Thirty-seven tables, diagrams and short texts related to astrology, divination and astral magic

Content

Thirty-seven tables, diagrams and short texts related to astrology, divination and astral magic. Most of these are extracted from unknown sources, although the items on ff. 187v-188r and ff. 202v-203r mention Hermes (هرمس) and Dorotheus of Sidon (Δωρόθεος Σιδώνιος, ذوروثيوس, fl. AD 50-100) and the item on f. 211v is attributed to Abū Maʻshar al-Balkhī (أبو معشر البلخي, d. 886).

Rather than having been copied from single earlier source, the material collected in these folios was likely selected for inclusion by the copiest of the manuscript. The few dates appearing in the material collected in these folios (Friday 15 Rabīʻ I 866/18 Kānūn I 1773 Yūnānīyah/18 December 1461 on f. 187r, lines 4-5; Jumādá II 865-Jumādá I 866/March 1461-February 1462 on f. 188v; and Saturday 8 Tammūz 1769 Yūnānīyah = Shaʻbān 862/June 1458 on f. 189r; ) are contemporary with 867/1462-3, the transciption date found in the colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. on f. 19r. Futhermore, a note at the foot of a table of the stations of the moon (منازل القمر) states that 'the indications of these stations are at the beginning of the book' (ودلائل هذه المنازل هو [!] في أول الكتاب, f. 196r), a likely reference to the first text in the present volume, the Book Containing the Stations of the Moon and the Elections and Actions [to be Undertaken] in them, and This is from the Discourse of the Sage Hermes and Others (الكتاب فيه منازل القمر وما فيها من الاختيارات والأعمال وذلك من قول هرمس الحكيم وغيره, ff. 3r-18r). Many of the tables contained in the present manuscript can also be found in a similar collection of tables in the earlier　Kitāb al-bulhān (Oxford, Bodleian Library MS. Bodl. Or. 133, ff. 50v-74r https://digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/5c9da286-6a02-406c-b990-0896b8ddbbb0/surfaces/1148ffc8-d7d7-4f6a-89e8-dbe1dc442636/)

Folios appear to be missing between ff. 186 and 187 and ff. 196 and 197 and perhaps after 210v.

Contents:

• (1) Table of the victor and the vanquished (جدول الغالب والمغلوب, f. 185r);
• (2) Applications of the Moon to the superior planets (اتصالات القمر بالكواكب العلوية, f. 185v);
• (3) Applications of the Moon to the inferior planets (اتصالات القمر بالكواكب السفلية, f. 186r);
• (4) Elections based on the six conditions of the Moon (الاختيارات على أحوال القمر الستة, f. 186v);
• (5) Judgment based on eclispes of the Moon in Rabīʻ I (الحكم على خسوف القمر في ربيع الأول, 187r);
• (6) Elections for having wishes granted and unviersal actions according to the two sages Hermes and [...] upon them (اختيارات الحوائج والأعمال الكلية على رأي الحكيمين هرمس و [...] عليهما, ff. 187v-188r);
• (7) Table of astronomical parameters for Jumādá II 865-Jumādá I 866/March 1461-February 1462 (title of table is mutilated and illegible, f. 188v);
• (8) Judgment based on the shifting of Jupiter into Virgo (الحكم على انتقال المشتري للسنبلة, f. 189r, title mutilated and semi-legible);
• (9) Diagram of the arrangement of the eclipse of the Moon in its sphere (صورة هيئة خسوف القمر في فلكه, f. 189r);
• (10) Elections for actions based on the lords of the day and night hours (اختيارات الأعمال على أرباب الساعات النهارية والليلية, f. 189v);
• (11) Table of indications of weather phenomena with the Moon being in the [various] signs (جدول دلائل الحوادث في الجو كون القمر بالبروج, f. 190r);
• (12) Diagram of a rainbow and judgment based on it in the east (صورة قوس قزح والحكم عليها [!] شرقًا, f. 190v);
• (13) Explanation of the interpretation of dreams based on the days of the lunar month, day after day (شرح تفسير الرويا على أيام شهر الهلال يوم بعد يوم, f. 191r);
• (14) Explanation of the qualities, forms and days [attributed] to the planets (شرح ما للكواكب من الكيفـ[ـيـ]ـات والأشكال والأيام, f. 191v);
• (15) Explanation of the natures and colours [attributed] to the planets (شرح ما للكواكب من الطبائع والألوان, f. 192r);
• (16) Elections by the lords of the day and night hours (الاختيارات لأرباب الساعات النهارية وليلية, f. 192v-195v);
• (17) Explanation of knowing the twenty-eight stations of the Moon and their asterisms (شرح معرفة منازل القمر الثمانية وعشرين وصورها, f. 196r);
• (18) Discourse on the stations of the Moon and the number of their stars (الكلام في منازل القمر وعدد كواكبها, incomplete, catchword does not match beginning of following folio, f. 196v);
• (19) List of the stations of the Moon and their 'watchers' (رقباء, sing. رقيب), i.e., stations of the Moon that are setting at dawn as their corresponding stations of the Moon are rising (this may be part of the previous text, f. 197r);
• (20) Table of lots (ff. 197v-198v);
• (21) On knowing the lots (في معرفة السهام, f. 198v);
• (22) Chapter on derivation and judgments of the lots (باب في استخراج السهام وأحكامها, ff. 199r-201r);
• (23) Mutilated text on astrological judgements (ff. 201v-202r);
• (24) Table of having wishes granted and universal actions according to Hermes and Dorotheus - God's mercy upon them. Amen (جدول الحوائج والأعمال الكلية على رأي هرمس وذوروثيوس رحمة الله عليهم آمين, ff. 202v-203r);
• (25) Table of omens augury and bodily phenomena according to the Greek sages - God's mercy upon them all (جدول الزجر والفال والحوادث البدنية على رأي الحكماء الينانيين رحمة الله عليهم أجمعين, ff. 203v-204r);
• (26) Table of the elemental natures of the signs of the zodiac below which is a list of the houses of the seven planets (f. 204v);
• (27) Poetry by some of the litterateurs (شعر لبعض الأدباء, f. 205r);
• (28) Table from which is ascertained the ascendant of the year of the world, year after year (جدول يعرف منه طالع سنة العالم سنة بعد سنة, ff. 205v-206r);
• (29) Description of knowing the position of the wandering stars and their placement in the sphere (صفة معرفة تقويم الكواكب السيارة وموضتها في الفلك, ff. 206v-207r);
• (30) Names of the helpers with the seven temporal (?) days (أسماء الموكلين مع الأيام السبعة الزمانية [؟], f. 207r-v);
• (31) Five examples of letter permutation of the type called 'fraction' (كسر or تكسير, f. 208r);
• (32) Table of the magic squares of the planets to be inscribed at the exaltations of the planets (جدول أوفاق الكواكب يكتب في أشراف الكواكب, ff. 208v-209r);
• (33) Information on the signs of the zodiac under the heading 'as for the sphere of the signs, it is divided into 12 divisions' (فأما فلك البروج فإنه مقسوم في ١٢ قسم, f. 209r);
• (34) Diagram showing the planetary rulers of the seven climes (f. 209v);
• (35) Magical figures under the heading 'this is proven by shaykh ʻAbd al-ʻAzīz' (فهو مجرب لشيخ عبد العزيز, f. 210r);
• (36) Chapter on knowing the hour by means of the shadow [cast] by feet (باب في معرفة الساعات من قبل الظل بالأقدام, the diagram and table announced in this text are not found in the present volume, f. 210v);
• (37) List attributed to Abū Maʻshar al-Balkhī (أبو معشر البلخي, d. 886) of 'ancient books on wondrous [astrological] judgements, which are found in the treasuries of kings and amongst the learned - books that are renowned, known and mentioned in the books of the ancients' (الكتب القديمة في الأحكام الغريبة التي يوجد في خزائن الملوك وعند العلماء الكتب المشهورة المعروفة المذكورة في كتب الأوائل, f. 211v).

Extent and format

Ff. 185r-211v

It is part of

Collection of Arabic astrological and divinatory texts, and a fragment of a Persian manuscript

440 images

Ref: Or 5591

Written in

Arabic in Arabic script

Type

Manuscript item

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: Oriental Manuscripts

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

Or 5591, ff 185r-211v

History of this record

Date(s)

0867 (AH, Hijri qamari)

Related material

Finding aids

Ellis, A.G. and Edward Edwards, A Descriptive List of the Arabic Manuscripts Acquired by the Trustees of the British Museum since 1894 (London: British Museum, 1912), p. 38

Subjects

Astrology--Early works to 1800Divination--Early works to 1800

People & organisations

DorotheusHermes TrismegistusAbū Maʻshar

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Thirty-seven tables, diagrams and short texts related to astrology, divination and astral magic, British Library: Oriental Manuscripts, Or 5591, ff 185r-211v, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100144149585.0x000016> [accessed 26 August 2024]

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