ABSTRACT
The De Mundo occupies somewhat of a unique position in the history of philosophical and scientific transmission from Greek to Syriac and Arabic in that the complete work is extant in all three languages. The sole manuscript of the Syriac De Mundo is in the British Library. Lorimer, while keenly aware of the importance of the Syriac version, was himself no expert in Syriac. Sergius is more concerned with the content and the sense of the Greek text and, therefore, offers in good Syriac form this fascinating piece of Hellenistic literature. The Syriac version of the De Mundo, then, fits squarely in Syriac translation continuum where we would expect it as a product of the early sixth century. Sergius presumably knew the text and its worth as a piece of elementary philosophicoscientific instruction and wanted it to be read by Syriac readers who had little or no facility in Greek.
