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van Win Rowe ivm de geschiedenis van de astrologie. |
- Al-Biruni, India ed Edward Sachau, (Lahore, West Pakistan,
1962).
This is Al-Biruni's most celebrated work. It is a geographic,
historical, ethnographic, and scientific review of the condition
of India in Al-Biruni's time. There is a great deal of useful
astrological information in it, as well as other important
things. Al-Biruni's dates are given on the Library of Congress
card, as 973 A.D.-1048 A.D. This book is still used as a
reference book on Indian civilization.
- Al-Biruni,The Determination of the Co-ordinates of Cities,
Al-Biruni's Tahdid al Amakin, trans. Jamil Ali, (Beirut,Lebanon,
The American University of Beirut, 1967).
I have not seen this publication, but it is the work of
Al-Biruni on which E.S.Kennedy's Commentary is based.
- Augustine of Hippo, St. Confessions trans Pusey (New
York, N.Y. Modern Library Editions, 1949).
This is a standard 19th Century translation, any will do.
Book VII, pp 125-128 gives the biographical details of Augustine's
involvement with astrology, and the depth of his ultimate
rejection of it. See also Augustine, The City of God.
- Augustine of Hippo, St. The City of God edit David Knowles,
trans. Henry Bettenson, (London, 1972).
This is another one of those works opposing astrology that
gives us valuable information about how it was done in the
classical world. Augustine dabbled in the art in his youth,
and could set up and read a Horoscope. This is a good translation
of City which I recommend. Astrological references are mostly
in Book V. See also Augustine, Confessions.
- Charlesworth, James H. edThe Old Testament Pseudepigrapha,
Vol I (Garden City, New York, 1983).
See 1 Enoch,(Ethiopic Apocalypse of) Book III, Sections
72-82 (p50): and 2 Enoch,(Slavonic Apocalypse of) chapters
13-20 (pgs 122-134).) This is an alternate version to the
H.F.D. Sparks, The Apocryphal Old Testament. In this version
both Slavonic MSS are translated, whereas in the Sparks
the shorter version is preferred. For details of the astrological
significance of the text see the note on the Sparks version.
- Chaucer, Geoffrey A Treatise on the Astrolabe in Chaucer:
Complete Works ed. Walter W. Skeat (London, Oxford University
Press, 1973).
Beginning on p 396 of the Complete Works we see the famous
Treatise on the Astrolabe for my "litel sone Lewis" by the
father of English verse, even more, the father of the English
Language. The work is practical and shows in intimate detail
how some of the work of a practicing renniasance astrologer
was performed.
- Cramer, F.H. Astrology in Roman Law and Politics (Philadelphia,1954).
Tester claims that Cramer was a little indiscriminate in
his use of the sources, but even he admits that most of
the source materials, from monuments, documents and the
like, are included.
- Dorotheus of Sidon, Carmen Astrologicum ed David Pingree
(Leipzig, B.G.Teubner, 1967).
This is a publication of an arabic text of the Carmen Astrologicum
collated with the existing greek fragments, and translated
by David Pingree. As part of the Teubner Library it is probably
the authoritative text. Hellenistic astrology is my term
for what Tester calls Byzantine astrology. I like it because
it allows us to distinguish between the astrology of the
classical (stoic?) period (ie C. Ptolemy) and the somewhat
different astrologers of Syria, separated not so much in
time, as in cultural characteristics, less "scientific",
more inclined to pseudepigrapha, to "revelations", to post
neoplatonic mysticism and magic, and so forth. It is important
to note that Dorotheus of Sidon was an almost exact contemporary
of Jesus of Nazareth in the same part of the world. Beirut
is only about 147 miles from Jerusalem.
- Empiricus, Sextus, Adversus Astrologos in Adversus Mathamaticos
5 ed. and trans. R.G.Bury (Cambridge MA, Loeb Classical
Library Vol IV.1949)
This is probably the best work opposing astrology written
in Greek. Sextus Empericus has given his name to empiricism,
but it is not entirely an accurate label. He was a" pyrrhonist"
ie an extreme sceptic, and in the same work he "disproves"
mathamatics and geometry. In opposing astrology he records
a good deal of descriptive material which actually advances
our knowledge of ancient astrological techniques a little.
An important source.
See also A.A.Long, Ptolemy on the Criterion for more particulars
about Empiricus philosophy and the response to it of Ptolemy
and Galen, the famous greek physician.
- Fagan, Cyril, Astrological Origins, (St Paul, MINN,1971).
A work similar to Rupert Gleadow's but more excentric and
less reliable. Again a representative of the english siderialist
school.
- Fagan, Cyril,Zodiacs--Old and New (Los Angeles, CA, 1950)
More of Fagan's detailed research into the origins of the
zodiac, and the "true ayanamsa" etc. More siderialism.
- Gadbury, John The Nativity of King Charls reprint (No
Place Given, Clara M. Darr, 1974).
An excellent example of a seventeenth century astrological
publicist at work. Note the use of Regiomontanus Houses.
Gadbury was one of the Royalist astrologers, in distinction
to Lilly who steered a more careful course between Charles
I and his parliamentary opponents.
- Gleadow, Rupert, The Origin of the Zodiac (London,1968).
This a source book used by Tester for some of his researches
on the relation between calendrical and astrological problems,
and theses. Gleadow is an english Siderialist, but also
a quite good classical scholar. More reliable than Cyril
Fagan.
- Goldstein,Bernard R. The Arabic Version of Ptolemy's
Planetary Hypothesis (Philadelphia, 1967).
This publication pretty well demonstrates that Ptolemy did
adhere to the ancient doctrine that the soul deescends into
the body through the spheres, taking on the attributes of
each planet as it passes through its sphere. This doctrine
has its origin in Plato's Myth of Er, but was not associated
with the planets by him.
- Hippolytus, The Refutation of All Heresies in Roberts,
Alexander and Donaldson,James eds The Ante-Nicene Fathers
(Grand Rapids, Erdmans,1978)
See Book IV, Chapters I- XXVII (pgs 24-34) or the same passages
from any good translation of Hippolytus work. Hippolytus
was one of the early Church Fathers, who wrote against the
heresies of the day. His attack on Astrology is similar
to that of Sextus Empericus, but like Sextus he does describe
much about the system he is attacking. His critique of astrology
is extended in an attack on the "Pythagoreans" which will
give us much numerological theory of the day. Hippolytus
ranks with St. Augustine, and Sextus Empericus as ancient
opponents of astrology who give valuable information about
the system which they opposed.
- Howe, Ellic Astrology: A Recent History Including the
Untold Story of its Role in World War II. (New York, N.Y.
1967).
This is the best history of Astrology since about the time
Tester's story breaks off. It details the "Astrological
Revival" in several countries, right up to the 1950's. Howe
is witty and urbane though an underlying ambivilance about
astrologers sometimes does break through. For modern astrological
history this book is essential. Howe does sometimes romanticize
a little about WW II according to critics of his work.
- James, Colin III, The Relative Strengths of Signs and
Planets (Denver, Colorado,1978.
This is a modern American contribution to the much neglected
subject of calculating the strengths of the planets in particular
horoscopes. The classical scholarship is a bit pretentious
and often of dubious quality, but the essay is a serious
one and should be studied.
- Kennedy, E. S. A Commentary upon Biruni's Kitab Tahdid
Al-Amakin (Beirut, Lebanon, American University of Beirut,
1973).
A valuable commentary on a major geographic, mathematical,
and spherical trigonometric work by Al-Biruni. No direct,
or very little, direct relevance to astrology, but it explores
several collatereal areas of great importance. For pertinent
insight into how the arabic scientific mind worked, it is
very important. For text see Al-Biruni .
- Lilly, William The Last of The Astrologers edit Katherine
M. Briggs reprint (London, Folklore Society, 1974).
This is a reprint of William Lilly's autobiography, which
is valuable in assessing the sincerity of a typical astrological
publicist, popularizer, and practicioner in the last centruy
of its involvement in ordinary public life in England.
- Lindsay, Jack, Origins of Astrology (London, Frederick
Muller, 1971)
This is a good study by a serious classicist (He translated
Apuleius, The Golden Ass, for example). He knows a good
deal less about astrology than Tester, but piles up a lot
of classical quotations and references that are of value.
Most complete when dealing with the Romans.
- Long, A.A. Ptolemy on the Criterion : An Epistemology
for the Practicing Scientist which is chapter 10 of Huby
and Neal eds, The Criterion of Truth (Liverpool, England,1989).
This is an excellent essay on Ptolemy's epistemological
views, particularly as related to those of Galen and Sextus
Empiricus. As this affects the kind of "science" which Ptolemy
was seeking to achieve in his Tetrabiblos it is of prime
importance. See also Ptolemy's own work which is Chapter
11 in this same book.
- Manilius, Astronomica trans. G.P.Goold (Cambridge MA,
1977)
This is the preferred english translation, and the preferred
commentary on the Latin poetic work on astrology which preceeded
C. Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos. It is a very important text. The
principle critical edition (without translation) is by A.E.Houseman
(yes! The famous poet,"Malt does more than Milton can...")
Houseman's notes and commentary are invaluable, as much
as an example of stimulating english academic prose, as
an introduction to the work. Everyone interested in Manilius
should read it.
See also the English translation by Thomas Creech.
- Manilius, M. The Five Books: Containing a System of the
Ancient Astronomy and Astrology, togeather with the Philosophy
of the Stoicks, done into English verse with notes. trans.
Thomas Creech (London,1697-Reprinted Washington D.C. 1953)
This is a 17th Century translation in reprint. The translation
is workmanlike, and the notes a serious atrtempt to understand
the original. He forces Manilius too often into the strait
jacket of Ptolemaic opinions, but worth reading.
- Mead,G.R.S. Pistis Sophia; A Gnostic Miscellany (London,
John M. Watkins, 1963).
See especially pgs 1 to 33, being chapters 1 to 29. This
is a doubtful translation of a long known gnostic work.
The listed section contains much of interest from an astronomical
and astrological point of view. Some of the gnostics believed
that the unenlightened were subject to astrological influences,
and this section describes this. See especially chapter
21 (p 23-4) where all of this is particularly explicit.
The scene is similar to that in the two passages from Enoch,
see H.F.D. Sparks or James H. Charlesworth, Enoch I and
II. Many other gnostic writings have an interest as astrological
source material, this citation is only an initial step toward
a more general review.
- Nasr, Seyyed Hossein,An Introduction to Islamic Cosmological
Doctrines (Boulder, Colorado, Shambala, 1978).
This is a study of various arabic sources, from the peak
period of arabic scientific and mathamatical writing, which
explores not only the cosmological doctrines which were
held, but the philisophical and religious implications of
those doctrines. A valuable background study. Heavy focus
on Al-Biruni, and decent chapter on Astrology. Other arabic
savants discussed include, Ikhwan Al-Safa, and Ibn Sina.
- Neugebauer, O. and van Hoesen, H.B. Greek Horoscopes
(Philadelphia,1959)
This is the essential source in english of horoscopes cast
in the classical period. Neugebauer and van Hoesen demonstrate
beyond question that the vast majority of these were in
fact true attempts to display heavenly phenomena, and while
not all equally accurate, were not mere "Literary Horoscopes"
as is sometimes charged. Most of Vettius Valens actual horoscopes
are included.
- Pingree, David "Astrology" an article in Philip P. Weiner,
Dictionary of the History of Ideas (New, York, N.Y. Charles
Scribner's Sons, 1968).
This is a short (8 pgs) article which expresses the views
of D. Pingree, a distinguished historian of science, who
has specialized in editing and translating astrological
texts of great importance. His views are probably from outside
of the astrological community, but place astrological ideas
in the context of their contribution to the general history
of western intellectual development. It is as important
as Tester for understanding the contribution of the classical
world to present day astrological methods, and more important
for understanding the bridge to Arabic and Indian Astrology.
- Pingree, David The Thousands of Abu Mashar (London, The
Warburg Institute,1968).
This is not a text of the Abu Mashar work, but rather a
commentary on its sources, and dating, by a most distinguished
historian of science. In the absence of an English translation
this will have to do. The work duplicates much of the subject
matter of the Astrological History of Masha'allah, with
same characteristics of transmitting late hellenistic ideas,
pseudepigraphic habits, and romanticizing rewrites of history
to fit into vast schemes of periodization, all of which
leads to India and the Yogas and other Indian mythological
perodizations. Given the Hellenistic background, some questions
about relations to the gnostics with their Aeons and so
forth should also be raised.
- Plotinus, The Enneads trans. MacKenna, ed by Page (Oxford,England,1969).
This is an excellent, complete and elegant translation.
There is also a Loeb Classical Library version wending its
way through translation, printing, etc and last I heard
was not yet complete. I like this one though some people
criticise it as more coherent than Plotinus was, but I ignore
that. Plotinus rejected Astrology, though not completly,
as well as Gnosticism. The second Ennead contains most of
the relevant matter. Notice that the Enneads are edited
by Porphory, a student of Plotinus, and may not be presented
in the order in which they were written. Porphory's introduction
gives a probable order of composition for those who are
interested. Plotinus has the reputation of being the last
great classical philosopher, and probably deserves it.
- Proclus, Paraphrase of Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos Trans J.M.Ashmand
(Mokelumne Hills, CA, 1969).
On the one hand this is a pretty dubious enterprise, a 17th
century translation of a poorly edited greek paraphrase
of Ptolemy. However the Proclus work does constitute the
first COMMENTARY on Ptolemy's rather difficult prose, and
as such has value. This publication also contains an english
translation of the Centriloqium often attributed to Ptolemy.
It is almost certainly not by him, but was almost uninversally
regarded as his work in the late middle ages, and reniassance,
hence it had an enormus influence on the interpretation
of his other works. There is also an Aries Press reprint
of this work in hard covers, which is more valuable than
the one listed above.
- Ptolemy, Claudius (Claudius Ptolemaeus)On the Kriterion
and Hegemonikon in Huby and Neal eds, The Criterion of Truth,
(Liverpool, England,1989).
The actual text of Ptolemy's Kriterion is Chapter 11 of
the Huby and Neal book. It provides an excellent insight
into his response to the extreme scepticism of Sextus Empiricus,
and may help to tell us why he framed certain questions
in the way that he did in the Tertrabiblos. Essential to
understanding the relation of Tetrabiblos to the other elements
of the tradition (which Ptolemy may have felt were less
"defensible" against sceptical attack).
- Ptolemy, Claudius Tetrabiblos trans. F.E.Robbins (Cambridge
MA, 1964)
This is the preferred English Translation of the ancient
classic. It is the basis for any furthur work on the astrology
of the ancient world, and the most important single source
for Medieval, and Modern western astrololgy, and has had
in addition a tremendous influence on Arabic, Persian, and
Indian Astrology.
- Ptolemy, Claudius The Centriloquium SEE Proclus, Paraphrase.
Simple reference.
- Ptolemy, Claudius, The Almagest, Trans. R. Catesby Taliferro,
(Great Books, Vol 16, 1952).
This is the "other half" of Ptolemy's work on the heavens.
It deals with the mathamatics of spherical astronomy, and
the mechanics of Ptolemy's system of cycles and epicycles
by which he was able to refine and preserve (roughly) the
observed celestial positions with theoretically circular
orbits. This translation may appear in other printings.
The notes attached are far too sceptical, and reject Ptolemaic
authorship of Tetrabiblos and the Platenary Hypothesis simply
because they are astrological in nature. In fact both works
are very likely by Ptolemy, and the evidence that he was
an astrologer, at least in theory, is very strong. Much
of the evidence that exists of Ptolemy's views on subjects
like house division, and primary directions are taken from
statements found in the Almagest rather than the Tetrabiblos.
A very important source, but also a very difficult one to
understand.
- Ptolemy, Claudius, The Planetary Hypothesis SEE Goldstein,
Bernard R.
Simple reference.
- Sparks, H.F.D. edit The Apocraphal Old Testament (Oxford,
Clarendon Press, 1985).
See especially I Enoch (Ethiopic Enoch) Bk III beginning
at Chapter LXXVII, p 257: and II Enoch (Slavonic Enoch)
Chapt VI, vs 14-30 starting on pg 332.
These quotations from the Enoch literature are during an
ascent of the narrator to God, and the astronomical details
of the spheres are described as the narrator and his angelic
guide pass through. With the Enoch literature there are
editorial differences in presentation, based on the preferences
for basic texts. The oldest accurate translation is R.H.Charles,
any of several editions. See also James H Charlesworth for
another up to date contemporaray translation. These Apocalypses
whether we call them intertestamental, Apochryphal, or Pseudoepigrapha
are full of interesting material. These two are quoted simply
as a place to get started, and many others in and out of
the various canons of Scripture will have great astrological
significance. See also G.R.S.Mead, Pistis Sophia for a gnostic
development on this theme.
- Sphujidhavaja The Yavanajataka ,ed David Pingree 2 Vols,
(Cambridge, MA,Harvard University Press,1987).
The title means "The Horoscopy of the Greeks". This book
contains the text, a most excellent translation, and a superb
commentary on this seminal and transitional work of Hindu
Astrology. It demonstrates absolutly the origins of this
art in the teaching of the hellenistic astrologers of the
late classical period in the mediterranian basin. If we
take the Carmen Astrologicum of Dorotheus of Sidon as a
good example of where hellenistic astrology was at the beginning
of this cultural transmision, and perhaps Al-Biruni's Book
of Instruction as a central position on its trajectory,
the landing place has to be this work of Sphujidhavaja's.
Hence it is listed as contributing to our understanding
of arabic astrology as well as indian, simply because arabic
astrology occupies the middle of the arc of transmission.
The emblem Pingree has chosen for vol I nails down the intellectual
dependence. It is by Varahamihira, the father of Indian
Astrology, "For although the Greeks are barbarians, they
have brought this science to perfection, and so are honored
as sages; how much more honorable, then, is an astrologer
who is a Brahmana!" Brhatsamhita 2, 14
- Tester, Jim A History of Western Astrology (New York,
N.Y. Ballantine Books, 1987).
This is without a doubt the best book in its field. Its
excellencies are most apparent in developing a view of the
relationship between calendrical and agricultural concerns,
and the astrological factors stressed in the work of Claudius
Ptolemey. Together with the work of David Pingree it is
the key to an understanding of classical astrology. It seems
to be less detached from traditional astrological points
of view than Pingree, and utilizes the researches of someone
like Rupert Gleadow. It is the work of a classical scholar.
- Vermes, Geza The Dead Sea Scrolls in English 3rd Edition
(London, England, 1988).
Be sure you procure the 3rd edition, as this is new material.See
Section 42 "Horoscopes" for examples of written out readings,
without any charts or celestial positions, found in the
caves at Qumran. One of these is entitled "The Messiah",
or the birth of Noah. There may well be more interesting
materials among the scrolls found near the Dead Sea. The
whole area, like that of Gnostic and Intertestamental writings
needs a lot more work. It is mentioned here merely.
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