The Geomancy of Peter of Abano – Book IV Pt. 1

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Here Abano begins a discussion of how the genesis of each of the figures from other two figures can modify their meaning.

Since one is not only supposed to consider the springing of the figures from one place to the other, but also their origin and generation one from the other,1 an esposition of of the meanings of each of the figure depending on the figures it is born from is in order, without forgetting the inherent meaning of the figure, as well as that of the querent’s and quesited’s, and those figures in the angles, and those conjoined to them.

Acquisitio

From Populus and Acquisitio: recovering one’s losses or recovery from damage; gain, profitable journey.
From Amissio and Via: dishonorable journey, but useful, recovering something lost.
From Fortuna Major and Conjunctio: good luck, mediocre gain, and [it is positive for] the thing asked.
From Fortuna Minor and Carcer: love between husband and wife,2 and [it is good for] the thing asked.
From Puella and Cauda Draconis: gain, usefulness in things of merchandise, and gain from difficulties.

From Puer and Laetitia: gain from minerals, gain from merchandise.
From Tristitia and Rubeus: fortitude, stability in everything, good outcome, victory, loss of merchandise.
From Conjunctio and Fortuna Major: good luck, mediocre gain.
From Carcer and Fortuna Minor: usefulness; kings and lords, noble people.
From Albus and Caput Draconis: good luck in material things, loss of objects.

Amissio

From Populus and Amissio: loss, trouble, good luck for the ill and the imprisoned, good for traveling.
From Acquisitio and Via: damage, trouble, loss, the lost or stolen thing is not found, vain friends or servants.
From Carcer and Fortuna Major: trouble, problems, little gain.
From Caput Draconis and Puer: good luck in things connected with women; in other questions, gaining what one wants results in damage.
From Rubeus and Cauda Draconis: misfortune [or accident], injury, fear, fighting, trouble, damage, illness.

From Conjunctio and Fortuna Minor: loss of animals, lots of trouble, desperation for the thing lost.
From Albus and Laetitia: freedom from illness or prison, the absent party will come back, white clothes, mobile things, quick ending.
From Puella and Tristitia: poverty, vile things, trouble due to secrets, desperation, mirth, luck in debauched things.
From Fortuna Major and Carcer: recovering the lost or stolen thing.3

Fortuna Maior

From Populus and Fortuna Maior: luck in everything, getting what one wishes to get, but with delay.
From Carcer and Amissio: being very lucky and obtaining what one wants, but with difficulties.
From Albus and Tristitia: it means good news, messenger, usefulness, dignity, good salary [remuneration].
From Caput Draconis and Rubeus: great accident or misfortune, hanging, health problems, violent death.

From Amissio and Carcer: accident, problems, prison, good ending but with difficulties.
From Fortuna Minor and Via: fighting, good news, quick dispatch, honorable journeys.
From Acquisitio and Conjunctio: good fortune, prosperity, getting one’s wish.
From Puer and Cauda: good fortune, tranquillity after much trouble, getting one’s wish with much delay.
From Puella and Laetitia: mediocrity in everything, good things.

Fortuna Minor

From Populus and Fortuna Minor: its meaning has more virtue in good as in bad depending on the question.
From Acquisitio and Carcer: stability, certainty, mediocre fortune.
From Amissio and Conjunctio: good but mediocre fortune, especially in mobile things, less in stable things.
From Fortuna Major and Via: great virtue, great good fortune.

From Caput and Puella: good luck, especially in friendship and marriage.
From Albus and Cauda Draconi: mediocre good luck, especially in feminine things.
From Laetitia and Rubeus: very noble things, luck in mobile, outgoing things.
From Puer and Tristitia: mediocrity, but more bad and mutable than otherwise.

MQS

Footnotes
  1. This seems to imply that we must consider how the figures are generated on the shield. Whether this applies only to the Judge is not clear, though Abano seems to hint at the need to consider all figures, since he also considers those that cannot be Judge. ↩︎
  2. Admittedly, some of these explanations are hard to follow. I do not know, for instance, why this combination should indicate positive things between husband and wife. ↩︎
  3. Abano does not present all possible combinations. It is not clear whether he forgot or he thought it was enough to give some examples. Note also that some explanation almost seem contrary to reason. ↩︎

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