Pingree, D Levi Ben Gerson's Prognostication For The Conjunction of 1345

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication for the Conjunction of 1345 Author(s): Bernard R.
Goldstein and David Pingree Reviewed work(s): Source: Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, New Series, Vol. 80, No. 6 (1990), pp. 1-60 Published by: American Philosophical Society Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1006565 . Accessed: 24/05/2012 13:45
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
American Philosophical Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Transactions of the American Philosophical Society.
http://www.jstor.org
TRANSACTIONS
of the
American Philosophical Society

Held at Philadelphia for Promoting Useful Knowledge VOLUME80, Part 6
Levi
ben
Gerson's
the for Prognostication of 1345 Conjunction

BernardR. Goldstein University of Pittsburgh David Pingree Brown University
THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Independence Square, Philadelphia 1990
Copyright ? 1990 by The American Philosophical Society
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 90-83198 International Standard Book Number 0-87169-806-4 US ISSN 0065-9746
CONTENTS I: Introduction 1.1: The Hebrew Tradition 1.2: The Latin Tradition II: Levi ben Gerson's Text in Hebrew: Preliminary Remarks II.1: The Hebrew Text II.2: Translation of the Hebrew Text III: Levi ben Gerson's Latin Text: Preliminary Remarks III.1: The Latin Text III.2: Translation of the Latin Text IV: Translation of Iohannes de Muris' Latin Text V: Notes to Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication V.1: Computations V.2: Astrological Commentary V.3: Notes to the Latin Text of Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication VI: Notes to Iohannes de Muris' Prognostication VII: Acknowledgments References Index
Pages 1 3 7 9 10 11 22 24 30 35 40 41 46 51 52 56 57 59
I: Introduction
Levi ben Gerson (1288-1344), also known as Leo de Balneolis, was a prominent scholar in Orange (France) who wrote in Hebrew on biblical exegesis, philosophy, theology, and the sciences. His work on astronomy is of the highest quality and his contributions include new theories, new observations, and new instruments (see, e.g., Goldstein 1985). Although Levi referred to astrology in his main theological work, Milhamot Adonai (The Warsof the Lord),his only known work in this domain is edited here for the first time. In this prognostication, based on the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter to take place in 1345, Levi depended upon his own astronomical theories for the positions of the Sun and the Moon (and probably the planets as well), and upon Abraham Ibn Ezra (Spain, d. 1167) for astrological interpretations (though no astrologer is named in the text). Astrology was widely accepted by medieval scholars of all three monotheistic faiths, though it was sharply criticized by some of their coreligionists. In addition to predicting an individual's fate based on his birth horoscope, there was a branch of astrology concerned with general historical events that goes back to Sasanian Persia (ca. 224-652). According to this astrological theory of history, major political and religious changes are indicated by conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn that recur at intervals of 20 years. Moreover, after about 240 years the position of the conjunction in the zodiac shifts from one triplicity to another indicating a more significant change, the rise of a new nation or dynasty. A triplicity is a set of three zodiacal signs: there are four triplicities in all, each of which is associated with one of the four elements (air, water, earth, and fire). Finally, the coming of a prophet is associated with the completion of a cycle of all four triplicities, and this happens about once every 1,000 years. One of the proponents of this scheme was Masha'allah, a Jew in Baghdad (d. 815), and his treatises (in the original Arabic and in Hebrew and Latin translations) influenced many medieval astrologers, including Abraham Ibn Ezra whose works (both in Hebrew and in Latin translations) became authoritative for later practitioners of this art. Levi accepted this theory and applied it to the conjunction of 1345, predicting various dire consequences followed by the coming of a righteous king. These dire consequences were later interpreted as the Black Death, and the coming of a righteous king may have been interpreted as the coming of the Messiah expected by Jews. However, it is argued here that, for Levi, this was to be a gentile king and not the Messiah. Shortly after Levi's death in 1344, Iohannes de Muris (fl. ca. 1320-1350) came to the papal court in Avignon and wrote a prognostica-
Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication
tion based on the same conjunction, and we argue that he may have been motivated in part by his disagreement with what he took to be the meaning of Levi's text. Following some remarks on the historical setting, we present an edited Hebrew text (based on the only known manuscript), an edited Latin text, translations of both of them, a translation of the prognostication by Iohannes de Muris concerning the same conjunction, and notes to these texts concerning their astronomical and astrological content. We will not dwell on the interpretations of this conjunction after the fact as signifying the Black Death. The Hebrew text was translated by B. R. Goldstein, and the Latin texts were translated by D. Pingree. The translation of Iohannes de Muris's prognostication is based on an unpublished text edited by Emmanuel Poulle.
Levi ben Gerson's Text
I.1: The Hebrew Tradition

Abraham Bar Hiyya (Spain, d. ca. 1136) already called attention to a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter to take place in 1345 (10 Nisan 5105 A.M., i.e., 14 Mar. 1345) in his treatise entitled, Megillat ha-Megalleh (ed. Poznanski and Guttmann 1924; trans. Millas 1929), where he associated it with a date of messianic significance. According to his interpretation of the horoscope of this conjunction, its effect would begin in the thirteenth year, i.e., 1358. This date coincided with a computation he made based on the Bookof Daniel: "From the time the regular offering is abolished, and an appalling abomination is set up-it will be 1290 days..." (Dan. 12:11). Since he accepted the date for the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem as A.D. 68 (cf. Vajda 1969, p. 428), and interpreted the 1290 days to mean 1290 years, he arrived at 1358 as the date of messianic significance, in agreement with the date derived from astrological considerations (cf. Vajda 1969, p. 132). Abraham Bar Hiyya clearly accepted a version of the theory of astrological history according to which great events depended on conjunctions of Saturn and Jupiter (see, e.g., Kennedy and Pingree 1971, pp. 69ff.); another version of the theory is reported in Abraham Ibn Ezra's translation of Masha'allah's Book of Eclipses (Goldstein 1964). In Maimonides' Epistle to Yemen(see Twersky 1972, p. 454) there is an explicit rejection of astrological theories of history; yet even this negative attitude testifies to the widespread interest in such theories by Jewish thinkers in the Middle Ages. According to astrological theory, greater significance is attached to those conjunctions when the conjunction has moved into a new triplicity. Curiously, the conjunction of 1345 is not such a conjunction, as was recognized by Bar Hiyya and his successors. This leads us to believe that the conjunction of 1345 was chosen for investigation in the context of messianic speculation based on the date derived from Daniel. In addition to the many copies of Bar Hiyya's work, there is evidence for continued interest in this conjunction among Jewish scholars. In an unpublished text on astrology written by Levi ben Abraham ben Hayyim (Southern France, fl. ca. 1275), Bar Hiyya's calculations and comments on the conjunction of 1345 are presented, almost verbatim (see, for example, MS Paris, B.N., heb. 1066, fol. 109a; for a discussion of the surviving manuscripts of Levi ben Abraham ben Hayyim's encyclopedia, Liwyat Hen, see Freudenthal 1989). It is possible that "magistri Leonis Judei de Montepessulano [i.e., Montpellier]," mentioned in a poem on the Black Death by Simon de Covino composed ca. 1350 (Littre 1840-41, p. 208:7; on this passage cf. Renardy 1974, pp. 279, 287-88, where it is stated, without foundation, that Levi ben Gerson was also called "Simon l'Hebreux" and that he died in Montpellier [sic] in 1344), along with Johannes de Muris and Simon [sic; read: Firminus] de Bella Valle as authors of treatises on the significance of the conjunction of 1345, is to be identified with Levi ben Abraham ben Hayyim who did live in Montpellier, but his works were not translated into Latin. Thus it seems more
likely that Simon de Covino simply mistook Levi ben Gerson's Latin name to be Leo de Montepessulano instead of Leo de Balneolis. (We note that the extant copies of Levi's prognostication only identify the author as "Magistri Leonis Hebrei" or as "Magistri Leonis Iudei".) It is reasonable to suggest that, as the date of this conjunction approached, there was considerable interest in the Jewish community about it, and that knowledge of this interest reached Christians as well. There are other indications of messianic speculations concerning the year 1358, e.g., Moses ben Nahman, a noted mystic, legal scholar, and biblical exegete (Spain, d. ca. 1270), gives this date in his commentary on Gen. 2:3 (see Vajda 1969, pp. 429, 445; cf. Scholem 1987, p. 383 et passim). Since Moses ben Nahman's commentary on the Pentateuchwas widely studied, his discussion of this date was unlikely to be overlooked. In his astronomical treatises Levi mentions Christian interest in his work, and it is a fair inference that the papal court was involved in supporting his research (Goldstein 1974, p. 20), possibly in the context of calendar reform (on the attempt at calendar reform by Pope Clement VI [1342-1352] see, for example, Deprez 1899). In the Latin version of his prognostication, we find an explicit reference in [31] to a prediction made by Levi in 1339 for Pope Benedict XII (1334-1342). Thus, it is possible that Levi wrote this prognostication on request, rather than out of conviction in the messianic character of this conjunction. To be sure, we are told in both the Hebrew and Latin versions that the work was not complete when Levi died (see [67]), but it is also true that no allusion to the messiah or to the passage in Daniel appears here. Moreover, in his commentary on Daniel, Levi wrote: ...the eighth benefit (tocelet) [we gain from this text] is the determination of the time of the end according to what we explained, and it is the durationbetween the time when the regularofferingwas abolished and the time when the appalling abominationwill be set up, and these are [pagan]gods and images; and it is to be completed, as we explained, in the year 118of the 6th millenium of the Creation[5118A.M. = 1358A.D.]. It is also evident from this [passage]that this end does not take place on of the stars but on account of account of the configuration(maCarekhet) ha-shem for the sake individual divine providence (hashgahat ha-peratit) on Danielby R. Levi ben Gershom, ca. of the patriarchs...(Commentary 1480 [no place], 34b). This view is reminiscent of the Talmudic dictum "there is no asterism (mazzal) for Israel" (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat156a; cf. Beller 1988, p. 65), where "asterism" means fixed star, planet, the Moon, or the Sun (cf. Maimonides, Guide II, 10, trans. Pines, pp. 269f). Note that according to the standard astrological view Saturn is the planet for the Jews (e.g., ed. and trans. Wright 1934, ? 433; Iohannes de al-Biruni, K. al-TafhTm, Muris [7] and [30]). While Levi accepted certain kinds of astrological influences (see [1]-[3]), clearly messianic calculations were not to be based
on astrological considerations. Moreover, there is evidence from our text that for Levi the conjunction of 1345 had no messianic significance, for he claims in [21] that the effect of this conjunction will be postponed until the tenth year (1355), rather than the thirteenth year (1358) as Bar Hiyya had predicted. In other words, the predictions based on this conjunction concern the gentiles in 1355, and not the Jews in 1358. The role of Providence is mentioned in [4]-[6], and it would seem that Levi intended to convey the same meaning somewhat allusively. For a summary of Levi's views on the messianic age, see Touati 1973, pp. 528-537. in this comWe may also remark on Levi's use of the term maCarekhet ment on Daniel, for in our text it is generally translated into Latin as scientia: see [20] et passim. Levi also uses the expression maCarekhet ha-kokhavimin his Milhamot Adonai IV,3 (ed. Leipzig 1866, p. 161:20), and it appears in Ibn Ezra's works as well (e.g., YesodMora, chap. 12, reprint ed. Maqor, Jerusalem 5730 A.M. [1970], p. 20:3: "and the configuration of this [planet] to that [planet] changes without limit [qes [macarekhet] ]"; We are grateful to Dr. Gad Freudenthal for calling this passage to our attention). The basic sense of maCarekhet ("arrangement") is to be understood here as referring to the positions of the planets relative to one another. However, for some reason, the Latin translator took this term to refer to the knowledge of this arrangement, rather than to the arrangement itself, except in [11] where he translated it "ordinem."A further subtlety is that in [22] Levi quotes the passage from Ibn Ezra which tells us that Aquarius signifies the land of Israel, Egypt, and Greece (cf. Iohannes de Muris [11] and [30]), which suggests that for Levi astrological predictions may apply to the land of Israel but not to the Jews. The text of lohannes de Muris suggests that he may have known of Levi's prognostication, for in [30] he tells us that the Jews expect the coming of the Messiah within 10 years based on astrological considerations. Since Bar Hiyya, Levi ben Abraham ben Hayyim, and Moses ben Nahman all took 1358 as the date of messianic significance, it would seem that Iohannes de Muris depended on another Jewish tradition that set the date as 1355. Levi remarked on both 1355 and 1358, but for him only the former is significant astrologically while the latter is only significant for the Messiah. It is possible that Jews who knew of Levi's prognostication took it to be about the coming of the Messiah (ignoring Levi's theological arguments against that interpretation), and adjusted their expectations accordingly. In that case, Iohannes de Muris, who arrived in Avignon shortly after Levi's death, may have heard about it from Jews with whom he came into contact at the papal court (Levi's brother Solomon was physician to the Pope, and assisted in the translation of Levi's prognostication). It would also seem that Iohannes de Muris did not accept this messianic interpretation of the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 1345 because it was not a great conjunction and, according to the prevailing astrological theory, only a great conjunction signified the coming of a prophet (Iohannes de Muris [29]-[30]; cf. Ibn Ezra, Sefer ha-COlam,ed.
Fleischer 1937, p. 8:29, where a great conjunction is defined as a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Aries; and p. 9:9, where Ibn Ezra tells us that a great conjunction signifies the coming of a prophet to establish a [new] people). It is worth noting that the date for the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter according to Levi is 28 March 1345, whereas Iohannes de Muris computed it to be 20 March (or possibly 21 March) 1345, a result of calculating with different tables. In the text of Abraham Bar Hiyya (Millas 1929, p. 246), the conjunction was calculated to take place on 10 Nisan 5105 A.M. [i.e., 14 March 1345]. In Levi's text there is no indication of his methods for computing the planetary positions or the astrological houses. As we shall see below, the positions of the Sun, the Moon, the Ascending Node, and the eclipse phases are all computed according to his own tables (see Goldstein 1974). Levi's planetary tables do not survive, but they are mentioned in the table of contents of his Astronomy (Renan 1893, pp. 624-632: see chaps. 105, 108, etc.). In the absence of such tables it has not been possible to reproduce exactly the planetary positions he cites. For the astrological houses Levi used a non-standard method that he got from Abraham Ibn Ezra (North 1986, pp. 20 ff; cf. MS Munich, heb. 343, fol. 51b, cited in Goldstein 1974, p. 82).
1.2: The Latin Tradition

With excellent hindsight those who lived during or after the Black Death of 1348 were able to explain that terrible event by an appropriate interpretation of the conjunction of 1345 (see, e.g., Littre 1840-41; Grauert 1901, esp. pp. 264-267; Thorndike 1934, pp. 305-06, 311-17, cf. pp. 289-92). But those who wrote on that conjunction before it occurred had other interests in mind. It is presumably not simply a coincidence that three of them were closely connected to the court at Avignon of Pope Clement VI (1342-1352). Aside from Levi, whose relationship to the papal court is indicated in the Latin version of the De coniunctione [31] and is further expanded upon in the previous section of the Introduction, Firminus de Bella Valle (Thorndike 1934, pp. 268-80) and Iohannes de Muris (Thorndike 1934, pp. 294-324; and Poulle 1973, pp. 128-33) were called to Avignon by Clement at the end of 1344 to advise him concerning the reform of the calendar; he sent the bulls summoning them on 25 September 1344, and others to their ecclesiastical superiors on 1 October of the same year asking that they provide the two astronomers with the funds necessary for undertaking the journey (Deprez 1899). Their proposal was presented to the Pope in 1345 (Duhem 1913, pp. 52-57). It was presumably during their stay at Avignon, during the winter of 1344-1345, that both men wrote predictions based on the triple conjunction that would occur in early 1345; Levi had not quite completed his similar treatise, in Hebrew, when he died on 20 April 1344 (see [67]). The PrognosticatioMagistri Firmini de Bella Valle Superconiunctione Saturni, Iovis et Martis anno domini 1345 (atrociously edited in Pruckner 1933, pp. 220-21) is a mystical interpretation bereft of any astronomical and most astrological interest. We only note Firminus' evident interest in the Hebrew months, for he says of March: "qui Nissan appellatur more Hebreorum immediate sequens mensem Bayzar." We do not know the source from which he obtained this information. Iohannes de Muris' Prognosticatio (ed. Pruckner 1933, pp. 222-26) is much more detailed both in its astronomy and in its astrology. As our notes show, Iohannes, as one would expect, used the Alfonsine Tablesfor his computations (for the Parisian origin of the Alfonsine Tables,and the role of Iohannes de Muris, see Poulle 1988). For his astrology he used Ptolemy, Masha'allah, Abu Macshar, CAll ibn abi al-Rijal, and Abraham Ibn Ezra. This is indeed a most respectable effort even if the predictions did not coincide with reality. It was different for Iohannes Eschendensis (see Thorndike 1934, pp. 325-46, 717-18), who claimed to have predicted the plague before it occurred in the Prognosticationesde eclipsi universali Lune et de coniunctione trium planetarumsuperiorumque apparaveruntanno domini 1345, which, he states, he completed on 20 March 1345. But the closest he in fact comes to such a prediction is to quote chapter 9 of Masha'allah's Epistola, just as Iohannes de Muris does. The best that can be said for the Englishman is
that he added "corruption in the air" to the predictions taken from Masha'allah. Levi, had he lived to see the Black Death, could have matched Iohannes' boast, for he predicted from the horoscope of the eclipse of 4 March 1345 "infirmitates magnas et interfectiones in mundo" (see [48]), though these misfortunes were to occur in 1345 itself rather than in 1348 (see [49]). The principal manuscript of Iohannes Eschendensis' Prognosticationes is Digby 176 in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, wherein it occupies ff. 9-16, immediately preceding Levi's treatise. This fourteenth-century manuscript belonged to the astronomer William Reed, who died in 1385. In the margins of this copy it is noted that it was Reed who made the astronomical calculations upon which Iohannes' predictions were made. In the same manuscript, on ff. 25-29, are two treatises by Galfridus de Meldis (or Geoffrey of Meaux: see Thorndike 1934, pp. 281-93, 715-17), one on a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in 1325 and the other on the astrological causes of the Black Death; though Galfridus is strongly associated with the French court and the University of Paris, the astronomical computations in these two works are made for the longitude of Oxford. Pruckner's edition (1934, pp. 215-19) of the Super coniunctione Saturni et Iovis, based on manuscripts at Erfurt and Leipzig, refers the conjunction to the end of May 1345, and states that it occurred in Gemini. This information confirms that the Oxford manuscript is correct in referring the conjunction to 1325, for a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter did occur at Gemini 17? on 31 May of that year.
II: Levi ben Gerson's Text in Hebrew: Preliminary Remarks

There is only one surviving manuscript of Levi's prognostications: MS Cambridge, heb., Add. 1563, folios 104b:20-106a:8. Steinschneider (1964, p. 133) noted the existence of this manuscript and described it as "possibly an excerpt from [Levi ben Gerson's] Astronomy or an otherwise unknown work [by him]." Recently, Touati (1973, p. 58) identified this Hebrew text with the better known Latin translation of it which we publish here as well. Note the typographical error in Touati's text concerning one of the Latin copies: read MS "latin no 7378A" instead of MS "latin no 8378A" (Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris). We are unaware of any other discussion of this Hebrew text (the same does not hold for the Latin translation). For ease of reference, in the introduction, translation, and notes, sentence numbers have been added to the Hebrew text. Moreover, passages in square brackets have also been added by the editor, whereas an asterisk indicates a place where the Latin version adds words that do not correspond to the extant Hebrew text.
10
II.1: The Hebrew Text
a" :1n
[11 "31WXbIVK 11'1:=-:xnn:3w-11s:a 1":n '"~ 3 -13:3 n-i'nn anEW; Dsrr1Vn71 "1IW l3 377M sWVI'
-rnl nTV/r T1 [21 .nl-1 -IxwT "nlI 'Iw/I3Xn TI11 -ia"o3 1liXN" 13M Ci'K':137'-i":71
'71 1n13T nn -lW'Vw
"i~n
~-I"i:' [3] .'n nirnTn

nnrrp?'"lVjW3n nT 1w"w
7Tn3 1"YT'
31 OW 14] .-IWaE3W V-in'1':2 10'1
31:1 1l'
VW/-13 n7Y
1 oan 1D' .7ann '1x n"7 nn 715 :::n I: TnTnw1 ::ll rns'I1M.'Q :! t-i rr "s 3nnn I '1:
'
onT1 lDC:I "1:: [6]
1 7I XI77 'r sn lnnw :'r , 1?1' x7Tw p"I.~n -11': 7: 1 '1 n77l17''Ttn n 7w'I [8 iC1'1"71 n1',' -IVwx p1i1:"!n n'T 1I'3:/- I- [10] .:':-i I -inx ':P:I nl"i nnK :l3 n"nan n'ryw 1i nT'r" -nx 13! nnxn: nY/1ln 1'3/i n71-iK n-I'~1pnn
n7IT1
[7]
":':YI/'/
71T-i
- 13 n1 1 bT Q /105a/'V-1 [91.'b1-71 'n n '3nn 'pin' nnxrTrn

3','n nx-i1in -Tnr '-T"I 'En7:11' 'nTT
11
11.2:Translation of the Hebrew Text

[1] L[evi] b[en] G[erson] said: By experience* and much investigation it became clear to the ancients that changes in this lower world emanate from the stars, more so for the human species than for the other composite [substances]. [2] This is the opinion of the Torah and the Prophets as we explained in [our] Bookof the Warsof the Lord. [3] [Therefore], it is necessary to look at the implications [of the stellar influences] for the future so that [this investigation] will direct men to take counsel concerning evil so that it will not occur, and concerning good so that it will occur, as perfectly as possible. [4] This is the entire fruit of the science of judgments, and in this way it is possible for a man to change what is implied by the decree of the stars, namely, [first,] things related to free will and, second, [things dependent on] divine providence. [5] For, if some evil is implied for some city according to the decree of the stars, and there are some good men with God [in it], they will not see evil days because He will command His angels to protect them in all their ways, as David* said [cf. Ps. 91:11], and the contrary in the opposite case. [6] We already explained all this in Books 4 and 5 of The Warsof the Lord. [7] Now I say that it is known by experience* that a conjunction (mahberet) of Saturn with Jupiter signifies great* and general events. [8] When it takes place in [one of] the airy [zodiacal] signs, its impact [lit.: its significance] is of great strength. [9] When it takes place in a fixed (Comed) sign, its impact will last for many days. [10] This is the case for the conjunction (dibbuq) to take place* on 28 March [13]45 at 1;18 [L: 1;17] hours after noon, as we verified by a long investigation of the motion
12
.7T 1l33]T3: 3TS nV3 DnX IXi' -IWX C'nip311nl ":31:37 "l 7nT: n3i i1flpnT n "ViTW ,'X1I7 1' VJ' nllpn rlinnw1v ' '11 [11 nnT"I 'Sl C3n1T ,T 'ITn"I T 13'M" 1'T C71-p1i 7113: 13']Y," 1J"1
.n:-IVnT '0' n7'niX11n
' 7371 [121 i' 7 "'1 DI' O-In '1 iT37 n7"1 nTlYWV 'p"7r r1 -T'1r 7 1'7 :1'nln nl7 l-1 7T1 [131 .7n,"i]n n 'inx :n-ipy n'in, ?x"3 'n7 '1- '177 ,3"] T`" '13 '17 ,"; ,T"' nwJ1 'n17 ,'n ""Qi"1Mn 'n7 ,'n7 "" " 11I 'T1,711~ 1" 'R< T"l '17" ,n "n nu '77n
"' ,T"''7n7i1 nn "7",:"1 T" 3 1D'-i7 ,"Tn " K" : -"' ,nrr" T"-3 'D C :']Tx '"nn ""WX [14] .-3"-: 'X:'1-ip
"I 'lTX Kt
Cn nn
''
' !
-`
= 3 Cpn-17"a 1' nnxT'1n n'T

,3"3] x"
n pl7 -177
D'N7K31'nnWTi rT
'1:nii .7'Tnnx
D3'Tnx O'TnI
nx t" nT nwTT
T"' '17rn x1lin ''-T 7-"1nW '17nn'I nnl:31,'1niY1
xl7 'n:wVJw 7T1 115] " 77" 1" T C71 ,T" n l 17np17ri ,1"] X"'~ '" "I"ln I 'l-r1n nT-i' W .1nl31?'3K 'ny [16]
T"'"'Tn
':17W' :'7"'] xnl
"1 C71 7"'3 ' "77-1 D" 71 [17] .'77n nT1'3" 1 '; [-, "'" ' ' ,,w 1" I1'1 n [118] .'An "in '1'r=''
I3 1i7V InI 1 [191 .9'"~ ] '11n1ir ['t131' .:"', l inrz: nT'=t 1ni]1 'n311in11i 1:31, ' "1','r ,-13n '1 737 17'l371 nTnrT: '7 n:Tn:iin "I-1'11 [20] .lnX3w nT3",rn U :3n 7'rx u~ 'i3
1 7T1[211 .7nn1r1ixnn7i'xw 7T1 '7' ' 7 ':7:':71 7II l:I-in b' 7T ': nT-IVnn 'E -1ITn3 p11:n-r "71'7 n1Jwn nrn7 'r rnnT'
13
of these planets and the positions at which they are observed at successive Cetbi-zmanenuzeh). [11] Since the molad [i.e., moments in our times (be-Cet the conjunction of the Moon with the Sun] preceding* the epoch (tequfa) of the year has significance for this, and similarly the same holds for the preceding opposition, we saw fit to mention them here with their significances according to [the planetary] configuration (macarekhet). [12] The aforementioned moladwill take place on Friday, 4 March [1345], at 10;55 hours after apparent noon.* [13] This is the figure (sura) for the [astrological] houses: Ascendant Second [house] Third Fourth Fifth Sixth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Sco Sgr Cap Psc Ari Tau Tau Gem Can Vir Lib Sco 21; 8? 21;31 27;52 5;17 10;48 1;22 21; 8 21;31 27;52 5;17 10;48 1;22 [L: 21;14?] [L: 27;11?] [L: 5;14?] [L: 6;48?] [L: 1;23?] [L: 21;14?]
[L: 5;16?] [L: 8;48?]
[14] The ascending node will be at Lib 9;27? [L:4;21 ?];Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter will be very nearly in conjunction in Aquarius and, in general [categories], all three of them will be in one house, in one sign, in one decan (pannim), and in one term (gevul). [15] Saturn will be at Aquarius 17;21,52?, Mars at Aquarius 17;31,56? [L: 59"], and Jupiter at Aquarius 15;45,27? [L: 25"], all in the third house which signifies religions (emunot). [16] The Sun and the Moon will be at Pisces 22;46,2? [L: 21;46,2?], and with them Mercury at Pisces 20;44? [L: 20;40,20?] in the fourth house. [17] They will also dominate the entire ninth house. [18] Venus will be at Aries 13;44? in the house of its enmity, and in the term of Mercury which is combust (nisraf). [19] The three superior planets will be in one term and they will be very nearly in conjunction*, and Venus is in aspect with them from the house of its enmity. [20] According to [the planetary] configuraL: scientia), it indicates the destruction of a nation (uma) and tion (macarekhet; a kingdom by a nation of a different religion. [21] This will begin to happen in the tenth year [after] the aforementioned conjunction according to this configuration because this
14
'i71 [22] .'nlI:nI?n 7Y "17-1rn 1W 'il
nT':l:l KXi p7l11'7Tr
,Y-I C3'-Ianl 1'," n'":I r1' '? -V' Y-K '"?`T ';U nTnW ,-"rn 1'a] 3n,' n"i"n'" nn`nTIlYl 1[23].:]W ]'"lI:N:" I' b11-i
'nnw Xi7npi-'1:Tin ni713 'Twnw'7V ''l [24] .nT::Y:]U"-i3 7X"13 nIx-1nl nlTTI'nlTnnbn: K 3 1 Y~ b 11' "D'Tn l-ITnnxi 1 nnw"1' '1E' [25] .Cn'nTTI:i n'nKn C 773n,i nri'pnn' 1i1nnn1` Tini D3'xinn ':Y ,'1'nx 1n n ila '2/ r'-1'" !MT 1l 'Tn" n1.w ':'1 [26] .-1-1-M InTY-'i -T'rn'l [271 .MllW1'7 11n-i' p~1"'7"' ':'1 :mnTn 3'llI:ynr l '1 ,n '7 n7-1' nnlrrn '7 "rDwnin 3 1 1: i'r-iTni c:'-r3nl :']Tpn M ," 3/-11 ninn"i1 "Trr '1 "K]m"il V I"-'1 13'n "-iDCT n::s'w. nY'3' W nl'`1n lTTn:"n :-i11''E'n
"''inn [28] .-ip1'1 VWn"11'1
ntlz/TT'::n'2 -i11'
'i' l
'aCn]pa- ninip l -InlT nMipTn nini-In n:I'VJ'ni:-'1 np"17" nnn:onlrn c"1-177ir 1='-V1 Xi1 [29] .pn11-n7 nwnn
lD"nl 1-17 :3"1 7T [30] .n-IYi"ln 'i ln n-"77n O"11:lMr1 nlin iC1 [311 .'npy ''' J:' l 1S D'111n nTinlXn 1:3Vi X] 17 n-11n ''nTn" n"'!3,'"n,"l n-ipT'" a i-iInx nx-3w1 nri' .TKI]-KMWIrn: p Or '1T 11']YI 13T
nw nn73n lI"3i :L"a] xn 5X13 nl=nn nrinnnn n7n'i1 [32]

[331 .ni-in niTTnI -:1nn7: p-17i:: 'rnnwV l'lnnr,
TXo-i"'En
7'-11 /105b/ n:'ip 1"' nilY/n ' ' 7"r 7TQ: TK i-inn:ni ' 'l nn" pTnn -'I" 'T nn pi71n-rn -r7'lin nlTi3 nn'S K'ib
.1]-1i3Kw Ii' n:ri nl-
nr 1 '-rn11pn
15
conjunction will take place in the third house that signifies religions. [22] Since Aquarius has significance for the Land of Israel, Egypt, and the Land of Greece, most of these upheavals (bilbulim) will take place there*. [23] According to what is manifest in [the planetary] configuration, the evil for these countries will begin (tippatah) from the north. [24] Since Saturn and then Mars will dominate (shalit) this conjunction, this indicates extraordinary* evil with many wars*, visions (mar'ot), and miraculous signs (moftim). [25] Since Mars and Saturn will be in conjunction at the epoch of the year in a strong masculine sign of human form, it signifies diseases and death, and the evil will endure for a long time. [26] Since Venus is in the house of its enmity, it signifies the absence of good, pleasure, and happiness for most of the inhabited world (ha-yishshuv). [27] Since the conjunction is strong and Mars is eastern and also will dominate the ascendant, it indicates the spilling of much blood and increasing enmity, jealousy, hatred, strife, famine, various diseases, drought, and dearth*. [28] Since the conjunction will take place in [one of] the airy signs, it indicates the blowing of excessive and destructive winds* for some places more than others, depending on the [way that] they are under the rule of this conjunction. [29] If southerners will fight northerners, the southerners will be defeated according to [the planetary] configuration. [30] This also was indicated by the comets (ha-otot) that were seen* generated (hovim) in the north and reaching to Scorpio. [31] The comet* that was seen after it, arising (someah) in Scorpio and ending in Leo [that moved] contrary [to the direction of increasing] signs*, indicated this matter without a doubt, as we said at that time*. [32] The middle conjunction* took place in the year [1226]*, 9 March, when Saturn and Jupiter began to be in conjunction in [one of] the airy signs. [33] They were in conjunction at Aquarius 3;36? [L: 3;37?], and this conjunction indicated the arising of a reign upholding truth and uprightness (yosher), and at the preceding molad*with the strength (koah) of the reign, as we said.
16
1X3 "r7T1 n3y n73
nnn T ' n'T:rnnr: nTy/n3
IT 'a1 ,T3"1 [34] 73'1Ixw
aw "bI1ian [35] .r31nn1n nin'i -W ,'', "ltn / n]'-T3: ':l -rITi'-I x" i:n rT 1','"3 '-!V3 n '"n
3TTT' T'Vnw -7n nnwl 'y 7,-1' iT T1 [371 .w-n-rn
W rTTT x T nnn
iXx
13n7101 [361 .'-77 nl'Tin nT"'s ni11T7 n'nr nri'tn::
:"1 nTI'lOV'
nw3''VI1:
nn: p'Tn'n
W n'l:
nnR'S'
s1in nTp -r1'V TnY/W n'11i7VI/-
Tn'11 [381 .n'Y'VInTT 't I niTr ipnnr .'13 'K nTfl'n nT-i'n nx"in 1 'x 1' 111in'"1M1 139]
'Tirn ~17
in
-inK
-71131 'INlT"'l'n
:31 3"rT i'" .pl7"ll' 3"1 Xi," nalTi" [401 .711:'7,"

'i '71n ' ,""= ,":
,"T'
117 W'W
[411 "I: nTT31:iT
'"T7 '7rT ,7"] 1"'
'1
:n 3:"'
'17- ,1",
"Tini py K
3'17 '-77 ,..3 " 1" X"' "1 ,T"" "3itn
'TiT,'1 3"3
-'-MX "n ,'T"" 1"' 1D '-1 r'
." rnn ,xK"" t
i "nn I"'i1 'nnwI [42] .'1 -"3 D'3]Tn""',1 ,1"3 ,

"T: nrr": 'b-n D'-Tlr ,": '"T p"I7 n ': nl"'
"I1,
1a"=
'T "n r ,'1 "3: nT"
[43].r " 1"] 2:"' `1U: :nl:I 1'p' TM

'1 nTlYIV'1 1"3= TT: n'nn1 i'11i1
'7WlTNTI[451 .-XKr3nVl'1 nT11-
,113 " nr'rn 1 '177 T"QTI nilYvYx D nIT117pn 'ITI

n7TnixMl1n nTI71 [44] .n'17r
mlW:I: ,7"" 3 ,:lI
n1 1"r1 1 [45] ."1nlT1' l'"inKr13'-X"?'nTI 3 1X3 '71 1 '1 ,'K-1 'rlnn"l u'n"
nXrrT bx
x1in :'7Tn
J '1 2Y11w U'"nn xiM1"I'K nr' xl171 nnl" l<n nilp' nT:'1 n7W 'n' 1[481 .K'3 : -i
nlYl [47] .'n7Kn TT'n ni ':3
17
[34] According to [the planetary] configuration, a severe war will take place between one nation (uma) and another of a different religion*. [35] {And there will be there}. The king who is the ruler there will die in his land because the lord of the tenth* house is combust (nisraf), and a foreign king will invade the country (medina) indicated by the fourth house. [36] For this reason then will be destroyed the king who was in the part of the house (be-miqsatha-bayit) inferior to (tahat) the newcomer. [37] This indicates the arising of a reign there upholding truth and uprightness, because the Sun and the Moon are also there, lords of the ninth [house]. [38] It seems* that [because] the Moon came first to Venus, it removes some of the evil indicated for the time of this epoch (tequfa). [39] These indications* were repeated in the opposition that comes after the aforementioned molad which also has significance with this [planetary] conjuction*. [40] The ascendant will also be [in the sign of the ascendant at the time of] the conjunction [of the Sun and the Moon]. [41] The ascendant* will also be The second [house] The third The fourth The fifth The sixth The seventh The eighth The ninth The tenth The eleventh The twelfth Sco Sgr Cap Aqu Psc Ari Tau Gem Can Leo Vir Lib 12;41? 11;27 16;54 23;39 26 22; 3 12;41 11;27 16;54 23;39 26 22; 3 [L: 11;57?] [L: 16;14?] [L: 28;19?] [L: 22; 2?] [L: 11;57?]
[L: 28;19?]
[42] * Saturn will be at Aqu 18;52,3? [L: 20"],Jupiter at Aqu 18;20,23? [L: 2'], Mars at Aqu 28;24,29? [L: 24"], Venus at Tau 24 [L: Tau 0;54?], and Mercury at Ari 12;53,39?. [43] At that time there will be a lunar eclipse of 19;47 [L: 19;45] digits, and the duration (zeman)of the eclipse will be about 3;40 [L: 3;45] hours. [44] The indications of this eclipse are very bad. [45] The lord (moshel) of this chart (sura) is Mars, and then Mercury. [46] Also the Moon comes first to aspect Mercury and it is in the term of Mars; Mars is also in the term of Mars. [47] Moreover, Mercury is combust (nisraf); it is in the house of Mars; it aspects the Moon in opposition (nokhah);and its significance is extraordinarily bad. [48] Since the eclipse
18
.DbiY3
3x7 1: nnTs VyX1W ';Tn: an i-ii 3n'xTnVrn7' T n:T n 'Tv nnT17' '1I[49]
-rn w1Jn 1n:3 r11] -inx n31r1-1npn
nl'"1 "-rT -I'1'-InTXi
"irn' '~-r71 -1'1 'nn "~-i' ''D1 n"'l .D'-in 1 3'n' n `lnnT " ., w s'inl " 1'i, nT 7 p-71 Xl,r , nw pil C7 X1 [15sol
[52] .7i3nM:]l
's; nn-ll1'ww
ri' ' nT p1T' "n-i
'"7K?R1c3'17"1r'
p Tn 'r 'Tnn n'nrl ':V3 :11 [i51] .l131n

In= C3 'Tnawl' i:i ' -1i"1
rnywvnmlninnilninixnin 1ni ri:m nInnri'n

'nil'-il
nil'0nI
31Yn'n3'7
n1n nmTrw '7 ninT11 [53] .tn-= = n li'i '1 Y1 nrl 'T'71 nT':rnl [1n7l~nl :'7":I] n'iCnm Tninp"in l:n-i
ni'al:"w 1:-1' 3'7ll :'3 wl, "'Inl [541 .3',Q'nW n'^p"' '1: ln's'V 3'wn '"n''ix 1 ,'", [55] ."'"11ITTn """11'"'ni I IT nini1pnn7 nll'p
'1'"-11 'n-T "
"im71 nln' 'l ":n
n,n 7Y n'"11Mr""7,
n7"':nn lll"
r-'11[56] .-IVWI'D 'Tn7: C311 /1 WXd '-pin
-In [571.] pn .n-i1 pi-ln:-7 ': 1Tl3inTn 1'KV -InK -in 7? nr:": na73V7 TmT-! -i'1:"1 n1nlI 131-' 7nlTY 7 Tn, n'rln'i
.C:'3T7 KnX-173'T
' l r'nnwp1:217 lKI [58] nYw n"n " T w "-I nT" n'p' 'n ,nr"' n'-IK n"rlin [591 .rl7 '!n -"nr i 'P" T"'InnxT ' 2"' nwpr!'1717 ,'3 ,n" T'1 "':T"' 'lp/ " Tn '3T n '1n ,"1'T n'71n: - ,'T "' "T '1 n"7' 'L ,1"3'Tn'i-7n'T ,'x T"' ' 'T"7 'i' n,1"l I .'x iT"' 1 0l "',"n ,l" 1I"'I
r "'nI ,'3 '1-11V T iInx "ni
,nT"1n
19
takes place in a sign having human form, there will be much disease and killing in the world. [49] It seems* [that the beginning of these things] ought to take place with respect to the eclipse, i.e., after the opposition by 1 month and 18 days, and the evil will continue to increase for 55 days after which it will diminish for another 55 days. [50] The conjunction* of Saturn and Jupiter is in the third [house] that signifies religions. [51] Also, the lord of the ninth house is eclipsed (qoder) and harmful for religion. [52] Saturn and Jupiter are very nearly in conjunction, and Mars is ahead of them provoking (yeCorer) many wars between the nations; the preponderance (ha-tigboret)*belongs to Saturn, wherefore it indicates evil and sorrow in the conjunction. [53] It also signifies senseless enmity (sin'at hinam), strife, the destruction of places, collapse*, and the sinking of ships in some seas. [54] On account of Mars the spilling of blood will increase, as will also dry exhalations (edim yeveshim) and comets (kokhavimmezunnavim). [55] Strife will be the cause for people setting fire to some places* because Mars indicates conflagrations of fire and unbalanced (bilti meyushshar) heat. [56] It indicates the transfer of the reign from one king to another of a different religion because the conjunction indicates strength (taqif). [57] Since the [zodiathere will be many meteors (otot) in the air in cal] sign is fixed (Comed)*, that year due to the conjunction of Mars.* [58] The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter will take place on 28 March in the year* [13]45, 1;17 hours after noon*. [59] The ascendant will be* The second [house] The third The fourth The fifth The sixth The seventh The eighth The ninth The tenth The eleventh The twelfth Leo Vir Lib Sco Sgr Cap Aqu Psc Ari Tau Gem Can 18? 7;16 3;48 17;20 13;15 18; 1 17; 1 7;56 3;48 6;20 13;15 18; 1
20
'1/y
T'r:: 'r
nI' ,7"Ti
"T:n n~1'1 [611 .d'rxtD'' ' nirlp7n 1:3Inl nl:'innl [621 .3't'Tn In'p" :[""t'] 'l'tnnnn "niT"'"n "T~'1i''T =1
"' '7-rn /106a/ pr7i '3rwV1 [601 irTi nI731ViWi 'n1'I l-TnlI '1l x1n / 'ITnn nnrTmXwi "l'nnnrT :11 np', nIlsot n nsT'nDl nIT'lT I '1'T tTn n ''TTxn TI ni3'1
s n--innnn '1i3-1 n''bpxn n%p1: l-lw Dln n-1-ii 3-7NQ ?

"'a1n 1wnTTn '1 i-i 1nnnw n'" '" :1 wnw nin1 [631 .i7-rK n1 I 1' 1"' RI .' " 1"' XlIil n ITT II [1641 I"T/'" , 1"-! 71"
1 Tn 3T'T1? nT' ' K ,"'3 pIinT 'Y/ 7-1'1 [65] .[ITn'n :7"',, -i'nl xlnw -I' l']3nn n':I'n nn'?3 n'3T 7131[66] ."1i13 Y/"Ip-nl1 1 n EMUl ;y M7 nTll=n7 nnT"i "T7i'nnpn "'11 ln'r" xlni nlIITnI
l'Tin n~s/T 7w n"'wn wpnn] x'i r'1~ "'
! n,1 T [61]
t~ ""', T . 7" .n
21
[60] Saturn and Jupiter will be at Aqu 19;44? [L: 19;46?];the Moon at Aqu 4? in the sixth [house], and it will reach Saturn first and then Mars. [61] On account of Saturn it indicates much disease, senseless enmity, strife, destruction of places, collapse*, and the sinking of ships in some seas. [62] The conjunction with Mars indicates burning heat in some latitudes [lit. climates], many dry exhalations, comets* (kokhavimmezunnavim) and, for most of the inhabited [world], wars, calamities, death by the sword, killing, and destruction. [63] The Sun will be in the ninth [house], the house of its joy (simhato) and the [zodiacal] sign of its exaltation (kavod),for it will be at Aries 16;9? [L: 16;0,9?]. [64] It is the lord of the ascendant and it aspects the house of the conjunction which is in a cardine. [65] It indicates the arising (semiha) of a reign led by a leader who will be righteous, just, [turning] from evil, and of prophetic [stature]. [66] Venus will be in the house of kingship, and it is its domicile; it indicates the mightiness of the success of the reign that recently arises.* [67] Up to here [is all that] he revealed and he added nothing more, for he [Levi] was beckoned to the Upper Academy, may his soul be bound up in the bond of [everlasting] life.*
22
III. Levi ben Gerson's Latin Text: Preliminary Remarks

As was remarked long ago by Thorndike (1934, 3:304-305) the three predictions concerning the conjunction of 1345 by Levi ben Gerson, Iohannes de Muris, and Firminus appear together in the fourteenth-century manuscript Paris BN lat. 7378A, ff. 62-64, while the predictions of Iohannes de Muris and Firminus are preserved together in Erfurt Amplon. Fol. 386, ff. 59v-61v, and in Paris BN lat. 15104, ff. 206-208. These three authors are also named as the sources for his astrological predictions by Simon de Covino of Liege in the prologue to his De iudicio Solis in conviviis Saturni composed at Paris in 1350 (Littre 1840-41, p. 208). Firminus' and Iohannes' prognostications were published rather uncritically by Pruckner (1933: Firminus on pp. 220-221, Iohannes on pp. 222226) from the Erfurt manuscript. Here we have edited the previously unpublished treatise of Levi. P. Of this brief work the Paris manuscript, BN lat. 7378A, ff. 62va-63ra, is clearly superior to the Oxford copies. It includes details of the horoscopes omitted by those manuscripts ([13]-[14] and [40]-[41]) and provides diagrams for the horoscopes, though they are left blank. However, it also omits several elements that seem to have been part of the original (especially noteworthy in [26]-[27], [42], [58]-[59], and [67]; in the last it agrees with A). Though its readings are often correct (e.g., 1226? instead of 1326? in [32]), it is very difficult to read, and frequently totally illegible. Silence concerning its readings means only that we think we can see the same letters in P as occur in AD, not that we are necessarily certain of it. D. Digby 176 in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, a manuscript copied in the fourteenth century, contains Levi's prognostication on ff. 16-17v. It formerly belonged to Merton College, which acquired it from William Reed or Rede (d. 1385). It is independent of P, presenting a text that is abbreviated from that of P and in which the wording is sometimes altered for stylistic or other reasons, but is seldom by itself a reliable witness to the text-the major exception is at the end, in [67]. A. The third manuscript that we have used is also in the Bodleian, where it is Ashmole 393 I, copied in the fifteenth century; Levi's treatise is to be found on ff. 81-81v. In general A agrees with D in the changes that it makes to the text, but it is certainly not a copy of D; each manuscript omits words and phrases that are found in the other and in P. The two Oxford manuscripts (we have not used the third Oxford copy, Ashmole 192 I, part 3, ff. 21v-24, which was copied from A by George Wharton), however, when compared with P, provide the text of their common
Levi ben Gerson's Text in Latin
23
ancestor, which represents a tradition independent of P. In editing the text we have retained the medieval spelling of the manuscripts. The few insertions we have made are enclosed in angle brackets. The numbers in square brackets indicate where the corresponding sentences in the Hebrew begin. Note that the Latin contains more than does the extant Hebrew; this additional material is enclosed in double angle brackets in our translation. Paragraphing, punctuation, and capitalization are all due to the whims of the editor.
24
IV.1: The Latin Text

[0] Tractatus Magistri Leonis Hebrei de coniunctione Satumi et Iovis anno Christi 1345. [1 Quoniam fuit declaratum antiquitus per experiencias multas, longas et certas quod planete et stelle in ista inferiora immutacionum multitudinem influunt, et plus in speciem humanam quam in composita alia-[2] et hoc est secundum legem et prophecias ut in nostro Libro bellorum Dei declaratur perfecte-[3] ideo necessarium est previdere ea que influent in futuro ut ipsis mediantibus homines previdentes mala valeant evitari et bonis cooperari ut perfectiori modo adveniant. [4] Et hic est totus fructus iudiciorum sciencie. Possunt quidem influencie iste immutari dupliciter: primo per hominem in hiis que subiacent libertati arbitrii, secundo per graciam Dei. [5] Nam si aliqua mala debeant influi alicui terre vel loco cuius homines sunt boni et Dei amici, non expedit eos timere quia Deus mittet angelos suos qui liberabunt eos a malis, teste David qui virum iustum confortat et dicit: "Angelis suis mandavit de te ut custodiant te in omnibus viis tuis" [Ps. 90:11]. Et contrarium facit contrariis, ut docet Scriptura. [6] Et hec sunt declarata perfecte in libro 4? et 5? bellorum Dei. [7] Item dico quod est per longas et certas experiencias declaratum quod coniunctio Saturni et Iovis signat influencias universales, terribiles, magnas et fortes. [8] Et quando est in signo ventoso, signat eas cum fortitudine vehementi. [9] Et quando est in signo fixo et stabili, debent talia longo tempore perdurare. [10] Que condiciones erunt in coniunctione eorum que erit in Aquario anno Christi 1345? die 28 mensis Marcii prima hora 17 minutis post meridiem, ut nobis extitit declaratum perfecte per experiencias multas et certas in certis temporibus vite nostre diversis post multam inquisicionem et studium circa motus eorum et loca in
A. Oxford, Ashmole 393 I. Ff. 81-81v. D. Oxford, Digby 176. Ff. 16-17v. P. Paris BN lat. 7378A. Ff. 62va-63ra. 0. tractatus - 1345 om. P/tractatus D, pronosticus A/christi D, domini A 1. quoniam DP, quomodo A/quoniam + quidem P/antiquorum P/multas om. D/compositam aliam AD. 2. prophecias et legem (leges D) DP. 3. est necessarium P/futurum A, futuris D/ipsa AD/mediantibus om. AD, madiantibus P/perfectiori modo AD, mUstrai P/adveniunt P. 4. fructus om. A/possumus A/isti A/dupliciter (?) + duo modo erit (?) P/libertati in marg. A/2? D. 5. vel DP, et A/cuius homines AP, homines qui D/qui - confortat om. A/david P, deo D/suis + deus A/de - tuis om. D. 7. et iovis AD, cum iove P/influencias + maiores (?) P/universales AP, soles D/terribiles om. P. 9. est om. D/stabili et fixo A/talia DP, ea A/durare D. 10. m? ccc? 45 P/28 AD, 16 P/prima P, una AD/sicut P/certis om. AD/diversis
25
quibus eos invenimus in diversis temporibus vite nostre ut diximus. [11] Et quoniam coniunctio Solis et Lune in revolucione anni precedentis et opposicio eorundem secundum sapientes astrorum multum consignant coniunctioni Satumi et Iovis, ideo videtur expediens cum prognosticacionibus aliis eas hic prius per ordinem ponere. [12] Erit ergo coniunctio Solis et Lune predicta 4adie mensis Marcii, die Veneris, 10 horis 55 minutis post meridiem. [13] Cuius domorum figura est hec. Principium prime domus seu ascendens Scorpionis 21 gradus 14 minuta, 2' Sagittarii 27 gradus 11(?) minuta, <3e> Capricorni 27 gradus 52 minuta, 4e Piscis 5 gradus 14, 5e Arietis 6 gradus 48, 6' Tauri 1 gradus 23, 7' Tauri 21 gradus 8, 8' Geminorum 21 gradus 31 minuta, 9gCancri 27 gradus minuta 12, 10 Virginis 5 gradus 16, 11e Libre 8 gradus 48, 12' Scorpionis 1 gradus 22. [14] Caput draconis in Libra 4t0 gradu 21, Saturnus, Mars, Iupiter in Aquario erunt quasi coniuncti; nam omnes 3 erunt in una domo, in uno signo, in una facie, in uno termino. [15] Similiter quod Saturnus erit in Aquario 17 gradibus 21 minutis 52 secundis, Mars in Aquario 17 gradibus 31 minutis 59 secundis, Iupiter in Aquario 15 gradibus 45 minutis 25 secundis; et erunt in 3a domo, significativa fidei. [16] Sol et Luna erunt in Piscibus 21 gradibus 46 minutis 2 secundis, et cum eis Mercurius in Piscibus 20 gradibus 40 minutis 20 secundis; et erunt in 4a domo. [17] Et dominabuntur super totam domum nonam. [18] Venus erit in Ariete 13 gradibus 44 minutis, et erit in domo inimicicie sue et in termino Mercurii, qui erit combustus. [19] Quia 3 planete superiores erunt in termino uno et in domo fidei quasi coniuncti, et cum Venus aspiciet eos quodam aspectu de domo inimicicie sue, [20] signatur secundum scienciam destructio gentis et regni per manus gentis non fidei sue. [21] Et hec secundum scienciam incipient 10? anno post coniunctionem predictam quia coniunctio erit in 3adomo que signat fidem. [22] Et quia signum Aquarii signat super terram Israel, Egipti et Grecie, erunt ibi ut
temporibus vite nostre AD/motus et loca eorum AD/in4 DP, de A/temporibus diversis P/vite nostre om. P. 11. quoniam AD, quia P/et AD, atque P/consignant DP, sunt significativa A/saturni + iovis1 P/pronosticacionibus P/eos P. 12. ergo DP, igitur A/quarta A/marcii om. P/x A/lv A. 13-14. cuius - 21 P, in qua coniunctione Scorpius erit ascendens AD. 13. 7e Tauri 21] 7e Cancri 14 gra 21 P. 14. in aquario om. D/erunt om. P/tres A/erunt om. P/domo + et A/signo+et A/in uno termino (+ et A) in una facie AD/termino + erunt P. 15. quod AD, quidem P/erit AD, est P/ 171] xvii A, 27 P/ 21] xxi A/ 52]lii A/secundis om. P/ 172] xvii A/ 31] xxvi A/minutis2 om. P/ 59] lix A/secundis2 om. P/ 15] xv A, 25 P/ 45] xlv A/minutis3 om. P/ 25] xxv A/secundis om. P/erunt] sunt P/significales D. 16. erunt om. P/ 21] xxi A/ 46] xvi A, 48 P/minutis1 om. P, + et D/ 2 secundis om. P/ii A/mercurius erit cum eis AD/xx A/xl A/minutis om. P, + et A/xxi A/secundis om. P/erunt AD, sunt P/ 4to P. 17. dominantur P/supra P/ 9a D. 18. erit om. P/xiii A/xliiii A/minutis om. P/erit21 ]est P/qui + mercurius AD/erit ] est P. 19. quia + ergo D/tres A/planete om. D/erunt AD, sunt P/uno termino P/et1 + sunt P/cum om. AD/aspicit P/eos om. P/quodam P, sextili AD. 20. regni AP, regis D. 21. 10?D,x?A,3?P/quia-fidemom.AD/3?P. 22. terras D/israel] lI isrI P/egypti P/ubi erunt AP.
26
plurimum translaciones et novitates predicte. [23] Et de septentrionalibus partibus venient eis mala ut apparet secundum scienciam. [24] Et quia Saturnus in ista coniunctione habebit dominium, Marsque post eum, signantur mirabilia et terribilia mala cum preliis magnis, apparencia eis et signa in celo, visiones et miracula magna. [25] Et quia Mars et Saturnus coniungentur in tempore revolucionis in signo humano, masculino et forti, signant infirmitates et mortes que tempore longo durabunt. [26] Et quia Venus erit in domo inimicicie sue, signat delectacionis, gaudii, tripudii et omnis boni carenciam maiori parti inhabitancium terram. [27] Et quia coniunctio est fortis et Mars erit ex parte orientis et habebit super ascendens dominium, signat magnas effusiones sanguinis, et crescent in mundo inimicicie, invidie, odia, rixe, fames, infirmitates diverse, siccitates et caristie quamplurime. [28] Et quia coniunctio erit in signo ventoso, erunt magni venti et fortes, dampnificativi et mali; et plus et minus in uno loco quam in alio secundum quod plus et minus a loco domini coniunctionis distabit. [29] Et si meridionales cum septentrionalibus prelientur, meridionales vincentur secundum scienciam. [30] Et hoc signarunt signa que anno Christi 1337? visa fuerunt, que veniencia de septentrione in Scorpium terminarunt. [31] Et eciam signum quod postea vidimus anno Christi 1339? quod, ascendens de Scorpio et veniens usque Leonem contra motum signorum, terminavit ibidem, ubi tunc Iupiter residebat, signavit hoc idem, scilicet meridionalium conflictum, ut tunc prediximus domino nostro, summo pontifici sancte et felicis memorie, domino Benedicto Pape xii. Michi eciam frater Petrus circa festum nativitatis Christi predixit hoc idem, per meridionales Saracenos exponens; et statim eodem anno sequutus est in Hispania eorum conflictus. [32] Media coniunctio Saturni et Iovis fuit anno Christi 12260 die 9a mensis Marcii; et tunc ceperunt Saturnus et Iupiter coniungi in signo ventoso, [33] scilicet in signo Aquarii 3 gradibus 37 minutis, que coniunctio signavit creacionem novi regni in veritate et iusticia procedentis. Et precedens coniunctio Solis et Lune, que fuit 28 die Februarii, cuius ascendens fuit Cancer 5 gradus 26 minuta, signavit eciam creacionem novi regni ut supra quia tunc Sol et Luna fuerunt in puncto medii celi.
23. septentrionale parcium D/secundum AD, per P. 24. habebit dominum AD, est dominus (?) P/mars D/post om. P/mala AP(?), magna D/apparencia eis om. P/apparere A. 25. saturnus et mars P/humano (+ et D) AD, humido P/signat D/que longo tempore durabunt et mortes D. 26. est P/signatur P/tripudii gaudii A/tripudii om. D/carencia P/maioris parte (corr.to parti) P, maioris partis D. 27. et - quamplurime om. P. 28. et minus DP, vel minus A/distabant P. 30. significarunt A/signa om. P. 31. signarunt AD/hoc idem AD, huiusmodi ibidem P/meridionalis confluctum P/pontifici + put? P/xii om. P, 12? D/eciam AD, et P/frater om. P/dixit A/eadem P/sequtus A, secutus D/hispaniam P/confluctus P. 32. 12 + media P/ 1326?AD/ 9a die D/mensis om. P/saturnus et iupiter inceperunt AD. 33. 3 AD, 13toP/ 37 P, 39 AD/ 28] 18 P/ 5 - minuta om. AD/signat D/novacionem P.
27
[34] Et secundum iudiciorum scienciam debebant esse prelia magna inter gentes et gentes non eiusdem fidei et interfectiones magne. [35] Et rex qui regnabat in terra sua mori debebat quia dominus 10', Mercurius, erat combustus; et rex extraneus signatus per 4amdomum debebat in terram illam venire [36] et esse causam mortis illius regis qui erat in parte inferiori respectu regis qui illuc veniebat de novo. [37] Et quia ibi erant Sol et Luna, significabant creacionem novi regni in veritate et iusticia procedentis; et eciam erant domini 9' domus. [38] Et videtur secundum scienciam quod debebant malum aliquod removere signatum in tempore anni quia Luna primo venit ad Venerem. [39] Et signa coniunctionis Solis et Lune 4e diei Marcii anni 1345i replicantur in opposicione eorum predictam coniunctionem prime sequente, que opposicio consignare habebit dicte coniunctioni Solis et Lune ac eciam Saturni et Iovis de qua modo nos querimus. [40] In qua opposicione Scorpius erit ascendens cuius graduum figura hec est. [41] Ascendens seu principium prime domus Scorpius 12 gradus 41 minuta, 2' Sagittarius 11 gradus 57, 3' Capricornus 16 gradus 14, 4e Aquarius 23 gradus 39, 5e Piscis 28 gradus 10, 6e Aries 22 gradus 2, 7e Taurus <1>2 gradus 41, 8e Gemini 11 gradus 5<7>, 9' Cancer 19 gradus 54, o0e<Leo12e Libra 22 gradus 3. Luna erit in domo gradus-, 11e Virgo-gradus->, in minutis 37 secundis, Sol in Ariete 6 gradibus 31 Libra 6 31 11 gradibus minutis 37 secundis, [42] Saturnus in Aquario 18 gradibus 52 minutis 20 secundis, Iupiter in Aquario 18 gradibus 2 minutis 23 secundis, Mars in Aquario 28 gradibus 24 minutis 24 secundis, Venus in Tauro 54 minutis, Mercurius in Ariete 12 gradibus 53 minutis 39 secundis. [43] Luna eclipsabitur 19 digitis 45 minutis; tempus tocius eclipsis 3 hore et circa 45 minuta. [44] Significaciones istius eclipsis pessime erunt. [45] Nam in ista
34. scienciam DP, sentenciam A/esse om. P/magna prelia AD/fidei non eiusdem AD/et + ibi A. 35. domus 10 dominus P/mercurius om. AD/significatur P/domum + quod P/venire in terram illam P. 36. regis illius AD/inferiori AD, indori esse P/respectum A/illud P. 37. ibi P, in loco predicto AD/creaciones P/regis P/none A. 38. debebat trare (?) aliquod malum P/significatum A. 39. et1 om. AD/signata D, significacio A/coniunctionum A/quarte A/anni 1345i om. P/anni + domini D/replicatur A/opposicionem P/dictam AD/prime P, immediate AD/habebat consignare P/consignificare A/dicto P/coniunctionis A/qua P, quo AD. 40. in - ascendens om. P/graduum (?) P. 40-41. cuius - gradus 3 om. AD. 40. graduum (?) P. 41. erit om. P/ 12 domo P/xi A/minutis1 om. P/ 371 AD, 30 P/secundis1 om. P/sol + in 6 DP, ariete totidem A/ 312 om. A/minutis om. P, + et A/ 9? et P/ariete 372 om. A/secundis2 om.P. 42. 52 AD. 6 P/minutis - 24 minutis om. P/ 2 D, ii A/aquario] piscibus om. P/tauro D, tauri + 7 gradibus P, cancro A/ 54] liiii A/minutis4 m. AD/secundis P/minutis5 om. P/secundis4 om. P. 43. 19 AD, 16 P/ 451 AP, 49 D/ 452 AP, 49 D/minuta om. P, minutis A. 44. erunt om. P. 45. nam - opposicione] quia in oppositum (?) aspectum mercurii P.
28
opposicione erit Mars dominus. [46] Et Luna primo veniet ad oppositum aspectum Mercurii et erit in termino Martis, et Mars erit in termino proprio. [47] Et Mercurius erit combustus et erit in domo Martis et aspiciet Lunam aspectu opposito; et hec signant malum mirabile. [48] Et quia eclipsis erit in signo humano, signat infirmitates magnas et interfectiones in mundo. [49] Et videtur secundum scienciam quod horum principium debeat esse post eclipsim unum mensem et dies 18, et procedet hoc malum semper in peius usque ad dies 55 et inde minuetur paulatim hoc malum usque ad dies alios 55. [50] Approximacio autem vel quasi coniunctio Saturni et Iovis erit in 3a domo, que est domus fidei. [51] Et dominus 9e domus erit eclipsatus; et signat aliquod dampnum in fide. [52] Saturnus et Iupiter erunt coniuncti, et Mars ante eos promovebit prelia magna inter gentes; et Saturnus erit magis ponderosus, unde malum et tristiciam in coniunctione signat [53] et inimicicias sine causa, magnas guerras, destructiones locorum, edificiorum seu domorum ruinas sine opere manuum hominum, periclitaciones navium in aliquibus maribus; [54] ex parte Martis crescentes effusiones sanguinis, vapores sicci et cometes. [55] Et guerre erunt causa quod homines aliqua loca comburent. [56] Et quia coniunctio erit fortis, signat transportacionem regni de rege ad regem alterius fidei. [57] Et quia signum est fixum et stabile, signat quod novum regnum per tempora longa durabit; et erit multitudo signorum in aere anno illo, quorum causa erit Martis cum Aldebaran coniunctio. [58] Coniunctio autem punctualis Saturni et Iovis erit anno Christi 1345? die 28 mensis Marcii, 1 hora et 17 minutis post meridiem, ut dictum est supra. [59] In qua coniunctione Leo erit ascendens. [60] Saturnus et Iupiter in Aquario erunt 19 gradibus 46 minutis, Luna in Aquario 4 gradibus erit in domo 6a, que primo ibit ad Saturnum, deinde ad Martem.
46. aspectum oppositum A/in2 + suo P/proprio termino D. 47. et erit om. D/et hec P, que omnia AD. 48. erat D/humano AD, humido + erit in signo humano (?) P/signat - magnas] in cace (?) P/significat A. 49. esse debeat AD/eclipsim + circa P/hoc2 om. D/alios dies P/alios om. A. 50. vel DP, est A/iovis + tunc P. 51. domus est (a A) AD/none A. 52. promovebit AP, signabit D/prelia + multa A/magna + et terriva (?) A/signant A. 53. edificaciorum AD. 54. effusiones sanguinis crescentes AD/cometes et sicci vapores AD. 55. causa AD, illegible word P/quod + aliqui A. 56. de + bono P/ad + alium P/alterius AD, non sue P. 1 2 57. et AD, sed P/et om. P/regnum novum AD/regnum + creandum P/erit om. P/aere + et aere P/aldebaran cum Marte AD. 58. coniunctio om. P/erit om.D/anno christi 1345? AP, eodem anno D/mensis om. AD/post meridiem ista (?) hora 17 minuta P/ 1] una D. 58-59. ut - ascendens AD, cuius figura est hec P. 58. dictum est A, di D. 59. erit leo D. 60. et om. D/ 46 AD, 43 P/erit 4 gradibus A/erit om. D/in 6 (?) domo P.
29
[61] Et ex parte Saturni magnas infirmitates signat et inimicicias sine causa et guerras, destructiones locorum et edificiorum seu domorum ruinas, periclitaciones navium in aliquibus maribus. [62] Et ex parte Martis signat in aliquibus climatibus magnos calores, multitudinem vaporum siccorum et prelia maiori parti inhabitancium terram, percussiones, vulneraciones gladiorum, interfectiones et perdiciones. [63] Sol erit in domo 9a, scilicet in domo gaudii sui, et in signo sui honoris quia in Ariete 16 gradibus et 9 secundis. [64] Et est dominus ascendentis et que est in angulo. [65] Et signat aspiciet domum coniunctionis, creacionem regni iusti rectoris scientifice prophetantis. [66] Venus erit in domo regali et in domicilio proprio; et signat excellenciam et victoriam regis surgentis de novo. Mars erit in Piscibus 5 gradibus 55 minutis 40 secundis, Venus in Tauro 13 gradibus 47 minutis 5 secundis, Mercurius in Tauro 0 gradibus 18 minutis 45 secundis. Venus aspicit de domo regis quodam aspectu. [67] Et non plura dixit Magister Leo. a Magister Leo morte preventus anno Christi 1344? die 20 mensis Aprilis circa meridiem de hac coniunctione nil amplius ordinavit. Ego vero frater Petrus de Alexandria, Ordinis Fratrum Heremitarum Sancti Augustini, cum adiutorio Magistri Salomonis, fratris carnalis predicti Magistri Leonis, istud inventum per eum et ordinatum de Hebreo transtuli in Latinum, sue sentencie nil addendo, nil autem in aliquo minuendo. Explicit pronosticacio Magistri Leonis Iudei supra coniunctione Saturni, Iovis, Martis, anno domini 1345?.
61. et1 om. D/et1 + deinde P/infirmitates DP, influencias A/signat om. P/inimicicie virem P/sine causa et om. P/guerras + et P/domorum locorum seu edificiorum P/et3 A, vel D/ruinas + sine opere hominum P/periclitaciones repeatedP/maribus om. P. 62. et1 om. D. 63. gaudii sui, quia, and 16 - secundis illegible in P. 64. et aspiciet illegible in P. 65. et signat and prophetantis illegible in P. 66. et signat illegible in P/excellentem A/et3 om. A/de om. D/erit om. P/piscis P/secundis om. Pi 47 P, 41 AD/secundis2 om. P/ 0 gradibus om. AD/18 P, 16 AD/secundis om. P/Venus - aspectu om. AD. 67. et - leo1 om. AP/morte om. A/20a die P/circa meridiem om. P/fratrum heremitarum om. P/salonis AD/et ordinatum per eum AD/de AD, ab P/latinum + anno quo supra AD/sentencie P, sime AD/nil3 P, nichil A, vel D/autem om. AD/explicit 1345 om. AD.
30
III.2: Translation
of the Latin Text
<<Treatise of Master Leo the Jew on the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the year of Christ 1345.>> [1] Since it was determined long ago through many <<lengthy and secure>> experiences that the planets and stars impose a multitude of changes on these inferior [parts], and more on the human species than on other composite [substances]-[2] and this is in accordance with the Law and the Prophecies, as was made perfectly clear in our Bookof the Warsof God-[3] therefore it is necessary to foresee what they will impose in the future so that, with them as mediators, men, foreseeing evils, may be able to avoid them and to cooperate with good things that they may come in a more perfect way. [4] And this is the entire fruit of the science of judgments. Indeed these influences can be changed in two ways: first by man in respect to those things which are subject to free will, secondly by the grace of God. [5] For if some evils ought to be imposed on some land or place whose inhabitants are good and friends of God, it is not proper to frighten them because God will send His angels to free them from the evils, as David <<bears witness who comforts the just man>> saying: "He sent His angels concerning you that they may protect you in all your ways" [Psalms 91:11]. And he does the opposite to men of the opposite type, <<as Scripture teaches>>. [6] And these things are made perfectly clear in books 4 and 5 of the Warsof God. [7] Also I say that it was determined through <<lengthy and secure>> experiences that a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter signifies universal <<terrible>> influences that are great <<and strong>>. [8] And when it is in an airy sign, it signifies them with vehement strength. [9] And when it is in a fixed and stable sign, such things ought to last for a long time. [10] These conditions will occur in the conjunction of these [planets] which will happen <<in Aquarius in the year of Christ>> 1345 on the 28th day of March, at 1 hour and 17 minutes after noon, as was made completely clear to us <<by many secure experiences in certain diverse times of our life>>, after much inquiry and study concerning their motions and the places in which we found them at various times of our life <<as we said>>. [11] And since the conjunction of the Sun and the Moon in the revolution of the preceding year and their opposition <<according to those who are wise concerning the stars>> cosignify <<much with the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter>>, therefore it seems expedient to place them here first in order <<with other prognostications>>. [12] Therefore the previously mentioned conjunction of the Sun and the Moon will occur on the 4th day of March, a Friday, at 10 hours and 55 minutes after noon. [13] This is the figure of its [astrological] houses. The beginning of the first house or ascendant is Scorpio 21 degrees and 14 minutes, of the second Sagittarius 27 degrees and 11(?) minutes, [of the third] Capricorn 27 degrees and 52 minutes, of the fourth Pisces 5 degrees
31
and 14 [minutes], of the fifth Aries 6 degrees and 48 [minutes], of the sixth Taurus 1 degree and 23 [minutes], of the seventh Taurus 21 degrees and 8 [minutes], of the eighth Gemini 21 degrees and 31 minutes, of the ninth Cancer 27 degrees and 12 minutes, of the tenth Virgo 5 degrees and 16 [minutes], of the eleventh Libra 8 degrees and 48 [minutes], and of the twelfth Scorpio 1 degree and 22 [minutes]. [14] The Head of the Dragon [will be] in Libra, the fourth degree and 21 [minutes], and Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter will be in Aquarius very nearly in conjunction; for all three will be in one house, in one sign, in one decan, in one term. [15] Similarly, that Saturn will be in Aquarius 17 degrees 21 minutes and 52 seconds, Mars in Aquarius 17 degrees 31 minutes and 59 seconds, and Jupiter in Aquarius 15 degrees 45 minutes and 25 seconds; and they will be in the third house, which signifies religious faith. [16] The Sun and the Moon will be in Pisces 21 degrees 46 minutes and 2 seconds, and Mercury will be with them in Pisces 20 degrees 40 minutes and 20 seconds; and they will be in the fourth house. [17] And they will dominate the entire ninth house. [18] Venus will be in Aries 13 degrees and 44 minutes, in the house of its enmity and in a term of Mercury, which will be combust. [19] Because the three superior planets will be in one term and very nearly in conjunction <<in the house of religious faith>>, and since Venus will aspect them with a certain aspect from the house of its enmity, [20] in accordance with science there is signified the destruction of a nation and kingdom by the hands of a nation not of its religious faith. [21] And according to science these things will begin in the tenth year after the previously mentioned conjunction because the conjunction will be in the third house, which signifies religion. [22] And because the sign Aquarius signifies the land of Israel, Egypt, and Greece, there will happen there as many <<transfers and previously mentioned>> innovations as possible. [23] And evils will come to them from northern parts, as appears in accordance with science. [24] And because Saturn will have domination in this conjunction, and Mars after him, they signify marvelous <<and terrible>> evils together with great battles, <<[apparitions] appearing to them and signs in heaven>>, visions and great miracles. [25] And because Mars and Saturn will be in conjunction at the time of the revolution in a sign that is human, masculine, and strong, they signify diseases and deaths which will last for a long time. [26] And because Venus will be in the house of its enmity, it signifies for the greater part of those who inhabit the land a lack of delight, joy, pleasure, and everything good. [27] And because the conjunction is strong and Mars will be to the East and will dominate the ascendant, it indicates great outpourings of blood, and enmities, jealousies, hatreds, quarrels, famines, various diseases, droughts, and as many scarcities as possible will increase << in the world>>. [28] And because the conjunction will be in an airy sign, there will be <<great and>> powerful winds which are destructive <<and evil>>, and [they will occur] more or less in one place than in another as it will be more or less distant from the place of the lord of the conjunction.
32
[29] And if the southerners fight with the northerners, the southerners will be defeated in accordance with science. [30] And the signs which were seen <<in the year of Christ 1337>> coming from the North and ending in Scorpio indicate this. [31] And also the sign which we saw afterwards <<in the year of Christ 1339>> which, arising from Scorpio and coming up to Leo contrary to the motion of the signs, <<terminated at the place where Jupiter then was>>, signified the same thing, <<namely, a conflict with the southerners>>, as we then predicted <<to our lord, the pope of sacred and happy memory, Pope Benedict XII. Also Brother Peter predicted the same thing to me about the time of the festival of Christ's nativity, explaining that the Saracens are meant by the southerners; and immediately, in the same year, a conflict with them followed in Spain.>> [32] The middle conjunction <<of Saturn and of Jupiter>> occurred in the year <<of Christ>> 1226, on the 9th day of March; and then Saturn and Jupiter began to be conjoined in an airy sign, [33] namely in the sign Aquarius in 3 degrees and 37 minutes, which conjunction indicated the creation of a new reign advancing in truth and justice. And the preceding conjunction of the Sun and the Moon, <<which occurred on the 28th day of February and whose ascendant was Cancer 5 degrees and 26 minutes, also indicated the creation of a new reign as above because then the Sun and the Moon were at the point of mid-heaven.>> [34] And according to the science of judgments there ought to have been great battles between peoples of different religious faiths <<and great killings>>. [35] And the king who ruled in his land ought to have died because the lord of the tenth [house], Mercury, was combust; and the foreign king indicated by the fourth house ought to have come into that land [36] and to have been the cause of the death of that king who was inferior with respect to the king who recently had come there. [37] And because the Sun and the Moon were there, they indicated the creation of a new reign advancing in truth and justice; and they were also the lords of the ninth house. [38] And it seems <<in accordance with science>> that they ought to have removed some evil that was indicated in the time of the year because the Moon first came to Venus. [39] And the indications <<of the conjunction of the Sun and the Moon on the 4th day of March of the year 1345>> are duplicated in their opposition which next follows the previously mentioned conjunction, which opposition will have to cosignify <<with the [already] mentioned conjunction of the Sun and the Moon as also>> [with that] of Saturn and Jupiter <<about which we are now making an inquiry.>> [40] In which opposition Scorpio will be the ascendant. <<The figure of its degrees is this>>. [41] Its ascendant <<or the beginning of the first house>> is Scorpio 12 degrees and 41 minutes, of the second Sagittarius 11 degrees and 57 [minutes], of the third Capricorn 16 degrees and 14 [minutes], of the fourth Aquarius 23 degrees and 39 [minutes], of the fifth Pisces 28 degrees and 19 [minutes], of the sixth Aries 22 degrees and 2 [minutes],
33
of the seventh Taurus [1]2 degrees and 41 [minutes], of the eighth Gemini 11 degrees and 5[7] [minutes], of the ninth Cancer 16 degrees and 54 [minutes], of the tenth [Leo 23 degrees and 39 (minutes), of the eleventh Virgo 28 degrees and 19 (minutes),] of the twelfth Libra 22 degrees and 3 [minutes]. [42] <<The Moon will be in the eleventh house, in Libra 6 degrees 31 minutes and 37 seconds, the Sun in Aries 6 degrees 31 minutes and 37 seconds>>, Saturn in Aquarius 18 degrees 52 minutes and 20 seconds, Jupiter in Aquarius 18 degrees 2 minutes and 23 seconds, Mars in Aquarius 28 degrees 24 minutes and 24 seconds, Venus in Taurus 54 minutes, Mercury in Aries 12 degrees 53 minutes and 39 seconds. [43] The Moon will be eclipsed 19 digits and 45 minutes; and the duration of the whole eclipse will be 3 hours and about 45 minutes. [44] The indications of this eclipse will be the worst. [45] For in this opposition Mars will be the lord. [46] And the Moon will come first to opposite aspect of Mercury and will be in the term of Mars, and Mars will be in its own term. [47] And Mercury will be combust and will be in the house of Mars and will aspect the Moon with opposite aspect; and these things indicate an extraordinary evil. [48] And because there will be an eclipse in a human sign, it indicates great diseases and killings in the world. [49] And it seems <<according to science that the beginning of these things>> ought to be one month and 18 days after the eclipse, and this evil will get ever worse for 55 days and then will diminish little by little for another 55 days. [50] However, <<the approximation or quasi->> conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter will be in third house, which is the house of religious faith. [51] And the lord of the ninth house will be eclipsed; and it indicates some harm in respect to faith. [52] Saturn and Jupiter will be in conjunction, and Mars ahead of them will provoke great wars between peoples; and Saturn will be more ponderous, wherefore it indicates evil and sadness in the conjunction [53] and enmities without cause, great wars, destructions of places, the ruination <<of buildings or houses without the work of human hands>>, and the sinking of ships in some seas; [54] and on the part of Mars growing pourings out of blood, dry exhalations and comets. [55] And the wars will be the reason why men burn some places. [56] And because the conjunction will be strong, it indicates the transfer of the reign from one king to a king of another religious faith. [57] And because the sign is fixed <<and stable it indicates that the new reign will last for a long time>>, and there will be a multitude of signs in the air in that year, whose cause will be the conjunction of Mars <<with Aldebaran>>. [58] But the <<precise (punctualis)>> conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter will be in the year <<of Christ>> 1345 on the 28th day of March, 1 hour and 17 minutes after noon, <<as was said above>>. [59] In which conjunction Leo will be the ascendant. [60] Saturn and Jupiter will be in Aquarius 19 degrees and 46 minutes, the Moon will be in Aquarius 4 degrees in the sixth house, which will first reach Saturn, then Mars. [61] And on the part of Saturn it indicates great diseases and enmities without cause and wars, destructions of places and ruinations <<of buildings or
34
houses>> and the sinking of ships in some seas. [62] And on the part of Mars it indicates great heat-waves in some climes, a multitude of dry exhalations and battles for the greater part of those who inhabit the land, blows, wounds from swords, killings and destructions. [63] The Sun will be in the ninth house, that is in the house of its joy, and in the sign of its honor because it will be in Aries 16 degrees and 9 seconds. [64] And it is the lord of the ascendant and will aspect the house of the conjunction, which is in a cardine. [65] And it indicates the creation of the reign of a just ruler who prophesies scientifically. [66] Venus will be in the house of kingship and in its own domicile; and it indicates the excellence and victory of the king who recently arises. <<Mars will be in Pisces 5 degrees 55 minutes and 40 seconds, Venus in Taurus 13 degrees 47 minutes and 5 seconds, and Mercury in Taurus 0 degrees 18 minutes and 45 seconds. Venus aspects from the house of the king with a certain aspect.>> [67] And Master Leo said no more. <<Master Leo, prevented by death in the year of Christ 1344 on the 20th day of April about noon, put nothing more in order concerning this conjunction. But I, Brother Peter of Alexandria of the Order of Hermit Brothers of St. Augustine, with the help of Master Salomon, the brother in the flesh of the previously mentioned Master Leo, translated this, which was discovered and put in order by him [Leo], from Hebrew into Latin, adding nothing to his opinion, but subtracting nothing from it in any matter. The prognostication of Master Leo the Jew on the conjunction of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in the year of the Lord 1345 ends.>>
Ioannis de Muris' Text
35
IV: Translation of Iohannes de Muris' Latin Text

[1] Iohannes de Muris begins. [2] From the marvelous theory of the wise men who have studied with diligence the notion of the motion of the celestial bodies it is effectively known that, in the year of the Lord 1345 beginning from January the three superior planets which are slower in motion than the others will rejoice in the second decan of Aquarius, not that they may be seen to conjoin at the same minute of heaven and the same moment of time, but that each one of them will conjoin in longitude with each other one in a short interval of time and space. [3] For on the first day of March Mars will conjoin with Jupiter in the fifteenth degree of Aquarius, while on the fourth day of the same month Mars will conjoin with Saturn in the 17th degree of Aquarius; also on the 20th day of the same month will be evident a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. [4] But according to the authorities, though the significances of all of these are strong and have usually caused marvelous effects', they will be greatly strengthened for this by the fact that they will occur at the beginning of the revolution of the year, at the time when the Sun2 approaches the vernal equinox, namely in which all things even though3 they do not wish to be renewed, yet are less able to resist a strong influence because of the thinness of things. [5] Wherefore it seems to me that it must be assumed that the celestial harmony will forcefully cause a certain newness of time among terrestrial things, especially among things and places which are concordant with Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Aquarius. [6] Saturn at that time will be concordant with cold and dry things, cultivators of the earth, authors of teachings, especially in all those things which involve sheer delight, also much eating, with those who journey far, [who are] hot-blooded, jealous, ingenious at revolting, rash in dangers, singular and solitary, haughty, magnanimous, pretenders, boasters, those who wish to subject men to themselves, also those who dispose of the kingdom, intelligent men, and those who experience many thoughts in profound counsels4; it also is concordant with those who are not easily angered but, when they are angry, cannot restrain their temper. [7] Also it signifies the rich, Jews, religious men, farmers and old men, as well as many other things whose recital could cause weariness in one's mind. [8] Jupiter, however, will be concordant with hot, wet things, beautiful
1. 2. 3. 4. reading reading reading reading effectusqueinstead of aspectusque. sol instead of solis. etsi instead of quod. profundis conciliis instead of profundi concilii.
36
things, wise men, doctors of the law, upright judges, those who practice the divine worship and religion, nobles, magnanimous, ambitious, sublime, charitable men, fortunate fellows having generosity and faith, and generally with all who follow the customs and conditions of the sanguine complexion. [9] Mars indeed will be concordant with the hot and dry, powerful men, kings, leaders, soldiers and their officers, those seeking remembrance and praise for their name, disciplined, warlike, thieves traveling the roads, absconders, rash, irascible, impious, inconstant, improvident men, those who speak illy, foully, uncontrolledly, and who respond quickly and warmly and delight in lies, derisions, and perjuries without shame, and so on for other manners with this extreme complexion. [10] Aquarius, however, signifies the places on earth in which the significations ought to happen rather than having subjects of significations to signify with respect to it. [11] Whence according to the doctors it is in accord with the lands of Israel, of the Greeks, and of Egypt, and with many regions whose names are unknown to me. [12] Yet in general it is in concord with the watery places of rivers and seas, of canals and those [waters] which pour out through ditches, in which there are aquatic birds, and with lands that are vine-covered, narrow, and mountainless. [13] Also the fixed stars which are in Aquarius have significance for the nature of man and about the nature of certain animals and birds as lines drawn from star to star artificially form figures similar to the species corresponding to them among terrestrial things. [14] Also the aforesaid fixed stars signify about the manners of men and the accidents of things in accordance with the planets to which they are more similar in virtue. [15] Also a planet is said to be in concord with the places in which the men possessing the manners peculiar to that planet are rather accustomed to live. [16] Yet in the whole time of the aforesaid conjunction5 Saturn will be closer than are the other two to the higher periphery of its orb and swifter with respect to its mean motion also; and so it will be considered stronger in the influence which it will have on us through its motion. [17] Mars indeed will be farther from the upper periphery of its orb and slower than the others with respect to its mean motion; and it will be found weaker in the influence which it will have on us through its motion. [18] Again, Saturn will be proportionately more distant than the other two both from its epicycle towards the south and from the center of the universe6, also its diurnal arc will appear to be less than the others and we will have to receive its rays more obliquely in this conjunction in so far as we consider the weaker radial influence. [19] Therefore Jupiter will be pressed between these. [20] It will happen that Saturn will try to depress it, but Jupiter will defend himself mightily with his pious and great power. [21] Yet Saturn, located in the middle of
5. omitting circumbinare. 6. reading omnis instead of in omni.
37
its domicile which is its joy (gaudium)7 and in its triplicity, will be considered more fortunate among the others. [22] Jupiter, however, in its term and triplicity will be very fortunate in its operations, but not as much. [23] But Mars among the rest, since it has no dignity there, will be more depressed by misfortune, but will try to overcome the others, especially Jupiter, with its furious radial power; but Jupiter, being higher than Mars and more effective with the power of its motion, will be able to avoid the dangers of Mars. [24] But yet there are there certain fixed stars of the nature of Mars and Saturn which will be able to help Saturn and Mars against the oppression of Jupiter. [25] Mercury also, because it is combust under the [Sun's] rays, cannot diminish the evil at all, but Venus, which will be good, aspecting the place of the conjunction with a friendly quartile8 aspect, with the help9 of that great star situated in the mouth of the Southern Fish, at whose longitude all those three will conjoin-it is of the nature of Venus and Mercury-will be able to moderate the many misfortunes of Jupiter, especially to temper?1 the excesses. [26] Masha'allah says that a conjunction of the three superior planets signifies concerning changes and destructions of sects and kingdoms, the comings of prophets, a multitude of winds, hunger, and the barrenness of the earth. [27] Again, a conjunction of Saturn and Mars in the third house of that aforesaid conjunction or application about [the time of] the revolution of the year has not a smaller signification than if it should be in the third house of the revolution. [28] And yet, according to Abu Macshar, if such a conjunction should fall in the third house of the revolution, it signifies the destruction of the houses of the religious and horrible things for religious men and those who worship God. [29] But according to Abraham a greater conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the third house of the revolution signifies the coming of prophets who cause some people to rise up. [30] Therefore, although this conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter is not one of the greater ones and is not found in the third house of the revolution, yet because of the joining with Mars in a humid sign and in the third house both in the conjunction of the revolution" and in the eclipse-causing opposition immediately following, as will be seen below, because also Saturn, being predominant there, has a great signification over the Jews and Aquarius over the Israelites and Egyptians, it appears that the Jews will expect the Messiah before a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter recurs, which will be within 10 years, rather than at another time. [31] Also according to Abraham a conjunction of Saturn and Mars which is in a humid sign signifies quarrels and conflicts, especially
7. 8. 9. 10. 11. reading reading reading reading reading gaudii sui for gaudiose. tetragono for transeundo. adiutorio for aiutorio. temperarefor temperate. revolutionis for revolutione.
38
because they are eastern from the Sun. [32] Also according to CAllibn abl al-Rijal the time of the wars indicated by a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter is known12 to be when the greater luminary will be applied to the degree of Saturn through aspect or conjunction. [33] Sometimes the ascendant will be applied to the places of the malefics through prorogation, by giving to each sign one month or a year. [34] Since according to the authorities13 the signification of movable signs is swift, but that of fixed [signs] is slow, and this conjunction will occur in a fixed sign, for each sign of the prorogation a year ought to be computed. [35] Also, when Jupiter will be applied to Saturn from quartile or opposition, especially if it is cadent in the revolution, or is in a cardine of the revolution of the year, or when Jupiter shall enter its domicile or exaltation or any of the cardines of the ascendant, those things which will be signified by that conjunction can appear. [36] Also according to CAllibn abTal-Rijal such a conjunction signifies evil for certain rich men or nobles, and concerning those things which are like prophecies, and the death of a wealthy man, including the diminution of the rains and an increase in the waters of fountains together with the derailments of journeys. [37] But Venus will moderate a large part14 of the aforesaid evil signification. [38] Also the third house, into which these three planets fall in the conjunction preceding the revolution, is weak because it is cadent from a cardine, as appears more fully in the figure. [39] Also, according to the art described by the same CAli in the 8th chapter of the 8th part, because the Moon after its conjunction15 with the Sun will come first to Venus which is in opposition to its own domicile, and yet in amicable aspect to Jupiter who, although he is powerful enough in himself, yet is somehow impeded because of the fact that he is more nearly in a cadent place than are the [other] two16, it signifies that the status of the people is good, happy, sufficiently abundant, prosperous, and ready for many marriages. [40] Yet here the prosperity, though sufficient, will receive a modest or no increase at all. [41] For the Jovian princes which are strong in power with justice, devotion, and divine sermons will think of how to preserve the people in their prosperity. [42] But, if they are sufficiently impeded by certain cadents, they will not only be remiss in preserving the prosperity of the people, but by their litigious frauds, extortions, and indolence, tyrannizing, they will rather remove the prosperity of the people. [43] Before the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter occurs there will be a very great eclipse of the luminaries, as appears in the following figures, whose significations I did not wish17 to pass over in silence on account of
12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. reading scitur for sciuntur. reading auctores for actores. adding partem after predicte. reading coniunctionem for commendationem. omitting et formationis, which I do not understand. reading nolui for volui.
39
the union of their signification with the preceding significations. [44] Therefore, according to Ptolemy and the opinion of his commentator, Saturn being predominant in the place of the Moon and also receiving the strength of the lord of midheaven through application, staying in a humid sign, signifies that the signification of this eclipse will be stronger with respect to human nature, causing lengthy sicknesses in some, fears, agues, and accidents that occur on account of great cold especially between the north and east of the habitable earth and in the cities which have a concordance with Aquarius; and they are those which Ptolemy names and which I do not know. [45] Yet they can be known through the accidents18 of the cities or by means of19 their lords or, what is better, through the experience or the manners or the complexions of the men of those cities when20 an eclipse above the earth should appear there. [46] The signification of this eclipse, however, will last at least 3 months together with 3 quarters of a month; but there will be a greater force of what happens after the end of two months and in the middle of the limit2" of its duration. [47] Also the beginning can be towards the end of two months, the end after 22a month and a half. [48] Because it is in an eastern sign it signifies an increase of accidents, and they will be strengthened in the time of its duration, [or] the accidents according to the significations of the following conjunctions and applications of the planets will be weakened according as they will be in concord with that signification or in discord. [49] Yet CAllwould say that the duration of this accident will be 18 years. [50] The prognostication of Master Iohannes de Muris concerning the conjunction of Saturn, etc., finishes.
18. 19. 20. 21. 22.
reading accidentia for ascendentia. omitting celi prevorum. reading quando for unde. reading termini for termino;read temporis? reading preter for primum.
40
V: Notes to Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

The comments on Levi's text have been separated such that computations are discussed in Section V.1, and the astrological content is discussed in Section V.2, with additional notes on the Latin text in Section V.3.
Computations
41
V.1: Computations
V.1.1: The Conjunction of the Sun and the Moon on 4 March 1345: [12]-[31] According to Levi's tables for mean conjunctions and his tables for the time from mean conjunction to true conjunction (Goldstein 1974, Tables 40-43), this event will take place on Friday 4 March at 10;55 hours after apparent noon in exact agreement with our text [12]. The time of day is confirmed by the difference in right ascension between cusp 10 (i.e., the tenth astrological house) in [13] and the true solar position in [16] according to Levi's Table 4 for right ascension (Goldstein 1974):
CH10-
CS
= oc(155;17) - c(352;46?)
= 247;7- 83;22? = 163;45? = 10;55h
The list of cusps in [13] has been accurately computed by a non-standard procedure that J.D. North has named "the hour-lines (fixed boundary) method" (North 1986, pp. 21-27). Using a computer program supplied by Dr. North (cf. North 1986, p. 202), and Levi's value for the obliquity of the ecliptic (23;33,8?) together with the values for the cusps in [13], we find: Text Comp. Text Comp. H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 231; 8? 261;31 297;52 335;17 6;48 31;22 231; 8? 261;30 297;53 337;17 6;49 31;23
The geographical latitude derived from the cusps is 44;1 ?which is very close to Levi's value for the latitude of Orange: 44?. The 6 other methods for computing the cusps (described in North 1986) yield considerably worse agreement with the text. From this list it is clear that the better reading for H5 is 6;48? as in the Latin, rather than 10;48? in the Hebrew. In Hebrew manuscripts the letters waw (6) and yod (10) are easily confused. For the other cusps, the Hebrew version has the better readings. The surviving copies of Levi's Astronomy contain solar, lunar, and eclipse tables (see Goldstein 1974), but not planetary tables. For this reason it is possible to recompute the positions of the Sun, the Moon, and the Ascending Node from his tables, but for the planets it is necessary to use some other aid, and we have chosen the tables of B. Tuckerman (1964). From the data preserved in Levi's chapters on his planetary observations (see Goldstein 1988), it seems that he took the tables of al-Battani (presumably in the Hebrew version by Abraham Bar Hiyya) as his point of departure, and modified the motion of the apogees. Although we have
42
not succeeded in getting precise agreement between calculations based on modifications of al-Battani's tables that may plausibly be attributed to Levi, such calculations do result in values not far from those in the text. For the Sun, the Moon, and the Ascending Node (see [16] and [14]) we compute positions from Levi's Tables for 4 March 1345, 10;55h after noon. The solar longitude was computed with an apogee of 93;14? and Table 2a for the equation of center (see Goldstein 1974, p. 158). The lunar position was computed with Levi's full lunar theory (see Goldstein 1974, p. 53). The planetary longitudes are given in [15]-[18]. Planet Sun Moon Saturn Jupiter Mars Venus Mercury Asc. Node Heb. Text 352;46, 2? 352;46, 2 317;21,52 315;45,27 317;31,56 13;44 350;44 189;27 Comp. 352;46? 352;42 Tuckerman
317? 315 317 13 345 189;27,36
All longitudes in the text are reasonably good except for Mercury. The variants in the Latin version are not significant. V.1.2: The Middle Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter on 9 March 1226: [32]-[38] The year given in the Hebrew version (1041) is corrupt whereas the year in the Latin version (1226) is correct: presumably the letters resh (200) and kaf (20) were close together in the Hebrew archetype and then interpreted as a mem (40), while the waw (6) was taken to be an aleph (1). This conjunction was already noted by Abraham Bar Hiyya who gave the date as 14 Adar 4986 A.M. (=14 Feb. 1226: Millas 1929, pp. 239,241) at the time when the ascendant will be Aqu 3? and, according to him, Saturn and Jupiter will both be at the longitude of the ascendant (Millas 1929, p. 241). However, Levi computed the longitude of this conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter to be Aqu 3;36?(Lat.: 3;37?).With Tuckerman's tables, we compute the following longitudes for 9 March 1226: Sun 356? Moon 110 Saturn 303 304 Jupiter Mars 356 Venus 316 343 Mercury From the data in [35-37], we learn that cusp 10 was near the end of Leo (say Leo 20?: see the notes in the next section) and, with the position of the Sun, we can compute the approximate time of day in hours after apparent noon of 9 March 1226 using Levi's Table 4 (Goldstein 1974):
Computations
43
CH10O- S
= a(140?)-
= 232;26?- 58;16? = 174;10? = 11;37
a(356?)
In the Latin version we learn that at the preceding conjunction of the Sun and the Moon on 28 Feb. 1226 (note that for Levi the year began on 1 March, so that for him this was 28 Feb. 1225 [o.s.]), the ascendant was Cancer 5;26?. Using Levi's tables, we find that the solar longitude at that time was about 347?. With North's program for computing the cusps, we derive the following values according to the hour-line method: H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 95;26? 114; 5 134;16 159;36 194; 7 236;52
According to Tuckerman's tables, Mercury's position at that time was about 328?, and that of Venus was about 305?. V.1.3: The Lunar Eclipse on 18 March 1345: [39]-[57] According to Levi, there will be a lunar eclipse at 9;20hafter noon on 18 March 1345, where the time (not stated in the text) has been derived from the difference in the right ascensions of cusp 10 and the Sun:
-?s c0H10
= a(143;39?)-
o(6;32?)
= 236;0?- 95;59? = 140;1? = 9;20h
Again, the cusps have been computed with the hour-line method: H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 Text 222;41? 251;57 286;54 323;39 356; 0 22; 3 Comp. 222;41? 251;56 286;42 323;39 356;10 22; 3
For cusp 2 the Latin (251;57?) is better than the Hebrew (251;27?): in Hebrew manuscripts the letters kaf (20) and nun (50) are easily confused; otherwise, the readings in the Hebrew version are preferable. The planetary positions in [42] are as follows:
44
Sun Moon Saturn Jupiter Mars Venus Mercury Asc. Node
Text 6:31,37? 186;31,37 318;52, 3 318;20,23 328;24,29 30;24 12;53,39 -188;43,24
Tuckerman Comp. 6;31,46? 186;35,11 318? 318 327 30 13
The positions of the Sun and the Moon are missing in the Hebrew version. According to the text, the position of Venus is either 30;24? (the Hebrew version does not indicate whether the "24" is in degrees or minutes) or 30;54?, as in the Latin version. With the lunar position in the text and the computed value for the Ascending Node, we find the argument of lunar latitude to be 2;11,47?. According to Levi's tables, the corresponding lunar latitude is 0;10,20?. Entering this latitude in his lunar eclipse tables (with interpolations, as required), we find the digits of eclipse to be 19;44 (Heb. 19;47, Lat. 19;45). For the duration of the eclipse, the solar and lunar velocities must first be found, and we have used Levi's values (see Goldstein 1974, Tables 22.III and 22.IVa). Then with Levi's lunar eclipse tables, we compute the duration corresponding to the lunar latitude stated above to be 3;42h (Heb. 3;40h, Lat. 3;45h). According to Oppolzer's Canon of Eclipses, this lunar eclipse (No. 3953) lasted 3;38hand had a magnitude of 17.1 digits; these values are close to those that Levi found. In [57] the Latin mentions a conjunction of Mars with Aldebaran. According to Levi, the longitude of Aldebaran on 3 Oct. 1335 was 60;15,17? (cf. Goldstein 1975, p. 36). With Levi's value for the precession, 1? in 67 Egyptian years and about 123 days, the accumulated precession from 3 Oct. 1335 to 18 Mar. 1345 is about 0;8? and so the longitude of Aldebaran would be about 60;23?in 1345. Mars reached that longitude at about 23 July 1345. V.1.4: The Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter on 28 March 1345: [58]-[66] The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter was computed by Levi to take place on 28 March 1345 at 1;17h after noon [58; cf. 10]. The time of day is confirmed by the difference in right ascension between cusp 10 [59] and the Sun [Lat. 63]:
aCH1O- as
= 123;59?- 104;44? = 19;15? = 1;17h
= a(36;20?) - a(16;0,9)
Computations
45
The cusps in [59] have been computed according to the hour-line method: H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 Text 138? 157;16 183;48 227;20 253;15 288; 1 Emended Text 137;18? 157;56 216;20 Comp. 137;18? 157;56 183;49 216;20 253;17 288; 3
Some copyist's errors have affected the Hebrew text, as we can see in the lack of symmetry in cusps 6 houses apart. Cusp 1 and cusp 7 are not 180? apart as required, and the emended value yields the best agreement. Similarly, cusps 2 and 8, and cusps 4 and 10, are not 180? apart respectively; cusps 8 and 10 have the correct readings and they have been used to emend the values for cusps 2 and 4. The planetary positions in [60], [63], and [66] are as follows: Sun Moon Saturn Jupiter Mars Venus Mercury Text 16; 0, 9? 304 319;46 319;46 335;55,40 43;47, 5 30;18,45 Tuckerman Comp. 16; 0,12? 303;34 319 320 335 42 32
The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter is to take place in Aqu 19;44? according to the Hebrew version, but in Aqu 19;46?according to the Latin version: we have no grounds for preferring one over the other. The positions of Mars, Venus, and Mercury are missing in the extant Hebrew manuscript. From the time of day, 1;17hafter noon, the position of the Sun is 16;0,9 ?as in the Latin version, rather than 16;9?as in the Hebrew version
(which would yield 1;16h).
46
V.2: Astrological
Commentary
V.2.0: Introduction: [1]-[11] Ad [1]. Levi emphasizes the role of experience in astrology, a point made repeatedly by Abraham Ibn Ezra, among others (cf. Ibn Ezra, Sefer ed. Fleischer 1937, p. 19:8 et passim). ha-COlam, Ad [2]. Levi's main philosophic work is entitled Milhamot Adonai (The Wars of the Lord);an English translation has begun to appear: Feldman 1984, 1987. For an analysis of its contents, see Touati 1973. Ad [3]-[6]. Levi's views on free will and divine providence are discussed primarily in Book 4 of his Warsof the Lord. Ad [7]. The view that conjunctions of Saturn and Jupiter signify general events is stated by Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 8:28-29. Ad [8]. In Ibn Ezra's translation of Masha'allah's Book of Eclipses it is stated that the airy signs are: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius (Goldstein 1964, p. 209), and the sense here is probably that the winds are strengthened (cf. Goldstein 1964, p. 212). Ad [9]. The fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius (for Aquarius, see Ibn Ezra, Beginning of Wisdom,ed. and trans. Levy 1939, p. 183). For the long-lasting effect, see Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 219, no. 47. Ad [10]. The conjunction is discussed in detail in [58]-[66]. Ad [11]. According to Ibn Ezra, who says that he is following Masha'allah, it is necessary to investigate the conjunction and opposition of the Sun and the Moon prior to the vernal equinox of the year in which the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter is to take place (Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 137, p. 15:8). The Hebrew tequfa is a translation of the Arabic tahwil, and in this context it means the equinoxes and the solstices. The tequfa of the year means the vernal equinox. V.2.1: The Conjunction of the Sun and the Moon on 4 March 1345: [12]-[31] Ad [14]. Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars are all in the 3rd astrological house, all in the sign of Aquarius, all in the decan from Aqu 11?to Aqu 20?, and all in the same term (Aqu 13? to Aqu 20? according to the Egyptians; Aqu 12 to Aqu 20? according to Ptolemy: Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 184). Ad [15]. Normally the 9th house indicates religion (cf. al-Biruni, K. ed. and trans. Wright 1934, ? 461), but according to Ibn Ezra al-TafhTzm, is religion indicated by the 3rd astrological house. Note that Levi's word for religion is emuna which is the term used by Ibn Ezra (Levy 1939, Heb. text, p. xli; translated as "fidelity" in Levy 1939, p. 192); cf. Abu Macshar, De magnis coniunctionibus, 1, 3. Ad [16]. The Sun, the Moon, and Mercury are indeed in the 4th house listed in [13]. Ad [17]. The 9th house includes a part of Cancer (27;52? to 30?), all of Leo, and a part of Virgo (0? to 5;17?). The Moon's domicile is Cancer, the
Astrological Commentary
47
Sun's domicile is Leo, and Mercury's domicile is Virgo; hence the text is confirmed. Ad [18]. According to Ibn Ezra, Venus's house of enmity is Aries (Levy 1939, p. 158). The term of Mercury extends from Ari 12? to Ari 20? (Egyptians) and from Ari 14? to Ari 21? (Ptolemy): Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 158. Hence Levi is using the Egyptian system of counting terms. Mercury is combust when it is near its conjunction with the Sun. According to the text, Mercury is about 2? from the Sun. Ad [19]. Venus is about 60? from the three superior planets and hence in sextile with them. Ad [20]. This prediction is very similar to what is said about such conjunctions in Ibn Ezra's translation of Masha'allah's Book of Eclipses (Goldstein 1964, pp. 211-12); Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 11:21. Cf. Johannes de Muris' prognostication [26]. Ad [21]. We presume that the tenth year was calculated by counting backwards (perhaps because it is night) from the ascendant to the third house where the outer planets are located, but we have not found a specific statement in support of that hypothesis in the works of Ibn Ezra: it is possible that we missed it, because his astrological treatises are poorly organized and topics are often dropped only to be discussed again elsewhere. The rule that 1 sign or 1 house corresponds to 1 year is often applied by Masha'allah in his astrological history (cf., e.g., Kennedy and Pingree 1971, pp. 63, 119, where Masha'allah fixed the date of certain unfortunate events by counting the number of signs [or houses] between Mars and the ascendant and treating each sign [or house] as corresponding to a year). Ad [22]. Cf. Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 17:24. Ad [23]. The evil begins from the north because the conjunction of the Sun and the Moon is in Pisces which is northern (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 185). Ad [24]. Cf. Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 11:19;for miraculous signs, p. 9:11. Ad [25]. Aquarius is a strong masculine sign of human form: cf. Ibn Ezra, in Levy 1939, p. 182-83; and Goldstein 1964, p. 209. For the interpretation given in the text, cf. Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 17:10. Ad [27]. Mars is east of the Sun, and it is lord of the ascendant which is in Scorpio. Mars indicates the spilling of blood (Ibn Ezra in ed. Fleischer 1937, p. 11:21), strife, famine, etc. (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 197). Ad [28]. This interpretation is also found in Ibn Ezra's translation of Masha'allah's Bookof Eclipses (Goldstein 1964, p. 210). Ad [29]. See the note to [23]. Ad [30]. Levi also mentioned the comet of 1337 in his Astronomy, chap. 17 (ed. and trans. Goldstein 1985, pp. 107, 188). Ad [31]. From the Latin version we learn that a comet appeared in 1339, and that a prediction was made for Pope Benedict XII (1334-1342) in Avignon.
48
V.2.2: The Middle Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter on 9 March 1226: [32]-[38] Ad [32-33]. The two dates given in the Latin version are the date of the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter: 9 March 1226; and the date of the preceding conjunction of the Sun and the Moon: 28 Feb. 1226. This conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter marks the entry of the conjunction into an airy sign, Aquarius (cf. Bar Hiyya in Millas 1929, p. 239). The position of the ascendant, Cancer 5;26 , refers to the moment of the conjunction of the Sun and the Moon (see Section V.1.2 for the calculations): the Sun was at 347? and mid-heaven was 339;36? so that the Sun was in the 10th astrological house (339;36? to 14;7?). Ad [34-38]. The lord of the tenth house is stated to be Mercury, and Mercury is the lord of Virgo; Mercury is also stated to be combust, i.e., near the Sun. But on 28 Feb. 1226 Mercury was 19? from the Sun, too far to be combust, and the tenth house began in Pisces. Hence, this passage refers to the date of the Saturn-Jupiter conjunction, 9 March 1226. At this time the Sun's longitude was 356? and the longitude of Mercury was 343 ?; the difference in longitude was 13?, and so Mercury could be said to be combust (i.e., within 15? of the Sun). Since in [37] the lords of the ninth house are given as the Sun and the Moon (whose houses are Cancer and Leo), it follows that the ninth house extended over both Cancer and Leo, in which case the tenth house extended over Leo and Virgo (cf. [35]) and the fourth house extended over Aquarius and Pisces which was the place where the preceding conjunction of the Sun and Moon had taken place on 28 Feb. 1226 (see [37]). Ad [34]. Cf. [20]. Ad [35]. It seems that the passage between braces ought to be deleted from the Hebrew text. Ad [36]-[38]. For these astrological interpretations, cf. Masha'allTh, De rev. an. mundi, chaps. 14, 17, 26. After passing Saturn and Jupiter, the Moon came first to Venus, a benefic planet. See also Section VI, ad [39]-[42]. V.2.3: The Lunar Eclipse on 18 March 1345: [39]-[57] Ad [40]. The ascendant is again in Scorpio as in [13]. Ad [44]. See [52]-[56]. Ad [45]. The domicile of Mars is Scorpio, and hence it is the lord of the chart. According to the Egyptians, Scorpio 11? to 19? is the term of Mercury, and the ascendant at Sco 12;41? is in it (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 177). Ad [46]. The positions of the Sun and the Moon are missing in Hebrew, but are preserved in the Latin version [42]. The Moon will be in opposition to Mercury about half a day after the eclipse according to the planetary positions in [42]. When the Moon reaches about Libra 28;25?, it will be in trine aspect with Mars and this will take place after the Moon reaches
Astrological Commentary
49
opposition with Mercury. According to Ptolemy, the term of Mars is Lib 24? to 30? (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 175), and the term of Mars is Aqu 25? to 30? (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 158). Hence, when the Moon aspects Mars, both will be in a term of Mars. Ad [47]. Mercury is combust when it is near the Sun: according to the data in [42], Mercury is 6;22,2? away from the Sun. Aries is the domicile of Mars, and so Mercury is in the house of Mars (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 158). Ad [48]. Since Libra is a sign of human form (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 173), the eclipse takes place in such a sign. On the prediction in [48], see Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 12:34-37. Ad [49]. We assume that the delay in the onset of the effect of this eclipse is 48 days because there are 48? from the positions of Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius 18? to the position of the Sun in Aries 6?, but we have not found Levi's source for this procedure. The duration of the effect is based on considering each hour of the eclipse as corresponding to 1 month. Hence 3;40h in [43] corresponds to 110 days: 55 days for the increasing effect, and 55 days for its diminution (cf. Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 13:11). Ad [50]. Saturn and Jupiter [42] are in the 3rd house [41] that signifies religions (cf. note ad [15]). Ad [51]. The lord of the 9th house, Cancer, is the Moon (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 166), and the Moon when eclipsed is malefic (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 204). The third house is the house of religion (cf. [15]). Ad [52]. There are at least two reasons for the preponderance to belong to Saturn: the conjunction takes place in Aquarius which is the domicile of Saturn (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 184); and Saturn is closer to its apogee than Jupiter is to its apogee (Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 11:14). Cf. Johannes de Muris [16]. Ad [52]-[53]. In [53] one word in the Hebrew text has been emended slightly to agree with the repetition of the whole phrase in [61]-the Latin is identical in both places. On the nature of Saturn see, for example, Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 11:19; cf. p. 15:3-4. Ad [54]. Mars signifies the spilling of blood: cf. Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 11:21-22, cf. p. 15:4-5. We have not found Levi's source for associating dry exhalations and comets with Mars here. Ad [55]. Mars signifies fires as well as war and destruction: cf. Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 197. Ad [56]. On the transfer of the reign, cf. Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 11:20-21. Ad [57]. Aquarius is a fixed sign (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 183). We have not found Levi's source for his claim that a conjunction of Mars with Aldebaran indicates meteors.
50
V.2.4: The Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter on 28 March 1345: [58]-[66] Ad [60]. With the position of Mars [Latin 66], the Moon does indeed first reach Saturn and then Mars. Ad t61]. See note ad [52]-[53]. Ad [62]. See notes ad [54] and [55]. Ad [63]. The Sun is in Aries in the 9th house [59], the house of its joy (cf. al-Biruni in Wright 1934, ? 469), and the sign of its exaltation (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 158). Ad [64]. Leo is the domicile of the Sun (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 169). Hence the Sun is the lord of the ascendant in Leo [59]. The conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter takes place in a cardine, the 7th house (the cardines are defined by Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 192 [Heb. p. xl]), and the Sun is about 60? distant or in sextile aspect with the conjunction. Ad [65]. On the prophet, see Ibn Ezra in Fleischer 1937, p. 9:9; cf. Goldstein 1964, p. 212. Ad [66]. Venus is in Taurus [Lat.] which is the 10th house, the house of kingship (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 193 [Heb. p. xlii]); the domicile of Venus is Taurus (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 161). Since Venus is a benefic planet (Ibn Ezra in Levy 1939, p. 155), it indicates the success of the new reign.
Notes to Latin Text
51
V.3: Notes to the Latin Text of Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

Ad [11]. The phrase "in revolucioneanni precedentis"is a mistaken translation; Peter should have rendered the Hebrew "revolucionem anni precedens," "preceding the revolution of the year" (referring to the conjunction). Ad [12]. The Hebrew has "after apparent noon." Ad [28]. The Hebrew phrase meaning "their being under this conjunction" is explained by Peter as signifying their being "more or less distant from the place of the lord of the conjunction." Ad [30]-[31]. The Hebrew word "ot" means either "sign" or "meteor" depending on the context; comets were considered to be a category of meteors. For a case of Latin "signa" translating Hebrew "otot,"see [57]. Ad [32]. The Latin has the correct 1226 whereas the Hebrew manuscript reads 1041 (cf. Section V.1.2). Ad [33]. The end of this section, which is missing in the Hebrew manuscript, was surely included in Levi's original. Ad [38]. The phrase "in temporeanni" corresponds to a Hebrew phrase which refers to the "revolutioanni." Ad [39]. The Latin clarifies the Hebrew. Ad [41]. The longitudes of the Sun and the Moon are omitted in the Hebrew manuscript, but must have been given by Levi. Ad [45]. Mars is the lord of the ascendant, Scorpio, and nocturnal lord of the triplicity. The Hebrew adds that Mercury is the next lord of the chart. Ad [52]. The Latin term "magis ponderosus" ought to refer to the fact, noted by Iohannes de Muris [18] with reference to the conjunction of 20 March, that "Saturn will be proportionately more distant than the other two." The farther a planet is from the earth, the "heavier" it is. The Hebrew "tigboret"probably refers to the fact that Saturn is the lord of Aquarius, the sign in which the conjunction occurred. Ad [55]. Peter left out the end of the Hebrew sentence. Ad [57]. The Hebrew "otot," "meteors," is here translated by the Latin "signa";see the note to [30]-[31]. The Hebrew manuscript fails to include the words "with Aldebaran." Ad [59]. The Latin manuscripts all omit the longitudes of the cusps, though P has a diagram in which nothing has been entered. Ad [63]. The Latin word "honor" translates the Hebrew "kavod";the meaning is "exaltation." Ad [66]. The Hebrew manuscript omits the positions of Mars, Venus, and Mercury, which Levi must have given.
52
VI: Notes to Iohannes de Muris' Prognostication

Ad [2]. According to Tuckerman 1964, in January 1345 Saturn progressed from Aquarius 10?to 13 , within the second decan; Jupiter from Aquarius 0? to 8?, within the first decan; and Mars from Sagittarius 29? to Capricorn 22?. It is especially perturbing that Iohannes should have been so wrong concerning Mars. Mars entered the second decan of Aquarius, where both Saturn and Jupiter then were, on 24 February. Ad [3]. Donald W. Olson of the Department of Physics, Southwest Texas State University, has kindly used his program for computing planetary positions from the Alfonsine Tables to check the conjunction to which Iohannes de Muris here refers. According to these computations Mars and Jupiter were in conjunction at Aquarius 14;32?(rounded by Iohannes to 15?) on the morning of 1 March 1345, Mars and Saturn were in ? conjunction at Aquarius 17;0 on the morning of 4 March, and Jupiter and Saturn were in conjunction at Aquarius 18;45? on the morning of 21 March. Since the data given by Iohannes in the first two cases agree exactly with computations using the parameters of the Alfonsine Tables, it is likely that the manuscript reading, 20, is a mistake for 21 in the third case. Ad [21]. Saturn's gaudium is its masculine domicile, which is Aquarius; and Saturn is the diurnal lord of the triplicity to which Aquarius belongs. Ad [22]. Jupiter's term in Aquarius, according to Dorotheus, is 14? to 20?, so it includes the longitude of the conjunction; and Jupiter is the common lord of the triplicity to which Aquarius belongs. Ad [24]. The fixed stars having the nature of Saturn and Mars near Aquarius are the stars in Delphinus (Ptolemy, Quadripartitus1, 9 [13vb]). Ad [25]. On 20 March 1345 the longitude of Mercury according to the Alfonsine Tables was 16?, that of the Sun 8?, so that Mercury was indeed "under the Sun's rays." The star in the mouth of Piscis Austrinus is of the nature of Venus and Mercury according to Ptolemy, Quadripartitus 1, 9 (14ra). Ad [26]. Much of this is derived from chapter 9 of Masha'allah's Epistola (G ii), in which, however, there are more variables than are indicated by Iohannes de Muris. Ad [27]-[28]. Abu MaCshar,De magnis coniunctionibus II 8 (C vii v), says that a conjunction of Saturn and Mars "in the third or in the ninth signifies the appearance of danger in churches and houses of prayer, and horrible accidents together with rheumatism and discord." Ad [29]. Abraham ibn Ezra, Liberconiunctionum (also called De mundo vel seculo) LXXVIII va: "A great conjunction, however, signifies that a prophet will arise so that he may cause some nation to be elevated, if the
Notes to Ioannis de Muris' Text
53
conjunction should be in the ninth or third house with respect to the sign that was ascendant in the revolution of the year of the conjunction." Ad [30]. A "great conjunction," according to Abraham (LXXVIIIrb), is a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Aries. If Aquarius had been in the third astrological place, the ascendant would have been Scorpio. Saturn is predominant in Aquarius as lord of the sign, which is its gaudium, and of the triplicity to which it belongs. Saturn is lord of the Jews according to Abu MaCshar,De magnis coniunctionibus 14 (A vii r), Aquarius (with the Sun) of Israel, the Greeks, and Egypt according to Abraham, Liber coniunctionum (LXXXIII vb). The ten years correspond to the ten zodiacal signs from Aquarius to Scorpio. Ad [31]. Abraham, Liberconiunctionum (LXXXIIIva): "If [Mars] should be with Saturn or in quartile or opposite aspect with it, and Saturn should be in one of the watery signs, there will be a great evil for those who travel by sea. ...But if it should be eastern, it will manifest more strongly that which it signifies." At the beginning of this chapter (LXXXIIIrb) Abraham states: "If [Mars] is eastern from the Sun and has power over the ascendant sign in the revolution of the year (whatever that power might be) and is in one of the cardines of the ascendant, then it will signify wars and the pouring forth of blood." Ad [32]-[33]. CAli ibn abi al-Rijal, De iudiciis astrorum 8, 3 (p. 354a): "If you wish to know the root and principle of determining the year and time of the strife and war, know that it will be when the greater luminary will apply to the degree of Saturn by conjunction or aspect, or when it will apply to the ascendant by prorogation to the places of the malefics, giving to each sign one month or year." Ad [35]. CAll, De iudiciis astrorum 8, 3 (p. 354a-b): "Also the matter and the war will appear when Jupiter applies to Saturn from quartile or opposition made from degree to degree, especially if these aspects should occur from the cardines of the revolution of the year; or the war will appear when Jupiter enters its domicile or exaltation, and when it enters any of the cardines of the ascendant." Ad [36]. CAll, De iudiciis astrorum 8, 4 (p. 362a): "If Jupiter were conjoined with Saturn, it signifies that the harm will be in rich and noble men, and in those who are like prophets. ...A conjunction of Jupiter with Mars signifies the death of a rich man or of one of great fame." CAl, De iudiciis astrorum 8, 5 (p. 363b): "When Mars and Saturn and the Moon conjoin in Aquarius, it signifies a diminution of rains and a smaller increase in the waters of fountains, harm in journeys." Ad [38]. For this horoscope see Levi [12]-[16]. Ad [39]-[42]. CAll,De iudiciis astrorum 8, 6 (p. 365b): "Also if that planet to which the Moon applies [after the conjunction] should be Jupiter, [the people] will have justice and security, health and many sons, sincerity and good manners and liberty. If that benefic to which the Moon applies should be Venus, it will have abundance and joys, vices (?) and quiet, and they will begin marriages. ..If the benefic itself should be cadent from a
54
cardine, outside one and weak, there will occur the fertility and fortune which they were thought to have, yet they will not be complete; but they will be healthy in their bodies and free from sicknesses and griefs." Ad [43]. For the lunar eclipse of 19 March 1345, see Levi [39]-[49]. Ad [44]. Ptolemy, Quadripartitus,2,9 (37ra-b): "Because if Saturn should be the sole lord of the governance [in the horoscope of the eclipse], generally it will be the cause of harm which will happen because of cold... And its particular, proper effect, if the accident should be among men, will be the advent of lengthy sicknesses and of phthisis, a defect of nature and impediments because of the courses of the humors, quartane fevers, paralysis, anxieties, griefs, fears, and deaths, especially among those who have passed through their days. ...And if it should be in the status of the air, great cold-waves will happen in it, great freezes and snows." The Moon is in Libra, the exaltation of Saturn; and the Sun, the lord of midheaven, Leo, is in Aries, aspecting Saturn in Aquarius, a humid sign, in sextile. The effects take place in the north and east because Aquarius is part of the third triplicity; see Ptolemy, Quadripartitus2, 3 (27va): "And because the triplicity of Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius pertains to the corner [of the inhabited world] which is between north and east, Saturn rules it first because it pertains to the east, and Jupiter participates in its rule because it is northern." Later in the same chapter (31vb) Ptolemy lists the names which Iohannes de Muris, understandably, did not know: "And those which concord with Aquarius are the lands of Zaromatica and Coxana, and the lands of Acohod; and from those which are in the middle of the inhabited world are those of Arama and that Adona from the middle, and this is Median Antiopia." Iohannes' copy of Ptolemy, of course, may have spelled these names differently, but the permutations would still leave him with no recourse except that which he outlines in [45]. Ad [46]. According to Levi [43] the eclipse will last 3 hours and 40 minutes; the Latin gives 3 hours and 45 minutes. It is the latter value which lies behind the statement that the effect of the eclipse will last 3 and 3/4months. For Abraham (Liberconiunctionum LXXXIrb) says: "But in an eclipse of the Moon one month is to be given for each hour [of duration]." Ad [47]. Again according to Levi [49] the effects begin after 1 month and 18 days, then increase for 55 days and decrease for 55 days. The 48 days between the eclipse and the beginning of the effect represent the 48? between Saturn and Jupiter in Aquarius 18? and the Sun in Aries 6?; the 110 days equal 32/3 months (corresponding to the eclipse duration of 3 hours and 40 minutes in the Hebrew). Iohannes says that the effects begin towards the end of two months; perhaps the precise time is indicated by the phrase "in the middle of the limit of its duration," for that is a half of 33/4months, which is 1 month and 26 days. Then the maximum is reached "after the end of two months" and the end after another 1/2 months. Iohannes, counting the 33/4
Notes to Ioannis de Muris' Text
55
months from the time of the eclipse, places the maximum effect at 11/2 months before the end, or 21/4months after the eclipse. The data may be summarized as follows: Levi eclipse beginning height end 19 March 1345 + 1 mo. 18 d. + 3 mo. 13 d. + 5mo. 8d. Iohannes 19 March 1345 + 1 mo. 26 d. + 21/4mo. + 334mo.
Ad [49]. CAli ibn abi al-Rijal does not write about the duration of the effects of eclipses, and CAllibn Ridwan in his commentary on Quadripartitus 2, 6 (33rb-34va) follows Ptolemy's procedure, which measures the duration of the effects of a lunar eclipse in months. We do not know the source for Iohannes's assertion.
56
VII: Acknowledgments
We are most grateful to J.D. North for supplying us with a computer program for calculating the astrological cusps according to a variety of methods, to D.W. Olson for sending us a set of computed planetary positions for Paris based on the Alfonsine tables, to K. Stichweh for some suggested readings of Levi ben Gerson's text in B.N. lat. 7378A, to E. Poulle for kindly providing us with his unpublished edition of Iohannes de Muris' prognostication, to J. Shatzmiller for sending us photographs of the Latin manuscripts of Levi's text, and to G. Freudenthal for his comments on the Hebrew text.
57
References
Abraham Ibn Ezra 1507. Liber coniunctionum, in Abrahe Avenaris Judei Astrologi peritissimi in re iudiciali opera.Venice, LXXVIr-LXXXVr. Abu MaCshar1515. De magnis coniunctionibus, published as Abumasar De magnis coniunctionibus. Venice. CAllibn abl al-Rijal 1551. De iudiciis astrorum,published as AlbohazenHaly filii Abenragel Libride iudiciis astrorum. Basel. Beller, E. 1988. "Ancient Jewish Mathematical Astronomy," Archive for History of the Exact Sciences, 38:51-66. Deprez, E. 1899. "Une tentative de r6forme du calendrier sous Clement VI," Melanges d'archeologieet d'histoire de l'Ecole Franqaisede Rome, 19:131-43. Duhem, P. 1913. Le systeme du monde, vol. 4. Paris. Feldman, S. 1984. Levi ben Gershom: The Warsof the Lord,vol. 1. Philadelphia. . 1987. Levi ben Gershom: The Warsof the Lord,vol. 2. Philadelphia. __ in Otzar haFleischer, J. L. (ed.) 1937. Abraham Ibn Ezra: Sefer ha-COlam, vol. 13. Czechoslovakia ed. Homonna, Hayyim, (reprint Maqor, Jerusalem, 5730 A.M. [1970]). Freudenthal, G. 1989. "Sur la partie astronomique de Liwyat Hen de Levi ben Abraham ben Hayyim," Revue des Etudes Juives 148:103-112. Goldstein, B. R. 1964. "The Book on Eclipses of Masha'allah," Physis, 6:205-13. . 1974. The Astronomical Tablesof Levi ben Gerson. New Haven. __ .1975. "Levi ben Gerson's Analysis of Precession," Journal for the History of Astronomy, 6:31-41. . 1985. The Astronomy of Levi ben Gerson (1288-1344). New York, __ Berlin. 1988. "A New Set of Fourteenth Century Planetary Observations," ._. Proceedingsof the American PhilosophicalSociety, 132:371-399. Grauert, H. 1901. "Meister Johann von Toledo," Sitz. kgl. bayer.Akad. Wiss., phil.-hist. Cl., Heft 2:101-325. Kennedy, E. S., and Pingree, D. 1971. The Astrological History of Masha'allah. Cambridge MA. Levy, R. (ed. and trans.) 1939. The Beginning of Wisdom, An Astrological Treatiseby Abrahamibn Ezra. Baltimore. Littre, E. 1840-41. "Opuscule relatif a la peste de 1348, compose par un contemporain," Bibliothequede l'Ecole des Chartes, 2:201-43. Masha'allah 1549a. Epistola Messahalae de rebus eclipsium et de coniunctionibus planetarum in revolutionibus annorum mundi, in Messahalae antiquissimi ac laudatissimi inter Arabes astrologi Libri tres.
58
Niirnberg, F iii r - G iii v. . 1549b. LiberMessahallaede revolutioneannorum mundi. Niirnberg, B i r-F ii v. Millas i Vallicrosa, J. (trans.) 1929. Abraham Bar Hiia: Meguillat Hamegalle I). Barcelona. (BibliotecaHebraico-Catalana North, J. 1986. Horoscopesand History (WarburgInstitute Surveys and Texts XIII). London. Oppolzer, T. von 1887. Canon der Finsternisse. Vienna. Pines, S. (trans.) 1963. Maimonides: The Guide of the Perplexed.Chicago. Poulle, E. 1973. "John of Murs," in Dictionary of Scientific Biography, 7:128-33. _ . 1988. "The Alfonsine Tables and Alfonso X of Castille," Journalfor the History of Astronomy, 19:97-113. Poznanski, A., and Guttmann, J. (eds.) 1924. SeferMegillat ha-Megalle von Abrahambar Chija. Berlin. Pruckner, H. 1933. Studien zu den astrologischen Schriftendes Heinrich von Langenstein (Studien der BibliothekWarburg14). Leipzig. Ptolemy 1569. Quadripartitus,with the commentary of CAllibn Ridwan in Quadriparti.Ptol. Venice, aa4ra-95ra. Renan, E. 1893. "Les ecrivains juifs franqais du XIVe siecle," Histoire litterairede la France, 31:351-789. Renardy, C. 1974. "Un temoin de la grande peste: Maitre Simon de Couvin, chanoine de Saint-Jean l'Evangeliste a Liege (t 1367)," Revue beige de philologie et d'histoire, 52:273-92. Scholem, G. 1987. Origins of the Kabbalah.Princeton. Steinschneider, M. 1964. Mathematikbei den Juden, 2nd ed. Hildesheim. Thorndike, L. 1934. A History of Magic and ExperimentalScience,vol. 3. New York. Touati, C. 1973. La pensee philosophiqueet theologiquede Gersonide,Paris. Tuckerman, B. 1964. Planetary,Lunar,and SolarPositions A.D. 2 to A.D. 1649 at Five-day and Ten-dayIntervals, in Memoirs of the AmericanPhilosophical Society, vol. 59. Philadelphia. Twersky, I. 1972. A Maimonides Reader.New York. d'Ezrade Geronesur le Cantiquedes Cantiques. Vajda, G. 1969. Lecommentaire Paris. Wright, R. R. 1934. Al-Brni, The Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology. London.
Index
59
Abraham Bar Hiyya, 3, 5, 6, 41, 42, 48, 58 Abraham Ibn Ezra, 1, 5, 7, 37, 46-50, 5354, 57 Abu MaCshar, 7, 37, 46, 52, 53, 57 Aldebaran, 33, 44, 49 Alfonsine Tables,7, 52, 58 CAll ibn abi al-Rijal, 7, 38, 39, 53, 55, 57 CAll ibn Ridwan, 55, 58 Astrological houses. See Houses, astrological Avignon, 7, 15, 47 Bar H iyya. See Abraham Bar Hiyya Battani, al-, 41, 42 Beller, E., 4, 57 Benedict XII, Pope, 4, 32, 47 Biruni, al-, 4, 46, 50, 58 Black Death, 1-3, 7-8 Cardines, 21, 34, 38, 50 Clement VI, Pope, 4, 7 Combust, 13, 17, 32, 33, 37, 49 definition of, 48 Comets, 15, 19, 21, 33, 47, 49, 51. See also Meteors Conjunctions great, definition of, 53 middle, 15, 32, 42, 48 of Jupiter and Saturn, 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 11, 30, 33, 37, 44, 49 quasi-, 33 triple, 7, 13, 35 Daniel, 3, 4 Death, 15, 31, 32, 34, 54. See also Black Death Decan,13, 35, 52 Delphinus, 52 Deprez, E., 4, 7, 57 Disease, 15, 19, 21, 31, 33 Domicile, 37-38, 46-48, 50, 52-53 Dorotheus, 52 Drought, 15, 31 Dry exhalations, 19, 21, 33, 34, 49 Duhem, P., 7, 57 Eclipses duration of, 17, 39, 44, 54 lunar, 17,19, 33, 43, 48, 54 of the luminaries, 38, 39 Egypt, 15, 31, 36, 37, 53 Epicycle, 36 Equinox, vernal, 35, 46 Exaltation, 21, 38, 50, 51, 53 Experience, 11, 30, 46 Famine, 15, 31, 47 Feldman, S., 46, 57 Firminus de Bella Valla, 3, 7, 22 Fleischer, J. L., 46, 47, 49, 57 Freudenthal, G., 3, 5, 56, 57
Galfridus de Meldis, 8 Gaudium, 37, 53 Geoffrey of Meaux, 8 Goldstein, B. R., 6, 41, 42, 44, 46, 50, 57 Grauert, H., 7, 57 Greece, 15, 31, 36, 53 Honor. See Exaltation Hour-line method, 41, 43, 45. See also Houses, astrological Houses astrological, 6, 13, 17, 19, 30, 32, 41, 43, 45 of enmity, 47 of joy, 21, 34, 50. See also Gaudium lord of, 48 Ibn Ezra, See Abraham Inhabited world, 15 Iohannes de Muris, 1-5, 7, 22, 35, 39, 49, 51-56 Iohannes Eschendensis, 7-8 Israel, land of, 15, 31, 36, 53 Israelites, 37 Jews, lord of, 53 Kennedy, E.S., 3, 57 Kingship, house of, 21, 34, 50 Leo de Balneolis, 1, 4. See also Levi ben Gerson Leo the Jew, Master, 30, 34. See also Levi ben Gerson Leonis Hebrei, Magistri, 4. See also Levi ben Gerson Leonis Iudei, Magistri, 4. See also Levi ben Gerson Levi ben Abraham ben Hayyim, 3, 5 Levi ben Gerson Astronomy, 6, 41, 42, 44 death of, 1, 21, 34 Levy, R., 46, 48-50, 57 Littre, E., 3, 7, 57 MaCarekhet, 5, 13 Macshar. See Abu Macshar Maimonides, 3, 4, 58 Mars, house of, 17, 33, 49 Masha'allah, 1, 3, 7, 37, 46-48, 52, 57 Messiah, 1, 4, 5, 37 Meteors, 19, 49, 51. See also Comets Milhamot Adonai. See Warsof the Lord Millhs i Vallicrosa, J., 3, 6, 42, 48, 58 Molad, 13, 15, 17 Montpellier, 3 Moses ben Nahman, 4, 5 MSS Cambridge, heb. Add. 1563: 9 Erfurt, Amplon. Fol. 386: 22 Munich, heb. 343: 6 Oxford, Bodleian Library,Ashmole 192 1:22
60
Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ashmole 393 I: 22 Oxford, Bodleian Library, Digby 176: 8, 22 Paris, B.N., heb. 1066: 3 Paris, B.N., lat. 7378A: 9, 22, 56 Paris, B.N., lat. 15104: 22 North, J. D., 6, 41, 56, 58 Olson, D., 52, 56 Oppolzer, T. von, 44, 58 Orange, latitude of, 41 Peter of Alexandria, Brother, 32, 33, 51 Pines, S., 4, 58 Piscis Austrinus, star in the mouth of, 52. See also Southern Fish Planets heavy, 51 superior, 13, 35 Poulle, E., 1, 7, 56, 58 Poznanski, A., 3, 58 Precession, 44 Prophet, 1, 37, 52 Providence, 5, 11, 46 Pruckner, H., 7, 8, 22, 58 Psalms, 11, 30 Ptolemy, 7, 39, 48, 52, 54, 58 Quartile, 37, 38 Rede, William, 22 Reign, transfer of, 19, 33, 49 Religion, 13, 15, 17, 19, 31, 33, 35, 36, 46, 49,52 Renan, E., 6, 58 Renardy, C., 3, 58 Salomon. See Solomon Sasanian Persia, 1 Scholem, G., 4, 58 Science of judgments, 11, 30, 32 Senseless enmity, 19, 21, 33 Sextile, 54 Shatzmiller, J., 56 Signs airy, 11, 31, 46 definition of, 46
fixed, 11, 19, 33, 38, 49 definition of, 46 humid, 37, 39, 54 masculine, 15, 47 movable, 38 of honor, 34, 51. See also Exaltation of human form, 15, 19, 33, 47, 49 Signa, 51 Simon (i.e., Firminus) de Bella Valla, 3 Simon de Covino, 3-4, 22, 58 Solomon, brother of Levi, 5, 34 Southern Fish, star in the mouth of, 37. See also Piscis Austrinus Spain, 32 Steinschneider, M., 9, 58 Stichweh, K., 56 Talmud, Babylonian, 4 Temple, date of destruction, 3 Tequfa,13, 17 definition of, 46 Term (astrological), 13, 33,46-49 Thorndike, L., 7, 8, 22 Touati, C., 5, 9, 58 Triplicity, 1, 37, 52, 54 Tuckerman, B., 41, 42, 52, 58 Twersky, I., 3, 58 Vajda, G., 3, 4, 58 Warsof the Lord, 1, 5, 11, 30, 46, 57 Wharton, George, 22 Wright, R. R., 4, 46, 50, 58 Year 68: 3 Year 1226: 15, 22, 32, 42, 43, 48 Year 1325: 8 Year 1335: 44 Year 1337: 32, 47 Year 1339: 32, 47 Year 1344: 1, 34 Year 1345:1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 Year 1345: 11, 19, 22, 30, 33-35, 41-44, 49, 54 Year 1348: 8 Year 1350: 22 Year 1355: 5 Year 1358: 4, 5

Pingree, D Levi Ben Gerson's Prognostication For The Conjunction of 1345

Загружено:

Сведения о документе

Оригинальное название

Авторское право

Доступные форматы

Поделиться этим документом

Поделиться или встроить документ

Параметры публикации

Этот документ был вам полезен?

Это неприемлемый материал?

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Pingree, D Levi Ben Gerson's Prognostication For The Conjunction of 1345

Загружено:

Авторское право:

Доступные форматы

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication for the Conjunction of 1345 Author(s): Bernard R.

American Philosophical Society

the for Prognostication of 1345 Conjunction

THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY Independence Square, Philadelphia 1990

Copyright ? 1990 by The American Philosophical Society

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

Levi ben Gerson's Text

I.1: The Hebrew Tradition

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

Levi ben Gerson's Text

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

Levi ben Gerson's Text

1.2: The Latin Tradition

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

Levi ben Gerson's Text

II: Levi ben Gerson's Text in Hebrew: Preliminary Remarks

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

II.1: The Hebrew Text

~-I"i:' [3] .'n nirnTn

31 OW 14] .-IWaE3W V-in'1':2 10'1

onT1 lDC:I "1:: [6]

- 13 n1 1 bT Q /105a/'V-1 [91.'b1-71 'n n '3nn 'pin' nnxrTrn

Levi ben Gerson's Text

11.2:Translation of the Hebrew Text

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

= 3 Cpn-17"a 1' nnxT'1n n'T

T"' '17rn x1lin ''-T 7-"1nW '17nn'I nnl:31,'1niY1

':17W' :'7"'] xnl

Levi ben Gerson's Text

[L: 5;16?] [L: 8;48?]

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

'i71 [22] .'nlI:nI?n 7Y "17-1rn 1W 'il

nT':l:l KXi p7l11'7Tr

nw nn73n lI"3i :L"a] xn 5X13 nl=nn nrinnnn n7n'i1 [32]

.1]-1i3Kw Ii' n:ri nl-

Levi ben Gerson's Text

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

1X3 "r7T1 n3y n73

nnn T ' n'T:rnnr: nTy/n3

IT 'a1 ,T3"1 [34] 73'1Ixw

13n7101 [361 .'-77 nl'Tin nT"'s ni11T7 n'nr nri'tn::

s1in nTp -r1'V TnY/W n'11i7VI/-

:31 3"rT i'" .pl7"ll' 3"1 Xi," nalTi" [401 .711:'7,"

-'-MX "n ,'T"" 1"' 1D '-1 r'

." rnn ,xK"" t

i "nn I"'i1 'nnwI [42] .'1 -"3 D'3]Tn""',1 ,1"3 ,

'T "n r ,'1 "3: nT"

[43].r " 1"] 2:"' `1U: :nl:I 1'p' TM

,113 " nr'rn 1 '177 T"QTI nilYvYx D nIT117pn 'ITI

mlW:I: ,7"" 3 ,:lI

nlYl [47] .'n7Kn TT'n ni ':3

Levi ben Gerson's Text

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication

-rn w1Jn 1n:3 r11] -inx n31r1-1npn

nl'"1 "-rT -I'1'-InTXi

p Tn 'r 'Tnn n'nrl ':V3 :11 [i51] .l131n

rnywvnmlninnilninixnin 1ni ri:m nInnri'n

'1'"-11 'n-T "

"im71 nln' 'l ":n

r-'11[56] .-IVWI'D 'Tn7: C311 /1 WXd '-pin

r "'nI ,'3 '1-11V T iInx "ni

Levi ben Gerson's Text

Levi ben Gerson's Prognostication