Alchemiae Gebri Arabis philosophi solertissimi, libri, cum reliquis, ut versa pagella indicabit

That is, Chemistry is the making of gold and silver, whose books Diocletian searched out and burned, because the Egyptians had plotted new things against Diocletian. He treated them harshly and hostily. At which time he also sought out and burned the books written by the ancients concerning the chemistry of gold and silver, so that wealth might no longer accrue to the Egyptians from that art, nor that, trusting in an abundance of money, they might subsequently rebel against the Romans. Thus he. Nor do they disagree with other historians describing Diocletian. The ancient poets, however, not only implied that this art existed, but also, through most elegant fables, indicated quite absolutely, though enigmatically original: "αἰνιγματικῶς", how it should be practiced. For what else is the Golden Fleece sought by the Argonauts from Colchis than the investigation and shadowing forth of this art? Concerning which Suidas says elsewhere:

This is not told as a fiction, but it was a book written on skins, containing how gold must be made through chemistry. With reason, therefore, the men of that time named it the Golden Fleece, because of the energy/efficacy drawn from it.

The Golden Fleece is not given to Jason unless he has first undergone certain and dangerous labors, that is, unless he has first learned the practice original: "πρᾶξιν" by working with his own hands. For he possesses in vain a book written about this art who is ignorant of the practice. Furthermore, the dangerous navigation indicates the difficulty of investigating the matter of the philosopher's stone (as they call it). That, because it takes the place of the earth and is metallic, is called by Mars, the god of metals, the Martian Field original: "Ager martius"; and because it must be purified, prepared, and perfected in the fire so that it is fit to receive the seed, it is feigned to be plowed and cultivated by bulls breathing fire. These bulls are the furnaces, which, unless they have been rightly constructed and have exhibited continuous fire in the due quantity, either the matter is corrupted, or the vessels are destroyed, and the artisan is struck by a noxious odor, or he even perishes in a fire. Then the ever-watchful Dragon is Mercury. The Dragon's teeth are sublimated mercury original: "Mercurius sublimatus", because it possesses the whiteness of ivory, the hardness of bones, and an incredible biting quality, not without poison. While it is sublimated, it is caught in a glass vessel very similar to a helmet (the Arabs call it an alembic original: "alembicum"): thus the Dragon's teeth are brought to Jason in a helmet, so that he may sow them in the Martian field in place of seed. For Mercury must be sublimated from that earth so many times until it is fixed in it. While this is being done, it rises from the earth like little spears, some of which are erect, some inclined, some entirely transverse and as if aimed at the throats of enemies, and they grow continuously in length, so that they seem to be moving and to present the appearance of a very dense army now most fiercely