خلاصه ماشینی:
We are also too prone to· over look the fact that not only some of the most important books, particularly those of Zosimos, have been handed down in extremely ambiguous and fragmentary form, but also that of the many writings, the titles of which are known, not· even a single line of the original Greek has been transmitted to us.
and easier way consists in collecting the names of authors and titles of books mentioned in the bibliographical and biographical works of the Muslims.
The other way takes us through the writings of the Arab alchemists and consists in collecting the fragmentary passages from the works of Greek authors which are quoted there.
The names to be found in the Greek Corpus are : Hermes, Ostanes, Maria, Zosimos (in Razt's work Rlsamus and - Rusam), Herakleios (Hiraql) and Pelagios (Balakhus ?) ; besides there are mentioned as authorities Plato, Aristoteles and Alexander.
O. had knowledge onlyof the writings which appear to be proved by the above mentioned names of authors, The second list shows an increase above and beyond the Byzantine Corpus.
Whether the works mentioned there still originated from Greek alchemists, or whether they had for their authors Copts, Syrians, Persians and Arabs-in any case these titles contain invaluable evidence of a literature preceding the period of Jabir and Raz].
The same hope we have with regard to the name of Mahrari, whom Ibn an-Nadim mentions in his list of authors, without, however, quot• ing the title of his work.