of the text features ornate foliate scrolls and classical architectural motifs within a square frame.

Andreas Alpagus Bellunensis, a man most celebrated in our time for both character and doctrine, loved wisdom for the benefit of humanity so much that, having spurned (in the manner of the ancient philosophers) riches and personal conveniences, he wished to study the truth of things and the benefits of the human race throughout almost his entire life. Witnesses of this are his departure from his homeland and his voyage to Syria: where, so that he might master the Arabic language, he remained for thirty years and more, and labored long and much in his studies, and succeeded so well that he translated not a few volumes of the most learned Arabs into the Latin language, and also faithfully corrected those translated by predecessors: among which he restored the books of the Canon of Avicenna—a man to be rightly placed among the primary and principal figures not only in medical matters, but in every kind of excellent science—which were teeming with errors on all sides, to the true integrity of the author himself, having changed the errors, removed the superfluous, and added words and sentences where they were lacking, so that no one can any longer doubt the sayings of this most grave author. When the excellent and most learned Paulus Alpagus, his nephew, had recently handed these over to be printed for the common benefit of men to the egregious man Thomas Giunta, who deserves well of letters and the learned, and had found certain Arabic writings of his uncle, where the life of the illustrious man Avicenna was written by Sorsanus the Arab, his disciple, in a certain page in Arabic characters and idiom, he complained to me, lamenting that he had found no one until this day who could interpret this life of Avicenna. I, however, who always (as is proper) have been accustomed to protect the glory of most eminent men no less than my own, when I had found Marcus Fadella of Damascus, an interpreter for the Venetian merchants of Damascus, and had taken the pains that he should expose the words of Sorsanus in the common tongue, I decided to entrust them to Latin letters. And I wished to dedicate them first and foremost to your name, most learned and excellent Thomas Cademustus, so that they might claim greater authority through your favor, since you are called the greatest among physicians in our times for both character and doctrine. For it is no mediocre praise for learned and indeed most grave men to follow the ancient sages with love, and to exhibit testimony of their praises, character, and doctrine before everyone. For I have always judged Avicenna to be a man to be venerated and worshipped among all sages, as one who wrote so many volumes, and almost divine ones, in almost every kind of science, that if everyone wanted to devote all their care to illustrating him as he deserves, as one who has deserved well of the human race, they could never satisfy his works. For what, ye good Gods, wrote more sharply, or more accurately, or more abundantly than the most learned Avicenna about every kind of science, and especially about medicine? Indeed, Avicenna alone completed a compendious medicine, leaving nothing behind: nor could you easily find anyone more outstanding, who (as Sorsanus the Arab, who was one of the disciples of Avicenna, reports) wrote very many volumes, which I wish we all had: but enough of these. Now, however, let us turn our speech to the narration of Sorsanus. Moreover, I judge these things to be not unpleasant for readers, but conducive, since, even if they are somewhat long, they nevertheless contain things which can render the reader attentive, docile, and benevolent. For he shows by what means Avicenna ascended to the peak of wisdom, by what dignities he was honored, what princes and kings he had as friends, and also with what wealth he abounded, all of which ignite men to the love of wisdom. And lest by chance anyone hesitate about the name of the most wise man, it seemed to me worthwhile to first set forth certain things regarding the declaration of the name Avicenna, which were noted by the most learned Andreas Alpagus in the preface of his interpretation of Arabic names, when he exposes the title of the books of the Canon, which is held by him thus: The Book of the Canon in medicine which the most wise philosopher Prince Abuhali, Alhasen, Ebenhali, Ebensina composed. From which it is clear that the name of Avicenna among the Arabs is named by these said names, which names are interpreted thus: Father Hali, Alhasen son of Hali, son of Sina. From which declaration of names it is constant that the name of Avicenna was bestowed from that corrupted diction, Ebensina, with the first letters changed. And although more who have exposed the title of the books of the Canon have interpreted otherwise, nevertheless I judged that greater faith should be applied to the interpretation of Andreas Alpagus, a man most exercised in the Arabic language besides other doctrines, since he received them from none other than the most learned Arabs, both the disciples of Avicenna and trustworthy interpreters, and handed them down to us.

The father of Avicenna, therefore, was Hali, who was a Persian, which is constant from the narration of Sorsanus, and also from many things which you will find here and there throughout the volumes written by Avicenna himself, and especially from the chapter...