Astrology and numerology in medieval and early modern Catalonia : : the Tractat de prenostication de la vida natural dels homens / / by John Scott Lucas.

• Superior document: The medieval and early modern Iberian world ; v. 18
• Author: Lucas, John Scott, 1970-
• Year of Publication: 2003
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English; Catalan
• Series: Medieval and early modern Iberian world ; v. 18.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (243 pages)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

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.

Table of Contents

List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Foreword by David J. Viera -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- I. Prognostication at the Dawn of the Renaissance -- A. Changing World Views -- B. The Catalan Context -- C. Catalan Material in Relationship to Other European Traditions -- II. Genres of Prognostic Material in the Catalan Language -- A. Astrology and Astrological Magic -- B. Geomancy -- C. Numerology and Astro-numerology -- D. Gematria -- III. 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 -- IV. Tracat de la vida natural dels homens segons los signes, planetas celestials, e proprietats lurs demonstren with Apparatus criticus -- V. English translation -- Appendix A. Paleographic Transcription -- Appendix B. Facsimile Reproduction. -- Glossary Catalan - English -- References -- Index.