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CARDANO, GIROLAMO. In Cl. Ptolemaei Pelusiensis IIII de astrorum judiciis . . . libros commentaria. Woodcut portrait of the author on title; astrological diagrams in text. [20], 363, [1]; [401]-513, [3] pages, including colophon leaf with printer's device on verso. Folio, 310x202 mm, contemporary blind-tooled calf over wooden boards with concentric historiated rolls on covers, gilt panel stamp of King David on front cover, additionally stamped with the author's name above and 1554 below, brass catches, lacking clasps, binding neatly rebacked; occasional light marginal dampstaining, later owners' signatures on title, underscoring and marginalia in text, and annotations on endleaves. Basel: (Henricus Petri, 1554)
first edition of Cardano's commentary on Quadripartitum of Ptolemy, a textbook of astrology. For having cast the horoscope of Jesus Christ (on pages 163-66) and attributing the events of His life to the influence of the stars, Cardano was imprisoned by the Inquisition for heresy until he recanted. DSB III, 65; Houzeau & Lancaster 4856; Yale/Mellon 25; Haebler, Rollen- und Plattenstempel II, 76.
