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steven
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
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Location: Hamar, Norway
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 2:32 pm Post subject: A book review: The Book of Reasons by Abraham Ibn Ezra |
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Hi all,
I wasn’t quite sure where I should make this post. At first I thought of posting it under News, Notices, Books and Links. However, this will deal with something concerning the history of Traditional Astrology so I decided to post it here where it will be more easily noticed by Traditional astrologers.
This is a book review that I thought might interest the Traditionalists.
I have been studying a new translation of Abraham Ibn Ezra’s, The Book of Reasons (Sefer ha-Te‘amim). Perhaps there are some few who are familiar with this work. It was translated fairly early in Project Hindsight’s beginnings by Meira B. Epstein and is no longer in print. Mrs. Epstein then translated Ibn Ezra’s, The Beginning of Wisdom (Reshit Hokhmah) for Rob Hand’s ARHAT. Until this year, these were the only modern translations of these works from the original Hebrew. Well, that’s not exactly true. The Beginning of Wisdom was published first in 1939 by Raphael Levy and Fransisco Cantera which incorporated the Hebrew text, an inadequate English translation of the Hebrew original, and an edition of the old French version of 1273. This is the text that Mrs. Epstein used in her translation to which we owe a great debt of thanks for her efforts.
First I need to explain a little about the author of this work and the project he is engaged in. This new translation is done by Dr. Shlomo Sela who is a Ph.D (1998) in the History of Science at Tel-Aviv University and is a lecturer in the Bible and Jewish Philosophy Departments at Bar-Ilan University. His research focuses on Jewish attitudes toward the sciences, with special interest in the history of astrology in the Middle Ages. If anyone is interested in the life of Ibn Ezra then I strongly recommend another book Dr. Sela published in 2003 entitled, Abraham Ibn Ezra and the Rise of Medieval Hebrew Science, which is also available through Brill Publishers right now at a special offer of €69 or US $99. The main focus of this book is the study of Abraham Ibn Ezra’s (1089-1167) scientific thought within the historical and cultural context of his times. The first part of the book provides a comprehensive picture of Ibn Ezra’s scientific corpus. The second part studies his linguistic strategy. The third and fourth parts study Ibn Ezra’s introductions to his scientific treatises and the fifth part is devoted to studying four ‘encounters’ with Claudius Ptolemy, the main scientific character featuring in Ibn Ezra’s literary work. Without a doubt, Dr. Sela is currently the world’s leading authority on Ibn Ezra.
This current publication is actually only the first product of a larger enterprise—a scholastic edition of all twelve of Ibn Ezra’s astrological treatises. This current volume of The Book of Reasons offers a critical Hebrew text of the two versions of Ibn Ezra’s Sefer ha-Te'amim, accompanied by an annotated English translation and commentary. While Dr. Sela has done the translating it is the product of a collaboration of several leading authorities. For example Dr. Charles Burnett collaborated with valuable suggestions on astrological, astronomical and linguistic topics. For those who may not know the name, Dr. Burnett is responsible for the translations of Abu Ma’shar’s Abbreviated Introduction to Astrology, the massive compendium of the same author’s work On Conjunctions, and is currently translating the entire Greater Introduction from the original Arabic. He is also the translator of Al Qabisi’s (Alchabitius in the Latin) work from the original Arabic and is collaborator on many numerous projects concerning the restoration of original Arabic science and astrology.
The two treatises presented here in Dr. Sela’s first volume, were designed by Ibn Ezra to offer “reasons”, “explanations”, or “meanings” of the raw astrological concepts formulated in the introduction to astrology that Ibn Ezra entitled Beginning of Wisdom. Now it may seem a bit strange that there are two versions of The Book of Reasons. But once one understands a bit about Ibn Ezra’s life, then that strangeness becomes awareness. In his introduction, Dr. Sela tells us in general what he explains in more detail in his earlier volume on Ibn Ezra,
| Quote: | | «Two general statements can be made about Ibn Ezra’s astrological work. First, although composed of at least twelve separate treatises, it may be considered to constitute a single astrological encyclopaedia, whose unity derives from a network of cross-references, or a single major work divided into chapters, which deal separately with the four main systems of Arabic astrology: nativities, elections, interrogations, and general (mundane) astrology. Second, most of the individual treatises were composed in at least two different versions or recensions, which indicates that Ibn Ezra supported himself by his pen, writing a new version of an old work for a new patron when he arrived in a new town, and that he could keep stimulating the attention and curiosity of readers all along his itinerary through Latin Europe.» |
I should point out here that as far as the historical record is concerned, there is absolutely no evidence that Ibn Ezra ever held a position as a practicing astrologer and that he was, by all accounts, simply a philosophical, religious and scientific commenter and writer. It was his writing that was popular and from the second half of the thirteenth century until the nineteenth century, translations appear in Latin, French and other European languages.
Some of the interesting points with this work are Ibn Ezra’s sources which he quotes continually and in his comments also raises some glaring inconsistencies concerning the real identities of his sources. One such inconsistency surrounds the personage of Ptolemy. For example, in the first chapter of the first version, Ibn Ezra writes,
| Quote: | | «The explanation of the natures of the planets is complicated and may be found in the Tetrabiblos by Ptolemy; who said that the Moon is cold and moist because of the vapour that ascends from the Earth to it and because it is below the Sun. He said similar things about Venus and Mercury… But I, Abraham, the author, say that this book was not written by Ptolemy, because there are many things in it that have in them nothing of rational thought or experience, as I shall explain in the Book of Nativities.» |
This is not the only place that he lays some very interesting criticism at the door of Ptolemy. When giving his “reasons” concerning the triplicities he says;
| Quote: | | «Ptolemy disagrees (with them) (the ancients) regarding the houses of the triplicities. We have tested his statements empirically but were unable to confirm them. Hence we ought to rely on the Ancients.» |
Then again in Chapter Two he says;
| Quote: | | «The terms mentioned by Ptolemy cannot be trusted, because he said that he found them in this guise in an ancient text. The correct ones are the terms of Egypt, because they were verified by experience.» |
To put it like this, Ibn Ezra finds little to agree with in Tetrabiblos yet he has some ‘other’ source claiming to be Ptolemy that he refers to and often agrees with.
For example in Chapter Three, Ibn Ezra writes;
| Quote: | | «The ancients said that the fourth house indicates the father and the tenth the mother. Ptolemy maintains the opposite position, but the ancients are correct.» |
The problem with this statement is that to the best of my knowledge Ptolemy in Tetrabiblos did not maintain that the sign on the fourth was the house indicating the mother. In his discussion of the “place of brothers and sisters”, Ptolemy refers to the house or place of the mother:
| Quote: | | «it is more naturally to be taken… according to the sign which culminates with respect to the place of the mother, that is, that place which contains by day Venus and by night the Moon.» |
In other words, the place or house of the mother was the sign Venus was in, in a diurnal chart, and the sign the Moon was in, in a nocturnal chart. Nowhere in Tetrabiblos does Ptolemy attribute the house of the mother to the fourth. I probably should mention that I am basing this on Robert Schmidt’s translation of Tetrabiblos and his discussion of preceding translation inconsistencies (in Ashmand and Robbins translations) surrounding this particular statement of Ptolemy as well as Rob Hands discussion in his book “Whole Sign Houses”.
There seems to be several references in Ibn Ezra’s work to judgments, much along the same lines, as those found in the Centiloquy and the Fruits of the Tetrabiblos, which have speculative authorship attributed to Ptolemy himself, or Hermes and even now being attributed to perhaps a 10th century Arabic author claiming authenticity in using Ptolemy’s name. What is certain is that Ibn Ezra refers often to some writer which he believes is Ptolemy. Yet it is clear also that the material which we know today belonged to Ptolemy, the Tetrabiblos, was a sore point of disagreement to Ibn Ezra.
Much of Ibn Ezra’s philosophical “reasons” come from Abu Ma’shar whom he liberally refers to and quotes. He also cites Masha’allah, Al Kindi and several other Arabic sources directly preceding him such as Al Qabisi, Al Biruni and others. It is very interesting to see how Ibn Ezra presents an ‘un-Latinised” version of the philosophy underpinning the elements of astrology as presented by the Arabic era. In this respect it is priceless.
But there are some ‘other’ sources Ibn Ezra heavily leans on. One such source is “Enoch” which Dr. Sela tells us is the legendary figure otherwise known as Hermes Trismesgestus. Quite interestingly, Dr. Sela would like to lay the responsibility of the creation of this legendary figure on Abu Ma’shar.
Both versions of this book are published in this volume, and both are divided into 10 chapters corresponding to the 10 chapters of Ibn Ezra’s Introduction, Beginning of Wisdom. The differences between the two versions also make it clear that at some point, a second version of Beginning of Wisdom has been lost.
Following this volume, Dr. Sela will publish the other 10 remaining texts in the same way as he presents them here – they will include the critical Hebrew text of all the extant versions as well as an English translation and annotations (not to mention his extremely interesting appendixes and further discussions).
There are four Introductions to be published:
1 – The remaining version of Beginning of Wisdom (Reshit Hokhmah)
2 & 3 – Two versions of The Book of Reasons (Sefer ha-Te’amim) which is the volume now published.
4 – A single version of Judgments of the Zodiacal Signs, (Mishpetei ha-Mazzalot)
Besides these ‘Introductions’ there will also be published:
5 – A single version of Book of Nativities, (Sefer ha-Moladot)
6 & 7 – Two versions on general astrology, Book of the World, (Sefer ha-‘Olam)
8 & 9 – Two versions on the doctrine of Interrogations, the Book of Interrogations, (Sefer ha-She’elot)
10 & 11 – Two versions of his doctrine of elections, the Book of Elections, (Sefer ha-Mivharim)
12 – And lastly, one work on medical astrology, the Book of the Luminaries, (Sefer ha-Me’orot)
There will be all told 8 books in this set since 4 of them will contain two versions of the same text.
I believe these volumes will provide a valuable secondary link to astrology’s traditional heritage, a link into Europe lacking perhaps the religious censorship that has become more and more obvious through the more detailed investigation of modern scholars into the Arabic works entrance into Europe via early Spain. In these volumes it is not the Latin translators who are the vehicle of the astrological doctrines into Europe, but it is Ibn Ezra himself.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the Traditional foundations of Astrology! The Book of Reasons is available through Brill Publications (their website is www.brill.nl) It is going for €115 (US $169).
Steven Birchfield |
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Philip Graves
Joined: 07 Jan 2005
Posts: 314
Location: Örebro län, Sweden
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| Posted: Sun Oct 14, 2007 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the very interesting review, Steven!
I bought a copy of this one a month or two ago and had noticed the ambitious plan of the editor and translator to issue the entire series, but hadn't appreciated that his count of twelve treatises included variant versions of the same one. Still, this should make Dr. Sela's overall publication schedule more manageable than it at first sounded.
Does anyone know what became of Meira Epstein's translation of 'The Book of Nativities', by the way? It was promised as a future ARHAT release several years ago but does not seem to have materialised yet, I presume because of Rob Hand being too busy with his studies, but I hope that it is eventually released even though Dr. Sela's separate edition and translation will be on its way, since it is always valuable for understanding of older texts originally written in other languages to have multiple independent translations of the same source text made available. I have her translations of 'The Book of Reasons' and 'The Beginning of Wisdom' to which you refer, as well as an original 1939 copy of the Lévy and Cantera edition and translation of 'The Beginning of Wisdom' that you mention, which took a long waiting time to obtain at any price, with no copies generally listed used in the last few years, although partial reprints containing just the translation and none of the Hebrew text or French commentary have been freely available!
All credit to Dr. Sela for undertaking this ambitious programme of translations and editions. The more of us in the broader astrological community who support these serious scholarly critical editions and translations of earlier astrological texts in hard sales, the greater the likelihood that others will go to print in the future.
Best wishes,
Philip |
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Deb
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Steven
In addition to the curious statement about Ptolemy associating the mother with the 4th house, it is also strange that Ezra refers to Ptolemy describing the Moon as cold and moist. It was later authors that did this, not Ptolemy. In Tet. I.4 Ptolemy clearly describes the Moon as humidifying and says “but it shares moderately also in heating power because of the light which it receives from the Sun”. He does the same for Venus, which later authors also reduced to cold and wet in order to create a neat little scheme of planets and signs being hot and dry, hot and wet, cold and dry or cold or wet. This doesn’t do justice to Ptolemy’s views, and the idea that the Moon and Venus are gently warming makes much more sense in his philosophy because warmth (but not excessive heat) is temperate and a creative quality.
It’s possibly also worth pointing out that the argument that Ezra uses against ‘the terms mentioned by Ptolemy’, was also used by Ptolemy, who stated that the Egyptian terms were the most credible because they had been proven by experience. It is convenience that makes us refer to these as ‘Ptolemy’s terms’, but Ptolemy doesn’t actually reveal any preference towards them.
Just to let others’ know, with your permission I will be reproducing this review in the usual ‘review’ section. It is very informative so I don’t want it to become lost as it slips down the forum pages.
Thanks for all the details.
Deb |
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Andrew
Joined: 31 Dec 2004
Posts: 360
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | In addition to the curious statement about Ptolemy associating the mother with the 4th house, it is also strange that Ezra refers to Ptolemy describing the Moon as cold and moist. It was later authors that did this, not Ptolemy. |
See:
http://www.astrologiamedieval.com/tabelas/Qualidades_dos_Planetas.pdf
The second footnote to this table suggests that Abu Ma'shar might have been the first astrologer to propose a symmetrical distribution of the intrinsic qualities of the planets.
The Ashmand translation of Ptolemy states:
| Quote: | | The Moon principally generates moisture; her proximity to the earth renders her highly capable of exciting damp vapours, and of thus operating sensibly upon animal bodies by relaxation and putrefaction. She has, however, also a moderate share in the production of heat, in consequence of the illumination she receives from the Sun. |
The lunar generation of moisture ("principally") might have suggested to some astrologers a predominant (temperamental) affinity with cold ("damp vapours") rather than heat. Note that the lunar generation of moisture seems contingent upon "her proximity to the earth." The (Chaldean) order of the planets determines their intrinsic qualities in the Ptolemaic system, which is why I've argued elsewhere that (from a Ptolemaic perspective) the planet Uranus cannot be accounted hot and dry; it is even further from the Sun than Saturn. If we agree with Robson that "the generally accepted method of expressing the kind of influence exerted by any star is in terms of the planets of our Solar System," then we might argue that Uranus (as a fixed star) may be "of the nature of Mars." But we cannot argue that Uranus itself is qualitatively hot, due to its remoteness from the Sun's heat.
Dorian Greenbaum's recent book on temperament posits that Mercury may be either cold and dry or hot and wet, and that Venus may be either hot and wet or cold and wet, depending on whether they are oriental or occidental to the Sun. She does not extend this scheme to include the intrinsic quality of the Moon, which she categorizes as cold and wet, as does Abu Ma'shar and those who follow him.
Abu Ma'shar's scheme is nothing if not neat and symmetrical, which may have been enough to recommend it to others. In fact, Richard Saunders describes the South Node in language similar to that he uses to describe Mars, just as he describes the North Node in language similar to that he uses to describe Venus; for Saunders (unlike Lilly et al.) the South Node is definitely masculine, while the North Node is both masculine and feminine.
Many have repeated the suggestion that Ptolemy wasn't an astrologer, even that he (in the words of Courtney Roberts) "demonstrates a lack of comprehension of the material." In my opinion, Ptolemy was clearly conversant with his material, to a far greater degree than most modern astrologers are conversant with theirs. There isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that Ptolemy was a practicing astrologer of acute insight and trenchant observation.
On another note, I saw the film "Elizabeth: The Golden Age" yesterday. It has had mixed reviews, but I thought it was brilliant: I loved it. The role of Dr. John Dee (whom Elizabeth calls a "wise man") is admirably played by David Threlfall, and the subject of astrology is treated respectfully, rather than as an object of derision or superstition. I believe that, by situating astrology within the worldview of the Elizabethans, this film will do a great deal to elevate its reputation and influence. |
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Deb
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Joined: 11 Oct 2003
Posts: 3054
Location: England
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2007 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | The (Chaldean) order of the planets determines their intrinsic qualities in the Ptolemaic system, which is why I've argued elsewhere that (from a Ptolemaic perspective) the planet Uranus cannot be accounted hot and dry; it is even further from the Sun than Saturn. If we agree with Robson that "the generally accepted method of expressing the kind of influence exerted by any star is in terms of the planets of our Solar System," then we might argue that Uranus (as a fixed star) may be "of the nature of Mars." But we cannot argue that Uranus itself is qualitatively hot, due to its remoteness from the Sun's heat. |
The Raphael of The Manual of Astrology, (1828) would certainly agree with that. He states that from his own experience and that of others, Uranus is noticeable in its ‘unfortunate’ effects. He describes its nature as extremely frigid, cold, dry and devoid of any cheering influence. I’ve always thought that is a good description of its nature.
The other thing about the Moon is that its humoral quality changes according to its phase, so its waxing phase is warming and generative, and its waning phase is cooling and destructive. 'Cold and wet' is just far too simplistic - but it's the same with descriptions of Jupiter as 'hot and wet'; it's not, it is temperately warming and moistening, and therefore supportative of healthy growth. There is a big difference between being warm or hot, and between being moist or wet.
| Quote: | | Many have repeated the suggestion that Ptolemy wasn't an astrologer, even that he (in the words of Courtney Roberts) "demonstrates a lack of comprehension of the material." In my opinion, Ptolemy was clearly conversant with his material, to a far greater degree than most modern astrologers are conversant with theirs. There isn't a shred of doubt in my mind that Ptolemy was a practicing astrologer of acute insight and trenchant observation. |
Agreed. And I think these criticisms are easily made against Ptolemy by astrologers who may not have the best understanding of his work. It shouldn’t be a case of Ptolemy or Valens, Lilly or Ramesey, Schmidt or Greene … each has a unique and valued contribution. This suggestion (that Ptolemy wasn’t an astrologer) really wants picking up and shooting down whenever it is made. He wrote a treatise that defended astrology, offered a philosophical justification for its use, and set out many of its principles. In addition, his work on harmonics offered a philosophical depth to astrological principles far deeper than anything he wrote in the Tetrabiblos, and his astronomical text provided the technical information that most astrologers depended upon for centuries afterwards. I can relate to a critical review of some of his techniques but the suggestion that he was not an astrologer or lacked comprehension is absurd. Such is the nature of fame I suppose – for centuries you are known as the most significant astrologer of all time, and then the next minute … nothing. 
I will have to go and see that film. |
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Deb
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Joined: 11 Oct 2003
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Location: England
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| Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:29 am Post subject: |
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On the question of Ptolemy being an astrologer (which arose in another thread), I've made an update on where the suggestion that he may not have been came from in the other thread. It's the first post at the top of this page.
http://skyscript.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?p=22177#22177
(Unfortunately this question is off-topic for both of these threads, but it came up as one of those 'hard to ignore' side-issues). |
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Theo
Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 47
Location: USA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:09 am Post subject: |
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| Deb wrote: | Hi Steven
In addition to the curious statement about Ptolemy associating the mother with the 4th house, it is also strange that Ezra refers to Ptolemy describing the Moon as cold and moist. It was later authors that did this, not Ptolemy. In Tet. I.4 Ptolemy clearly describes the Moon as humidifying and says “but it shares moderately also in heating power because of the light which it receives from the Sun”. He does the same for Venus, which later authors also reduced to cold and wet in order to create a neat little scheme of planets and signs being hot and dry, hot and wet, cold and dry or cold or wet. This doesn’t do justice to Ptolemy’s views, and the idea that the Moon and Venus are gently warming makes much more sense in his philosophy because warmth (but not excessive heat) is temperate and a creative quality.
It’s possibly also worth pointing out that the argument that Ezra uses against ‘the terms mentioned by Ptolemy’, was also used by Ptolemy, who stated that the Egyptian terms were the most credible because they had been proven by experience. It is convenience that makes us refer to these as ‘Ptolemy’s terms’, but Ptolemy doesn’t actually reveal any preference towards them.
Just to let others’ know, with your permission I will be reproducing this review in the usual ‘review’ section. It is very informative so I don’t want it to become lost as it slips down the forum pages.
Thanks for all the details.
Deb |
A good read, for sure. I always took Ptolemy literally Deb. When he wrote about the Moon's "cold and moist" quality he was talking about the Moon's effect in the real world of weather (among its other influences). My first study of classical scientific astrology was forecasting climate and weather, and Ptolemy was known as a excellent astrological weather forecaster.
Ptolemy's works on climate & weather forecasting based on the elements of the planets, and their influences laid a strong basis for weather forecasting among the Greeks, Romans, and into western astrology where it flourished up until the early 20th century.
_________________
Theo |
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meirabe
Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Posts: 2
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject: Ibn Ezra - "The Book of Reasons" is Available |
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Hi all,
Just wanted to let everyone know that Ibn Ezra's "THE BOOK OF REASONS" IS available - directly from me (Meira Epstein, translator).
You need to contact me directly - email, Skype, etc.
The introduction in this book, as well as my article on The Life and Work of Ibn Ezra" (posted on my website and also published in The Astrological Encyclopedia by James Lewis) is very comprehensive and covers all his other astrolgical texts.
This 'book review' posting here is very interesting, but for lack of time I will have to read it later.
_________________
Meira*
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Meira B. Epstein, NCGR-C.A
Astrologer, Consultant, Translator
Website: bear-star.com
Phone: +1 212-879-2186
Skype: meirabe |
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Deb
Administrator
Joined: 11 Oct 2003
Posts: 3054
Location: England
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| Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:46 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Meira,
Thank you for clarifying that! People also need to realise that besides the excellent reputation your translations have, there is a considerable difference in price between yours (at $25 plus p&p) and this new edition (at $161).
I have amended the review page of this book to correct the comment that yours is out of print, and to give a clear link to your information (at the top and bottom of the page). I am also putting working links to your pages below. I think it is pretty obvious that your site ought to be the first point of call for any astrologer interested in Ibn Ezra and his works. Please let us know when your translation of the Book of Nativities is available!
Best wishes
Deb
Meira’s article on Ibn Ezra and his works (very informative, and highly recommended)
Books by Meira (with link to order form)
Meira's home page: http://bear-star.com |
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steven
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Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 321
Location: Hamar, Norway
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| Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2007 11:17 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Deb for ammending the Book Review, and my appologies to Meira. I contacted Project Hindsight with regards to obtaining copies of Meira's translation and was simply told it was out of print and the respondant neglected to mention that Meira had her own site where it was possible to obtain her translation directly from her. So I am very glad that oversignt is corrected.
I was reading your article on Ibn Ezra and one thing that Dr. Sela neglected to mention is the two treatises with actual delineations by Ibn Ezra (Predictions Made In the Year 1154 - He'zionot Rabbi Avraham Ibn Ezra She'haza Al Sh'nat 4914 La'Ye'tsira and Horoscope Analysis for a Newborn - Mishpatei Ha'Nolad). In light of those two treatises it is very obvious that Ibn Ezra must have practiced astrology on some level. While astrology probably wasn't his main livelihood, it certainly must have been some part of it.
I also noticed that Dr. Sela lists a manuscript that you do not list, that of Judgments of the Zodiacal Signs, (Mishpetei ha-Mazzalot). I also wonder greatly that Dr. Sela has not included Ibn Ezra's own translations from the Arabic of earlier sources such as Masha'allah.
It was nice to read your artical Meira, since it fills in some glaring holes in Dr. Sela's <g>! The differences in scholars and astrologers no doubt! Maybe you should be the one collaborating with him <g>!
Best regards,
Steven |
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meirabe
Joined: 27 Oct 2007
Posts: 2
Location: New York City
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| Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Steven, Deb and All
In the context of ‘availability’ I would like to add that Amazon wrongly lists my translation of Ibn Ezra’s The Beginning of Wisdom as 1 book available, for $49.
The Beginning of Wisdom IS available from A.R.H.A.T and from Astroamerica.com (for half that price).
About the two versions of The Book of Reasons:
Ibn Ezra wrote two versions – long and short (as he did with a few other books of his), both of which were available to me at the time. Comparing style and clarity of astrological information, I decided to use the short version, with supplements from the long one, where differences or additional material existed. All of these are documented and footnoted in the book. There are no contradictions between the two versions, but mostly style and clarity.
About the Zodiacal Signs, (Mishpetei ha-Mazzalot):
I am not aware of such a text, but I am wondering whether it might be a variant name of another known one. More info is welcome.
Was Ibn Ezra a practicing astrologer?
It is hard to say. Horoscope Analysis for a Newborn (Mishpatei Ha'Nolad) does specify an actual nativity with longitude and latitude, and comments on a few classical topics of analysis, such as longevity, health, the quality of the mind, and the affairs of the father. Incidentally, almost in the same sequence as Ptolemy’s in the Tetrabiblos.
Ibn Ezra may have written this at the request of one of his patrons, or as an example for chart analysis. It is all speculation, since the text is silent on this matter.
As in the case of other great scholars who were versed in and practices astrology along with their accomplishments in the rest of the physical sciences (see Kepler), the academic world dismisses that fact and presents it as a necessity to make a living. Ibn Ezra did live in poverty and depended on the kindness of patrons, yet his texts and his personal poetry does show how deeply and personally he was involved with astrology. In many cases, when a technical dispute existed, he would either take one of the sides, or come to his own conclusion, saying “and I tried it”, meaning experimented with it.
In the same vein, the main focus of the academia is to show the contribution of such scholars to the mainstream sciences, and their involvement with astrology is a necessary, or unfortunate weakness that must be excused. In Ibn Ezra’s case, astrological explanations are also embedded in his vast Biblical commentary, which is greatly admired and studied to this day. Full appreciation of such commentary requires knowledge of astrology as well, (which rabbinical writings, up until modern times indicate.)
best regards,
_________________
Meira*
---------------------------------
Meira B. Epstein, NCGR-C.A
Astrologer, Consultant, Translator
Website: bear-star.com
Phone: +1 212-879-2186
Skype: meirabe |
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Estebon_Duarte
Joined: 19 May 2009
Posts: 111
Location: West Coast USA
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| Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 8:56 am Post subject: |
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*In an update relevant to this thread*
The second release of Dr. Sela's highly valuable translation series, Ibn Ezra's Book of the World was made widely available in March 2010 and I just finished reading through it for a second time.
http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=210&pid=32868
I had begun to write a short review of the book when I found this review done on the first release, Book of Reasons!
I haven't acquired the first volume, yet, though I found the current one through Barnes and Nobles. I had recently bought a couple of academic publications (translations) from them with a very good discount which is helpful with the high cost of these works. When I purchased the book in-store the clerk told me these books were "printed to order" and there were no returns. When I received the book it had pinch marks on both covers! it seemed a binding incident. The copy was sealed and I could have made a big deal about it, but it would've taken weeks and I suspect this copy will end up with a bit of wear-and-tear anyway 
Like most of Ezra's work he displays a defiant and opinionated view on Astrological practices of his day and before. Dr. Sela does indeed do an excellent job of conveying astrological concepts and mechanics from an academics standpoint. It is refreshing to see a dedicated scholar give respect to the Traditions and History of Astrology when translating and discussing our most precious practitioners. I must say personally I believe Ezra to have been a practicing astrologer. He confidently professed to test ideas and techniques and either agreed with confidence to their use or outright ridicule or dismiss the thoughts of reputed astrologers before him.
He also represents a divergence in practice among Medieval European astrologers. Many times Ezra will go through great lengths to explain the techniques of those that came before him just to say things like "I, Abraham Ezra, author of this work, do the exact opposite" (loosely interpreted by me )
The Book of the World is Ezra's Mundane work and is made even more valuable by being one of very few English translations on Traditional Mundane Astrology. Sela's volumes contain the critical Hebrew editions with English translations and valuable notes. In the case of Sefer ha- 'Olam (The Book of the World) as with Sefer ha- Te'amim (The Book of Reasons), both known versions are included. In addition to this Sela has included all known instances of Ezra's writing on Mundane/Weather Forecasting. This includes the introduction to The Book of Nativities, A Fragment of the Long Commentary on Exodus 33:21, the Tenth Chapter of The Beginning of Wisdom and the Hebrew translation of Masha'allah's Book on Eclipses (with English) supposedly done by Ibn Ezra, though Dr.Sela introduces the idea that perhaps Ezra was not the translator, using differences in terminology choices to underpin his argument. The inclusion of these texts is to show other instances of Ezra's use and support of "Conjunctionalism", a term I have only seen in Sela's work, which is essentially the study of the Saturn-Jupiter Conjunction Cycles, though includes the conjunction-opposition cycles of the Luminaries as well as the 120 patterned conjunctions of the planets.
It is the unique interpretation and synthesis of different techniques that I find the most interesting in Ezra's work.
While the two versions of The Book of The World ('Olam I and 'Olam II) differ greatly in their organization, their content is essentially the same. As with the first volume, Sela points out these works were written at different times in different places by a wandering Ezra. Living out his declining years traveling Europe his manuscripts gained a wide popularity for transmitting Persian and Arabic material to Latin Europe.
In 'Olam I Ezra starts his treatise on "Conjunctionalism" by bashing Abu Mashar's own Mundane Astrological work!
| Quote: | | "If you come across Abu Mashar's Book on the Conjunctions of the Planets you would neither like it nor trust it, because he relies on the mean motion for the planetary conjunctions. No scholar concurs with him, because the truth is that the conjunctions should be reckoned with respect to the zodiac." |
there are other instances of disapproval of Mashar's works, though he borrows heavily from those works, as well as a similar treatment of Mundane techniques. So while he wrote that mean motion conjunctions are not to be used, he then declared that exact conjunctions were impossible to compute. The answer to this (as it was for the astrologers before him) was the chart of the Aries Ingress calculated for the year the conjunction takes place. He then stated that it was impossible to compute the exact ascendant when the Sun enters Aries! Ezra's answer to this was the use of the full or new moon prior to the Aries Ingress. He quotes Ptolemy as the source of this, though it has been noted that he may have had his Ptolemies mixed up.
| Quote: | | "So now you know that no man can know the sign of the ascendant at the revolution of the year. This is why Ptolemy said, along with the scientists of India, Egypt and Persia, and Dorotheus, that we should always observe the moment of the luminaries conjunction or opposition, whichever occurs last before the Sun enters Aries, for we can be precise about this without approximation, in any place we wish, and from it we can know all the judgments of the world." |
('Olam I pg.64-65)
There are numerous techniques for Meteorological Astrology (Lunar Mansions and other Indian methods) as well as lists of Ascending signs for various cities, some borrowed, some determined from personal observations made during his travels. He also is an advocate for the use of Foundation Charts for cities, though relies mostly on the Syzygies before various ingresses at different locations. He gives his account of the Saturn-Jupiter conjunctions responsible for the rise of the major religious prophets, and a discussion on Israel's astrological status.
Overall I find Ibn Ezra's treatment of Mundane Astrological Techniques easy to read (due to Sela's masterful translation) and filled with numerous sources and new information. Shlomo Sela's compiling and translation work gives new life and due respect to an extremely interesting character of the Medieval Astrological world. I consider his volumes of Ezra's translations a critical addition to the serious Predictive practitioner's collection. Support of these works is essential to continue this tradition of academic quality research and investment grade book binding.
Unless you take the cheap route from B&N-
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Last edited by Estebon_Duarte on Sat May 22, 2010 11:19 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Mark
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Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
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| Posted: Sat May 22, 2010 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | The Book of the World is Ezra's Mundane work and is made even more valuable by being one of very few English translations on Traditional Mundane Astrology. I had intended to include more of my review, but its late here...(will edit later-) |
Thanks for letting us know. Great news. I would really appreciate you publicising this on the mundane forum too.
Thanks
Mark
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