Albumasar, Ja’far ibn Muhammad Abu Ma’shar al-Baklkhi.

Introductorium In Astronomiam.

      : Erhard Ratdolt, Augsburg 1489 - Small 4to (196 x 138 mm) 70 unnumbered leaves, Gothic type, 40 - 41 lines, 46 allegorical woodcuts in the text, 115 woodcut initials, translated from Arabic into Latin by Hermannus Dalmata, contemporary foliation (1-69 in red). 46 allergorical woodcuts of Zodiacal signs, sun and moon, a zonal world map, a diagram of the aspects, and of the twelve houses, numerous historiated woodcut initials, 20th green morocco, covers with wide gilt border, with corner devices, spine gilt,gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, g.e. title cut & mounted, spine faded. Published at 7 February 1489. FIRST EDITION of this scare work presenting the philosophical and historical justifications for astrology. The text was one of the earliest and most important vehivsl . Albumasar was the leading astrologer of his day who devoted himself not only to practical prognostications and reading of horoscopes bucles for the transmission of Aristotelian concepts to the West. The Introductorium is a Latin translation (with some abridgements) from the Arabic Kitab al-Madkhal al-Kabir ; it opens with the philosophical justification and continues to cover the characteristics of the stars and zodiacal signs, the influence of the planets and their astrological natures, and astrological lots. Transmitted to the West in two Latin translations from the 12th century, it was hugely influential on European philosophy of the later Middle Ages and Renaissance. The earlier and complete translation was made by John of Seville, the later - published here - by Herman of Carinthia. HC *612; GW 840; BMC II, 382 (IA. 6683-4); BSB-Ink. A-230; Klebs 38.1; Schreiber 3075; Stillwell Awakening, 8; Goff A-359. Abu Ma’shar Ja’far ben Muhammed al-Balkhi (787–886), the most renowned astrologer of the Arabic world, was part of a group of pro-Persian intellectuals who served the Caliph al-Ma’mun (813–833) in Baghdad. The present work is a translation of his Great Introduction to the Science of Astrology written in 849–50 and the single most important source of Aristotle’s theories of nature for European scholars. The allegorical half-page woodcuts represent the Sun, Moon, the Signs of Zodiac, a zonal world map, a diagram of the Aspects, and a diagram of the Twelve Houses. The first leaf with three line title and 22 contemporary hand written lines in red and black representing the signs of the planets and the signs of Zodiac. Title and three subsequent leaves with brief repairs. A very good copy with wide margins. Hain-C. 612; GW 840; Goff A 359; BMC II, 382 (IA 6683); Proctor 1880; Schreiber 3075; Essling 524; Klebs 38.1; Stillwell A 326; IGI 264; Oates 959; Zinner 346; Pellechet 415; Fairfax Murray, German 25; Rosenthal, Incunabula Typographica 54. To the Medieval West the most important representative of Islamic Astrology was the Persian Abu Ma’shar (latinized Albumasar, 787-886). His works (Figure 6) were translated into Latin in 1133 by John of Seville and circulated widely in manuscript form. He exerted a powerful influence on the development of Western astrology. Abu Ma'shar (787-886), the most renowned of astrologers writing in Arabic, was part of the group of pro-Persian intellectuals who served the Caliph al-Ma'mun (813-833) in Baghdad. The present work is a slightly abridged translation of his Kitab al-Madkhal al-Kabir 'Ala 'Ilm Ahkam al-Nujum ("Great Introduction to the Science of Astrology"), written in 849/850. The work presents the philosophical and historical justifications of astrology, and a survey of the characteristics of the Signs, Planets, Sun and Moon, along with the Aspects (angular relations between them). It was translated twice in the first half of the 12th Century and was one of the earliest vehicles for the transmission of Aristotelian concepts into Latin before the actual translations of Aristotle. Richard Lemay has argued that the writings of Albumasar, were very likely the single most important original source of Aristotle's theories of nature for European scholars, s [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]