Julius Firmic Matern ( lat. Julius Firmicus Maternus ; IV cent . ) - Latin writer and astrologer [1] [2] .
| Julius Firmic Matern | |
|---|---|
| Julius Firmicus Maternus | |
| Birth name | |
| Date of Birth | |
| Place of Birth | |
| Date of death | |
| A country | |
| Occupation | writer , astrologer |
The writing of his “Matheseos libri VIII,” begun during the life of Constantine the Great , completed in 354, is the most detailed textbook of the ancient astrological science. Of the 8 books of essay written under the influence of Neo-Platonism , the most general data is contained in the 2nd book; The 1st represents examples from Roman history, the rest are special. The sources of Firmick Materna are as amazing as the most treatise; for example, the author refers to the writings of Abraham and Aesculapius . On the science he sets out, Firmic Matern has the highest opinion. According to him, astrology elevates and purifies the soul; he who gives in to studying it must feel clean and holy. The author’s desire to protect astrology from the pursuit of higher authorities is also very curious, with the statement that the emperor alone is not subject to the influence of the stars. The last complete edition of the treatise dates back to 1551.
The name Firmik Materna is also associated with, later in time, the Christian essay “De errore profanarum religionum”, addressed to the sons of Constantine the Great, in which the author urges them to overthrow paganism . The writing is imbued with the spirit of Christian fanaticism . The method of presentation is the same as that of other Christian apologists , from whom Firmik Matern differs only in more frequent references to the Bible ; one of the main sources for Firmika is Cyprian . Because of the sharp contrast in the content of the books, for some time it was believed that the author of a Christian work was a brother or cousin of an astrologer, but subsequent studies suggest the authors' identity [3] .
Memory
In 1935, the International Astronomical Union gave the name Firmik to the crater on the visible side of the moon .
Notes
- ↑ Firmmic Matern // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 t. (82 t. And 4 add.). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
- ↑ Firmik Matern // Real Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. Edited by J. Geffken, E. Tsibart. - Teubner. F. Lubker. 1914.
- ↑ Firmikus Maternus // M.V. Belkin, O. Plakhotskaya. Dictionary "Antique writers." SPb .: Publishing House "Lan", 1998
Literature
- Firmmic Materne // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 t. (82 t. And 4 add.). - SPb. , 1890-1907.