Re: Re: VMs: Southern Alchemy

Hi Jan,

This is a difficult question ; to determine wether there is a connection between Lavinius and Pontanus is an even tricky one.

Here are some provisional results, but the overall outcome is that I don?t know at the moment.

You are aware that alchemists often hide their identity for various reasons. Baresch is one example.

There were many alchemists around Rodolph, and I can confirm you that there was a link between Hajeck and many of them, and for instance I could check the fact that Lavinius and Sendivogius were almost certainly linked together. As well as with Maier, Croll, Ruland?

Back to Pontanus, the problem is that there are several possibilities. Thus the first step is to try and identify the right one, since we for now consider as established that Lavin the alchemist who worked for Rozmberk (one of them BTW) is Lavinius, the author of the treatise on " Terrestrial Heaven ".

As you stated below, he was translated into French, the first link you mentionned is possibly the best French speaking site about alchemy ; even in that case, there are mistakes written in it, e.g. Canseliet did tell about the Moravian, he even published its treatise, as your second link proves it.

Anyway " our " VMS Pontanus seems at the moment to be the man listed in Rene?s biographies :

" the MS may have passed to Jacobus via the book collector Pontanus "

http://www.voynich.nu/history.html

" Pontanus, Jiri Barthold ~ of Breitenberg

(1559?-1614). A devout Catholic (Jesuit), a very familiar person at court - the Emperor granted him a patent of nobility in 1588 - and a well-known poet in the circle of Westonia et al. Friend of Sinapius. It is best of all his large library which shows how far Pontanus's breadth of interest exceeded that of any pure disciple of the Council of Trent. We cannot now be precise about the contents of his collection - its vicissitudes have been too great - but a study of the surviving library of the Archbishops of Prague reveals many volumes autographed by him and others to which he must have had access. "
: http://www.voynich.nu/curricula.html
Now, Pontanus the alchemist ; I am not convinced that the author of the " Epistle on Philosophical Fire " is the very man usually known under that name, the latter being mentionned by Adam on his excellent English speaking site about alchemy :

http://www.alchemywebsite.com/a-archive_feb03.html

" Who is Pontanus, mentioned together with latin poet Ausonius in Discourse XXXIII? Ioannes Iovianus Pontanus (1426-1503) vir doctus, poeta, politicus, natus anno 1426 in Umbria, obit anno 1503 Neapoli De amore coniugali, published 1505. "

But perhaps Adam is right, after all?

Additionnally it is perhaps worthwile to note, there is a link between Dee and at least " a " Pontanus :

http://www.adam-matthew-publications.co.uk/collect/p416.htm

" The Royal College of Physicians (London) owes a collection of books ? and manuscripts - belonging to Dee, some annotated?a few of them are by Johannes Jovanionus Pontanus (reels 83-84) :

Pontani opera. 4°. 3 tomes. Basileae 1538.

Pontanus, Johannes Jovinianus, Opera omnia Pontani, Volume I, (Basileae, 1538). Details on this copy are given as: "Opera Pontanus. Vol. I. Joannis Joviani Pontani. (Basileae 1538)". The title page reads: "Ioannis Ioviani Pontani, Viri Clarissimi, qui unus ex multis seculis veram prudentiam cum summa eloquentia iunxisse videtur, opera quae soluta oratione composuit, omnia: in Tomus tres digesta. Primus continet Libros varii generis multi juga eruditione refertos, praecipue vero earum rerum, quarum cognitio ad totius reipublicae scientiam imprimis est necessaria? Basileae MDXXXVIII."

Pontanus, Johannes Jovinianus, Opera omnia Pontani, Volume II, (Basileae, 1538). Details on this copy are given as: "Opera Pontanus. Vol. II. Joannis Joviani Pontani. (Basileae 1538)". The title page reads: " Ioannis Ioviani Pontani, Librorum omnium, quos soluta oratione composuit, Tomus Secundus cui insunt, De Aspiratione, Lib. II. Item, Dialogi sestiuissimi, diversorum argumentorum, nempe Charon. Antonius. Actius. Aegidius. Asinus. De Sermone, Lib. VI. Belli, quod Ferdinandus senior Neapolitanorum Rex cum Ioanne Andegauiensium duce gessit, libri totidem. Basileae MDXXXVIII."

Pontanus, Johannes Jovinianus, Opera omnia Pontani, Volume III, (Basileae, 1540). Details on this copy are given as: "Opera Pontanus. Vol. III. Joannis Joviani Pontani. (Basileae 1540)". The title page reads: " Ioannis Ioviani Pontani, Librorum omnium, quos soluta oratione composuit, Tomus Tertius in quo centum Ptolemaei sententiae, a Pontano Graeco in Latinum tralatae atque expositae. Eiusdem Pontani de rebus coelestibus Libri XIIII. De Luna, Liber imperfectus. Basileae MDXL." This volume contains a few Dee notes on pages 42-43.

The binding has the stamp of the crowned double-headed Habsburg eagle, so this was probably bought during Dee's stay in Louvain in 1549-1550. "

Unfortunately I could not yet check in Rafal?s electronic version that there are too Pontanus books listed in Dee?s library catalogue ; can anyone reminds me of the relevant link ? Thanks.

And here is (another ?) Pontanus :

http://www.cosmovisions.com/Pontanus.htm

" Pontanus, Jean Isaac, né à Elseneur en 1571, mort en 1639, fut d'abord disciple de Tycho Brahé, se fit recevoir docteur en médecine à Bâle, professa la physique et les mathématiques au collège de Harderwick, et fut historiographe du roi de Danemark et des États de Gueldre. Il a laissé, entre autres écrits : Origines Franciæ; Historia urbis et rerum Amstelodamensium Rerum Danicarum historia; Historia Gueldrica. On a aussi de lui des Poésies latines. "

My translation from the French :

Pontanus, Jean Isaac, born 1571 in Elseneur, died 1639, first a disciple of Tycho Brahé, then was received as physician in Bâle, lecturer in physics and mathematics at Harderwick College, was then an historian for the King of Denmark and Gueldre States. He wrote, etc, as well as Latin verses.

Here is a link quoting the two " first " (chronogically) Pontanuses :

http://www.lysator.liu.se/runeberg/nfal/0796.html

Finally now Pontanus the alchemist. His " Epistle on Mineral Fire " ( sometimes also quoted as Philosophical Fire ) is following :

http://www.levity.com/alchemy/pontanus.html

A first edition in 1600 is alleged in Adam?s site.

And here I am, sorry for the long answer. Want my best guess, at the moment ? Due to the year of publication, the true " alchemical " Pontanus is either Tycho?s or Sinapius? Pontanus.

And there is (too ?) an Italian Giovanni Pontano?

Jean

jan <hurychj@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Jean,

yes, Vaclav Lavin is Lavinius, see:

http://perso.club-internet.fr/hdelboy/pontanus.html

he is quoted there as "Vinceslas Lavinius de Moravie" where Vaclav (Czech)= Vinceslas (Latin, most often Wenceslas, as "The Good King Wenceslas")

Apparently his book can be bought at:

http://www.fnac.com/78415/rcwwwp/Lavinius-Vinceslas.html

By the way, what uis connection between Lavinius and Pontanus?

All that in French - one in many languages I am not too skilled in :-).

Jan

Dear Dana,

Thanks for this ; I would mostly react to you first link, although I am of course interested in other ones ; you surely know for instance that the red red rose you mentionned in the heraldry of the Rozmberk family is the symbol of the achievement of the philosopher?s stone.

At the same time, the white one is representing an intermediate step, namely the thransmutation of one metal into silver ( red is for gold). Perhaps Baresch was part of the vicinity of one of the Rozmberks, who knows ?

Anyway, back to you first link :

http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/mesto/histor/t_alchym.htm

Here is the German version, for our German speaking colleagues :

http://www.ckrumlov.cz/de/mesto/histor/t_alchym.htm

Perhaps somebody in the list will be glad to know that there is a Yahoo group devoted to alchemy in Czech lands :

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alchemy_museum_newsletter/

But possibly list already is aware of this group ; I further noticed that in the first quoted link, many exciting names are written ; one of them is Vaclav Lavin ; on this one I tried to dig a little. My feeling at the moment ? but perhaps I am wrong ? is that he could be Lavinius of Moravia.

The latter is a famous alchemist.

IMHO it is worthwile to know that according to Rafal in Adam?s site he could have been connected to Michael Sendivogius :

http://www.alchemywebsite.com/a-archive_dec01.html

He was living in Prague in the 1590?s and his major alchemical treatise was first published 1612 or so, it is the

Tractatus de Caelo terrestri.

Here is a Spanish version :

http://www.levity.com/alchemy/span02.html

An Italian one with references and commentaries :

http://www.farneti.it/TreTrattati.asp

And finally a French one :

http://www.kingsgarden.org/French/Alchimie/CielTerrestre.html

The latter is still available in Canseliet?s work :

http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/wcpa/ow/2eb8b8ede81f71d3.html

Thanks to Adam, although, an English version seems to be for sale too :

http://www.esotericism.co.uk/newbooks.htm

Jean

Dana Scott <dscott520@xxxxxxx> wrote:

Probably already known to this discussion group is that Krumlov in southern Bohemia was a center for alchemy during Rudolph's reign.

http://www.ckrumlov.cz/uk/mesto/histor/t_alchym.htm

http://www.virtourist.com/europe/krumlov/

http://www.4windstravel.com/shows/czech/cesky.html

While certainly not conclusive, I find it somewhat interesting that central Baresch's seal was a rose which was also found in the Rosenberg's Coat of Arms. Refer to the Athanasius Kircher Correspondence Project at Stanford University (need to download Luna Insight software to view letters; search by name for Barschius under Athanasius Kircher Project...; I had a lot of fun figuring out how Baresch's letter was folded and sealed and how Kircher opened the letter which was subjected both to the use of a sharp letter opener, in addition to human fingers; rather interesting.)

Rosenberg Rose:

http://www.ckrumlov.cz/obr/mesto/histor/290b.jpg

http://www.ckrumlov.cz/obr/mesto/histor/294b.jpg

Luna Insight:

http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/hasrg/hdis/insight.html

Athanasius Kircher: (Stanford University)

http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/hasrg/hdis/kircher.html

Regards,

Dana

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