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An Arabic translation of a lost text by Zosimos was recently found by the writer when he was asked to examine an Arabic Alchemy book entitled Keys of Mercy and Secrets of Wisdom, written in the early part of the 12th century by a lesser known Kurdish alchemist named Al-Tughra'i (1). The book is in two parts; Part One, designated Introduction, is authored by A1-Tughra'i; whereas, Part Two is a translation of a lost text by Zosimos, entitled Keys of Wisdom.
Zosimos (2-10) was a gnostic philosopher of Greek descent born in the city of Panopolis (present day Akhmim) in Egypt around the year 300 AD. He studied in Alexandria and in Athens and traveled to many parts of the Hellenic world. The majority of Zosimos' books have been lost, and what remains of them are short passages that were reproduced long after his death, either in their original Greek language, or in Syriac translations. The Greek texts were found in the so-called St. Marc Manuscript in Venice and in manuscripts Nos. 2,240, and 2,327, kept in the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. The Syriac translations are kept in the the United Kingdom, in the library of the British Museum and in that of Cambridge University. Fortunately, all these manuscripts are readily available; they have been reproduced and translated into French by Berthelot (4-6, 10). Four titles of Zosimos' books are listed in the Arabic encyclopedia Kitab al-Fihrist, published in Baghdad in 987 AD by Ibn Al-Nadim (11). Another one, The Book of Keys, also known as The Little Key of Zosimos, was cited by the Byzantine monk. Michael Psellus (==1050 AD)(7).
Format of the Book
Keys of Mercy and Secrets of Wisdom is written in the format of lectures narrated by Toghrai, who first explains Zosimos' book in Part One and then presents its translation in Part Two. Both parts contain letters and quotes by Zosimos, as well as by famous personalities of antiquity. The latter include philosophers like Aristotle and Democritus; physicians such as Galen and Andromachus (a contemporary of Galen); alchemists such as Apollonius of Tyana, as well as lesser known personalities such as Weracles and Tamagus. Also quoted, are mythical characters, such as Hermes Trismegistus, his son Tata, and his daughter Queen...