142 THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT 



Introductorius. 1 Such are the Astrologia of the 

 Munich Library, 2 and a curious volume preserved 

 in the Hof-Bibliothek of Vienna with the follow- 

 ing title : ' Michaelis Scoti Capitulum de iis quae 

 generaliter significantur in partibus duodecim Caeli, 

 sive Domibus.' 8 The De Presagiis Stellarum et 

 Elementaribus, and the Notitia convinctionis Mundi 

 terrestris cum Coelesti, cited by the writer on Scot 

 in the Encyclopedia Britannica, belong apparently 

 to the same class. 



We shall probably commit no error in assuming 

 that the astrological views of Scot at this period 

 were substantially the same as those embodied in 

 his earlier writings on that subject. 4 In after ages 

 they were severely censured by Pico della Miran- 



1 Unless indeed these, or some of them, should prove to be merely 

 detached fragments of the Liber Introductorius itself, like those at 

 Milan, Padua, and Home. See ante, p. 27. 



2 No. 1091. It is perhaps the same as the Astrologorum Dogmata, 

 which appears in the lists of Bale and Pitz. 



3 No. 3124. Incipit : ' Primum signum duodecim signorum.' 

 Explicit : ' principio motus earum.' 



4 As a characteristic specimen, we may take the chapter of the 

 Liber Introductorius on the moon as it is given in the Roman MS. 

 (Fondo Vaticano 4087, p. 38ro.). It commences thus: 'Luna terris 

 vicinior est omnibus planetis.' Some passages are curious, as when 

 Scot says that the moon has her light from the sua and he again 

 receives his ' a summo coelo in quo Trinitas residet.' The heathen, 

 he adds, used to call the moon Diana, and the sister of the sun, 

 whom they named Apollo. Her proper figure is that of a virgin with a 

 torch in either hand whereof the flames are triple to signify the Trinity, 

 that * true light which lighteneth every man that cometh into the world' 

 (S. John i. 9). 'Virgil saith of her "tria Virginis ora Dianae," that is 

 heavenly, earthly, and infernal. Her power causes hunters to profit 

 more by night than by day, and the owl and night-hawk sleep all day 

 that they may follow their prey by night. Such creatures of the night 

 are hated by the rest and hate them in return. The wolf hates the 

 sheep, and birds the owl. This last is of use in fowling when they use 

 a night-hawk. Builders, too, know that wood must be felled in the 

 wane of the moon or it will warp.' It ends thus : * Explicit Liber quern 

 edidit micael scotus de signis et ymaginibus celi, qui scriptum (sic) et 

 exemplatum fuit per me baltasaram condam (quondam) Domini 

 Dominici in mcccxx de mense Aprilis Deo gratias Amen.' 



