The underlined expressions do not appear in the Arabic original, and have therefore been added by CA. Clearly, he wants the readers to notice that the doctrine regarding the ages of man as explained in the PA is something pertaining to medical science alone, and thus might differ from the more traditional one common in the Latin world. In fact, if this chapter is compared with Isidorus’ Etymologiae, XI.2, where the gradus aetatis are described in a more traditional way, the difference is evident: on one side, we have an essentially medical writing, influenced by the Galenic tradition, and on the other, a text devoid of technicalities, explicitly inspired by the philosophi – from them CA might have wanted to differentiate himself in that he speaks for medici and phisici.

This comparison becomes more interesting if we also consider KM’s practical section and, specifically, book I, chapters 20-24, where the regimen appropriate for every age is described. Based on sources such as Hippocrates’ Aphorismi, Galen’s De sanitate tuenda, Oribasius’ Collectiones and Paulus Aegineta’s Pragmateia, AM shows the medical students how the physicians must either accompany or counteract the effects of ageing. Firstly, in chapter 20 a new age is introduced, that is the one of newborn babies (ṭifl); the following table will summarize how CA and SP have decided to translate into Latin the designation of every age:

We can notice a certain incoherence in CA’s choices, mainly regarding the use of infantia; on the other hand, SA manages to achieve a two-way correspondence between Arabic and Latin lexicon. Moreover, the terms used in the LR correspond almost entirely with the ones of the Etymologiae, so that the doctrine of Arabic origin is made familiar and acceptable to the Latin reader, in that the vocabulary he is accustomed to is associated with an entirely new medical content.

As for the translation of these chapters, SA’s text renders faithfully the Arabic original, while the PA presents a more complex situation. In the KM, chapters 20 and 22, respectively concerning regimens for newborn babies and for babies after weaning, do not contain merely medical prescriptions, such as the ones regarding medicaments, cleansing, bathing, anointing, or curing specific diseases, but “care” is understood in a more general way. The physician should pay attention, for instance, to what causes babies to cry, to how they learn to speak and walk, and, as the child grows into an adolescent, he should monitor his moral attitude and his education, encourage him to play with a companion and to undertake valorous, vigorous actions. Thereafter, chapters 23 and 24 focus mainly on therapeutical prescriptions for adults and old people, leaving aside other fields of care. Interestingly, in the PA, chapters 23 and 24 are rendered rather faithfully, so that AM’s instructions are precisely conveyed to Latin readers. On the contrary, when translating chapters 20 and 22, CA has decided to omit all passages not dealing with a strictly medical regimen, such as diet, baths, anointments, physical activity, and specifically emphasizes the sentences referring to the deleterious effects of wine on growth [4].

Therefore, we can affirm that, when translating KM’s theoretical section about the ages of man, the Latin translators try to fit the ideas conveyed by the Arabic text into their tradition: what they achieve is a form of innovation through intelligent adaptation. Specifically, CA decides to underline that the content of the PA might appear peculiar as it pertains to the medical discipline – a discipline not much developed in the Latin West and, as such, not familiar for most readers; on the other hand, SP models his lexicon on that already belonging to Isidore. In the practical section, SP maintains his literal approach, while CA chooses the knowledge he wants to transfer to the Latin world: in the PA, there is no space for the passages concerning “care” for the person in his integrity. This suggests that he did not consider these areas as relevant for the physicians, as part of their responsibilities, or as useful for his Latin readers, who, to simplify, might already know how to educate children and adolescents, but needed to learn which medical regimen was suitable for them.

In conclusion, my focus on a selected case study proves how the analysis of translations makes it possible to observe the way medical doctrines transform from one place and time to another. Most notably, the comparison of the KM and his two Latin translations helps to shed light on how, with the first introduction of a medical science of allogenic origin in the Latin world, an attempt was made to make it comprehensible to readers and adapt it to their needs, without losing its novel elements.