Scientific weather forecasting in the middle ages: the writings of Al-Kindī: studies, editions, and translations of the Arabic, Hebrew and Latin texts

Man has always tried to find effective ways to predict the weather. Simple predictions from meteorological phenomena or from the constellations rising in the sky can be found attributed to Aristotle, and in Varro, Pliny, Ptolemy, and the parapegmata of Classical times. However, the particular cultural situation of Baghdad in the mid-ninth century encouraged the production of what can be regarded as the first scientific treatises on weather forecasting. These are two ‘letters’ of the ‘Philosopher of the Arabs’, Ya'qub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi (ca 800-ca. 870), who combines at least three traditions of weather forecasting: the native Arabic agricultural tradition, Greek Aristotelian meteorology, and scientific astrology. This volume sketches the history of weather forecasting from ancient times through to the Early Modem period, and places the two letters of al-Kindi in their historical and intellectual context. The original Arabic text of al-Kindi’s letters has not been discovered, but the work is known through two Hebrew translations, and an independent Latin version, made directly from the Arabic, in which the two letters have been combined into one treatise. All these texts are edited here, together with an annotated English translation of the principal Hebrew version and a detailed commentary. This book not only adds to our knowledge concerning al-Kindi, but is also the first study devoted exclusively to medieval weather forecasting—a topic which, from the evidence of the number of texts and manuscripts, had a significant place in medieval scientific and social culture. Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Preliminary Note and Acknowledgements 10 1 Al-Kindi and the History of Weather Forecasting 12 2 The Texts 40 3 The Hebrew Tradition 52 4 The Latin Tradition 76 AL-KINDI LETTER I 108 Hebrew Text 108 Hebrew Text MS C 148 English Translation 172 AL-KINDI LETTER II 214 Hebrew Text 214 Hebrew Text MSS CN 240 English Translation 254 LATIN TRANSLATION (DE MUTATIONE TEMPORUM) 274 Text 274 Apparatus criticus 322 COMMENTARY 336 Letter I 336 Letter II 372 The Additional Passages in the Latin Translation 392 APPENDIXES 396 I The Opening of the Doors (Apertio portarum) 396 II The Forty Chapters, c. 38 406 III The Letter on the Phenomena of the Atmosphere 420 IVA The Tehran Chapters 432 IVB 'Umar', k. mukhtaṣar al-masā'il (Liber Aomaris), cc. 81-5 444 V: Saturnus in Ariete 468 INDEXES 478 Hebrew 478 Letter I: Index of Terms 478 Index of Names 500 Letter II: Index of Terms 502 Index of Names 518 Latin 520 Index I 520 Index II 548 General Index 552 GENERAL ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY 562 TABLES 586 I Effects of Combinations of the Planets and the Sun in their Quadrants 586 II The Lunar Mansions in Weather-Forecasting Texts 587 III The Rain-Bringing Signs of the Zodiac 593