A Survey of Vettius Valens Mark Riley California State University ‘Sacramento, CA 95819 The Anthologiae of Vettius Valens presents us with the longest, and at the same time the most difficult, text surviving from the astrological literature of antiquity. Valens’s exotic ‘methods, many unparalleled in other astrological works, and the vicissitudes of the text itself, which was written over a period of many years and which was thereafter in constant use from late antiquity to the Renaissance, make interpretation of this work difficult! The Anthologiae is, however, important for the study of ancient astrology: it presents some 125 actual horoscopes ‘whose interpretation illuminates ancient astrological doctrines during the first centuries of our cera. These horoscopes also give brief life histories of the clients, from which some demographic information can be derived. The Anthologiae also illustrates astronomical calculation of the pre-Ptolemaic type and gives tables that predate the Almagest and the Handy Tables? One hundred years of research into the methods of ancient astrology, the fruits of which can be found in CCAG, and the labors of editors and commentators, particularly Kroll, Neugebauer, Pingree, and Bara, have illuminated many dark comers. This work has uncovered Valens's century, perhaps even his birthdate, and has gone far toward restoring his text to its state in the fifth century AD, the date of the archetype of the extant tradition. This paper will survey what can be leamed of Valens’ biography, will compare his methods and goals with those of the other surviving astrological writers, particularly Ptolemy, whose Tetrabiblos became this art's, undisputed classic, and will outline what can be gained from the text with further research: information about astrologers whose works are lost but who are quoted in the Anthologiae; pre- Ptolemaic mathematical and graphical methods for astronomical calculations; and glimpses into the everyday world of the practicing astrologer. BIOGRAPHY The Anthologiae supplies our only accurate information about its author.’ Vettius Valens (Qvérnies OvéAns, medieval Latin Balens, Arabic Walis) of Antioch was conceived on 13 May 119 AD and bor nine months later on 8 Feb. 120 AD. His mother predeceased his father in the 140’s. At age 34 he “worked abroad, was a friend of great men, was in mortal danger because of a woman, and suffered cuts and bleeding.” At age 35 he took a sea voyage during which he was in danger from pirates and from a storm. He moved to Egypt in search of occult knowledge. There, according to his account, which matches other ancient tales of religious quests, he “suffered much, endured much...and spent money that seemed inexhaustible,A Survey of Vettius Valens because I was persuaded by mountebanks and greedy men” (301.16K; 288.15P). His teachers were avaricious, and, although he paid great sums, he did not attain the truth. He then withdrew into an ascetic life for a time, but was later drawn back by the lure of astrology, particularly the lure of determining which star rules a given period, ic. the “chronocratorship” — see the note in Appendix B on Book IV 1-5 (172.9K; 163.6P). His dedication to astrology was total. He was never attracted by horse races, spectacles, art and music, or love (242.8-18K; 231.34-232.10P). He never came to desire command, high rank, wealth or possessions (355.9-15K; 340.22-27P). His astrology was a mystery and an ascetic art. Even kingship was insignificant compared to the god-like knowledge granted man by astrology/astronomy: “by means of it one can know the sun's ordered paths... and the varying paths of the moon. .. From all this we hope to understand everything on earth, in the seas, in heaven, as well as the beginning and end of all created things” (241.20-29K; 231.16- 24P). Astrology enabled him to bear all blows of Fortune: Fate has decreed for each person the immutable working out of events, surrounding him with many occasions for good or bad... Two self-begotten gods, Hope and Fortune, the assistants of Fate, control man’s life and make him bear Fate's decrees by using their compulsion and deception. .. Fortune raises some high only to cast them down and degrades others only to raise them to glory... Hope moves everywhere in secret, smiling like a flatterer, and she displays many attractive prospects which cannot be attained. By deceiving men, she controls most of them... Those ignorant of the prognostic art are led away and enslaved by these gods. They endure all blows and suffer punishments with pleasure. Some partially attain what they hoped for; their confidence begins to increase, and they await a permanently favorable outcome—not realizing how precarious and slippery are these accidents of Fortune. Others are disappointed in their expectations, not just once, but always... But those who have trained themselves in the prognostic art and in the truth keep their minds free and out of bondage. They despise Fortune, do not persist in Hope, do not fear death, and live undisturbed... They are alien to all pleasure or flattery and stand firm as soldiers of Fate. (219.26-220.28K; 209.10-210.6P)* Astrology taught him his duty: in a revealing passage he compares himself to an intelligent slave of a harsh master (=life), a slave who does not contravene his master’s orders and who thus avoids pain and suffering (355.15-21K; 340.27-33P). Astrology was his fortification against the inevitable fatalities of life. Such doctrines are of course not confined to Valens: Prolemy defends astrology’ usefulness by first declaring that the prognostic art tames andA Survey of Vettius Valens calms the soul and prepares it to meet whatever the future brings with steadfastness (Ter. I 3.5).6 In short, astrology was the anchor of Valens’ faith. The religious feelings expressed in the Anthologiae become more striking when Valens’ phrases are compared with those from an obviously religious text like the Hermetica. These texts emphasize the need for secrecy, for ‘maintaining the doctrine free from defilement at the ears of the vulgar. In maintaining this secrecy, the adepts separate themselves from the uninitiated. Just as Hermes tells Asclepius that his discourse should not be profaned by the presence of the crowd, so Valens likewise urges his students to conceal this work “from the unworthy or uninitiated” (359.24K; 344.27P).? Valens exacts oaths of secrecy from his students: Tadjure them by the sacred circle of the sun, by the varied paths of the moon, by the powers of the five other stars, and by the circle of the twelve signs to keep these matters secret, never to share them with the ignorant or the uninitiated, and to remember and to honor the one who inducted them into this art. May it go well for those who keep this, ‘oath and may the aforesaid gods grant them what they wish; may the opposite happen to those who foreswear this oath. (263.19-24K; 251.18-23P) Both texts emphasize the spiritual relationship between master and pupil, with the master handing on his doctrines as one link in a chain of succession: Valens’ student received (mapahauPéveov - 294.1K; 281.14P) the doctrines and will pass them on, just as Hermes received (napahaBcov - Poimandres 1.26 in CHI, p. 19) doctrines from Poimandres and then becomes a guide to others who are worthy. Both Hermes’ doctrines and Valens’ are presented as an intellectual system (Becapia,, aiipeots; the philosophers and Hermes use ‘yv3o1s) which brings with it a way of life characterized by secret knowledge and status as the elect of God. All this is popular Greco—Egyptian spirituality Also part of this popular spirituality is Valens’ emphasis on astrology’ ancient traditions, which he claims to be developing further. Besides consulting the astronomers Hipparchus and. Apollonius, and the Babylonians, Soudines and Kidenas, whose data for the sun and the moon he claims to have used, Valens studied the “ancient astrologers,” particularly King Nechepso and the sage Petosiris, legendary Egyptian astrologers, and Critodemus, who lived in the first century AD.* His comments on these earlier astrologers are of two types: he lauds their dedication and skill; at the same time he criticizes their grudging and stingy attitude towards other adepts or students. Nechepso is the divine King, who “made his explanations with mystic intelligence. His wisdom is shown by his willingness to confess his earlier errors. He despised his kingship and his power compared with the loftiness of mystic knowledge. No