Theatrum chemicum, praecipuos selectorum auctorum tractatus de chemiae et lapidis philosophici antiquitate, veritate, iure, praestantia, & operationibus, continens: in gratiam verae chemiae, et medicinae chemicae studiosorum ... congestum, et in sex partes seu volumina digestum; singulis voluminibus, suo auctorum et librorum catalogo primis pagellis: rerum vero & verborum indice postremis annexo. Volumen primum [- sextum]

Consecrated to the infernal Juno, which every
Grove covers, and shadows enclose in dark valleys.
But it is not permitted to enter the hidden things of the earth before,
Unless one has plucked the golden-haired fruits from the tree:
This fair gift Proserpina has established for herself to bring:
Once the first is torn away, another does not fail
To be golden, and the twig grows green with similar metal.
Therefore track it high with your eyes: and once rightly found
Pluck it with your hand: for it itself will willingly, and easily follow
If the fates call you, otherwise by no strength
Will you be able to overcome, nor with hard iron will you be able to tear it away.

While he sings of the girl marveling at the apples of the Hesperides.
For the Hesperides were called the daughters of Hesperus, brother of Atlas, who had gardens precious with a golden grove, where there was a dragon, a watchful guardian, vigilantly observing the golden apples, which Hercules killed, and brought the golden apples back to Eurystheus. According to Hesiod in the Theogony, Ovid 10 Metamorphoses, and Theocritus in the Comastes. However, Eustathius and Suidas, very celebrated Greek authors, refer this fable and these inventions to the Chemical art. Thus Willichius in his later commentaries on Virgil's 6th Eclogue.

Year of Christ 296.

Χημεία (Chemia) is the making of gold, etc., that is, Chemistry is the making of gold and silver, whose books Diocletian searched out and burned, because the Egyptians had plotted new things against Diocletian, he treated them harshly and hostiley. At which time he also sought out and burned the books about the chemistry of gold and silver written by the ancients, so that henceforth riches might not happen to the Egyptians from that art, nor, trusting in an abundance of money, would they rebel against the Romans in the future. This he wrote. See Orosius, book 7, chap. 16. And Constantine the Deacon in the life of Diocletian Caesar.

This however not as a fictitious golden fleece is said, but it was a book written on fleeces, containing in what manner gold ought to be made through Chemistry. This he wrote.

Books written on the Chemical art in Arabic, Greek, and Latin.

Moreover, many books on this Chemical art, besides those cited by us, written in Arabic, Greek, and Latin, are desired. In the number of which three are kept in the royal library of France, written in Greek and by hand; Zosimus, On the secret art and composition of waters for the making of gold. Isaac the Monk, who wrote The Method of Silver, and Blemidas, On the making of gold.

For they wrote in Arabic: Geber that Abenhaen, or Ebenhaen, Habebacar, Markos, Ydrid, Yesid of Constantinople, Albumazar, Avicenna, or Abuhali, that is, father of Hali, Rhazes, Hali, Morienus.