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Benjamin Dykes' translations of Guido Bonatus |
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Guido Bonatus, whose dates are unknown, was the most famous of all 13th century astrologers. Born in the early 1200's, he is known to have won a dispute in Bologna in 1233, and to have died sometime between 1296 and 1300.
His massive Latin treatise, Liber Astronomiae, Book of Astrology, was produced around the year 1277. It was studied by every astrologer of the medieval period. This is its first English translation, which is many decades overdue. (All thanks to Prof. Dykes.) Bonatus is known above all as an horary astrologer. He was so very good that not only was he studied by William Lilly, but Lilly was himself accused merely translating Bonatus. (Which was not true, as you can now prove for yourself.) I am curious as to his house system. Bonatus is centuries before Regiomontanus, even more centuries before Placidus. Campanus of Novarra, 1233-1296, inventor of Campanus houses, is a generation younger. By the time Campanus has worked out his system, Bonatus has been practicing for some decades. There were Porphyry houses, from the third century, and there was Alcabitus, from the 10th century, which had been introduced to Europe in the 12th century, a century before Bonatus. (There was a group known as the Twelfth Century Translators, of southern Spain and northern Italy, who translated Arabic texts into Latin, sometimes by way of Spanish and/or Italian. John of Seville was the best known of them.) As Bonatus is known to have studied the 12th century translations closely (he cites many of the original authors in his work), it is reasonable to think he used Alcabitus houses. I mention this because, when William Lilly was revived in the late 20th century, Regiomontanus houses were revived with him. I think it fair to say that to properly understand Bonatus, we should revive the house system he most likely used: Alcabitus. Bonatus appears, by name, in Dante's Divine Comedy, as an example of what can happen to people who practice prognostication. As to whatever did happen to Bonatus, late in life he is alleged to have joined the Franciscans, where he was known as Fra Bonatti. Guido Bonatus is one of the greatest of all astrologers. Study his works! Note on the translations: Bonatus is said to have written in good, clear, simple Latin, which is said to be a joy to read & simple to translate. I don't read Latin so cannot say. I can say that Prof. Dykes' translation is in good, clear, idiomatic English that is easy to read & comprehend. Notes on the 6-volume publication: In footnotes at various points in the books, the translator refers to his Introduction, and to his Appendix, but, regrettably, neither of these appear in any of the seven volumes. They were presumably part of the original 2-volume hardcover edition, which, in the front of each of the six volumes, is declared to be "out-of-print." (Even though the 2-volume edition was published only 3 years ago, in 2007) Also lacking are glossaries, which, for books of this nature, are essential. Each volume has a very nice, very useful index. Each volume also has an identical six page Bibliography. Professor Dykes is a busy man. He has translated numerous other Arabic and Persian books of astrology, all of them excellent. See them here. |
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207 Victory Lane, Bel Air, MD 21014
Tel: 410-638-7761; Toll-free (orders only): 800-475-2272
Home | Author Index | Title Index | Subject Index | Vedic Books | Tarot | E-Mail: |
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