The lives of the adepts in alchemystical philosophy

Synesius was not satisfied with what he learned in Alexandria. He wanted to see Athens. He wished to know if the Academy, the Lyceum, and the Stoic schools were still as great as they were under Plato, Aristotle, and Zeno. He was very disappointed. The city only kept the names of the famous groups that once lived there. He found craftsmen and merchants, but no scholars or wise men.

After his travels, Synesius settled in his home country. He spent his time with philosophy, writing, and hunting. He did not wear the traditional clothes of a philosopher. He also refused to have his works read in public. His high birth and his modesty made him avoid the vanity of common philosophers. He wanted a quiet life and stayed away from worldly cares. He tried to keep his mind calm and free from trouble. He was not lazy. When it was necessary, he worked for his city. He wanted to be useful to his neighbors and his country even while living a quiet life. He studied philosophy even when busy with public business.

Synesius was always eager to serve the public. Because of this, Cyrenia and four other cities sent him to Constantinople. He was to tell Emperor Arcadius about the poor state of his country and ask for help. He spent three years on this mission. He eventually succeeded by giving large gifts.

An earthquake in the year 400 destroyed much of Constantinople and forced him to return home. He reported on his mission and was likely baptized around this time. He went back to Alexandria and married around the year 403. The patriarch Theophilus performed the wedding.

Having a family may have taken some time away from his studies, but it did not hide his virtues. His reputation was so great that the people of Ptolemaid chose him as their bishop in 410. This gave him authority over the whole province, even though he was married. He tried to refuse the position, but the people, the clergy, and Bishop Theophilus insisted. He had to leave his quiet life to handle the many duties of a bishop.

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Until this point, Synesius was more of a philosopher than a Christian. He did not yet fully understand the higher light of Christianity. He thought he was honoring Saint Anthony and Saint Aimon by comparing them to Zoroaster and Hermes Trismegistus. However, after becoming a bishop, he acted with dignity and stayed active. He was modest like a simple believer. Even though he was not raised in the church, he knew how to defend the faith against heretics those holding beliefs contrary to established church doctrine. He kept the church pure with a gentle hand. He even worked to convert pagan philosophers. This was a task he considered more difficult than the transmutation changing of metals. He succeeded in bringing his friend Evagrius to the Christian faith.

He died between the years 416 and 431. His successor, Evopsus, was listed in the records of a church meeting in Ephesus during that time.

Three of Synesius's letters were sent to his friend Heliodorus, the Bishop of Tricca. Heliodorus was born in Phoenicia and wrote a famous romance story. He also wrote a poem about alchemy which was later printed by the scholar Albert Fabricius.

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RHASIS

RHASIS, also known as Mohammed Ben Zakara, was a famous doctor and chemist. He was from the city of Rei, near the border of Khorasan.

He did not start studying medicine until he was thirty years old. However, he soon became better than everyone else in his time. He was chosen as the head of the famous hospital in Baghdad. He was highly respected by Almansor, the ruler of Khorasan. Rhasis was a skilled philosopher and an excellent chemist. He wrote twelve books on chemistry, though very few have been published. It seems he was the first to use chemistry in medical practice. His writings helped train other Arabian doctors, including Avicenna. It is said he wrote at least two hundred and twenty books on medicine. Despite this, he died poor and blind. Some people wrongly claim this means he was not actually skilled in alchemy or medicine.

He died at an old age in the year 932.