Page 9 - Book of Crates

Here now is the history of this book: it had the title Kenz el-konouz
(the treasure of treasures), and belonged to the collection of the
treasures of the philosophers, that was kept in the sanctuaries of the
Gods. The principal one of these divinities was in Alexandria and was
called [...]. However there was in Alexandria a young man named
Risourès, who belonged to a family whose members were adepts of
philosophy. This young man with a handsome face, slender and
endowed with the most accomplished intelligence, courted one of the
maidservants of the chief of the soothsayers of the temple of Serapis.

This temple was named Athineh and the chief centre of the
Ephestelios soothsayers. Risourès having succeeded in persuading the
maid to his cause and marrying her, she showed him all the books and
made known to him all the other mysteries of the philosophers. Then,
when it was learned that Constantine the Great was in Rome, she stole
the books of Serapis, as well as this book that I send you, and fled with
her husband. Until the time Christianity stopped flourishing in Syria
and in Egypt, such is the history of this book. All sovereigns studied it
at great length, until the day when the Arab dynasties were established
in the countries of Syria and Egypt.

At this time, this book having reached me, I sent it to you,
recommending that there was nothing necessary to change. I had first of
all thought of translating it, and the translator was already ready, but
while thinking of the differences between the Greek and Arabic style
and order of speech, I gave up this project. Calling upon the assistance
of the Holy Spirit, I forward it to you, so that you can transmit it in
your turn.

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