A massive commentary on Quadripartitum III-IV – possibly the largest of all Latin Ptolemaic works – published by Francesco Giuntini (Franciscus Junctinus, 1523-1590) in Lyon in 1581 (reprinted 1583), as part of the second edition of his Speculum astrologiae. The first edition of the Speculum, published in 1573, does not contain any Ptolemaic text. Giuntini’s commentary is based on the Greek text and on Plato of Tivoli’s Latin translation (A.2.1), both of which are reproduced in full. The commentary is preceded by Books I-II in both the Greek text and Joachim Camerarius’s Latin translation (A.2.9), which suggests that Giuntini was not aware of the existence of Gogava’s translation of Books III-IV (A.2.10). One of the sources of the commentary were Ristori’s lectures on the Quadripartitum (C.2.23), which Giuntini attended in Pisa in 1548, as he himself explains: ‘Frater Iulianus Ristorus Pratensis, carmelita, theologus et mathematicus excellentissimus, cum exponeret anno domini 1548 in gymnasio Pisano publice Ptolemaei Quadripartitum, quem ego audivi, et ipso docente multa notabilia excepi, quae scripta sunt in hoc libro’ (ed. Lyon 1581/1583, sig. 126).

Text ‘(ed. Lyon 1583) Francisci Iunctini Florentini theologi et mathematici peritissimi in duos posteriores Ptolemaei Quadripartiti libros absolutiss<ima> comment<aria>. (109-110) [introduction] Prolegomena. Apud veteres scholiastes in more est positum, ut, antequam ad auctoris enarrationem descendant, quem sibi explicandum sumpserunt — restat vi ad rem ipsam accedamus. (110-612) [book iii] [text] Textus. ΑΡΧΗ ΤΟΥ ΤΡΙΤΟΥ ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΊΟΥ. Περì σπορᾶς χαì ἐχτροπῆς. Εφωδευμένης ἡμĩν ἐν τοĩς… Prooemium. Postquam accidentia generalia in his, quae ex nostra observatione praemissa sunt… [comm.] Commentarius. Antequam ad Ptolemaei verba accedamus, primum quae sit auctoris intention, deinde huius libri subiectum, postea ordo doctrine — secundum decreta ipsius auctoris. Finis tertii libri. (613-830) [book iv] Claudii Ptolemaei mathematici de iudiciis liber quartus cum expositione Iunctini Florentini doctoris theologi. Prooemium authoris. [text] ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΑΠΟΤΕΣΜΑΤΙΚΩΝ (!). Τὰ μὲν οὖν πρὸ τῆς γενέσεως… Rerum igitur, in quibus ea quae ante partum sunt… (614) [comm.] Commentarius. Iste est quartus liber Apotelesmatum Ptolemaei in quo libro cum declaravit omnes siderum positiones — et subtiliter examinata fuerunt omnia ad mentem Peripateticorum. Iam ergo explicuimus dicta Ptolemaei, docuimusque quae ad dignoscenda futura quantum homini licuit pertinent. Reliquum est, ut Deo gratias omnium bonorum authori agamus.’

Bibl. I. Pantin, ‘Francesco Giuntini et les nouveautés célestes’, in Celestial Novelties, Science and Politics on the Eve of the Scientific Revolution, eds P. Boner, D. Tessicini, Florence, 2013, 85-104: 94.

Modern ed. ---