Astrology
The issue of "old English" comes up frequently with my course material. It does not mean any English over 20, 50 or even a hundred years old.
As far as the term "old English" this has a specific technical meaning. Old English is the form of English spoken from the 5th to 12th centuries and is essentially a foreign language. The most famous work in Old English is Beowulf.
Middle English was spoken from 1200-1400 and its most famous author was Geoffrey Chaucer whose most famous work was the Canterbury Tales.
Early Modern English dates from the 16th & 17th centuries and its most famous author was Shakespeare.
Modern English dates from around the 18th century till the contemporary period.
Lilly and the other Renaissance English astrologers wrote in Early Modern English, not "Old English", and in a form about 50 years after Shakespeare when spelling had settled down a bit. An educated, native English speaker really has no excuse for not reading Early Modern English. It takes a bit of practice. If English is not your native language then you may need to take some extra effort with it.
Two points. First, what is most complicated about Lilly's Christian Astrology, written in 1647, is not that the f's look like s's, though that's what jumps out at you, but the concepts and methods themselves.
Secondly, there just isn't much of a substitute for reading these 17th century authors. Christian Astrology is the key text for horary, Ramesey for electional. Ben Dykes has sold out his English translation of Bonatti's Book of Astronomy which is about the only other text you could use which is not in Early Modern English.
Insisting that, "I only want to study traditional astrology in modern English not 'Old English' [that is to say Early Modern English]" reminds of potential students that call me up and say, "I want to study traditional astrology with a teacher right here in Houston!" Sure and I want to teach students right here in Iowa City. Too bad the twain never meet since there are only about two teachers of traditional horary astrology in the whole US!
If you want to learn traditional astrology in English, you will eventually have to tackle Early Modern English texts.
- Book Recommendation: Bonatti "on Horary"
Here's another of my semi-regular traditional astrology book recommendations, Guido Bonatti's "On Horary" The 13th century Italian astrologer Guido Bonatti wrote one of the most important books of traditional astrology, the Liber Astronomiae...
- Natal Astrology Course Review
Here is a review from the first student to graduate from my Natal Astrology Course "I have recently completed and passed Mr Warnock's Renaissance Natal Astrology Course. I thought that [others] would be interested in how I found it, so here is a...
- How Dare You Not Use The Outer Planets!
I have frequently been called upon by modern astrologers to justify my use of traditional technique. One of the most popular questions is "why don't you use the outer planets?" I will say that as a traditional astrologer I use the outer planets...
- "secrets" Of Astrological Magic?
When I started studying magic with Robert Zoller, one of the few who have been privileged to do so, he mentioned the Picatrix in one of his early letters to me. I immediately asked him for a translation as I could not read Latin. He told me, "Don't...
- Nuance Versus Number
Lilly and other 17th century English astrologers have been the key sources for the 20th and 21st century revival of traditional astrology in great measure because they are available in English, albeit early modern English. We should remember, however,...
Astrology
Course in Old English?
The issue of "old English" comes up frequently with my course material. It does not mean any English over 20, 50 or even a hundred years old.
As far as the term "old English" this has a specific technical meaning. Old English is the form of English spoken from the 5th to 12th centuries and is essentially a foreign language. The most famous work in Old English is Beowulf.
Middle English was spoken from 1200-1400 and its most famous author was Geoffrey Chaucer whose most famous work was the Canterbury Tales.
Early Modern English dates from the 16th & 17th centuries and its most famous author was Shakespeare.
Modern English dates from around the 18th century till the contemporary period.
Lilly and the other Renaissance English astrologers wrote in Early Modern English, not "Old English", and in a form about 50 years after Shakespeare when spelling had settled down a bit. An educated, native English speaker really has no excuse for not reading Early Modern English. It takes a bit of practice. If English is not your native language then you may need to take some extra effort with it.
Two points. First, what is most complicated about Lilly's Christian Astrology, written in 1647, is not that the f's look like s's, though that's what jumps out at you, but the concepts and methods themselves.
Secondly, there just isn't much of a substitute for reading these 17th century authors. Christian Astrology is the key text for horary, Ramesey for electional. Ben Dykes has sold out his English translation of Bonatti's Book of Astronomy which is about the only other text you could use which is not in Early Modern English.
Insisting that, "I only want to study traditional astrology in modern English not 'Old English' [that is to say Early Modern English]" reminds of potential students that call me up and say, "I want to study traditional astrology with a teacher right here in Houston!" Sure and I want to teach students right here in Iowa City. Too bad the twain never meet since there are only about two teachers of traditional horary astrology in the whole US!
If you want to learn traditional astrology in English, you will eventually have to tackle Early Modern English texts.
- Book Recommendation: Bonatti "on Horary"
Here's another of my semi-regular traditional astrology book recommendations, Guido Bonatti's "On Horary" The 13th century Italian astrologer Guido Bonatti wrote one of the most important books of traditional astrology, the Liber Astronomiae...
- Natal Astrology Course Review
Here is a review from the first student to graduate from my Natal Astrology Course "I have recently completed and passed Mr Warnock's Renaissance Natal Astrology Course. I thought that [others] would be interested in how I found it, so here is a...
- How Dare You Not Use The Outer Planets!
I have frequently been called upon by modern astrologers to justify my use of traditional technique. One of the most popular questions is "why don't you use the outer planets?" I will say that as a traditional astrologer I use the outer planets...
- "secrets" Of Astrological Magic?
When I started studying magic with Robert Zoller, one of the few who have been privileged to do so, he mentioned the Picatrix in one of his early letters to me. I immediately asked him for a translation as I could not read Latin. He told me, "Don't...
- Nuance Versus Number
Lilly and other 17th century English astrologers have been the key sources for the 20th and 21st century revival of traditional astrology in great measure because they are available in English, albeit early modern English. We should remember, however,...