The Latin Translations of Astrological Works by Messahala

Author(s): Lynn Thorndike

Source: Osiris, Vol. 12 (1956), pp. 49-72
Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/301708 .
Accessed: 06/10/2013 04:29

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.

The University of Chicago Press and The History of Science Society are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize,
preserve and extend access to Osiris.

http://www.jstor.org

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 The Latin translationsof
astrologicalworks by Messahala

In i893 wrote that almost no work by

MORITZ STEINSCHNEIDER
MESSAHALA (Mdshdlldh)was preservedin the originalArabic,and
that the bibliographyof the Latin translationshad not yet been
determined by modern research, because they occurred under
differenttitles in the manuscripts,or were extractsto which new
titles were given (i).
It is the purpose of the presentpaper to distinguishbetweenthe
astrologicaltreatieseswhich are found under the name of MESSA-
HALA in the Latin manuscripts. His purelyastronomicalwritings,
of which only two seem to be extant-that on the astrolabe and
De scientia motus orbis-are better known and more readily
distinguishable. MESSAHALA died in the second decade of the
ninth centuryand is practicallythe oldest authorityin the fieldof
Arabic astrology. He was a Jew.
Of the four main departmentsor sub-divisions of astrology:
conjunctionsand revolutions,interrogations, elections,and nativi-
ties, moretreatisesare ascribed to MESSAHALA in the second part of
interrogations or questionsas to the futureor unknownput to the
astrologer. We shall thereforebegin with it.

INTERROGATIONS

there appear to be four

In the fieldof astrologicalinterrogations
differenttexts which have been attributedto MESSAHALA. These
may more readilybe distinguishedby theirincipitsthan by various
appellations and titleswhich have been given to them in different
manuscripts,such as De cogitationibus,De intentioneet cogita-

(i) Die hebraischenUebersetzungen des Mittelaltersund die Judenals Dolmetscher,

Berlin,I893, 34, 1077 pp., at pp. 599-600.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
50 LYNN THORNDIKE

tione, De intentionibussecretorum,Liber intentionum,Libellus

interpretationumde interrogationibus,De interpretatione(or,
interpretationibus)cogitationum,De inventionibus occultis, De
occultis, De receptione, De receptione planetarum, and De
secretis astronomie. Their four distinctiveincipits are:
Cum astrorumscientia difficilisfuerit...
Invenit quidam vir ex sapientibus...
Precepit Messahala ut constituas ascendens...
Scito quod aspiciens id est astrologus...
Since the text which open, Cum astrorumscientia difficilisfuerit..
appears to be a late compilation,not made by MESSAHALA himself,
but based upon treatisesby him and by DOROTHEUS and others, it
will be discussed last. The other three,which may be regarded
as by MESSAHALA, will now be consideredin the alphabeticalorder
of their incipits. In one manuscriptof the thirteenthcentury,
Latin MS I6204 of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris (2), these
threetextsimmediatelysucceed each otherin that order.

Invenitquidamvir...
Judgingfromthe manuscripts,the preferableformof title for
the treatise by MESSAHALA which opens, Invenit quidam vir ex
sapientibus..., is Liber coniunctionis et receptionis, or, Liber
receptioniset coniunctionis,or Liber receptionum,or, de recep-
tionibus, as it is cited in Speculum astronomiae,cap. 9, Liber
Messehallah qui de receptionibusinscribituret sic incipit,Invenit
quidam.
BN i62o8, late I2th-I3th century,fols. 88va-giva: rubric, In
nomine domini piisime (sic) misericordissime(sic) receptioniset
coniunctionisMessealat liber incipit. The rest of the column is
leftblank and the textopens at fol.88vb, Secretorumiudiciorum(3)
invenit quidam vir ex sapientibus librum ex libris secretorum
astrorum... At fol. giva the textbreaksoff,... cumque pervenisset
coniunctio( ?) ad Venerem ( ?) ... Fols. gIvb and g2r are blank.

(2) Henceforth the abbreviation,BN, will be used to denote Latin MSS of

that library. BM will similarlybe used for Latin MSS in the British Museum,
London.
(3) As will be seen from the MSS which follow, the two words, secretorum
iudiciorum,should go with the precedingrubricratherthan open the incipit.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 51

BM Harley I3, I3th century,fols. 22iva-23Ivb (or, 2I8-228):

rubric,In nomine domini pii et misericordisincipitliber coniunc-
tionis messahalathastrologii (sic) in interrogationibusscilicet (?)
secretorumiuditiorum;incipit,Invenit quidam vir ex sapientibus
librum ex libris secretorumastrorum...; desinit, ... eo quod mer-
curius redibatad iovem et ipse erat levior utriusque stelle ideoque
iungebatur ad hoc nutu vero dei (reading of last four words
uncertain); rubric,Finit liber astrologimessehala quod interpreta-
tur quid deus voluerit in coniunctioneet receptione.
BN I6204, I3th century, pp. 404a-422b: rubric, Messehalle
arabis liber receptionumincipit; incipit, Invenit quidam vir de
sapientibus librum ex libris secretorum astrorumde illis quos
thesaurizaverantreges...; desinit, ... Ideoque cogebatur ad hoc
nutu dei,
Madrid 10053, i3th century,fols. 77rb-84ra (as described by
MILLAS VALLICROSA, Las traduccionesorientales,1942, p. 194):
77rb, top margin,in hand of ALVAROOF TOLEDO,circa I270-I290,
In nomine Domini pii et misericordisincipitliber coniuntionisuel
receptionisMehsahalah astrologiin interrogationibus;below it in
a i6th centuryhand, Interpreteloanne Hispano; rubric, Incipit
liber Messehallah astrologi. Capitulum secretorum iudiciorum;
incipit,Inuenit quidam vir ex sapientibusliber ex librissecretarum
astrorumde illis quos tezaurizauarantreges...; desinit, ... et noli
dubitarenec dimittashoc que dico tibi et proferasaliud et invenies,
si Deus voluerit.Explicit. Despite ALVARO's havinggiven the form
of title which we have preferred,MILLAS clings to De receptione
planetarumwith STEINSCHNEIDER.
Madrid I0009, I3th century,fols. 47ra-55va (MILLAS, op. cit.,
p. I73): incipit,Inuenit quidam ex sapientibus librum ex libris
secretorumastrorumde illisquosthesauriqauerantregesexposuitque
eum et patefecit eius intentionemin omnibus quibus indigent
homines in rebus suis de interrogationibus...;desinit, ... et ipse
erat levior utrisque stellis ideoque iungebatur ad hoc nutu dei.
Explicit liber. Deo gratias. Amen. Here MILLAS gives De inter-
rogationibusor De receptioneplanetarumas the title.
Venice, St. Marks VIII, 9 (Valentinelli XI, I03), I4th century,
fols. 43r-59v; top margin fol. 43r, in a differenthand fromthe
text, Incipit liber Mesalach de receptioneinterpretatusa Iohanne
Hyspalense de arabico in Latinum; incipit,Invenit quidam vir ex

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
52 LYNN THORNDIKE

sapientibus librum ex libris secretorumastrorum...; desinit, ... et

ipse erat leviorutrisque stelis ideoque iungebaturad hoc nutu dei.
Finitus est liber Mesehallah.
BN 73i6A, I4th century,fols. 7ivb-86(?) (4) : rubric,In nomine
domininostriIhesu Christipii misericordishic est liberconiunctio-
nis et receptionis Messehalle astrologi in interrogationibus;
heading, with illuminated initial, Capitulum secretorumiudicio-
rum; incipit,Invenit quidam vir ex sapientibuslibrum...
Vatican, Palatine Latin MS I369, I5th century,fols. I2ora-
I27va: rubric, Messehalla de receptionibus;incipit,Invenit qui-
dam vir ex sapientibus librum ex libris secretorumastrorumde
illis quos thesaurisaueruntreges. Exposuit eum et patefeciteius
intentionem...;desinit,... ideoque iungebaturad hoc nutu dei etc.
Cod. S. Marco Florent. I94, Biblioteca Laurenziana, I4th cen-
tury, fols. I07v-I I4v (as described by BJORNBO in Bibliotheca
Mathematica, 3 Folge, VI (I905), 236-37): Ueberschrift,In
nomine domini peritissimi et misericordissimireceptionis et
coniunctionisliber incipit; Anfang, Capitula secretorumiudicio-
rum. Invenit quidam vir ex sapientibus librum ex libris secreto-
rum...; Schluss, ... ideoque cogebaturad hoc nutu dei. Finit liber
astrologiMesehallah qui interpretatur quem deus uolueritmagistri
uel uolerimconiunctionemac receptionem(diese Stelle unsicher!).
Explicit liber.
Despite his quoting twice the form of title which we have
preferredand his having seen four other manuscripts,including
two of those described above, BJ6RNBO gave the title as De inter-
rogationibus.
Milan, Ambros. A. I83. inf.,vellum folio, I4th century,ornate
with colors and some illuminations,fols. 56vb-64va: rubric,Incipit
liber Mesahalla de receptione et coniunctione interpretatusa

is writtenin the upperrighthand corner

(4) Messahallade interrogationibus
of the recto of each leaf from72 to 88 inclusive, as if the text extended that far,
but the followingitems would seem not to belong to it: fol. 86vb, Capitulum de
eodem (i.e. thesaurus) Omar autem Tibias Sirus (for Tiberiadis?) hoc artificium
hoc ordine instituit;fol. 87rb, Capitulum de eodem. Alchindus vero post doctissi-
mum Messealamrad hunc modum, Cum queriturinquid ...; fol. 87vb, Capitulum
de eodem. Maiores huius artis magistri dicunt posse invenire locus thesauri
absconditi quod veteres discrete obmisserunt; fol. 88ra, Capitulum de eodem.
Messehala Indorum (for Judeorum?) in iudiciorumopere solertissimusdicit posse
inveniriquid sit quod celat querens. Alkindiand Omar were laterthan Messahala.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 53

lohanne Hyspalensi ex arabico in latinum; incipit,Invenit quidam

vir ex sapientibuslibrum ex libris segretorumastrorum...;desinit,
cogebatur ad hoc nutu dei. Explicit.
In this manuscriptthe above text is immediatelyfollowed by
MESSAHALLA on the revolution of years of the world, opening,
Custodiat te deus... and by the Epistola in twelve chapters on
eclipses and conjunctions.
BN 7282, I5th century,fols. 40va-42ra: rubric,Liber coniunc-
tionis et receptionis Mesehalath; incipit, Invenit quidam vir de
sapientibus librum ex libris secretorumastrorum de illis quos
thesaurizaveruntreges in secretis suis...; desinit, ... que signis
solidis dividuntur.Explicit.

Precepit Messahala ut constituas...

For the text which opens, Precepit Messahala ut constituasas-

cendens per gradumsuum..., the formof titlefavoredby the earlier
manuscriptsis De cogitatione,or, De interpretationecogitationis.
BN i6208, late 12th-13thcentury,fols. 5Ivb-, Tractatus de
cogitationevel determinationeet referturad Messealae. Precipit
Messeallach ut constituas ascendens per gradum suum atque
minutumet xii domos certissimeet dixit quod interrogationes sint
tribus modis... At fol. 52vb, Tractatus Dorothei in occultis. Dixit
Dorotheus Cum interrogatusfueris ..., which BJ6RNBO, Bibl.
Math. I905, P. 236, note 2, regardsas opening the second part of
the text by MESSAHALA which opens, Scito quod aspiciens...
BN I6204, I3th century,pp. 422b-424a: rubric, Incipit liber
Messehalla de interpretacionecogitationis;incipit,Precipit Messe-
hallah ut constituasascendensper gradumsuum atque minutum...;
desinit, ... et iam exposui tibi superius qualiter misceas signifi-
cationes planetarum significationibussignorum; rubric, Explicit
liber Messehalla de interpretacionecogitacionis.
BM Harley I3, I3th century, fol. I74ra-vb: rubric, Incipit
Messehalath de interpretationecogitationis; opening paragraph,
Precepit Messehalach ut constituas ascendens per gradum suum
atque minutum et domos certissimeet dicit quod interrogationes
fiunt tribus modis, primo qua de causa venerit interrogatorut
scias et de quo interrogat,secundo ut scias que fuit causa eius
interrogationis, tertiout scias utrum perficiaturaut non et quem

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
54 LYNNTHORNDIKE

finem habebit; desinit, ... Et iam exposui tibi superius qualiter

misceas significationesplanetarum significationibussignorum.
Explicit liber Mess. de interpretationecogitationum.
Oxford, Bodleian Digby 5I, I3th century, fol. I33v: Tractatus
de cogitacionevel de intencioneet referturad messeallah; incipit,
Precepit Messehalla ut constituasascendens per gradum suum...;
desinit, ... qualiter misceas significacionesplanetarum significa-
cionibus signorum. The text opening, Scito quod aspiciens...
follows immediately.
Madrid I0053, I3th century, fol. 86ra-va (as described by
MILLAS,Op.cit.,p. I95): Tractatus de cogitationeuel de intentione
et referturad Messehallah. Precepit Messehallah ut constituas
ascendens per gradum suum...; desinit,... et iam exposui tibi
superiusqualitermisceassignificationes planetarumsignificationibus
signorum. It is preceded in this manuscript,but not immediately,
by the other two texts.
Cod. S. Marco Florent. I94, Bibl. Laurenziana, I4th century,
fol. I02r-v (as describedby BJORNBO, Op. Cit., p. I36): Ueber-
schrift,Tractatus de cognitioneuel intentioneet referturad Mes.;
Anfang,Precepit Mesehallah ut constituas ascendens...; Schluss,
... et iam exposui superius qualiter misceas significationesplane-
tarum significationibussignorum. It is immediatelyfollowed-in
this manuscriptby the text opening, Scito quod aspiciens..., and,
a little later, by that opening, Invenit vir quidam...
BN 7282, I5th century,fols. 39va-40va: rubric,Incipit tractatus
de cogitatione;incipit, PrecepitMesealach ut constituasascendens
(sic) per gradum suum...; desinit,... et sic de reliquis I2 signis.
This textimmediatelyprecedes that opening,Invenit quidam vir...
in this manuscript.
In cap. 9 ofSpeculum astronomiae,Precipit Messehala... is given
as the incipit of De interpretatione(interrogationein another
manuscript)cogitationisby Messahala.

Scito quod aspiciens...

In the same chapter,Scito quod aspiciens, is given as the incipit

of the book of Messahala De inventione(or, inventionibus)occul-
torum. In manuscriptsofthe work itself,however, Libellus inter-
pretationumis the preferredformof title.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATINTRANSLATIONS
BY MESSAHALA 55
BN i62o8, I2-13th century,fol. 52rb-va, rubric, liber inter-
pretationumincipit; incipit, In nomine domini... (etc. as in BN
I6209).
BN I6204, I3th century,pp. 424a-426a; rubric, Explicit liber
Messehalla de interpretacionecogitacionis. Incipit liber eiusdem
de occultis; incipit,In nomine domini. Incipit libellus interpreta-
tionum quem puto esse Messehalla. Inveni enim eum extractum
de libro suo interroga(424b) cionibus. Scito quod aspiciens id est
astrologus poteriterrare quatuor modis...; rubric, De inveniendo
significatore;p. 425a, rubric, Divisio loci in quartas; p. 425b,
rubric, Divisio ipsius quarte; desinit, ...et ubicumque fuerit
dominus hore ibi eruntres intellige.At p. 426a, rubric,Secundum
Dorotheum; incipit, Tractatus Dorothei in occultis. Dixit Doro-
theus, Cum interrogatusfueris de thesauro... At p. 427a, rubric,
Secundum Ptholomeum: incipit, Dixit Ptholomeus, Si aspexerit
significatorascendens, erit genus rei occulte de natura ascenden-
tis...; p. 428a, desinit, ... a ceteris qui in hac arte minus docti
erant;rubric,ExplicitliberMessehalla de occultis.Here the excerpts
from DOROTHEUS and PTOLEMY de occultis are combined with
MESSAHALA's Libellus interpretationum, and the title, De occultis
given to the whole, but, it would seem, erroneously.
Very similar, however, is Oxford, Bodleian, Digby I49, I3th
century pro maxima parte, fol. 20I: Liber eiusdem de ocultis,
followed by the same formula,In nomine domini incipitinterpre-
tacionum <liber> quem puto esse Messehalle, inveni enim eum
extractumde libro suo de interrogacionibus,but variant incipit,
Scito aspiciens quod astrologus poterit errare 4 modis... Then,
at fol. 202 the same tractsasscribedto DOROTHEUSand PTOLEMY,
and, ad calc., Explicit liber Messehalle de ocultis.
Oxford, Bodleian, Digby 5I, I3th century,fol. I34: Libellus
interpretationumquem puto esse Messeallah, inveni enim eum
extractum de libro suo in interrogationibus;incipit, Scito quod
aspiciens id est astrologus poteriterrareiiii modis... On fol. I35
follows Tractatus Dorothei in occultis with the same incipit as
above, but not PTOLEMEUS de occultis. The same was true of
BN i62o8, fol. 52vb.
Cod. S. Marco Florent. I94, I4th century, fols. IO2V-I05v
(as describedby BJORNBO, op. cit., p. 236): Ueberschrift, Incipit
liber interpretationumde occultis; Anfang, In nomine domini

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
56 LYNN THORNDIKE

incipit libellus interpretationumde interrogationibusquem puto

esse Mesehallah. Iuueni enim exemplarextractumde libro suo in
interrogationibus. Scito quod aspiciens id est astrologus...; desinit,
... sit luna penitus ab infortunalibera. Explicit. BJbRNBo adds
in a note: Hier fehltder zweite Teil des Buches mit dem Anfang,
Dixit Dorotheus, Cum interrogatusfueris...
BN 73I6, I4-I5th century,fol. 82v: rubric, Liber interroga-
tionum; In nomine domini incipitlibellus interpretationum quem
puto esse Mesehallah. Inveni enim eum extractumde libro suo
in interrogationibus;and usual incipit.At fol. 83r, beforethe two
aforesaidtractsof DOROTHEUS and PTOLEMY withthe usual incipits
intervenea Capitulum in occultationeanuli sive alicuius secundum
Dorochium, and a Capitulum in quadrante hoc est figuraextracta-
tionis occultorumsecundum regulashyles. Also BN i6204, P. 425.
In all the afore-listedmanuscriptsthe text opening, Scito quod
aspiciens... immediatelyfollowsthat which opens, Precepit Messa-
hala ut constituas...
This is likewisethe case in Digby I 94, I 5thcentury,a manuscript
which,like Digby I49, once belonged to T. ALLEN but differsfrom
it in not givingthe title, De occultis,but opening immediatelyat
fol. i38r with the usual formula,Libellus interpretacionumn quem
puto de Messealach etc. and the more usual wordingof the incipit,
Scito quod aspiciensid est astrologuspoteriterrarequatuor modis...
Its desinit is the same as that in BN I6204 beforethe DOROTHEUS
in occultis begins with the usual incipit, but without the tract
attributedto PTOLEMY.
In Venice, fondoantico 343 (ValentinelliXI, I02), I4th century,
fols. 148-I50, our text is neitherpreceded nor followed by others
of MESSAHALA. Accordingto the catalogue's description,it opens
with the usual formula,Libellus interpretationum etc., but is in
three parts, which suggests addition of the tracts ascribed to
DOROTHEUS and PTOLEMY, and has the variantincipit,Scito quod
caespicicans in astrologia poterit errare quatuor modis...

Cum astrorumscientia difficilis...

The treatise on interrogationswhich opens, Cum astrorum
scientia difficulisfuerit...,is in twelve chapters, and the form of
title which is favoredby the four manuscriptsof it which I have
examined is Liber de intentionibussecretorumastronomie. All

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 57

fourmanuscriptsare at the Bodleian, Oxford,two in the Ashmolean

and two in the Digbean collections,and are of the fourteenthor
fifteenthcentury: Ashmole i9i. II, fols. I45r-I5or; Ashmole 393,
fols. 54r-55v; Digby 93, fols. i86r-igir; and Digby 57, fol. I78
(192)V, which has only eight lines of the introduction,the next
leaf being anothertextin a differenthand on astrologicalmedicine.
The workis seeminglyreferredto in the condemnationof I493 by
the Faculty of Theology of Paris of certain manuscriptsin the
possession of the astrologer,SYMON DE PHARES, where the twenty-
second item of the fourthmanuscriptis characterizedthus:
Vicesimus secundus superscribitur:Incipiunt secretorumastronomiae 12 capi-
tula valde secretain hac arte quam compilavitGuydo venerabilisBonati de Bononia
super interrogationbus& judiciis. Incipit: Cum astrorumscientia difficilissit (5).
The ascriptionto GUIDO BONATTI appears to be erroneous,there
being no such textin the treatmentof interrogationsin his Decem
tractatusastronomiae,printed at Augsburg in 149I. I know of
no other manuscriptsof the twelve chaptersas a whole, but parts
of it bear a close resemblanceto other texts which we have men-
tioned. This will become the more manifestfromthe appended
edition of portions of it: the introductoryparagraph giving the
titlesof its twelvechapters,a portionof the firstchapter,and tituli,
incipits and desinitsof the other chapters. In indicatingvariant
readingsthe aforesaidfour manuscriptswill be cited by the sigla:
BLa i9i, BLa 393, BLd 57, and BLd 93.

Liber de intentionibus secretorum astronomie(6)

Cum astrorum scientia(7) difficilis (8) fuerit(9) cordetenus
inspicienti(i o), licet ex compositione(I i) veterumphilosophorum

(5) Du PLESSIS D'ARGENTR9, Collectiojudiciorumde noviserroribus, 1755,1,ii, 327a.

(6) This formof title appears, as will be seen, in the explicitsof all threecom-
plete texts, except that BLa i9i omits the last word. It is similarlyentitled at
the beginning,in a later hand, Liber de intentionesecretorum; while BLd 93
has as its title,also in a laterhand, Libellus de intentionibussecretorumastronomie.
BLd 57 has only De secretisastronomieas the title; BLa 393 adds to this, Liber
Messa halach de interpretationecogitationum,which, as we have seen, is the title
of the text opening,Precepit Messahala ut constituasascendens...
(7) BLa 393, scientiam.
(8) BLa 393, difficile;BLd 93, difficilius.
(g) BLd 93 omits.
(Io) BLa i9i, inspicientibus;BLd 57, inspiciendi; BLa 393 adds retinere.
(ii) BLa i9i omitslicetand compositione.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
58 LYNN THORNDIKE

plureslibroshabeamus, istum propter(I2) hoc (13) composui (14)

libellum in quo omnia istius(I5) scientie secreta ex doctrina(i6)
omnium(I7) philosophorum in unum brevitercollegi quem (i8)
in I2 capitula compendiosa (I9) divisi. Quorum primum docet de
significationeinterrogationisscilicet(20) de qua re interrogabit
interrogator.Secundum capitulum de causa interrogationis,id
est, unde orta (2i) est (22) interrogatio.Tertium capitulum (23)
quem finemhabebit res illa de qua facta(24) fuit(25) interrogatio,
et (26) de universali exemplo omnium iudiciorum(27). Quartum
capitulum(28) de erroreipsius astronomiscilicet qualiter et quot
modis poterit astronomus errare. Quintum capitulum(29) de
significationeintentionissecundum dicta (30) diversorumaucto-
rum. Sextum capitulum(3i) de occultatione cuiuslibet(32) rei
secundum Dorotheum. Septimum capitulum(33) de figuraextrac-
tationis rerum occultarumsecundum regulas hyles(34). Octavum
capitulum(35) de re perdita vel occulta (36) utrum inventa erit
an (37) non. Nonum capitulum(38) de scientia Dorothei (39)
(I2) BLa 393, ad; BLd 93, per.
(I3) BLa 393 adds tum.
(I 4) BLa I9I, composuit.
(I5) BLd 57, illius.
(i6) BLd 57, 93, doctrinis.
(I7) BLa I9I omits.
(i8) BLa 393 adds etiam.
(i9) BLa 383, breviter.
(2o) BLa I9I, id est.
(2I) BLa 393, oritur.
(22) BLa 393 and BLd 57 omit est.
(23) BLa 393 omits capitulum.
(24) BLd 93, fuitinterrogatiofacta.
(25) BLa 393, fuerit.
(26) BLa 393 omits the rest of the sentence.
(27) BLd 57 breaks offhere.
(28) BLa 393 omits capitulum.
(29) BLa 393 omits.
(30) BLa 393, diversos auctores.
(3i) BLa 393 omits.
(32) BLa 393, cuiusque; BLa i9i, cuiuscumque.
(33) BLa 393 and BLd 93 omit.
(34) BLa i9i, yles; BLa 393, elegii. In the textof cap. 7 BLd 93 has the correct
spelling, hyleg; BLa i9i, ylegis.
(35) BLa 393 and BLd 93 omit.
(36) BLd 93, occultata.
(37) BLa 393, vel.
(38) BLa 393 and BLd 93 omit. (39) BLa I9I, Dorathei.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 59
scilicetin quo loco fueritres occulta (40). Decimum capitulum(41)
de divisione domus in quatuor partes scilicet in (42) orientalem
occidentalem(43) meridionalem et septentrionalem.Undecimum
capitulum(44) de naturarei occulte (45) secundum Ptholomeum.
Duodecimum capitulum(46) et ultimum de inventionibusrerum
occultarum et de earum complexionibus(47) naturis coloribus
formis et (48) earum similitudinibus(49) vetustatibus(50) atque
novitatibus.
Primumcapitulum(5 i) de significationeinterrogationis, hoc est,
de qua re interrogabitinterrogator. Ad quod sciendumprecepit(52)
Messahalla (53) ut (54) constituas ascendentemper gradum suum
atque minutumet 12 (55) domos certissime.et dixit quod inter-
rogationes fiunt(56) tribus modis. Primo (57) ut scias qua (58)
de causa (59) venit interrogator quod (6o) scies (6i) per capitulum
presens.Secundo ut scias que sit causa interrogationis (6i) eius (62)
et hoc tibi demonstrabit capitulum 2m* 30 ut scias (63) utrum
perficietur(64) res illa (65) aut non, et quem finemhabebit,et (66)
hoc (67) tibi patebit in capitula 30 (68).
(40) BLd 93, occultata.
(4i) BLa 393 omits.
(42) BLa I9I omits.
(43) BLa 393, meridionalemoccidentalem.
(44) BLa 393 omits.
(45) BLd 93, occultate.
(46) BLa 393 omits.
(47) BI,a 393, questionibus. BLd 93 adds de.
(48) BLd 93 adds de.
(49) BLa 393 adds et.
(5o) BLa i9i, vestustatibus.
(si) BLa i9i and BLd 93 add est.
(52) BLa i9i and BLd 93, precipit.
(53) BLa i9i, Missahalla; BLa 393, Messahalach.
(54) BLd 93 omits.
(55) BLd 93, equa.
(56) BLd 93, fuerunt.
(57) BLa I9I adds modo.
(58) BLa 393 omits.
(59) BLa 393 adds per quam.
(6o) BLa 393, et hoc tibi demonstrabitprimum capitulum.
(6i) BLa I9I scias.
(62) BLd 93 omits eius.
(63) BLa 393 omits ut scias.
(64) BLd 93, perficiatur.
(65) BLa 393 omits res illa; BLa I9I omits illa.
(66) BLa 393 omits. (67) BLd 93, hic. (68) BLa I9I adds, si deus voluerit.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
6o LYNN THORNDIKE

Cum igiturista scire volueris,scito primo significatorem secun-

dum quod narrabo(69) tibi cuius scientia certa est ut aspicias
ascendentemet domum eius et lunam et domum eius et dominum
quoque eius et dominum hore et partem fortuneet operare per
eum qui habuerit plures auctoritateset in meliori loco fuerit...
(cap. i ends) ... Et scito quod veraciorest illa intentio(70) quam
habuerit interrogatorin corde suo per unum diem aut plus si (7I)
deus voluerit.
Secundum capitulum de causa interrogationiset unde orta est
interrogatio.Cum igitur inveneris significatorem et volueris scire
causam... (this chapteris only a few lines long).
Tertium capitulum(72) quem finem habebit res illa de qua
factafuitinterrogatioet de universalitate(73) omnium iudiciorum.
Interrogatiofacta fuit cuius ascendens fuit decimus gradus Tauri
.../... de sompno. Et iam exposui tibi superius qualiter miscebis
significationesplanetarum cum significationibussignorum.
Quartum (74) capitulum de errore ipsius (75) astronomi scili-
cet (76) qualiter (77) et quot modis poterit astronomus errare.
Scito igiturquod error(78) ipsius astronomipoteritquatuor modis
contingere...(79) (This chapteris also only a few lines long)
Quintum (8o) capitulum in scientia significationiset intentionis
secundum dicta diversorumauctorum.Scito quod patebit intentio
.../... de filioinfirmoet sic de reliquis I2 domibus, si deus voluerit.
Sextum capitulum de occultationecuiuscumque (8i) rei secun-
dum Dorotheum. Dixit itaque Dorotheus, Cum aliquis (82) occul-
taverit tibi anulum vel aliquid (83) aliud .../... donec venias ad
locum occultationis(84).
(69) BLa i9i, narrabitur;BLa 393, tibi narrabo.
(70) BLa 393 omits.
(7I) BLa i9 i omits si deus voluerit.
(72) BLa 393 adds docet.
(73) BLa 393, universis; BLa i9i, universali.
(74) BLa i9i, Capitulum quartum.
(75) BLd 93 omits.
(76) BLa 393 omits.
(77) BLd 93, qualiter poteritet quot modis.
(78) BLd 93 omits.
(79) Instead of this incipit, BLa 393 has, Et hoc potest 4 modis contingere...
(8o) BLa i9i, Capitulum 5m.
(8i) BLd 93, cuiuslibet.
(82) BLa 393 omits.
(83) BLd 93, quodlibet. (84) BLa 393 adds, si deus voluerit.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 6i

Septimum capitulum de quadrante hoc est de figuraextractionis

occultarumsecundum regulam(85) hyleg(86) inveniunturqueper
eam .../... res illa non fuerat furata nec (87) abscondita sed casu
cecidit.
Octavum capitulumest (88) de re perditavel occulta (89) utrum
inventaerit... (This chapteris also only a few lines long).
Nonum capitulum secundum Dorotheum. Si interrogatusfueris
in quo loco sit (go) aliquid occultumr.../...indicabit que (9i) sit
illa res, si deus voluerit.
Decimum capitulum de quadrupla (92) domus divisione. Post
predicta namque domum divide.../... aliquid sepultum(93) in
loco (94) si deus voluerit qui est fundamentumtotius astro-
logie (95).
Undecim capitulum est (96) de nature(97) rei oculte secundum
Ptholomeum dicentem,Si aspexerit significatorascendentem,erit
genus rei occulte ex natura ascendentis...1... qui in hac arte minus
experti(98) erant.
Duodecimum capitulum et (99) ultimum est (ioo) de regulisad
inveniendumres occultas (ioi) et earum complexiones.../...res illa
erit(I 02). Perfectusest modo (103) iste liber de (0I4) intentionibus
secretorumastronomie quem veterum philosophorum quamplu-

(85)BLa 393, regulas.

(86)BLa i9i, elegis; BLa 393, elegii.
(87)BLd 93, sed aliquo casu ceciditneque est res illa absconsa etc.; BLa i9i, sed
aliquo scecidit nec est absconsa.
(88) BLa 393 omits.
(89) BLd 93, occultata.
(go) BLd 93, aliquid fueritoccultum.
(9i) BLa 393, quid sit, and omits the rest.
(92) BLa 393, quadruplo.
(93) BLa 393 omits.
(94) BLa 393 adds forti.
(95) In BLa I9I the chapterended several lines earlierwith the words, ...cubiti
in longitudinesua vel latitudine[m]et invenies, si deus voluerit.
(96) BLa I9I and BLd 93 omit.
(97) BLd 93, nota.
(98) BLa 393, docti.
(99) BLd 93 omits; BLa I9I, et ultimum capitulum.
(Ioo) BLd 93 and BLa I9I omit.
(ioi) BLd 93 adds et furtivas.
(I02) BLd 93, erit res illa; BLa I9I, erit ista res.
(103) BLa 393, igiturand omits iste; BLa I9I, modo iste liber est.
(Io4) BLd 93 adds omnibus.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
62 LYNN THORNDIKE

rimi(IOS) volebant suis caris consortibus demonstrare.Presens

igitur opus (io6) finemsuum sibi (107) assumit, si deus voluerit
qui est principium et origo totius scientie,qui sit benedictus in
secula Amen. Explicit liber de intentionibussecretorum astro-
nomie (I09).
In the foregoingtext the incipit,Precepit Messahalla ut consti-
tuas,,, occurs soon afterthe opening words of the firstchapter,
and the desinitwhich went with it in the manuscriptslisted above,
is practicallyduplicatedat the close ofthe thirdchapter,... miscebis
(instead of misceas) significationesplanetarumcum significationi-
bus signorum. Similarly the incipit, Scito quod aspiciens id est
astrologuspoteriterrarequatuor modis...,is roughlyequivalent to,
Scito igitur quod error ipsius astronomi poterit quatuor modis
contingere...at the beginningof the fourthchapter,which, how-
ever, is much shorterthan the separate text, nor at the close of
the followingfifthchapter do we find a desinit correspondingto
that of the separate text. The sixth chapterparallels the Capitu-
lum in occultatione anuli sive alicuius secundum Dorochium,
which we noted above in BN 73 I6 at fol. 83r. (i io) and the seventh
chapter is on the same subject as its Capitulum in quadrante hoc
est figura extractionisoccultorum secundum regulas hyles(iii).
The eighth,ninth and tenth chapters do not find corresponding
texts in other manuscriptsknown to me. But the eleventh cites
the incipit,Si aspexeritsignificatorascendentem(instead of ascen-
dens, as before) of the tract attributedto PTOLEMY.

EPISTOLA

Quite differentfrom this compilation is the genuine work of

MESSAHALA in twelvechapterswhich is commonlybrieflydesignat-
ed as his Epistola and is concerned not with astrologicalinterro-
(105) BLa 393, quamplures.
(io6) BLa 393, liber.
(I07) BLd 93, ibi.
(i o8) BLa 393 adds astronomie.
( I9) BLa I9I omits.
(i io) See also at Cambridge, Emmanuel College MS 70, fol. 65r: De occulta-
tione anuli vel alteriusrei secundum Dorotheum.
(iii) Both Capitulums also occur in BN 7282, but that De quadrante comes
firstat fol. 42ra, that concerningthe hidden ring,at fol. 42rb, but both followed
at 42va and vb by the other tracts attributedto DOROTHEUS and PTOLEMY.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS
BY MESSAHALA 63

gations but with eclipses, conjunctions and revolutions of the

planets. In its seventh chapter the Speculum astronomiae says
that the subject of astrological revolutionsis divided into three
parts, of which the firstdeals with I20 conjunctionsof the planets
and theireclipses and which is treated
apud Messehalla in quodam libello qui 12 capitula continet vocaturque
Epistola Messehalla et sic incipit,Quia dominus altissimus.

The form, Dixit Messahala quia dominus altissimus..., is also

found; sometimes quia is omitted or quod substituted for it.
The workwas printedseveral times and BJORNBOknew of 25 ma-
nuscriptsof it but did not list them. In addition to those men-
tioned under the various formsof the incipit in A Catalogue of
Incipits (II2), the followingmay be noted:
BN I6208, I2-I3th century,fols. 49va-5ova, Incipit epistola
Messehallach in rebus eeclipsislune, whereits presenceis unnoticed
eitherin the fly-leaftable of contentsor in DELISLE'S catalogue.
BN I6204, I3th century,pp. 387b-39Ib: rubric, Liber Messe-
halla in radicibus revolutionum.Primum capitulum est de ratione
circuli et stellarumet qualiter operanturin hoc seculo (and so on
for the other chapters); cap. i incipit, Dixit Messehala Quia
dominus altissimus fecit terram...; desinit, .. Intellige hoc etiam
est ultimum eorum que protulimusin hoc libro et est ex secretis
scientie astrorum.Et perfectusest MIessehallatranslatusa lohanne
Hispalensi in lunia ex arabico in latinum. It is immediately
followed by MESSAHALA,De revolutionibusannorum mundi, and
then by the three tracts opening, Invenit quidam vir..., Precepit
Messahala ut constituas..., and Scito quod aspiciens..., of which
we have alreadytreated.
Madrid IOOI2, I3th century, fols. ir-2v (as described by
MILLAS VALLICROSA,op. cit., p. 226): Messehalla. In rebus eclipsis
lune et in coniunctionibusplanetarumet de revolutioneannorum.
De rationeceli et stcllarumet eorum que operantur.Dixit Messe-
halla. Dominus altissimusfecitterramad similitudinemspere.../...
in coniunctione prefueritsit fortuna. Intellige hoc ad ultimum
eorum que protulimus in hoc libro. Translatus est a Iohanne
Ispalensi.

(i i2) LYNN THORNDIKE and PEARL KIBRE, A Catalogue of Incipitsof Medieval

ScientificWritingsin Latin, Cambridge, Mass., I937.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
64 LYNN THORNDIKE

Basel F. IV. i8, I4th century,fols. SSra-S7va: Incipit epistola

Messahallach in rebus eclipsis lune et in coniunctionibusplane-
tarum ac revolutione annorum breviter elucidata et sunt in ea
XII capitula; contents and incipit as usual; desinit, "... et ex
secretisscientieastrorum.Perfectusest liber Messehalla translatus
a JohanneHispalensi ex harabico in latinum sub laude dei et eius
auxilio. Explicit.
Cod. S. Marco Florent. I94, I4th century,fols. ioir-1o2r (as
described by BJ6RNBO,Bibl. Math. (1905), 235-36): Ueberschrift,
Epistola Messehallah; Vorwort and Schluss, as in Basel F.IV.i8.
Florence, Bibl. Nazionale Centrale,convent.soppr. J.III.28, late
14th century,fols. 73r-74r,is described by BJORNBO, Bibl. Math.
(I 9 I 2), Iog, very similarly.
BN 7307, I3-I4th century,fols.33(bis) v-3sv, is also similar in
its opening and closing.
BN 73I6, I4-Isth century,fol. i8ir, has almost the same fore-
word, Incipit astronomia Moyssaalha in rebus eclipsis lune et
solis et omnibus (sic) planetarum ac revolutionibus annorum
breviterelucidata et sunt in I2 capitula, but a differentlyworded
incipit, Dixit Moyssalha Creator creavit terram ad modum rote...
This suggests another translationthan that by JOHN OF SEVILLE
which occurred in all the manuscriptspreviouslylisted.
BN 7443, I sth century,fols. I 30r-I 32V: no titulus,but the
usual table of the twelve chapters and incipit, Dixit Messehallah
quod dominus altissimus fecit terrain ad similitudinemspere...;
desinit, Perfectus est liber Messehallah translatus a Iohanne
Ypallensi. Explicit.
The Epistola appears to be referredto as the twenty-seventh
item in the fourthmanuscriptof SYMON DE PHARES described in
their condemnationby the facultyof theology at Paris, but the
wordingof the incipitis unusual:
Vicesimus septimus superscribitur:Incipit liber Messahali de
rebus et eclipsibus lunae et solis et coniunctionibusplanetarum
et revolutionibus annorum. Incipit: Quia prima causa fecit
terrainperpetuam(I 13).

(I 13) Du PLESSIS D'ARGENTRt, Collectio judiciorum de novis erroribus,1755,

I, ii, 327a.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 65
Oxford, Bodleian, Canon. Misc. 396, end of i4th century,
fols. 88-(93 ?). As COXE'S catalogue is rare (Columbia University
has only a microfilmmade frommy personal copy), I repeat his
description: titulus,Incipit epistola Messehallah in rebus eclipsis
lune et in conjunctionibusplanetarum ac revolutionibusannorum
breviterelucidata, et sunt in ea xii capitula; incipit,Primumcapi-
tulum capitulum de rationecirculi stellarumet qualiter operantur
in hoc mundo. Dixit Messehallah, Quia dominus altissimusfecit...;
desinit, ... que protulimusin hoc libro, et est ex secretisscientie
astrorum.
In the same manuscript the treatise by MESSAHALA opening,
Invenit quidam vir... begins at fol. 93, and his tract on how to
growrich,at fol. IIOV.
BN 7282, I5th century,fols. 33va-34va: is called Messahallach
praecepta ad astrologiam judicialem spectantia in the printed
catalogue of 1744, but turns out to be the last eleven chaptersof
the Epistola: rubric, Tractatus Mesehallach; incipit, Dixit
Messahallah Scito quod sit planetisopus secundum diversitatem...;
but the usual desinit, ... Hoc est ultimum eorum que protulimus
in hoc libro et est ex secretis scientie astrorum. Perfectus est
liber Mesehalle translatusa lohanne Yspalensi in Lunia ex arabico
in latinum sub laude dei et eius auxilio.
BN 73i6A, I4th century,fols. 5Ira-52vb: what at firstglance
seems to be an unfamiliar translation into Latin by JOHN OF
SEVILLE of a tracton weatherpredictionby MESSAHALA, opens, Si
vis scire quid accidat mundo de ventis et pluviis et cetera. Dixit
Messehalla Constitue ascendens hora introitus solis in ipsum
initiumArietis... However, the chapter headings which follow at
fols. 5Irb. va. vb, s2ra, rb and va are identical with those of the
sixth, seventh, eighth,ninth, tenth, eleventh,and twelfthof the
Epistola, and the work has a similar ending. In the top margin
of fol. 5Irb was written,Messahalla de imbribus,but in that of
s2rb, Messahall' de coniunctionibus.
The headings of these twelve chapters of the Epistola as found
in BN I6208, 7307, 7443 and Basel F.IV.I8, are:
x De ratione circuli(I 14) et stellarumet qualiter operanturin
hoc seculo

(I"4) Celi in Basel F. IV. i8.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
66 LYNN THORNDIKE

2 De diversitatevestigii id est (II5) operis stellarum in pla-

gis ( i i6) terre
3 In signis et naturis eorum calidis scilicet(I i7) et frigidiset
que sint (ii8) ex eis fixa vel (iI9) mobilia, diurna sive (I20)
nocturna
4 In (I2I) revolutioneanni (I22)
5 In (123) eclipsi lune et eius significatione
6 In (124) mutatione temporum per (125) mutationes plane-
tarum in signis planetarumponderosorum
7 In eclipsi solis et eius significatione
8 In (I26) coniunctioneplanetarumet eius(127) opere (I28)
9 In coniunctioneplanetarum(1 29) altiorum(I 30)
I0 In coniunctionemaiori(I 31)
ii In coniunctione
(I 32) media
12 In coniunctione
(I33) minori (I 34)

Custodiatte deus...

The second part of astrological revolutions,according to the

Speculum astronomiae,is concernedwithrevolutionsof the world,

(II5) Et forid est in BN 7443.

(ii6) Placis in BN 7307.
(I 17) BN 7443 and i62o8 omit scilicet.
(ii8) Sunt in BN 7443 and Basel F. IV. i8.
(II9) Et in BN 7443 and i62o8.
(I20) Vel in BN 7443.
(I2i) De in BN i62o8.
(i22) Annorum in BN 7443.
(123) De in BN 7443.
(124) De in BN 7443.
(125) In BN 73i6A the restof the chapterheading reads, per planetarummuta-
tionem scilicet ponderosorum; in BN 7443, et permutationeplanetarum ponde-
rosorum; in BN 7443, et permutationeplanetarum ponderosorum; in BN 7307,
et in permutatione planetarum in signis planetarum scilicet ponderosorum; in
Basel F. IV. i8, et permutationurnplanetarumponderosorum.
(I26) De in BN 7443.
(127) Eorum in BN i62o8, and 73i6A.
in BN 73I6A.
(I28) Affectu
(129) BN 7307 omits planetarum.
(130) Maiorum in BN 7443.
(i3i) Maiorum in BN 7443 and Basel F. IV. i8; minorum in BN 7307.
(132) BN 7443 omits coniunctione.
(I33) BN 7443 omits coniunctione.
(i34) Minorum in Basel F. IV. i8.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONSBY MESSAHALA 67

and one of the books on it is by MESSAHALAand opens, Custodiat

te deus... It was printedin 1493, and is foundin manymanuscripts
of which the followingmay be added to those given in A Cata-
logue of Incipits, col. i68.
Madrid 10053, i3th century,fols. 132r-136ra(as described by
MILLAS VALLICROSA,op. cit., p. 200): incipit, Custodiat te deus
et augeat tibi vitam.Patefaciamtibi,sublimette deus, reuolutionem
annorumcuius sciencia et dispositioest...; desinit,... et si iunctus
fuerit planeta, fortuna minuet ex gravitate eius. ALVARO OF
OVIEDO towards the close of the i3th century added: Explicit
cum auxilio dei. Puto tamen quod plus feceritM quamquam plus
inuentumnon fueritin exemplari arabico.
BN I6204 (once Sorbonne 979), i3th century,pp. 39ib-404a.
BN 73i6, i4-i5th century,fols. 76v-80v: Messehallah in revo-
lutione annorum mundi; incipit, Custodiat te deus et augeat.
Vienna 3124, I5th century,fols. I4or-145v: Incipit tractatusde
revolutione anni mundi ad iudicandum secundum Messahalach
Indum (ludeum?); incipit,Custodiat te deus et augeat tibi vitam.
Patefaciamtibi revolutionemannorum...; desinit,... fortunaminuet
eius gravitatem.Explicit liber Messahala de revolutionibusanno-
rum mundi. Deo gratias.
In BN 7324, for which A Catalogue of Incipits gives only the
opening page, fol. s2r, the treatiseextends to fol. s8v.

WEATHERPREDICTION

Under the third part of astrologicalrevolutions,which is con-

cerned with weather prediction,the Speculumnastronomiae does
not cite a treatise by MESSAHALA. We saw above that what
seemed at firstglance to be a translationof a tract on weather
prediction by MESSAHALAby JOHN OF SEVILLE was really the last
half of the Epistola. In the same manuscript, however, we
presentlyencounterthe followingtext:
BN 73i6A, I4th century,fols. 69va-7Ivb: In nomine pii et
misericordisdei Epistola Messehalle in pluviis et ventisa magistro
Drogone translatade arabico in latinum; incipit,Dixit Messehalla,
Inspice planetas inferioreset partes suorum celorum...; running
head in top margin of fol. 7orb, Mexahalla de imbribus; desinit,
... Et quando recesseritluna in fundamentoquestionis a planeta

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
68 LYNN THORNDIKE

superioriet applicueritplanete inferiorivel econverso,significabit

pluvias etc. (I35).
Berne 483, the date i4th centuryin HAGEN'S catalogue has been
corrected to I5th century,fols. 69r-70v: In nomine dei pii et
misericordisincipit epistola Messehalahu in pluviis et ventis a
magistroDrogone translata de arabico in latinum; incipit, Dixit
Messehal' inspiceplanetas inferioreset partes...
Despite the common title, Epistola, this treatise appears to be
a differenttextfromthe Epistola in twelvechapters,and not merely
a differenttranslationby DROGO(136).

DE MERCIBUS, ETC.

very briefly grouped together from several

STEINSCHNEIDER
manuscriptsa text or texts by, or fragmentsfrom MESSAHALA, on
marketprices, found with varyingtitles and incipits,which may
be set forthhere somewhat more fully.
Erfurt,Amplon. Q.372, late I4th century,fols. 56-60: Ueber-
schr. Messehallach in scientia que res quolibet temporeeruntcare
et que viles; Anf. Attende ad ea que dicam...; Ende, ... erit hoc
utile venditori.Expl. At fols. I27v-I34v: Uebersch. De testimoniis
lune et orientis domini de recepcione similiterpro negociorum
effectudiscernendo Messehallae (et Albenahait); Anf. Luna quia
columpna stellarum...; Ende, ... loco ad quemlibet. This latter
item was not noted by STEINSCHNEIDER, who later under the title,
De testimoniislunae, and incipit, Luna quia columpna..., men-
tioned only DIGBY 149, item 31, which, however, does not have
that incipit but opens, at fols. 205-2I6, Celestis circuli formaspe-
rica..., and is an extractfromDe novem iudicibus, of whom nine
judges MESSAHALA is one.
Oxford, Bodleian, Canon. Misc. 396, end of i4th century,
fols. IIOV-I12: Messehalae liber de ratione ditescendi (manu

(I35) At fol. 68ra, Modus alius Mesehalla de aeribus, Inspice in revolutione

anni... appears to be part of the treatiseof Alkindi on weather predictionand is
found in it in the edition of I507 by PETRUS LIECHTENSTEIN.
(x36) HASKINS, Studies in Medieval Science, I924, p. 77, says that " Drogo or
Azogo ... has been conjecturedto be Hugo " (of Santalla). But it seems unlikely
that two such common names as Hugo and Drogo (i9 bearers of which are listed
by Chevalier) would be confused.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 69

recentiori);titulus,Hunc librumscripsitMesala propterunum ex

amicis suis qui mercatorerat fecerantqueambo societatemin lucro
et lucratisunt in parvo temporemagnam pecuniam; incipit(given
by COXE as part of the titulus),Intende ergo ad hoc quod dicam
et secundum hoc operare in quacunque villa fueris...; incipit
(according to COXE) Constitue igiturbene Alchahale...
Canon. Misc. 5I7, I5th century,fols. I7v-(20?): Liber Messa-
hallah de abundantia et charistia.
Oxford, HertfordCollege 4 (formerlyAula B. Mariae Magda-
lenae 2), 15th century,fols. 96-(IOO ?)-the leaves have been re-
numbered and I thinkthat our text is found somewherebetween
fol. IOI and I IO: Messahalae libellus de mercibus; incipit,Intende
ergo ad ea...
The followingmanuscriptswere not noted by STEINSCHNEIDER.
Cambridge, Emmanuel College 70, 15th century,fols. 147v-
I49r: Messehalla de mercibus; incipit, Attende ergo ad ea que
dicam...; colophon, Explicit liber Messehalle completus.
Dijon 1045(1i6), I5th century, fols. I9I-(i95 ?): Messehala,
Liber de annona; incipit,Actende ergo ad ea que dicam...
Wolfenbiittel284I, anno 1432, fols. 378-380vb: Liber Massea-
lach de gravitateet levitateannone; incipit, Hunc librum scripsit
Messealach propterunum ex amicis suis qui mercatorerit (erat ?)...
Paris, BN nouv. acq. 398, anno I473, fols. 36v-38v.
In Munich, Latin MS IIO67, double columns on paper, I5th
century,writtenall in one hand, (contents listed by MAXIMILIAN
CURTZE, Petri Philomeni de Dacia in AlgorismumCommentarium,
Copenhagen, I897, PP. vi-ix), at fols. ii8-iIgr, ascribed not to
MESSAHALA but DOROTHEUS, De gravitateet levitatepretiivenalium
per singulos menses.

NATIVITIES

No work on eitherastrologicalelections or nativitiesby MESSA-

HALA is cited in Speculum astronomiae,and no work on elections
by him appears in the Latin manuscripts,although the work by
ZAEL (Sahl b. Bischr) which opens, Omnes concordati sunt...,
has sometimes been erroneouslyattributedto MESSAHALA. On
nativities,however, at least three treatises exist in Latin manu-
scripts under his name. Super significationesplanetarumin nati-

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
70 LYNN THORNDIKE

vitatibus, in 26 chapters, opening, Cum Saturnus fuerit..., was

noted by STEINSCHNEIDER and is to be found in Vienna 3I 24,
I5th century,fols. 59r-67v. HASKINS called attentionto a trans-
lation by HUGH OF SANTALLAof a workby MESSAHALAin 14 chapters
on nativitiesin manuscriptSavile I5, fol. I77V-, at the Bodleian,
Oxford, hitherto"unknown to the bibliographers,"and printed
HUGH's prologue: incipit, Libellum hunc Messehale de nativita-
tibus ... (I37) and the opening words of the text, Quamvis librum
istum ex ordine a libro secretorumassumpto...
Yet a third text is found at Paris in BN 7324, I5th century,at
fols. 73r-76r: heading in top marginof fol. 73r, De Iz domibus;
titulus, Incipit liber Mesellae de nativitatibus. Et primo an sit
puer ablatus aut non; incipit,Dixit Messeallah quod interomnes
libros astronomie non inveniturutilior libro nativitatumneque
tam bonus in iudiciis...; fol.73v, rubric,Quando fuerityles in nati-
vitate vel non, Capitulum de yle in scientiavite; rubric,De notitia
temporis ex alcoden, Capitulum ex alcoden per quod scitur com-
putatio vite; fol. 74r, Capitulum ad sciendum quid addunt planete
vel minuunt; Capitulum ad sciendum voluntatemnati; fol. 74v,
Capitulum ad sciendum fortuniumet infortuniumnati; fol. 75r,
Exemplum Messeallah, followedby threefiguresof horoscopes,by
six more on fol. 75v, and three more in col. a of fol. 76r. At fol.
76rb anothertext begins.
The same manuscript,BN 7324, opens at fols. Ira-24va with
a work on the revolutionsof nativitieswhich it ascribes to MESSA-
HALA: ira, top margin in small letters,De nativitatibusMesalle
incipit liber; then in large letters across the page above both
columns, Hic incipitliber Mesahale (de nativitatibusseu has been
crossed out) de revolutionibusnativitatum. But the incipitof the
followingtext,Sole nativitatistempore in loco aliquo..., is that of
the work usually assigned to ALBUMASAR.

PROPERTIES OF THE STARS

At the Bodleian, Oxford,in Digby 47, i4th century,a treatise

on fourteenpropertiesof the stars is ascribed to MESSAHALAat
fols. 84r-99v: rubric,Incipit liber Messahala de I4 proprietatibus

(I37) Studiesin MedievalScience,1924, p. 76.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
 LATIN TRANSLATIONS BY MESSAHALA 71

stellarumque videlicetgenerationi et corruptioni

omniumrerum
deserviunt;incipit,Primoigituranteceteraomniahocattendendum
extimo...;desinit,... cum fortunatis
bonumcumpericulosisecon-
trariopromittit.Explicit liber quem Messahala compilavitde
I4 proprietatibusstellarumque videlicet rerum omnium genera-
tioni et corruptionideserviunt. But in the text ALBUMASAR, who
was later than MESSAHALA, is cited togetherwith him. Opinions
of ALKINDI and ZAEL are also given, so that the work seems a late
compilation. The followingis a list of its rubrics:
Hec nomina stellarumhabitudinis
De accessu et recessu et applicatione
Sententia Messahale (margin)
Sententia Alkindi (margin)
De separationestelle
De translationeluminis
De collectioneluminis quomodo fortunaturet corrumpitur
De speciebus prohibitionis
De modis receptionumstellarum
De renuntionesive frustratione(margin,Sententia Zaelis)
De reditioneet speciebus eius (margin,Sententia Zaelis)
De dono potentieet virtutis(margin,SententiaAlbumasar)
De dono consilii et dono nature
De fortitudinestellarumet eius speciali divisione
De debilitatestellarum
De hiis que supradictisadduntur secundum Messahala
De aliis quinque que adduntursupradictissecundum sententiam
Albumasar
De impedimentislune secundum Albumasar
De proprietateSaturni secundum Albumasar
De proprietateMartis ex aspectu aliorum
De significatisplanetarumex aspectibus et coniunctione
Claves que per singulasdomos singulapanduntiudicia et primum
de solis et lune proprietatibussecundum Messahala
De proprietatibussolis ex sententiaMessahala
De proprietatibuslune secundum Messahala
De testimoniislune pro negotiorumeffectusecundum Messa-
hala (138)
(138) We have noted a separate text De testimoniislune in Erfurt,
Amplon.
Q, 372.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
72 LYNN THORNDIKE

Que sunt testimoniaquestionis et etiam benivolarumsecundum

Alb'naar
De lunari effectuatque potentia secundum iusta naturalem
signorumordinem ex dictis Aristotilis
De signis lune secundum tropica et bicorporea signa sententia
Alkindi
Recipe de potentia lune et planetarumconiunctorumcum ipsa
luna ut signi respectus (sic) et configuratiolune ad singulos
per ordinemtam questionibus electionibusevidenterapparet.

(Columbia University). LYNN THORNDIKE.

This content downloaded from 129.93.16.3 on Sun, 6 Oct 2013 04:29:13 AM

All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions