His fame
had preceded him. His name was Ibrahim Ebn Abu Ayub, he was said to
have lived ever since the days of Mahomet, and to be son of Abu
Ayub, the last of the companions of the Prophet. He had, when a child,
followed the conquering army of Amru into Egypt, where he had remained
many years studying the dark sciences, and particularly magic, among
the Egyptian priests.
It was, moreover, said that he had found out the secret of
prolonging life, by means of which he had arrived to the great age
of upwards of two centuries, though, as he did not discover the secret
until well stricken in years, he could only perpetuate his gray
hairs and wrinkles.
This wonderful old man was honorably entertained by the king, who,
like most superannuated monarchs, began to take physicians into
great favor. He would have assigned him an apartment in his palace,
but the astrologer preferred a cave in the side of the hill which
rises above the city of Granada, being the same on which the
Alhambra has since been built. He caused the cave to be enlarged so as
to form a spacious and lofty hall, with a circular hole at the top,
through which, as through a well, he could see the heavens and
behold the stars even at mid-day. The walls of this hall were
covered with Egyptian hieroglyphics, with cabalistic symbols, and with
the figures of the stars in their signs. This hall he furnished with
many implements, fabricated under his directions by cunning artificers
of Granada, but the occult properties of which were known only to
himself.
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