Details

Other Title:

Ars magna cabalistica.

Subjects:

Mathematics -- Early works to 1800.
Mathematics.
Algebra -- Early works to 1800.
Algebra.
Cabala -- Early works to 1800.
Cabala.

Form/Genre:

Codices.
Manuscripts, Latin.
Manuscripts, European.

Language:

Latin, with some Hebrew throughout.

Summary:

Begins with undated dedication from Joannes Theodorus de Bry, Argentinensis, civisque Oppenhimensis. Second dedication by Schopper, dated 1564. Supposedly a posthumous work (Zacour-Hirsch). While this volume appears to deal predominantly with mathematics, especially algebra, there are some references to the cabala in combination with mathematics. The bulk of the volume is dedicated to the application of mathematics, but the prefaces focus on the way humans learn and use mathematics.

Contents:

1. f.3v: De huius partis divisione praefationis loco studioso lectori apposita.
2. f.3v-5v: De quaesiti dictionum numero ratio datur.
3. f.6r-6v: De sphericae orbitae canalorum ratione, ubi pariter semicirculorum divisiones, brancarum constructiones, misteriumque totius figure complectitur.
4. f.6v-8r: Repetitionis duarum radicum causa quae sit.
5. f.8r-9v: Cur ex orbita numeri spiraliter sint accipiendi, ut postea in ciphra plano ordine inscribantur, deque miisteriis occultis earumdem operationum, cuius causa responsiones procreantur.
6. f.9v-11r: Quare radices cruce et signatae Haebraica non admittat, ubi de responsionum eiusdem brevitate, aliqua non superflua pertractantur.
7. f.11r-15r: Algebra quid sit, et quotuplex, subiectum rationes, et alia ad eius usum necessaria ante regulas demonstrantur.
8. f.15r-15v: Reductio literalis et numerica quantitatum complexarum algebricarum ad suos simpliciores expressiones, nec non incomplexarum.
9. f.15v-16r: Subductionis algebricae tam literalis, quam numericae forma quantitatum incomplexarum, et complexarum.
10. f.16r-19r: Algebricae multiplicationis, tam literalis, quam numericae methodiis incomplexarum, et complexarum quantitatum earumque potestatum.
11. f.19r-24r: Divisio quantitatum algebricarum incomplexarum, et complexarum.
12. f.24r-32r: De rationibus, seu habitudinibus aequationum, et proportionum pertractantur.
13. f.32v-37v: Tabularum usus declaratur, nec non et ipse tabluae inscribuntur.
14. f.37v-39r: Altera breviorque responsionum obtinendarum methodus inscribitur.
15. f.39r-45r: Exempla rotius operis delineantur coronidis loco in gratiam studiosorum.

Notes:

Ms. codex.
Title from title page (f. ii recto).
Foliation: Paper, 50; [ii], 1-45, [46-48]; contemporary foliation in ink, upper right recto. Last three leaves blank.
Layout: Written in 37 long lines; ruled in lead.
Script: Written in a humanistic cursive script.
Decoration: Schematic drawings dealing with algebra or mathematics in ink throughout; manicule (f. 7v); large schematic drawing of the eleven Sephirot in the tree of life symbol, with both Hebrew and Roman letters, topped with a small sphere divided into nine sections, named from A to I (f. 38v).
Watermark: 2 watermarks are used throughout: the initials F.C., and a diamond with two circles attached to either side.
Binding: Contemporary boards (Zacour-Hirsch).
Origin: Written in Germany in the 17th century (Zacour-Hirsch).

Penn Provenance:

Sold by Helmuth Domizlaff (Munich), 1963.

Cited in:

Described in Zacour, Norman P. and Hirsch, Rudolf. Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of the University of Pennsylvania to 1800 (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1965), p. 44 (Ms. Latin 188).

Cited as:

UPenn Ms. Codex 1201

Contributor:

Bry, Johann Theodor de, 1561-1623.

OCLC:

232609286