First Treatise

The Book of the Quadripartitum of Ptolemy, i.e., of four treatises: regarding the radical discernment through the stars of future contingencies and of construction and destruction in this world, with the commentary of Haly Heben Rodan; of which there are twenty-four chapters in the first treatise.

Aegidius de Tebaldis, a Lombard from the city of Parma, said:

To know and to understand is glorious, since all knowledge is from God. For the soul is glorious which understands and discerns; and God greatly loves and chooses that in which He has placed the intellect of higher knowledge. That superior knowledge is, without a doubt, the art of the stars, since all others are subject to it, and it itself is founded upon certain natural principles comprehending the whole world. And it is necessary that entry be made through others, so that one might be able to arrive at these. From which it is evident that it is superior and more excellent. Furthermore, no doubt occurs that Divine Providence, disposing the lower things through the higher bodies, moves them all, since it was the cause of all earthly accidents. Therefore, whoever applies himself to the intelligence of such a sublime science loves to know God, the creator of all things, since the work of the stars is God’s; and they, as vicars of God, effect whatever happens in earthly things. Likewise, since God Himself is that very intellect, the more one understands, the closer he is to God, whose name be blessed throughout the eternal ages. Let everyone, therefore, study understanding, since, as Solomon says: "The man of understanding shall possess the helms."

I, however, as a true lover of science and of the learned, observing how in one book of four parts, which Ptolemy the most wise composed, the entire art of the stars consists according to the rules and foundations of the quadrivial science and nature—considering also that his words were so closed and so weighty in meaning that they could scarcely be opened by any wise man, or rather, that almost everyone was wandering in it and varying in their judgment with diverse opinions, on account of which the fruit and effect of such a noble science was being lost, since no one was proceeding in it by a straight path—I have determined, by the command and pleasure of the most illustrious Lord Alfonso, King of the Romans and of Castile, to translate the book itself into Latin—plainly and openly, for I intend nothing else in this work—so that the intellect may be clear to those studying it, with the glosses of the most prudent physician Heben Rodan, who had his marvelous contemplation from God, so that one might more fully understand those very words and whatever Ptolemy intended to reveal through them. I supplicate God the Father, therefore, that He may deign to open to me the way of righteousness.

Truly, this book was also commanded to be translated first from Arabic into the Spanish idiom by that same most glorious Alfonso, the exalted King of the Romans and of Castile, who loves knowledge and honors the learned. Because, from the ends of the earth, through all the climates of the world, he seeks out and acquires the sciences of all manner of peoples and languages, by which he has renewed, almost continuously, many things useful to the sciences and virtues of this world; and he ordered many books to be compiled from the opinions and sayings of ancient sages, which were lying lost and scattered here and there, and the posterity of the future shall be illuminated without a doubt. For that munificent king, whose liberal generosity is inestimable, whose worth surpasses all others, whose benevolence extends to everyone, and remains in itself, and is not diminished but increases—he comprehends all things in his intellect. His providence comes from the divine rather than the human, for all things are well-rooted and naturalized in him, so that he is the fountain of all virtues; therefore, he is truly called Alfonso by his own name. He is that deep fountain, and living fountain, whose rivulets irrigate with a salutary dew and adorn the earth with all virtues. And that I may comprehend many things in a brief speech, I say that the heaven and the amicable aspects of the planets, with their receptions and dignities, conspire to make such a man, nor do I believe that nature could have made a man of such perfection. Rest content, therefore, O my lord; for when the fame of other kings and princes shall pass away, your fame will flourish for all time, immortal.

The first treatise of the gloss of Haly Heben Rodan, upon the first part of the book of the Quadripartitum of Ptolemy of Pelusium. Haly said:

The words which the most wise Ptolemy spoke in the art of astronomical judgments: desiring to gloss upon those things which happen, we say that the judgment of the stars is an art proceeding from certain principles, since the goods that happen can be known. The certainty of these principles is proven, some in the science of natures, some in the science of the quadrivium. You, however, will understand these words spoken in this determination when you read this book, if you apply your mind to it diligently. Truly, if you have not inspected it well and have passed through it, you will be likened to one walking past a good tree and looking at it, but taking nothing of its fruit; and thus it would have been better for you not to have labored in reading this book. If, however, with great will and complete study you apply your mind to it, you will be able to arrive at a high degree of this science. It is expedient, however, that you supplicate God that He may grant you aid to understand the words of the good and most perfect man Ptolemy, of which He gave me the grace to understand. For there was not found anyone who could completely understand them well nor distinguish those marvelous reasons in them of which we speak as being beyond our power—attending, indeed, to the things in them which conform to the reason of his words, and each of them is distinguished so that one is separate from the other. We supplicate God, therefore, that He may help us and guide us in the path of truth.

First, however, it is fitting that we propose eight things, which masters always propose in their books. By saying one thing before, as is fitting for the reason, we say that there are some sciences which are sciences without work, and those which are works. And of those which are works, there are those which complete that in which nature labors, such as physics and agriculture. And others are those which follow the things of nature, such as weaving and carpentry. And others are those which teach those things which will be by nature, such as astronomy, judgments, prophecies, and divinations. But through this art of the judgments of astronomy, a man can know, for the most part, that which was in long-elapsed times, and that which is, and that which is to come. Furthermore, there is the science which is contained with physical things, such as knowing how many spheres there are, and how many manners there are, and how many are the celestial motions, by which philosophers know how many spiritual motors there are; and on account of this, that science is divided into two great parts. One of these is theoretical, and this is the quadrivial astrology, by which a man knows how many spheres there are in heaven, and how many manners of motions, and by certain demonstration he demonstrates the true unity of God, whose name be perpetually exalted. The other part, however, is practical, and this is regarding the judgments of the stars, by which their virtues can be known, and how they operate in all things that are beneath the sphere of the moon. And these things are the four elements, the vapors of the earth, minerals, vegetables, animals, and other things which follow, just as health follows the temperament of the air, and infirmity [follows] corruption. In this second part, called practical, ancient sages have compiled many books; however, the truer and more complete of them all, and which follows the more correct physics, is the book of Ptolemy—this, clearly, of which we speak—also because such is very closed on account of the brevity of the noble things which are in it, and of many reasons comprehended in few words. For Ptolemy wished to follow the custom of good philosophers, who comprehend great reasons in few words so that they might not be understood except by the wise, if they are clients having some will and great study, and are neither ignorant nor lazy. And on account of this, it is fitting that we gloss this book, so that it may be easier to learn and to know for those desiring something. We will propose the eight principal things as we have foretold, which are: The reasons of which the book speaks. The name of the book. The profit that is perceived in it. In what order it...