Nicholas Clulee

Artephius is the name associated with several alchemical texts, with the earliest writings believed to date from around 1150. The exact historical identity of the author behind these works remains obscure, a common issue in alchemical literature due to pseudepigraphy. While some texts bear his name, such as Ars sintrillia, Clavis sapientiae, and Liber secretus, their origins are not fully understood, though at least some are known to be of Arabic derivation.

Confusion over Artephius's identity has led to various misattributions and conflations throughout history. For instance, he was mistakenly identified with Orpheus due to translation errors in Arabic. Other figures he has been confused with include Apollonius of Tyana, Stephanos of Alexandria, Al-Tughrai, and Ibn Umail. The discovery of a later copy of Clavis Sapientia confirmed that its original Arabic author was Muslim, further complicating the historical picture of Artephius.

Several significant alchemical texts are attributed to a figure known as Artephius. Among these are Ars sintrillia, Clavis sapientiae (also referred to as Clavis maioris sapientiae), and Liber secretus. While the precise origins of these writings are not definitively established, scholarly consensus suggests that at least some of them have Arabic roots. The dating of Artephius's work to approximately 1150 is partly based on the respect and mention of his 'The Secret Book of Artephius' by Roger Bacon, indicating its influence during that period. The nature of alchemical writing often involves obscured authorship, making the identification of a single historical figure challenging.

The historical identity of Artephius is a subject of ongoing debate and confusion, largely due to the practice of pseudepigraphy within alchemy. This has led to Artephius being conflated with various other historical and mythical figures. A notable instance is the confusion with Orpheus, stemming from transcription errors in Arabic where the names were very similar. Further misidentifications include Apollonius of Tyana, Stephanos of Alexandria, Al-Tughrai, and Ibn Umail. The confirmation that 'Clavis Sapientia' was originally written in Arabic by a Muslim author highlights the complexity in tracing the true lineage and authorship of texts attributed to Artephius.

During the Renaissance, a tradition emerged that posited Artephius lived much earlier, potentially born in the first or second century and dying in the twelfth. This belief was fueled by the alchemical concept of an elixir of life, which Artephius himself alluded to in 'The Secret Book,' where he claims to be over a thousand years old. The works attributed to Artephius gained wider recognition in printed form during the seventeenth century. 'Artefii clavis majoris sapientiae' was published in Paris in 1609 and later included in Volume IV of 'Theatrum Chemicum' in 1613. An English translation of his 'secret booke' was provided by Eirenaeus Orandus in 1624. It is noteworthy that the Latin editions of 'Clavis Sapentia' are significantly abridged and omit the original diagrams present in the Arabic version.