[Occult and Esoterica - Astrology and numerology] [Psychology]
Giuseppe de' Rossi
Discorso sopra gli anni climatterici [...] dove si mostra la ragione perche sieno cosi perigliosi alla vita dell'huomo [...].
Rome: Bartolomeo Bonfandino & Tito Diani for Jacomo Bericchia & Jacomo Tornieri, 1585.
Price: $3,200
Very rare FIRST EDITION, First Issue with dedication to Cardinal Sirleto. Text in Italian. Illustrated with four woodcut diagram plates (two unassembled volvelles), as well as a fine full-page woodcut table "Tavola delle Alfridarie", illustrating the system of Firdaria, a term that comes from the Persian and Arabic astrology and is first found in Albumasar, where it appears as Fardar. The system associates different periods of life with different planets and thus define which theme will prevail during each of the periods.
"Anyone can find out what is going to happen to him if only he makes the engravings of the work into volvelles, and turns them into the proper position, observing the instructions in the work." (Sotheran)
The Discorso sopra gli anni climatterici is a very interesting astro-numerological treatise on the climacteric years. It is the only known printed work of Giuseppe de' Rossi, and includes some in-depth medical and psychological observations, paired with fascinating mystical insights.
"The Discourse of Gioseppe de Rossi of Sulmona on climacteric years [...] was addressed to cardinal Sirleto and printed at Rome in 1585, the year preceding the bull of Sixtus V against astrology. Rossi notes that some are of the opinion that the number seven belongs to the body, and nine to the soul, and that 49 and 81 are most perilous numbers because squares are more potent than other numbers. He affirms the influence of the stars, citing Aristotle, Aquinas, Haly, and the Conciliator. The number seven is important in human generation and life which it divides into periods of seven or multiples thereof [...]. Very melancholy persons rarely survive their forty-ninth or fifty-sixth year, since Saturn is especially fatal to them, while the sixty-third year is less fatal to melanchonici adusti" (Thorndike).
In Ancient Greek philosophy and astrology, the climacterics (Latin annus climactericus, from Greek κλιμακτηρικος) were certain purportedly critical years in a person's life, marking turning points. According to the astrologers, the person would see some very notable alterations to the body, and be at a great risk of death during these years. Authors on the subject include the following: Plato, Cicero, Macrobius, Aulus Gellius, among the ancients; as well as Argol, Maginus, and Salmasius. Augustine, Ambrose, Bede, and Boetius all countenanced the belief.
The first climacteric occurs in the seventh year of a person's life; the rest are multiples of the first, such as 21, 49, 56, and 63. The grand climacteric usually refers to the 63rd year, with the dangers here being supposedly more imminent;[1] but may refer to the 49th (7 x 7) or the 81st (9 x 9). These turning points were viewed as changes from one kind of life, and attitude toward life, to another in the mind of the subject: the classic reference on the subject is Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, C204 - 207, which in turn gave rise to Shakespeare's delineation of the Seven Ages of Man.
The belief has a great deal of antiquity on its side. Aulus Gellius says that it was borrowed from the Chaldeans; who might probably receive it from Pythagoras, whose philosophy (Pythagoreanism) was based in numbers, and who imagined an extraordinary virtue in the number 7.
Slim Quarto; leaves measure 21½cm x 16cm; bound in 20th-century Italian marbled boards with a printed title label to spine.
Pagination: [4], 74, [6] pp.
Signatures: π2 A-K4. Collated and COMPLETE.
Illustrated with 4 woodcut plates (H3, I2, K2, K3) and a full-page xylographic table "Tavola delle Alfridarie" (D2v), all included in the collation. The woodcuts on K2r and K3v are (uncut and unassembled) movable dials intended to be mounted over circular diagrams on H3r and I2r, respectively, to form volvelles.
Tornieri's woodcut device with IHS monogram on title-page, and Bonfadino's woodcut "hedgehog" device on K4r (above the colophon).
Several woodcut decorative initials and head-pieces.
Printed chiefly in Roman type.
Dedication to cardinal Sirleto on preliminary leaf π2r,v (printed in Italic, and dated January 1585). Errata on verso.of the final leaf (K4v).
Contemporary ownership signature of Cosimo Angelo Giuseppe de Petroni to pottom margin of the title-page.
Very Good antiquarian condition. Complete. inner margins of several leaves,including title and dedication, very neatly and inconspicuously strengthened at gutter. A tiny abrasion to leaf H1, affecting one word. Light scattered spotting, occasional light browning, minor marginal soiling to a few leaves. Early owner's signature to bottom margin of title. Binding slightly rubbed. A very clean and nice example of this extremely rare work, complete with all plates.
Cantamessa, Astrologia 1269; Graesse, VI, p.168; Riccardi I vol.II, p.596; Haym IV, p.90:5; Durling 3950; Thorndike VI, 139f.; not in Adams, Caillet and Houzeau-Lancaster
