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Chapter 5 - Scholarly collecting efforts
Our principal players met each other during the age of Humanism , which fundamentally altered ideas about science and the world. Scientific research opened up new pathways to the future, but scholars also went in search of original sources of knowledge from the past. In that way, they discovered the existence of Arabic versions of works of the great names of classical antiquity, such as Aristotle, Ptolemy and Galen, which did not survive in Greek or Latin. Arabic sources were not merely interesting because they provided supplementary information about the ancient Greeks or biblical history. They also contained hitherto unknown insights about the Middle East, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, optics and more. In Europe, there was a growing awareness that the Arabic world was a treasure chest of knowledge and every book and every fact was welcome.
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Knowledge lost and found
Thabit ibn Qurra (c. 834 – 901), ‘Parts 5, 6 and 7 of the book on Conics’ (Kitab Ablunius fi-l-makhrutat)
Translation into Arabic of parts of Apollonius of Perga’s famous mathematical work about conics, the Greek version of which was lost. Golius bought a beautiful manuscript in Aleppo (now at Oxford), that he wanted to preserve. For everyday use he had in Aleppo this extra copy made, on European paper. He added the drawings himself.
University Libraries, Leiden.
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Ibn Butrus on the Conica
Niqulaus ibn Butrus, letter to Jacob Golius, Utrecht, October 1644
Golius, who also taught mathematics, needed multiple copies of the Conica. He asked Ibn Butrus to make a copy of his copy and to leave room for the drawings that he wanted to add. Ibn Butrus, however, explained that he was in an awkward predicament.
University Libraries, Leiden [Or. 1228-38].
What I want to inform you of, noble sir of high and sublime endeavour, is that I sent you previously a letter, in which I informed you what my intention was concerning the Apollonius [manuscript], namely that when I had finished transcribing it, I would draw the figures for you in their [proper] places, because I knew that I had sufficient time until Tishrin II [November]. Thus, you would not be confused or worried about them and how to read them.
But when Ravius saw that I was finished copying, he very stubbornly insisted on taking the book [from me] before the appointed time. [...] my opinion is that he went either to sell the book or pawn it. For he is in need of money to settle up with the owner of the house where we live.
Translation: Hilary Kilpatrick and Gerald J. Toomer, 'Niqūlāwus’, 2016.
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Pioneer in optics
Frederic Risner, Opticae thesaurus: Alhazeni Arabis libri septem, Basle 1572
Translation of the book by Ibn al-Haytham (= Alhazenus, c. 965 – 1041) on refraction. From the preface:
‘Much is attributed to delusions caused by demons, […] how they make an army at a large distance appear to be very near, how they consume an enemy fleet by flames. All this is achieved, however, by […] the power of optics […]. Allow, therefore, Alhazenus […] to enter the light.’
University Libraries, Leiden.
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Medicine
Yunus ibn Ishaq ibn Baklarash al-Isra’ili (fl. 1106), Kitab al-mustaini fi sina‘at al-tibb [‘Book on making medicines’]
A 12th century Jewish physician alphabetically lists hundreds of (mostly) plants, with the botanical type and medicinal uses of each. Al-Hajari bought this copy for Golius and added the missing pages with the help of another copy. The Spanish names are his as well.
University Libraries, Leiden.
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Scholarly cooperation
Letter from Ahmad ibn Qasim al-Hajari ‘al señor Ya’qub Gul Flamenco’, Marrakesh, 29 February 1624
Al-Hajari writes to Golius concerning the book on medicine, to the side here, and about a copy of al-Mas’udi’s Muruj al-dhahab he had sent. Nothing suggests that al-Hajari requested money for his services. He asked Golius to translate Latin astronomical terms into Arabic or Spanish for him.
University Libraries, Leiden [Or. 1228-32].
What you wrote about the ‘Book of the Golden Meadows’, that it had not reached you and that the Bedouins had taken it from its bearer – that is their custom in this land and in this difficult time. But I’m happy that you are still planning to buy the ‘Book on making medicines’. On this subject I am further writing to you that the copy of the owner, the physician, in my opinion is approximately four hundred years old. It is a marvellous book and it is highly thought of by the Muslims. You mentioned that you had a text on the declination of the sun. If it would be possible for you to translate it into Arabic or Spanish, that would give me great pleasure.
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The search for Kitab Irun
Qusta ibn Luqa (d. c. 912 AD), Kitab fi rafa' al-ashya al-thaqila [‘Book on lifting heavy objects’], copy from the 13th century
Niqulaus ibn Butrus would often take the initiative in seeking out books for Golius in Istanbul, that he thought were important. One such book was the Kitab Irun by Hero of Alexandria, the famous engineer and physicist of the first century AD. It had been translated from Greek by the Spanish Christian Qusta ibn Luqa.
University Libraries, Leiden.
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Alfraganus’ astronomy
Muhammedis fil. Ketiri Ferganensis, qui vulgo Alfraganus dicitur, Elementa astronomica, Arabice` et Latine`, Amsterdam 1669
Golius’ translation of a famous work by the ninth-century astronomer al-Farghani, who had calculated the circumference of the earth with great precision. Latin translations were available, but Golius worked on the basis of an Arabic manuscript (now at Oxford) that he had acquired in the Middle East. Thanks to this source, he achieved a better understanding of the text.
University Libraries, Amsterdam.
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The earth turns
Abu al-Rayhan Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Biruni (973-1048), Isti‘ab al-wujuh al-mumkina fi-sana‘at al-asturlab [‘Comprehensive summary of the possibilities of making an astrolabe’]
This collection came to Leiden by way of Warner and was bound there. Astrolabes were used to determine the position of the sun and stars and to calculate times and distances. Al-Biruni describes many kinds. This is Sizji’s ‘boat astrolabe’ (Persian, 10th century), the first based on the assumption that the earth turns on an axis.
University Libraries, Leiden.
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The history of Timur Lenk
Jacobus Golius, Ahmedis Arabsiadae vitae & rerum gestarum Timuri, qui vulgo Tamerlanes dicitur, historia, Leiden, 1636
Golius based his book on the legendary Turkish-Mongolian warlord Timur (1336–1405) on a manuscript of Ahmad ibn Arabshah’s Kitab ’aja’ib al-maqdur fi akhbar al-Timur. Some of the information Golius added, came from Niqulaus Ibn Butrus.
University Libraries, Leiden.
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Questions for Niqulaus
Throughout his life, Golius continued to work on the commentary and Latin translation of the book about Timur Lenk, though his annotations were not published. He repeatedly asked Ibn Butrus for more information, as, for example, in this draft of a letter.
University Libraries, Leiden. Note in Kitab ’aja’ib al-maqdur fi akhbar al-Timur, Or. 1229.
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The art of horseback riding
Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Khuttali (c. 865), Kitab al-Furusiyya wa-l-Baitara [Book of horseback riding and veterinary medicine]
Iraqi general al-Khuttali’s text is the oldest known work in Arabic literature about the training and care of horses. Moses Michaelis, one of Golius’ correspondents in Damascus, bought him a copy of this book, but Warner purchased this copy in Istanbul.
University Libraries, Leiden.
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Geography
Abu'l-Fida (d. 1331), Taqwim al-buldan, 16th century copy
Turkish translation from Arabic of parts of Abu-l-Fida’s famous ‘List of Countries’. The coastline of the Maghrib can be seen on this map, upside down according to the modern perspective. Golius paid a half ‘daalder’ for this book. Shahin Kandi made a copy at his request, which, however, has not been preserved in the Netherlands.
University Libraries, Leiden.
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![Versio Evangeliorum Arabica, Amsterdam 1610](../../../images/exhibition/97-Or591p105106.jpg)
![Thabit ibn Qurra (c. 834 – 901), ‘Parts 5, 6 and 7 of the book on Conics’ (Kitab Ablunius fi-l-makhrutat)](../../../images/exhibition/94-kitab-al-makhrutat.jpg)
![Niqulaus ibn Butrus, letter to Jacob Golius, Utrecht, October 1644](../../../images/exhibition/95-Or-1228-f038b.jpg)
![Frederic Risner, Opticae thesaurus: Alhazeni Arabis libri septem, Basle 1572](../../../images/exhibition/89-676-A-13-A1b-A2a.jpg)
![Yunus ibn Ishaq ibn Baklarash al-Isra’ili (fl. 1106), Kitab al-mustaini fi sina‘at al-tibb [‘Book on making medicines’]](../../../images/exhibition/92-Or-15-f069a-070b.jpg)
![Letter from Ahmad ibn Qasim al-Hajari ‘al señor Ya’qub Gul Flamenco’, Marrakesh, 29 February 1624](../../../images/exhibition/93-Or-1228-32.jpg)
![Qusta ibn Luqa (d. c. 912 AD), Kitab fi rafa? al-ashya al-thaqila [‘Book on lifting heavy objects’], copy from the 13th century](../../../images/exhibition/104-Or511p060-061.jpg)
![Muhammedis fil. Ketiri Ferganensis, qui vulgo Alfraganus dicitur, Elementa astronomica, Arabice` et Latine`, Amsterdam 1669](../../../images/exhibition/96-alfraganus-OTM-O-60-1317.jpg)
![Muhammedis fil. Ketiri Ferganensis, qui vulgo Alfraganus dicitur, Elementa astronomica, Arabice` et Latine`, Amsterdam 1669](../../../images/exhibition/97-Or591p105106.jpg)
![Request and recommendation](../../../images/exhibition/89a-842C37.jpg)
![University Libraries, Leiden. Note in Kitab ’aja’ib al-maqdur fi akhbar al-Timur, Or. 1229.](../../../images/exhibition/89b-Or-1229-001.jpg)
![Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Khuttali (c. 865), Kitab al-Furusiyya wa-l-Baitara [Book of horseback riding and veterinary medicine]](../../../images/exhibition/91-Or299f006b-007a.jpg)
![Abu'l-Fida (d. 1331), Taqwim al-buldan, 16th century copy](../../../images/exhibition/99-Or-40-p041-042.jpg)