Hermes Book of Paranatellonta

Pseudo Pythagoras The book of Paranatellonta  in  Reginensis Vat. Lat. 1283 fol 1-8v. This is the first and likely the most important part of the selection of Spanish Medieval texts collected in the  manuscript known as Reginensis Vat. Lat. 1283,  written in the court of Alphonse the Wise around 1280. The illuminated  book was discovered [...]

The virtues of Teriaca

The formula of Teriaca derives directly from Galen. De Theriaca ad Pisonem was one of the most read and commented parts of Galen texts in the Renaissance. .Essendo dunque già nel corpo humano entrato il veneno…hanno stimato i medici rationali che, mettendovi dentro un altro veneno, facilmente si smoverebbe per andare a trovare il suo [...]

Florence astrology

In few days I will be in Florence, for the moment just the sky for 4th July 1442, painted by Pesello under the direction of the astronomer Toscanelli.

Summer solstice: Odissey, XIII

When the bright star that heralds the approach of dawn began to show. the ship drew near to land. Now there is in Ithaca a haven of the old merman Phorcys, which lies between two points that break the line of the sea and shut the harbour in. These shelter it from the storms of [...]

Virgil’s Virgo

Muses of Sicily, essay we now A somewhat loftier task! Not all men love Coppice or lowly tamarisk: sing we woods, Woods worthy of a Consul let them be. Now the last age by Cumae’s Sibyl sung Has come and gone, and the majestic roll Of circling centuries begins anew: Justice returns, returns old Saturn’s reign, With a new breed of men sent [...]

Of Comets or blazing stars, Plinius book II

Of Comets or blazing stars, and cœlestiall prodigies, their nature, situation, and diverse sorts. THESE blazing starres the Greekes call Cometas, our Romanes Crinitas: dreadfull to be seene, with bloudie haires, and all over rough and shagged in the top like the bush of haire upon the head. The same Greekes call those starres Pogonias, which [...]

Hermes 14 stars, stones, herbs

The like consideration is to be had in all things concerning the figures of the fixed Stars: so they will have the Terrestiall [terrestrial] Ram to be under the rule of the Celestiall Aries: and the Terrestiall Bull, and Ox to be under the Celestiall Taurus. So also that Cancer should rule over Crabs, and [...]

Great conjunction 1524

Kircher’s tarantula

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Taranta e tarantolati