Saturday 24 June 2017

Brescia Ms B.V.24 – Arteticha Montana, Lucia Minore, Oculus Domini

Brescia, Biblioteca Queriniana, Ms B.V.24 is a XV Century manuscript written in North-Western Italy. In this post, I complete the analysis of one of the two pages published in “Di Sana Pianta”, Modena, 1988. The first plant (Caspitres) was discussed here.


Link the whole page


In “Il Giardino Magico degli Alchimisti”, Vera Segre Rutz identifies the three plants in the following way:

  • Herba Artetica Montaria #51 (arnica montana)
  • Herba Bazea Minor et de novem una #47 (daucus carota, carrot)
  • Herba Oculus Domini “Eye of God” #54 (lithospermum officinale? - dubious)


Transcription: Translation:
De lerba a[r]teticha mo[n]tana | Erba arteticha mo[n]tana a p[erson]a che avesse gotti fredi i[n] nodi | deli mane ove[?] di peddi q[ue]sta e[r]ba e da ma[n]za[r]e cu[m] ove e | cu[m] alt[r]a cossa grassa. | A p[erson]a che avesse d[e]scor[n]eria de co[r]po | To q[ue]sta e[r]ba e dagene manza[r]e subito guarisse | A p[erson]a che avesse mal de madrone | To q[ue]sta e[r]ba e dagela ma[n]za[r]e s[ub]itto gua[r]isse e cossa p[ro]uata | Nasse i[n] te[rre]ni fredi erbosi e saluadegi.

De la e[r]ba lucia minore | La e[r]ba lucia minore de li viiii ap[erson]a chi auesse fe[r]ita | alchuna. Toy la foya de q[ue]sta e[r]a e pistala e metella | sula piaga s[u]bitto guarisse | A [person]a che fosse mo[r]duto da s[er]pe[n]te | To la foya e i[n]piastrala sula mo[r]sura leva la r[a]biia[?] e lo | ueneno e guarisse Nasse i[n] te[re]ni fredissimi e p[e]d[r]ossi[?].

De lerba oculus d[omi]ni | Erba oculu d[omi]ni. A p[erson]a che auesse malo de p[e]d[r]a. To | la radice e fane polu[er]e e dagene beu[er]e cu[m] ui[n]o p[er] | spatio de xxx di fa[?] guarito. | Ap[erson]a che auesse la gottta arteticha. | To li foy de q[ue]sta e[r]ba e cosele i[n] aq[ua] e polemete sule gote | p[er] spatio de xv di fa guarit. It[em] chi auesse u[er]mi i[n] co[r[po | fa polu[ere] de le foye e dagen beu[ere] cu[m] uino s[u]bitto gua[r]isse. Nasse | i[n] t[err]eni magrj p[e]d[r]osi.
Mountain Arteticha Plant – The Mountain Arteticha plant for one who had cold gout at the joints of hands or feet: this plant must be eaten with eggs or other fat food. For one who had dysentery: take this plant and let him eat it, he will soon be healed. For one suffering from female disorders [mal de le matrone]: take this plant and give it to eat and she will soon be healed; this thing has been proven. It grows on cold, grassy and wild ground.


Lesser Lucia Plant – Lesser Lucia Plant [one] of nine, for one who had any kind of wound. Take the leaf of this plant, crush it and put it on the wound: it will soon be healed. For one who was bitten by a snake: take its leaf and make a plaster on the wound; it heals, taking rabies and poison away. It grows on very cold stony ground.


Eye of God [Oculus Domini] Plant. The Eye of God Plant, for one who suffers from stones. Take its root, make a powder of it and give it to drink with wine for thirty days: he will be healed. For one suffering from arthritic gout: take the leaves of this plant, cook them in water and then put it on the gout for fifteen days; it heals. For who had internal worms: make a powder of its leaves and give it to drink with wine; he will soon be healed. It grown on thin, stony ground.


Thanks to Davidsch for pointing out a transcription error.

Saturday 17 June 2017

Corpus Christi College MS 395 - Catalan Lunaria

In my previous post, I mentioned a version of the Hermetic Lunaria essay that was pointed out to Vera Segre Rutz by Michela Pereira: Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 395, Catalan, XV Century. The text of the essay occupies f48v and f49r.

Since the scans that are currently available online are too low-resolution to read, I have contacted "Parker on the web" an interactive, web-based workspace designed to support use and study of the manuscripts in the historic Parker Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge - managed by the Corpus Christi College and the Stanford University. They have been very friendly and helpful. The following images are published by kind permission of the Master and Fellows of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

Link to larger image


Link to larger image


Thirteen properties of the plant are described, in a crescendo of magical powers that culminates in an almost eschatological vein. The marginal annotations (apparently in the same hand as the main text) are also interesting: the mention of Raimundus confirms the Pseudo-Lullian context of this manuscript. The text is largely different from the other versions I have seen, but there also is an overlap with the Trinity and Wellcome versions (e.g. the rejuvenating of hair, or the instructions to forge a magical ring).

TranscriptionTranslation
[f48v] Hic sequ[nt]ur virtutes Lunarie pro ut hab[entu]r | (1) in libris hermetis | [Q]uedam est planta que d[i]c[unt][?] borisas larthii / in latino vero vocatur | lunaria / et a[lio]o.[mod]o mortagon grece eam vocatur Eliotro- | pia / in arabico et caldeo Iburnica in saracenico mar- | gaton [christ]iani in lingua romana vocant eam herbam pibis [?] | alli pit Judei salinania / hac herba est similis maio- | rame atque vocatur vinraducis[?] Cuius folia celestis coloris | similia foliis viticelle vel muselle sive pedis colum- | bine Et hec berba nascit[u]r sine folio / et egredit de t[er-] | ra foliis nuda / et in primo augmenti lune habet unum folium | et sequentibus diebus usque ad quindecimum diem lunarem nas- | cit[u]r ei folium / et post xvm diem cum luna minuitur folia eius minu- | intur quolibet die unum / et ultimo remanet nuda sicut primo | exivit de terra / et semp[er] nascitur in pratis vel in ripis flu- | morum / aut in altibus mo[n]tanis / et h[ab]et stipitem altam rubeam | et eius folium est rotundum sicut esset fironus[?] argenti et est fissum sive | c[re]patum circumquoque et eius fissura sive c[re]patura est rubea / sed fo- | lium eius utrumque p[ar]te c[re]patum est viride / flores eius citrine sive | crocee / et h[abe]t lac croceum / ut est lac celidonie / et odor e[ius] ut | musc[us] / et ascend[i]t contra aquam et c[re]scit i[n] magna quantitate. / et in xv die | [f48v] Here follow the virtues of Lunaria as described (1) in the book of Hermes. There is a certain plant that the Larthes call[?] Borisas. Truly in Latin it is called Lunaria and also Mortagon. In Greek it is called Eliotropia. In Arabic and Chaldean Iburnica. In Saracen Martagon. In the Roman language, Christians call it Herba Pibis[?] or Pit. The Hebrews call it Salinania. This plant is similar to Marjoram also called Vinraducis[?]. Its leaves are of a bluish color, similar to the leaves of a small vine, or of Musella[?] or of Geranium Columbinum. This plant is born without leaves and sprouts naked of leaves from the earth. In the first waxing of the moon, it has a single leaf and in the following days, until the fifteenth Lunar day, more leaves grow; after the fifteenth day, as the moon wanes, its leaves also decrease, one each day. Finally, it remains as naked as it first sprouted from the earth. It always grows in meadows or on the shores of rivers or on high mountains. It has a high red stem. Its leaf is rounded like a silver florin[?], fissured and cracked all around. Its fissures or cracks are red but its leaf, cracked on both sides, is green. Its flowers are lemon-like i.e. yellow. It has a yellow milk, like the milk of Celandine. It smells like musk and it floats upstream and it grows in large quantities. In the fifteenth day
lune h[abe]t omnes suas virtutes et p[r]oprieta[tes]. quae sun xiii / Prima | (2) e[ius] [vir]tus est quod si tra[hi]tur et succus eius extrahitur in quo succo bulliar mercurius | cum sanguine uppupe / et de isto mercurio fiet c[onver]si[?] lapis ruffus | Scias ferme quod de succo dentur esse due par[te]s . et de mercurio una | (3) et de sanguine po[ne][?] ut h[ab]ere poteris | Unus pondus istius pulverisati | pone super C. Veneris fusi et to[tu]m in solem con[ver]tit Secunda [vir]tus | est si sumatur pulveres mercurii et gumi arabici pulverisati | atque p[ostea][?] distempera hos pulveres cum succo dicte herbe / q[ui]bus | dissolutis d[ebe]t poni in alembico vit[re]o super ignem lentum per tres | dies n[atu]rales sic quod fumus inde extat / et pone super lunam et di- | veniet sol / et si de pulvere solis ponar super Jovis deveniet sol | Tertia proprietas est ista / extrahitur succus de radice eius | of the moon, it has all its virtues and properties, which are thirteen. The First (2) of its virtues is that, if it is picked up and its juice is extracted and Mercury is boiled in this juice with hoopoe blood, this Mercury is turned[?] into a red Stone. Know firmly that two parts of juice must be used and one part of Mercury; (3) use[?] all the blood that you can get. Put a pound of this [Stone] pulverized on the melted Body of Venus [i.e. Copper] and it will be turned into the Sun [i.e. Gold]. The Second virtue is this: take Mercury powder and pulverized gum arabic and mix these powders with the juice of this plant; when they are dissolved, put all in a glass alembic upon a slow fire for three full days, in such a way that it smokes: put it on the Moon [i.e. Silver] and it is turned into the Sun [i.e. Gold]. If the powder of the Sun is put on Jupiter [i.e. Tin], it is turned into the Sun. The Third property is this: the juice of its root is extracted
[f49r] et ponar super martem et facit id mollis ita q[uod] funditur q[uod] reducitur | ad limam / de qua li[m]a si sup[er] ponar mercurius fit inde lapis [et cetera]. | Quarta est ista si de e[ius] foliis fiat pulveris et recipiatur | coclear plenum succi spiccanardi et ponar super caput et tenear | (4) p[er] quinque dies facit capillos albos cadere et r[e]venire ni- | gros / dum tamen utar tenens de[be]ris 5 diebus lacte vacarum bi- | bendo vel comedendo / et de quo quicumque acceperit de hac plan- | ta ad pondus unius lentis cum [...] supia[?] et clauserit in | vase per tres dies / et ex ip[s]o biberit per aliquot dies ad pon- | dus trium carubiarum pili eius cani cadent / et si sint albi nas- | centur nigri / si pro cibo cum lacte vacce de illo per tres dies | morum sumatur. et ita homo postea Juvenescet Quinta est | (5) hac si patiens quartanam utar succo eius foliorum curab[itu]r perfecte | cuiuscunque c[on]ditionis existat Sexta cum succo pred[ict]o perfecte | o[mni]a vulnera sanantur. Septima quod si succus predictus misceatur cum san- | guine serpentis femelle qua habuerit serpenticulos vel cum san- | guine eiusdem et de ipsis oculi ungantur reddit visus dum | tenes oculi corupti non existant Octava si de succo eius po[natu]r | [f49r] and it is put on Mars [i.e. Iron]; it makes it so soft that it melts. This should be reduced to a powder by filing. If Mercury is put on this powder, you get the [philosopher's] Stone [et cetera]. The Fourth is this: if a powder is made of its leaves and a full spoon of juice of spike lavender is taken and put on the head and kept (4) for five days, white hair falls and black hair comes back. Anyway, while you use this, you must have cow milk to drink or to eat for five days. Take the weight of one lentil of this plant […] and close it in a jar for three days and drink the weight of three carobs of it for several days: gray hair will fall and if there is white hair, black hair will grow. [It must be] taken as food for three days together with cow milk. In this way a man is rejuvenated. The Fifth is this: if one suffers (5) from quartan [fever], [let him] take the juice of its leaves and he will be perfectly healed, whatever his conditions. Sixth: with the above mentioned juice, all wounds are perfectly healed. Seventh: if the above mentioned juice is mixed with the blood of a female snake that has had small snakes, or with their[?] blood, and the eyes are oiled with this, it returns sight; until you keep it, your eyes will not be sick. Eighth: if its juice is put into
in aure facit hominem intelligere aves et animalia Nona si | ha[be]at aliquod anulum aureum et ibi ponar folium dicte herbe per[?] | de super lapis de sua propria proprietate. et in manu dextra | teneatur inclusus ho[min]em reddit invisi[bi]lem. Decima si fiat | anulus aureus et ponar de la[pi]de mercurij et folium e[ius] desup[er] | et anulus ponar in aliquo digito pedis dextri / Cogitet por- || tantem ubi eam voluerit / et illico ibi erit Undecima si tan- | gatur aliquem vel aliquam in spatula dextra cum dicto anulo concedit | quicquid a se petitum fuerit Duodeci[m]a portans etiam est | potens et gratiosus et ab o[mn]ibus dilectus Decima 3a eius | folia seras tartari aperit et eius radix claudit. Explicit | Nota quod omnes iste virtutes sunt vere sed non ad l[itte]ram[?] | quae he[rb]e et plu[r]es alie sunt virtutes lapidis ph[ilosoph]orum / et qui | ip[s]am herbam probaverit sciet me verum scripsisse | etiam figura ipsius herbe sequitur in foliis seque[n]tibus. the hears, a man can understand birds and animals. Ninth: if you have a golden ring and you put [on it] a leaf of this plant and[?], above it, the Stone of its virtue, and [the ring] is kept closed in your right hand, you will be made invisible. Tenth: make a golden ring and put the stone of Mercury and the leaf [of this plant] on it; wear the ring on any toe of your right foot; think where you want it to take you and you will immediately be there. Eleventh: if you touch a man or a woman with that ring on the right shoulder he or she will give you whatever you ask for. Twelfth: whoever wears [the ring] is powerful and pleasant and loved by everybody. Thirteenth: its leaf opens the gates of the underworld and its root closes them. The end. Note that all these virtues are true but not exhaustive[?] of this plant and that the philosopher's stone has many other virtues. Whoever has tried this plant knows that I have written the truth. A figure of this plant follows in the following pages.
Marginal annotations:
[f48v]
(1) ista h[er]ba est illa p[ri]ma | m[ateri]a de qua philosophi infinita | scripserunt p[ro]p[ter] virtutem | eius occultam cum qua sa- | nantur omnes infirmita[tes] | et componitur lapidis p[re]tiosi | aurum per argentum et res | ceteres in ... ... | per diversas informationes | et hic metaphorice sub | h[er]be spe[cie] docetur 

(2) Nota quod ista prima virtus est compo[sitio] | lapidis phi[losophi]ci mistico mo[do] | seu enigmatice declarato

(3) Nota quod mira[bi]le [...] magis quam mira[bi]le | intelligenti / [...] non intellige | p[r]o upupa ave

[f49r]
(4) hoc tenet raimondus et in | sua S[anc]ta . essen[ti]a . affirmat | et barto[lus][?] in lib[r]o de regime | senium ubi tractat de | borisa et de calo[r]e faciente[?] | ho[mi]nes t[em]p[er]ate complexionis

(5) et non solum quartanam | curat sed om[ne]s infirmitates | etiam desp[er]atas / nisi deus | c[ontra]dixerit
Marginal annotations:
[f48v]
(1) This plant is that First | Matter about which philosophers wrote | infinitely because of its occult | powers. By it, all illnesses | are healed | and the gold of the precious stone | is made from silver | et cetera. [...] | by several sources | and here it is discussed metaphorically | under the appearance of a plant.

 (2) Note that this first virtue is the making | of the philosopher's stone, discussed in a mystic | or enigmatic way.

 (3) Note that this is a marvel. More than a marvel | to the reader who[?] cannot understand[?] the meaning | of the hoopoe bird. 

[f49r]
(4) So says Raymond: | he states this in his “Holy Essence.” | Also Bartolus[?] in his book “The Rule | of Old Age” in which he writes | about Borisa and about heat restoring[?] | men to a temperate complexion.

 (5) It not only cures quartan [fever] | but all illnesses.