Page 2 - Book of Composition

Hermetic Research Series Number 10

The Book of the
Composition of Alchemy

The Liber de compositione alchimiae is reputed the first text on
alchemy to have been translated from Arabic sources into Latin.
Written in 1144, it expresses in such a clear way the main ideas that
would concern European alchemists for at least five centuries. In this
sense it can be seen as the foundation stone of European alchemy.

The translator was Robertus Castrensis, Robert of Chester, an English
monastic scholar who based himself in Spain, and occupied himself
in translating key works from Arabic to Latin, thus making them
available to European culture. He is best known perhaps for his
translation of the Koran and the Algebra of al-Kwarizimi.

It tells the story of the possibly legendary seventh century Morienus,
and how he came to discover the secrets of alchemy through meeting
an old adept called Adfar. It then tells how Morienus travelled to the
court of King Khalid, a real Umayyad king (635-704) who is said to
be the person who introduced alchemy into Islam. A later section
records a dialogue between Morienus and Khalid in which the secrets
of the Magistery or work of alchemy are revealed.

This English text from the 15th century manuscript translation in
Sloane 3697 has been transcribed and modernised by Adam McLean.

Cover illustration is a 17th century engraving of the adept Morienus, from Michael
Maier Symbola aurea mensae, 1617, coloured by Adam McLean.

Adam McLean
15 Keir Street
Glasgow G41 2NP
UK
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