Herman of Carinthia | |
|---|---|
 Depiction of Herman byMatthew of Paris (c.1240×1259) | |
| Born | c. 1100 |
| Died | c. 1160 |
| Other names | Hermannus Sclavus; Hermannus Dalmata |
| Philosophical work | |
| Notable works | Liber imbrium,De indagatione cordis,De mensura |
Herman of Carinthia (1105/1110 – after 1154), also calledHermanus Dalmata orSclavus Dalmata, Secundus, by his own words born in the "heart ofIstria", was aphilosopher,astronomer,astrologer,mathematician andtranslator ofArabic works intoLatin.
AlongsideAdelard of Bath,John of Seville,Gerard of Cremona andPlato of Tivoli, Herman is the most important translator of Arabic astronomical works in 12th century. The influence of his translations on the development of medieval European astronomy was especially large.
Herman (also spelled Hermann) is known by several bynames in English and Latin referring to his land of origin or his ethnicity: Hermann of Carinthia[1] (Hermannus de Carinthia[2]); Hermann of Dalmatia[2] or Hermann the Dalmatian[3] (Hermannus Dalmata[4]); or Hermann the Slav[3] (Hermannus Sclavus[5]). Herman always refers to his homeland asCarinthia orIstria.[6] His own preferred nickname wasHermannus Secundus,[4] that is, the "second Hermann", by way of which he declared himself the successor ofHermannus Contractus, an earlier writer on the astrolabe.[7]
The main sources for Herman's life are the prologues to his own works.[8] These can be supplemented by a few references to him in the writings of his contemporaries.[9] In his own account, he was born in the early 12th century, possibly around 1105 or 1110, in centralIstria, then part of theDuchy of Carinthia in theHoly Roman Empire.[10] The location is difficult to pin down given the much broader extent of theMarch of Istria in the 12th century, which included theKarst Plateau,Trieste,Duino and most of the area of laterInner Carniola, possibly even encompassing the upperVipava Valley.[11] The term "central Istria" was likely used for all those (predominantlySlavic-inhabited) areas under the rule of the margrave of Istria, as opposed to the predominantlyRomance-speaking coastal towns which lived under an autonomous municipal regime.[12]
Herman most likely went to aBenedictine monastic school in Istria.[9] He subsequently studied underThierry of Chartres, either atParis or atChartres, before 1138.[7] It is possible that he first metRobert of Ketton in Paris or Chartres.[9]Richard Hakluyt, quoting an anonymous Latin source from the time of theSecond Crusade, says that Robert "traveled through France, Italy, Dalmatia, and Greece, and came at last into Asia, where he lived in great danger of his life among the cruel Saracens, but yet learned perfectly the Arabian tongue" and "returned by sea into Spain", adding that Herman "had accompanied him in his long voyage."[13] This single passage has been elaborated with many conjectures by later historians, some having him pass throughConstantinople on his way toBaghdad in 1135 and sojourning inDamascus in 1136–1138.[14]
The first securely datable event in Herman's life is his translation ofSahl ibn Bishr'sFatidica in 1138.[7] In fact, all his activities can be traced only for the period 1138–1143, when he was in Spain.[7][15]
In 1142 Herman was in Spain and became involved ina project to translate Islamic texts.Peter the Venerable recruited a team, including Herman, to translate five texts aboutIslam into Latin. Different members of the team appear to have concentrated on different works, and Herman is credited as the main translator of two of them:De generatione Muhamet et nutritura eius andDe doctrina Muhamet.
The most significant translation in the collection was that of theQur'an. This was entitledLex Mahumet pseudoprophete and was the first known translation of the Qur'an into a European language. Robert of Ketton was its principal translator, according to most sources (including theLex Mahumet pseudoprophete itself). However, Herman may have had some input, given the team nature of the project.Despite being an imperfect translation,Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete remained the standard one for centuries, circulating in manuscript before being printed in the 1543 edition published inBasel byTheodor Bibliander. In this edition both Herman's above-mentioned translations of treatises about Islam appeared together with a preface byMartin Luther.
Herman also translated Ptolemy'sCanon of Kings. For long many thought that Ptolemy was translated by German Herman Contractus and not by Herman of Carinthia.
Herman's first known translation was the sixth book of an astrological treatiseLiber sextus astronomie by the Jewish writerSahl ibn Bishr. It was released in Spain in 1138 under the titleZaelis fatidica (Prophesy). Sahl ibn Bishr had been writing in theGreek astrological tradition. Ibn Bishr's first five books were preserved in the translation ofJohn of Seville (Johannes Hispanus) (circa 1090 – circa 1150). The sixth book deals with three thematic topics regarding the influences on the world and its inhabitants. The work containsdivinations based on the movements of the planets and comets.
Circa 1140 Herman translated into Latin the astronomical work ofAbu Ma'shar al-BalkhiKitab al-madkhal ila ilm ahkam al nujum (Introduction to Astronomy).[16] The work contains problems from Greek philosophy, Arabicastronomy and Easternastrology, and was first translated into Latin by John of Seville in 1133. Herman's less literal translation was published several times under the titleLiber introductorius in astronomiam Albumasaris, Abalachii (Augusta Vindelicorum,Augsburg 1489;Venice 1495 and 1506). A large part of Herman's translation was copied intoRoger of Hereford'sBook of Astronomical Judgements. Sections of Herman's translation were also compiled by the otherwise-unknown medieval authorGeorgius Zothorus Zaparus Fendulus into his richly illustratedLiber astrologiae (Liber Abumazarus).[17]
Herman produced a version ofMuḥammad ibn Mūsā al-Ḵwārizmī's astronomical tables (zij) – they were also translated in 1126 byAdelard of Bath (1075–1164).
Charles Burnett (2001) postulates that Herman collaborated with Robert of Ketton andHugo of Santalla on theLiber novem iudicum (the Book of Nine Judges), a collection of translations of Arabic astrologers, notablyal-Kindi. Their project may have been to supplant the current superstitious Latin astrology with Arabic astronomical science. Arabic texts cite oftenHermes as an authority. Burnett postulates that Renaissance magi merely continued this Hermetic tradition begun by Herman, Robert and Hugh. Herman shares technical terminology with Hugh and a penchant for evocation of theAsclepius, most notably inDe essentiis (see below)
His original contribution to philosophy wasDe essentiis (On essences).[18] In this work Herman deals with fiveAristotelian categories (causa,motus,spatium,tempus,habitudo). He started to write this treatise in 1143 in Toulouse and he completed it the same year inBéziers.[19] In 1982 this book was reprinted in Germany.
Some other works are believed to be Herman's:
In the text (ora manuscript, the syntax of this article was not clear) ofDe indagatione cordis there are many names of scientists and scholars whose work Herman knew and used:Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi (787–886), Sahl ibn Bishr, Aomar Tiberia, Abual-Kindi (801–873), the eighth-century Jewish astrologer Al BatrigMashallah (Messahalla), Hermes, and Dorotheos ofSidon.
Many medieval authors refer to Herman's work, for instance Albert the Great (Albert von Bollstädt,Albertus Magnus), instructor toThomas Aquinas, in his workSpeculum astronomiae.
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