[2807] Ibid., “Et ut Chaldaicas reticeam gentilogias (sic) qui omnem humanam vitam astrologicis attribuunt rationationibus et quosdam constellationum effectus per xii signa disponunt, quique etiam conceptiones et nativitates, hominumque mores, prospera seu adversa ex cursu siderum explicare conantur. Quod illorum tamen frivolae superstitiositati concedendum est, dum omnia divinae dispositioni commendanda sint. Illud est ovum a nullo forbillandum (Bubnov suggests the reading furcillandum in parentheses, but sorbillandum seems to me the obvious reading), nisi prius foetidos inscitiae exhalaverit ructus et feces mundialium evomerit studiorum.” The passage is rather incoherent as it stands, but I hope that I have correctly interpreted its meaning.
[2808] III, 43-45.
[2809] Ademarus Cabannensis, who died about 1035 (Bubnov, 1899, 382-3). For Gerbert’s sources in Barcelona see J. M. Burnam, “A Group of Spanish Manuscripts,” in Bulletin Hispanique, Annales de la Faculté des Lettres de Bordeaux, XXII, 4, p. 329.
[2810] III, 48-53.
[2811] “Plurima me docuit Neptanebus ille magister” (Bubnov, 381).
[2812] De rebus gestis regum Anglorum, II, 167-8.
[2813] Bodleian 266, fol. 25r.
[2814] Bubnov (1899), 391. On Gerbert as a magician see further J. J. I. Döllinger, Die Papst-Fabeln des Mittelalters, Munich, 1863, pp. 155-59.
[2815] Digby 83, quarto in skin, well written in large letters with few abbreviations and illustrated with many figures in red, 76 leaves. For the Incipits of the four books and their prologues see Macray’s Catalogue of the Digby MSS.
[2816] Another indication of mathematical activity in tenth century England is provided by some old verses in English in Royal 17-A-I, fols. 2v-3, which state that Euclid’s geometry was introduced into England “Yn tyme of good kyng Adelstones day.” Usually the first Latin translation of Euclid is supposed to have been that by Adelard of Bath in the early twelfth century. Halliwell (1839), 56.