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I. ARIES

ries nature is fiery, choleric and its taste bitter, crooked, bicoloured and

two faced, daylight hours are more than twelve and ascensions are less

than thirty degrees .

And there arises in its first facie a woman called Athena,5 brilliant and wonderful.

And the Tail of the Sea Fish which is called Alifcar and also Cetus. 6 And the

beginning of Triangle.7 And the head of Althemor which is Thorail.8 And the image

of his head is a Dog-head, and he keeps in his left hand a clay candelabrum and a key

in the other hand.9

Indians claim that in this facie there arises a Black Man with red eyes and a big body,

he is strong and noble, wearing a wide white woollen gown fasten at his belt with a

rope. He is furious, vigil, watches and observes.10

5 From the corresponding Teucer’ text. John calls her Azne and Hermann daughter of splendour, thinking of Athena’s most common attribute, in fact she was known as the goddess with gleaming eyes. 6 Chaitoz in the text. 7 Triangulum was one of the 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. 8 Ailorous the Cat is Aries dodekaoros, from Teucer text. Dodekaoros are the Egyptian constellations associated with zodiacal signs: Franz Boll in Sphaera gives the following list from Aries to Pisces: Cat, Dog, Snake, Beetle, Donkey, Billy-goat, Bull, Falcon, Baboon and Crocodile, following Teucer text. John calls it Althemor, Hermann Cervotauri. In fact Hermann starts from the point where he closed the list of barbarian stars in Pisces paragraph . 9 Cassiopea was indicated as a key by Aratus (lines 188-197) “Eastward his hapless wife, Cassiepeia, gleaming when by night the moon is full, wheels with her scanty stars. For few and alternate stars adorn her, which expressly mark her form with lines of light. Like the key of a twofold door barred within, wherewith men striking shoot back the bolts, so singly set shine her stars.” 10 The “vir niger” of the first facie of Aries was the starting point of art historian Aby Warburg’s interpretation of Schifanoia frescoes in Ferrara. After reading Sphaera, the book of his close friend Franz Boll, Warburg recognised in the Renaissance frescoes the ancient images of Albumasar book, starting from the enigmatic black man, Perseus, more a projection of Warburg himself, a personal talisman, than the real constellation,

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In the third facie of Gemini there arises Apollon,59 and on his head he has a myrtle crown

and with him he has a Lyra,60 i.e a musical instrument with chords, and a golden flute.

And there arises a Barking Dog, and a Dolphin,61 which is a sea animal. And Fahed (a wild

cat). And the first half of Ursa Minor. And the tail of the Horned Snake, coiled around

the root of the Spica.

Indians say that in this facie there arises a man looking for weapons and desiring to use

them, and he has with him a shield and a quiver and an arrow in his hand, garments and

many ornaments. He is planning to compose and arrange songs, and have fun and play

and amuse himself with several kinds of games.

According to Ptolemy, in this facie there arises the shoulder of the second twin, 62 his

hand and his back, and his right foot. And the thigh of the fore twin63 and his feet. And the

59 According Teucer, Castor alpha Ge arises at 27° of the sign, nature of Jupiter and Mercury. Anonymous 379: “the natives become fond of literature and humanities, scholars, popular orators, ingenious and clever people, keen on music and arts, people who hit the target, good-looking, able to carry on a lot of activities and skilful at many things, dignified, pious, religious, suitable for and capable of doing business, very well-known or people who purchase gold and silver and other riches thanks to relations, connections or successful trading and who keep their noble feelings and nature even during their misfortunes. This happens especially in a diurnal geniture. On the contrary, if these stars rise at the horoscope in a nocturnal geniture the natives think and pretend to be learned and wise while they are boastful, affected, simulators and shammers, nevertheless, they are erudite, they have a good memory, they are capable of and suitable for teaching and their desires are pure.” 60 Liber Hermetis XXV.3: “the 25th degree being horoscope makes athletes, boxeurs and winning fighters, sometimes soldiers and prison wardens: some musicians and dancers.” 61 Delphinus is the animal sacred to Apollon and it is called “musical sign” because myth says that Apollon asked the dolphin to rescue Arion the lyra player: seated there Arion grasped his lyre and paid his fare in song, and with his chant he charmed the ocean waves. The gods see pious deeds: Jupiter received the dolphin among the constellations, and bade him have nine stars (Ovidius, Fasti II 118). Teucer text and Liber Hermetis mention Lyra and Delphinus between Gemini paranatellonta, Firmicus and Manilius put them in Capricorn. 62 John writes Taurus. 63 John writes Taurus.