Kitāb al-maqāyīs كتاب المقاييس Christophorus Clavius كلاويوس الفرنجي [‎iv-v] (15/876)

Content

Holograph rough draft (مسودة, see note f. 1v) of the Arabic translation of Gnomonices libri octo (Rome: Apud F. Zanettum, 1581) by Christophorus Clavius Bambergensis (Christoph Klau of Bamberg, كلاويوس بامبرجنسيس الفرنجي, d. 1537 or 38; see f. 82r, line 16). This treatise on gnomonics, the study of sundials,was translated into Arabic by Mu‘tamad Khān (معتمد خان) Rustam Beg al-Ḥārithī al-Badakhshī ibn Qubād Beg, titled Dīyānat Khān (رستم بيك الحارثي البدخشي بن قباد بيك المخاطب بديانت خان, d. 1705), a courtier to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (reg. 1658-1707). A note by the translator's son, Mīrzā A title of honour originally applied to princes, later to military leaders, and later still to secretaries, chieftains, and other ‘gentlemen’. Muḥammad (ميرزا محمد, f. 1v), confirms the name and genealogy of the translator and the title and author of the text translated. A note offering benedictions for the beginning of Book Seven (f. 372v), partially mutilated by page trimming and perhaps not written by Mu‘tamad Khān's hand, bears the date 41 (?) Shawwāl. If this reading of the numeral is correct and is understood as the regnal year of Aurangzeb, it corresponds to 1109/April-May 1698, which may be taken as the terminus ad quem for the translation and fits well with the date of the translator's death in 1705.

The translation omits the author's preface (pp. 1-10 of the Latin text). Book 1, Proposition 8 has also been omitted from this translation, but was prepared separately by the same translator and is preserved in Add. MS 14332, ff 2v-22r.

Latin words can be seen in the margins of ff. 89v and 303r, but have been mutilated by page trimming.

A note on the flyleaf, perhaps by Richard Johnson (1753-1807), reads 'Upon Dialling. A work of Clavius in Latin translated into Arabic by Maatemed Khan who went to Portugal in the time of Aurungzebe. This is the original foul copy of the translation in the hand of the translator'.

The text is divided into eight books (مقالات) containing numerous diagrams and tables:

Book One (المقالة الأولى, ff. 2r-82r);

Boo Two (المقالة الثانية, ff. 82r-186v);

Book Three (المقالة الثالثة, ff. 187r-269v);

Book Four (المقالة الرابعة, ff. 270r-292r);

Book Five (المقالة الخامسة, ff. 292r-339v);

Book Six (المقالة السادسة, ff. 339v-372r);

Book Seven (المقالة السابعة, ff. 372v-412r);

Book Eight (المقالة الثامنة, ff. 412v-427r).

Begins (f. 2r, lines 2-4):

الشكل الأول نريد أن نرسم دستورًا لأي عرض بلد شئنا فليكن أ ب ج د دائرة نصف النهار

على مركز العالم والفصل المشترك بينه وبين الأفق خط ب د وتحسب من نقطي ب د بقدر عرض

البلد المفروض في الجهتين أ ي ح ز ويصل قطر ر ح ...

Ends (f. 427r, lines 9-15):

... فليطلبها من المصنفين الآخرين على أن نبحث فيها

وقتنا آخر كثيرًا لا سيما إذا لم يتقدم الغلط في رسم الآلة

بصورة الحلقة المور ومن أورونيوس

وفي رسم آلات أخرى وأسال

الله التوفيق للطالب الشاعي

فيه أن يفهمه بوجه

حسن.

Colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. (f. 427r, lines 16-19):

تمت المقالة الثامنة وبها تم الكتاب بعون الملك

الوهاب والحمد لله على ذلك والصلوة

على رسوله وعلى آله وأصحابه

أجمعين

Extent and format

Codex A collection of pages, usually gathered into quires, and bound between covers. ; ff. iv+427+iii

Physical characteristics

Material: Eastern laid paper

Dimensions: 260 x 170 mm leaf [220 x 115 mm written]

Foliation: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. foliation in pencil

Ruling: No ruling visible; 31 lines per page; vertical spacing 15 lines per 10 cm

Script: Nasta‘līq ; the scribe is Mu‘tamad Khān Rustam Beg al-Ḥārithī al-Badakhshī ibn Qubād Beg, titled Dīyānat Khān (معتمد خان رستم بيك الحارثي البدخشي بن قباد بيك المخاطب بديانت خان, d. 1705, holograph)

Ink: Black; diagrams after f. 342 in red

Binding: Half-leather India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. binding in blue and navy blue

Condition: Minor insect and water damage; some offsetting

Marginalia: Few, but see Scope and Content

Seals: f. 1r and back flyleaf v-v

Written in

Arabic in Arabic script

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