Tetrabiblos (, ), also known as Apotelesmatiká (, ) and in Latin as Quadripartitum (), is a text on the philosophy and practice of astrology, written by the Alexandrian scholar Claudius Ptolemy in Koine Greek during the 2nd century CE
Ptolemy's Almagest was an authoritative text on astronomy for more than a thousand years, and the Tetrabiblos, its companion volume, was equally influential in astrology, the study of the effects of astronomical cycles on earthly matters. But whilst the Almagest as an astronomical authority was superseded by acceptance of the heliocentric model of the Solar System, the Tetrabiblos remains an important theoretical work for astrology.
Besides outlining the techniques of astrological practice, Ptolemy's philosophical defense of the subject as a natural, beneficial study helped secure theological tolerance towards astrology in Western Europe during the Medieval era. This allowed Ptolemaic teachings on astrology to be included in universities during the Renaissance, which brought an associated impact upon medical studies and literary works.
The historical importance of the Tetrabiblos is seen by the many ancient, medieval and Renaissance commentaries that have been published about it. It was copied, commented on, paraphrased, abridged, and translated into many languages. The latest critical Greek edition, by Wolfgang Hübner, was published by Teubner in 1998.
Overview and influence
Ptolemy is referred to as "the most famous of Greek astrologers"Tester (1987) p.57. and "a pro-astrological authority of the highest magnitude".Rutkin, H. Darrel, 'The Use and Abuse of Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos in Renaissance and Early Modern Europe', in Jones (2010) p.135-147. As a source of reference his Tetrabiblos is described as having "enjoyed almost the authority of a Bible among the astrological writers of a thousand years or more".Robbins (1940) 'Translator's Introduction' II, p.xii. Analogies between the status of the Tetrabiblos in astrology and the Bible in Christianity are frequent. See for example Riley (1974) p.235, "virtually the Bible of astrology"; Broughton, Elements of Astrology (1898) p.7: "Ptolemy’s Four Books on Astrology are to the European and American Student what the Bible is to the student of Christian Theology"; Tucker, Principles of Scientific Astrology (1938) p.32: "it is the Tetrabiblos which interests astrologers ... it is their astrological bible"; and Zusne, Jones, Anomalistic psychology: a study of magical thinking (1989) p.201: "the astrologer's bible, the Tetrabiblos, is still in use in the Western world". Compiled in Alexandria in the 2nd century, the work gathered commentaries about it from its first publication. It was translated into Arabic in the 9th century, and is described as "by far the most influential source of medieval Islamic astrology".Saliba (1997) p.67.
With the translation of the Tetrabiblos into Latin in the 12th century, "Ptolemaic astrology" became integrated by Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas into medieval Christian doctrine.Tarnas (1991) pp.193–194. This theological acceptance encouraged the teaching of Ptolemaic astrology in universities, often linked to medical studies. This, in turn, brought attention in literary works, such as Dante's, which helped shape the moral, religious and cosmological paradigm of Western Europe during the Medieval era. The Tetrabiblos was largely responsible for laying down the basic precepts of Renaissance astrology,Webster (1979) p.276. and was a necessary textbook in some of the finest universities of Renaissance and early modern Europe.
Ptolemaic astrology continued to be taught at European universities into the 17th century, but by the mid-17th century the study struggled to maintain its position as one of the respected Liberal sciences.See Ramesey (1654) bk. I 'A vindication of astrology', p.2, which presents a lengthy argument for why astrology is defined as a "Mathematical art", being neither "a distinct Art or Science by itself" but "one of the Liberal Sciences". See also Thorndike (1958) vol. 12, ch.5: 'Astrology to 1650', and Thomas (1971) ch.3: 'Astrology: its social and intellectual role' which describes the determined efforts to preserve the intellectual standing of astrology in the mid-late 17th century, which rapidly collapsed at the end of that century. During this period, the contents of the Tetrabiblos faced severe theological condemnation. Antonio Merenda, a 17th-century professor of civil law at Pavia, dismissed the work as "a diabolical art of divination," writing that "no superstitious art is more fitted to forward the aims of the devil than the astrology of Ptolemy."
The intellectual standing of astrology collapsed rapidly at the end of the 17th century, but the historical impact of the Tetrabiblos upon world culture continues to engage the attention of scholars of classical philosophy and the history of sciences in antiquity.Lehoux (2006) p.108: "Perhaps the most influential of the ancient physical accounts is that offered by Ptolemy in his Tetrabiblos". It also maintains its position as an influential textbook for practitioners of modern western astrology, and English translations of the text were published by astrologers in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.For example, the Whalley translation (1701), and 'corrected edition' by Ebenezer Sibly and his brother (1786); James Wilson (1828), and other privately circulated manuscripts of the 19th century such as that produced by John Worsdale; the Project Hindsight translation by Robert Schmidt (1994). Details of these texts and other translations are given in the section on Editions and translations. The early 20th-century Humanist astrologer Dane Rudhyar reported that the astrology of his era "originated almost entirely in the work of the Alexandrian astrologer, Claudius Ptolemy".Rudhyar (1936) p.4. Even 21st-century astrological textbooks have described the Tetrabiblos as being "without a doubt, indispensable for any serious student of astrology".Avelar and Ribeiro (2010) 'Annotated Bibliography' p.275: "This is an astrological classic and probably the most widely cited in the history of the art. It is one of the most important and influential works in the field of astrology ... without a doubt, indispensable for any serious student of astrology".
The work's enduring significance is attributed to several factors: Ptolemy's reputation as one of the greatest philosophers and scientists of the ancient world,Ashmand (1822) 'Translator's Introduction'. the text's astrological importance as one of the oldest complete manuals on that subject,Houlding (1993) p.3. and the unprecedented order and quality of Ptolemy's astrological explanations.Riley (1988) p.69.
The "outstanding mark of Ptolemy’s astrology" is described as "informed by the philosophical and scientific spirit of his age".Tester (1987) p.60. Ptolemy wrote at a time when "physics" was defined by philosophy, and his account of stellar effects was expressed in terms of the four Aristotelian qualities (hot, cold, wet, and dry) set against the philosophical notion of universal unity and cosmic harmony.Tester (1987) p.59; Lehoux (2006) pp.107-109. His objective was to explain the rationale of astrology in such terms, so the work is also notable for its dismissal of astrological practices which lack a direct astronomical basis:Tester (1987) p.64.
The book opens with an explanation of the philosophical framework of astrology which aims to answer the arguments of critics who questioned the subject's validity. Of this, Lynn Thorndike, in his History of Magic and Experimental Science, writes: "Only the opponents of astrology appear to have remained ignorant of the Tetrabiblos, continuing to make criticisms of the art which do not apply to Ptolemy's presentation of it or which had been specifically answered by him".Thorndike (1958) vol. 1, p.116.
Ptolemy was not responsible for originating the astrological techniques he presented in the Tetrabiblos. His contribution was to arrange the material systematically, in order to demonstrate that astrology is based upon logical, hierarchical principles. Astrological influences are frequently referred to the meteorological effects of humoral shifts, which were presumed to result from celestial cycles bringing correlated changes in the heating, cooling, moistening, and drying effects of the atmosphere.Avelar and Ribeiro (2010) ch.2, pp.10–17. See for exampleTetrabiblos I.4: 'Of the Power of the Planets'.
The historical importance and influence of the Tetrabiblos is attested by the many ancient, medieval and Renaissance commentaries published about it, as well as the many translations and paraphrased editions that aim to reproduce its content in an accessible manner.Robbins (1940) 'Translator's Introduction', III, pp.xvi–xvii. The Greek text has undergone transmission into Arabic, Latin and many modern languages. The first English translation did not appear until the 18th century, but by the end of the 19th century the American astrologer Luke Broughton reported he had at least half a dozen different English translations in his possession.Elements of Astrology (1898) p.7. Broughton describes its value to astrologers as "One of the best books the student should read, and which is most essential" p.v.
Title and date of composition
The commonly known Greek and Latin titles (Tetrabiblos and Quadripartitum respectively), meaning 'four books', are traditional nicknamesJones (2010) 'Introduction' by Alexander Jones, p.xii: "The Tetrabiblos (again a nickname - we do not know Ptolemy's own title, but a credible guess is Apotelesmatika, roughly 'Astrological Influences')". for a work which in some Greek manuscripts is entitled , 'Mathematical treatise in four books'.Robbins (1940) 'Translator's Introduction' II, p.x–xi. Frank Eggleston Robbins, editor of the Loeb English translation published in 1940, considered it likely that this was the title used by Ptolemy himself, although he acknowledged that many other Greek manuscripts use the title , 'The prognostics addressed to Syrus'. An ancient anonymous commentary on the work states that some considered the term Tetrabiblos to be a fictitious name.
Hübner, editor of the 1998 Teubner Greek edition, uses the title Apotelesmatiká (biblía), '(books on) effects', which has been followed by recent scholars.Heilen, Stephan, 'Ptolemy's Doctrine of the Terms and its Reception', in Jones (2010) p.45. Alexander Jones, editor of the Springer publication Ptolemy in Perspective (2010), considers that Ptolemy's own title remains unknown, but agrees that the term Apotelesmatika is "a credible guess". This term is variously translated to mean 'influences', 'effects' or 'prognostics'; reflecting the theme of work, which is concerned with gaining foreknowledge of the effects of predictable astronomical cycles.