48
GR wrote:Enough to know he was born in Antioch.
Valens gives his chart data in numerous places in the book. He never once states where he was born. To the best of my knowledge, we have no other biographical information about him.

He does, at one single place, give his klima of birth.

You do know what klima is?

Valens sets his charts in klimas 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7, with other charts even further north.

You do understand, when sundials set the time and that time is Local Apparent, why latitude alone is sufficient in setting a chart? You do know what klima is?

I went to Wiki for klima and used its klima markers:

1 - Khartoum
2 - Aswan
3 - Alexandria
4 - Rhodes
5 - (not used by Valens)
6 - the Crimea
7 - somewhere north of the Crimea. As far north as Paris, actually. Wiki breaks down at this point.

The total number of charts in Valens is, for another week or so, unknown, as I have not yet sorted the duplicates. The raw number is over 100. There are not that many charts from klima 4. Which could be Rhodes, or could be Antioch or could be anywhere else at the same latitude, but none of those charts were Valens'. And again, there were not that many of them. While Antioch was a very big city, it, like Rome, does not seem to have been a port. By contrast there are a lot of charts from klima 6.

If you have evidence Valens was born in Antioch, you should share it. That he is known today as "Vettius Valens of Antioch" is not of itself conclusive. And yes, I did look for any evidence he was from or lived in Antioch. Or Alexandria. Valens' remarks about Egypt are disparaging.

Vettius Valens, by his own account, was presumably born in a Greek colony on the Dnieper, a navigable river, in the vicinity of Dnepropetrovsk, which is klima 7 & which is in keeping with known Greek whereabouts. He lived in a Greek colony in the Crimea and as a youth was a sailor. Even today these colonies are not well-known. Russia has swallowed them up and hidden them from western eyes. Publication of his Anthologies will open new avenues for research.
www.AstroAmerica.com
Better books make better astrologers. Treat yourself!

49
Hi Dave,

Interesting topic. Although its not what I expected to find on an old thread about Rhetorius. :shock:

If you really want some commentary on this you have a far better chance of getting some good feedback by moving this post to a new thread on the traditional forum.

Mark
As thou conversest with the heavens, so instruct and inform thy minde according to the image of Divinity William Lilly

50
Mark wrote:Hi Dave,

Interesting topic. Although its not what I expected to find on an old thread about Rhetorius. :shock:

If you really want some commentary on this you have a far better chance of getting some good feedback by moving this post to a new thread on the traditional forum.

Mark
Hello Mark,

My thanks for your note. I am going to retreat and concentrate on finishing Valens. A better use of my time.

Last week's newsletter had a comprehensive theory of astrology, which will astound you. Read it here:
http://www.astroamerica.com/newsletters ... gust16.pdf

In Monday's issue, I tackle Rick Perry's horoscope.

Dave
www.AstroAmerica.com
Better books make better astrologers. Treat yourself!

51
Mithra6 wrote:This is exactly why we need more than one person translating these books in a transparent fashion. It doesn't have to be vastly. We all benefit from it.

I agree that the more good translations out there, the better, but bad first drafts will only degrade understanding.
Gabe

52
GR wrote:
Mithra6 wrote:This is exactly why we need more than one person translating these books in a transparent fashion. It doesn't have to be vastly. We all benefit from it.
I agree that the more good translations out there, the better, but bad first drafts will only degrade understanding.
Thank-you for bringing up the two previous Hindsight editions, with my apologies to Hindsight.
www.AstroAmerica.com
Better books make better astrologers. Treat yourself!

56
Chris Brennan wrote:
Dave of Maryland wrote: You are working in "Hypsicles units", I presume
Using system A.
Regret I do not understand. There is no "A" in the Riley translation. To convert the rising times given in the text, one must multiply times four. The results are usually in agreement with Alcabitius. Regret I have not yet set the tables of rising times as given in Book I.

In working with the text, I have cast charts according to the klima given. I have noted discrepancies with klima and rising times, but as the entire text is quirky as to accuracy, these are not easy to resolve. I am presently checking the entire text for duplicate charts, which may help resolve a few of them. For charts without klima I have used a default of klima 6, as it seems clear that Valens resided in the Crimea. Close examination of the text does not support residence in Alexandria. Antioch is klima 4, which is comparatively rare.
www.AstroAmerica.com
Better books make better astrologers. Treat yourself!

57
What is the likelihood that Riley's translation isn't exactly accurate? Not trying to start an argument, but it seems to have been made more in the spirit of experimentation.