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The big issue at stake here is how good the translation is (from Greek). This matter is pivotal from the beginning. There have been 4 translators of this monumental work (over the last 250 years), and the translation presented in his particular volume is, I believe, the best.
In addition, the physical book itself is endearing -- from the front and back cover, to the typeset, to the fonts -- I am pleased. This is a book that you study hardcore, in order to grasp the essence. If you are going to spent your hard earned money and expend much effort to absorb the material, sure you want the book to be appealing physically.
We all know that the actual content of Ptolemy's major work on astrology is outstanding -- this was the work that came to influence all subsequent traditions, from the Persians and Arabic to the Medieval and Renaissance. I should add that if Valen's Anthology (written roughly at the same time as Ptolemy) had survived ... wow, astrology would have wound up being much different in our age. (I will address this again in a paragraph below.)
The marginal notes are actually quite helpful. A rare thing! (See translator James Holden's superfluous footnotes, [and errors] for example.)
But this book is so vital, that I simply cannot imagine how any astrologer could not be intimately acquainted with it. It is especially important if you are new to astrology, because it contains the elements of astrology, and it is extremely well written (and is marvelously compacted). For example, you need to understand that there is a difference between day and night births. Therefor, studying certain topics changes accordingly. To wit, for a day birth, the native's mother is signified by Venus; the Moon signifies mom for night births. Likewise the Sun for the father during the day, but Saturn by night. He then provides the Lots, for the Mother and for the Father (Venus minus Moon plus Ascendant; Saturn minus Sun plus Ascendant). Although that is the case, one of this books weaknesses is that it fails to provide any explicit examples (like Valens abundantly does) of actual charts -- proving astrology works as a predictive tool, essentially.
Here is what you need to know, though, going into this work. Ptolemy does not represent the tradition of astrology (-- the preceding 4 hundred years). No. He discards huge chunks of basic notions. (wow!) Ptolemy was attempting to find a rigorous scientific foundation for astrology. He does a great job. Ptolemy is admired even to this day by scientists. For instance, Ptolemy provides a totally new rationale for Sect. (Of course, in ancient astrology, there are 2 "teams": Sun, Jupiter & Saturn are diurnal in nature; Moon, Venus & Mars are nocturnal in nature.) His rationale for the assignments is based entirely on his need to establish a new, scientific foundation (addressed above). Even more importantly, introduces an idea that became THE standard conceptualization (for centuries!) of how to do astrology. What he does, is he posits the existence humors. He declares the Sun's primary mechanism is Heating & Drying. Mars is Hot & Extremely Dry -- accounting for Mars' tendency to break things. Saturn is Extremely Cold -- accounting for Saturn's torpor. The Moon is Cool and Wet ( -- unless its in a Masculine Sign, preceding the Sun, above the horizon, during the day, for then the Moon's natural Coolness is morphed into Heat.) In practice, there is really something to this. Nevertheless, even to this day there is difficulty in proving such; someday.... And the theory of humors has existed in medicine nonstop until around 200 years ago! (Are we in a New Aeon?) Oddly, many modern astrologers don't know these basic properties. How do they do astrology?
More terribly, many modern astrologers think that the contemporary astrology they do is "more advanced" than ancient material. As the late scholar of Greek, Robert Schmidt, points out, is far from the case. (To him we owe our deepest gratitude and praise.)
Honestly, you should also read Vettius Valens' Anthology in conjunction with the present volume. Written in the same century, they approach the same thing from opposite sides. Can they both be right? What is left when you have found all the similarities and differences?
I am happy to say, these books are not easy reads. They are not "conversational" in nature. Now, dear reader, I make a personal appeal: I did not attend college; yet I gained an intellectual edge from reading books like these. Ancient Astrology is what led me into being a halfway decent thinker. Because I fell in love with it. Keep this mind when you decide to buy or not buy. If you don't THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE of astrology at its core, and are willing to be challenged, then I would suggest you read any of the 100's of laughable books on astrology that have been written the last 100 years. Sorry to say -- REALLY...! This book is different. All ancient astrology texts are different. But of course it is just as valid in today's culture as then; we are talking about foundations. Foundations that were LOST when astrology was reinvented "on the rags and tatters" of what was in the hands of astrologers in the 20th century, who also, by the way, needed to avoid certain Laws of the State, and therefor changed astrology from prediction to psychology. But ... that's not astrology. It's psychology using astrology as a prop.
People are unaware that Kings used astrology as part of official government business, especially to make the most important decisions. "What will the outcome be if we engage in this war?" People think astrology is as simple "I'm a Taurus" ... and that's it. Modern astrology, in fact, goes into rich detail about the characterology of the Signs, while the ancients focused on other things, like Time Periods, and knowing when a planet becomes an active ruler. Knowing what the influence of that star will be. Which means understanding so-called Dignity. You need to understand the Boundaries. And my Word .... How can anyone read a chart without the Lot of Fortune? Once you know what it's real purpose is, you will feel ashamed at your previous ignorance. To be kind, the Lot reveals what actually happens on a concrete level. There are Artists for example. Why don't all of them get rich? Why are some people poor their whole lives? Could this really be seen ahead of time? Oh, yes.
Dear reader, it seems to me that the most intelligent astrologers frequently turn to the tradition -- realizing "there has to be more" to astrology that what appears in common settings; just talking about Signs and Aspects. (And utterly misunderstanding certain other things ... like the meaning and placement of the 12 Houses! Nails on a chalk board, anyone?)
Now ... that doesn't mean that you can't continue doing "psychological" astrology, but of course you need to understand astrology on it's own terms first, before you choose to import from the outside concepts belonging to other fields. If you choose to do so at all. Otherwise you won't be able to provide exact reasons for your delineation. Astrologers are not psychics. Astrology is a science. Ptolemy ... was a scientist.
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Top reviews from other countries
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Please DONT buy this edition by Zinc reads.
Reviewed in Canada on September 25, 2023
D
Reviewed in Canada on September 25, 2023
I am also surprised how this publisher didnt get in trouble with copyright issues. Just Saying.. I will not be ordering from this publisher again. Plus all the useful author notes are not in the text in the most representable pages like the original, atleast it's all at the back of the book though.
Images in this review
Stellina Brillante
Tetrabiblos: The bedrock of our world view
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 24, 2017
