Firmicus Maternus, Julius (fl. c. 350)

De nativitatibus seu Matheseos libri VIII. Written in a semi-current humanistic hand, 33 lines to a page. Illustrated with pen-drawn astrological figures on fol. Iv, 163, 166. Fol. 1 CIUITELLA. S. PAULI: DOMINUS: BASILIUS: MEDIOLA-NENSIS./CASTELLANUS: ORDINIS. S. PAULI: // QUI: SUNT: HI: GEMITUS?: CHARITUM QUE POMPA? ... / (4 lines) / SI FASTUS: HOMINUM: PARUA: FAUILLA: RAPIT. Below two epitaphs 'IN MARMORE ANTIQUISSIMO' the first of 6 lines beginning 'UIXISSES: UTINAM: ET: POTIUS: MEA: CARTA: TACERET:' the second of four lines beginning 'QUE: TIBI: CUNQUE: MEI: POTUERUNT: PIGNORA: AMORIS'. 1v Circular figure, with text, for finding the day of the month. 2 Table of planetary signs. 3v Table of constellations. 4 IULII: FIRMICI: MATERNI: IUNI / ORIS: C[LARISSIMI]. U[IRI]. MATHESEOS: LIBER. / PRIMUS: INCIPIT. / [O]lim tibi hos libellos Mauroti decus nostrum Editurum me esse pro / miseram ... 162v ... Ex omnium stellarum potestatibus collocantes quicquid decretum fuerit / veris possimus Explicare sententiis. /// FINIS. 163 Horoscopic figures, etc. 163v Astrological table and a figure (horoscope) for an un-named person stated to have been born on 5 April 1488. 164 ORDO: RECTIFICANDI: NATALIS. // In rectificanda figura coeli in natalibus hunc obseruare ordinem oportebit ... (Ends) ... Dicens locum lunae [sign] temporis natalis etc. This note is signed 'Aristophilus Ex Hermete'. 164v Astrological notes. 165 ACCIPE itaque. Mauorti decus nostrum quod tibi cum summa animi trepidatione / promisimus ... (Ends) ... quod nos per uigili cura et labore animi pariter et cor / poris cum maxima sollicitudine ac trepidatione perfectimus. Below notes on divination by names, headed 'HAEC: EGO: EX: CABALICO: HERMETIS: UOLUMINE: ARI' signed 'ARISTOPHILUS CONUERTIT'. 166 Horoscopic figure for Antonius Abbas Admontensis, with astrological notes. 166v SCRIPSIT: MACERATA: IULII: FIRMICI: AUREUM: OPUS: ARISTOPHILO: RO[MANO?]: DUC[ENNIO?]: ATQUE: QUAT[ERNO?]: PATAQUII: Below, repeated five times in different forms of Greek script: O TON EKEINOY OBEI.

Late 15th Century

1 volume 166 ll. folio. 30 1/2 x 21 1/2 cm. 17th cent. calf binding, worm.

Purchased 1907.

A Pietro Macerata is recorded by Chevallier as a Papal Physician 1486-1492. No information has been discovered as to the identity of 'Aristophilus'. This work was first printed at Venice in 1497.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).