HALI RODOAN

HIERONYMI CARDANI - DE EXEMPLIS CENTUM GENITURARUM

XV

  HALI RODOAN (988-1061)

1)- introduction

Abu 'l Hasan Ali ibn Ridwan Al-Misri (c.998-c.1067-68) was an Egyptian physician, astrologer and astronomer. He was an astronomer, physician and commentator on Greek medicine, and in particular on Galen. Some of his commentaries on Galen's works, such as the Ars Parva, were translated into Latin by Gherard of Cremona. He is also known for his supernova observation from 1006, which he mentioned in a commentary work he composed on Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos. He was later cited by European authors as Haly, or Haly Abenrudian. He is also known through the bitter and celebrated polemic he engaged against another physician, Ibn Butlan of Baghdad.
Besides his commentary on Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos, to which we will turn on later in this article, we can mention among his works the Latin translation De revolutionibus nativitatum (The Revolutions of Nativities), edited by Luca Gaurico, printed in Venice (1524), and his Tractatus de cometarum significationibus per xii signa zodiaci (Treatise on the Significations of Comets in the twelve Signs of the Zodiac), printed in Nürnberg in 1563.

Ibn Ridwan tells us in his autobiography, which he composed when he was about sixty years old, that the astrological signs at his birth had indicated that medicine should be his profession. When I reached my sixth year I began to learn, and when I was ten years old I moved to the capital and urged on my studies. After having completed fourteen years, I began to study medicine and philosophy. I had no fortune with which I could have paid for my education, so that my education was
hampered by obstacles and difficulties. Sometimes I earned my livelihood by practicing astrology,  again by medical practice, and yet again by giving lessons. So I continued most earnestly my scientific studies until my thirtysecond year. [Medieval Islamic Treatrise, Ibn Ridwan's Tretrise, on the prevention of bodilly ills in Egypt, p. 55, University of California Press, 1984]

(1) lbn Abi U saybi'ah, 'Uyun, 2 :99; the nativity oflbn Ridwan is given in detail. Ibn Abi U saybi'ah
copied a substantial portion of Ibn Ridwan's autobiography in his work (pp. 99- 106).

This horoscope is part of Cardano's chimeras. Nevertheless, the same is found in Junctinus [543a]. It seemed useful to include it in spite of the probably fanciful date that is given. Thanks to Morinus, I was able to reconstruct the horoscope of Ibn Ridwan, on the 22nd of the month of Raamdan 377, January 20, 988 (Gregorian).

As we see, there is a triple conjunction between SA, JU and VE and the MC. 

It seems that Ibn Ridwan died in 1061, and for some in 1067, that is very old for the time. According to Ibn Abi Usaybi'ah, Ibn Ridwan died in 453/1061 or, according to Ibn al-Qifti, in the sixties of the fifth century. Modern scholarship places his death in 460/1067-68

• ASC ARIEs, ruler MA (XII)
• MC CAPRI, ruler SA (X) - JU SAGIT (ruler) 

We already observe that the natal chart seems very well structured, with a very strong foundation at the MC.

- HYLEG : ASC
- ALCOCODEN : MA
- ANAERETE : SA

  2)- primary directions

It seems rash to seek directions in such conditions of uncertainty! However, there is a perfectly congruent direction with the theme: C SA conj ASC in 1061.