Astrology and Numerology in Medieval and Early Modern Catalonia: The Tractat de prenostication de la vida natural dels hòmens

Description

The Tractat de prenostication de la vida natural dels hòmens, a late fifteenth-century Catalan incunable, draws on a rich tradition of astrological magic, geomancy, Pythagorean numerology, and Hebrew gematria. This practical manual offers a method of determining the birth sign based on calculations performed on the subject’s name and his or her mother’s name. The critical edition includes a literary, historical, and linguistic study; an English translation; and a Catalan-English glossary. The Tractat reveals Catalan sources for prognostication, a unique expression of medieval syncretism, the mingling of traditions, and the development of new ideas. It is a rare find for Hispanists and others interested in astrology, magic, the history of science, and early print culture. Contents List of Figure and Tables Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Abbreviations Chapter One: Prognostication at the Dawn of the Renaissance A. Changing World Views B. The Catalan Context C. Catalan Material in Relationship to Other European Traditions Chapter Two: Genres of Prognostic Material in the Catalan Language A. Astrology and Astrological Magic B. Geomancy C. Numerology and Astro-numerology D. Gematria Chapter Three: The Present Edition A. Known Editions of the Tractat B. Physical Description of “B” C. Contents, Divisions, and Sources D. Linguistic Features and Orthography E. Provenance F. The Tractat in the Catalan Printing Tradition G. The Present Edition Tractat de prenostication de la vida natural dels hòmens segons los signes, planetas celestials, e proprietats lurs demonstren with English Translation Apparatus criticus Note on the Translation Appendix A. Paleographic Transcription Appendix B. Facsimile Reproduction Glossary: Catalan—English A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V References Index A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z