John Petritzi, Minor astrological texts

Ms. A-290, fol. 258r-261r From the wisdom of the philosophers concerning the prediction of times and the conditions of the coming year, what they will be like 1. If the epact is 11, it is thus: in that time the year will be, hay abundant, mountains moderately, plains moderately, in the north honey good and produce good, a little winter frost will destroy the vineyards, wine abundant, the fruit of the produce good, fruit a little, winter snowy and icy and harmful, from February it will be warm and rainy. Spring rainy, summer rainy, autumn damp. In February the moon will be eclipsed on the 21st, and in July the moon will be eclipsed on the 27th. 2. If the epact is 22, in that year winter will be warm, long, snowy, spring rainy, summer also good with rain, but autumn will be mixed, dry and warm, then snowy. Wine, honey, fruit good. Hay and produce, wheat and all honey and fruit of mountains and plains good. In this year in the month of January on the 22nd the moon will be eclipsed.

3. If the epact is 3, in that year wine, fruit, and every produce will be abundant, and the winter will be warm and short and without snow, and the spring at one time dry and then rainy, the summer fine and temperate. In the mountains all labors will be done, as is fitting for the mountains, everything will be well, but the plains will be somewhat lacking. Hay will be moderate, the autumn dry and long. Then in January on the 14th the moon will be eclipsed. 4. If the epact is 14, in that year the winter will be dry and short, the spring moderate. The drought will cause harm. The winter cold and frost will affect the mountains, and the vineyards of the plains. Hay will be moderate, the labor of the plains will be in due season, the mountains will prevail somewhat, the summer drought will not cause great harm, and from mid-summer the rains will restore the labors. The autumn will be damp, the labor, the honey thin. In that year in May on the 22nd the moon will be eclipsed.

5. If the epact is 25, in that year the winter will be snowy, long, and the spring rainy, the summer fine, and the produce of the mountains and plains equal. Honey and fruit, wine will be equal. And this year will be temperate in everything, and the hay and every produce of the mountains and plains equal. The autumn will be warm and long. And here in the month of May on the 25th the moon will be eclipsed, and in November on the 1st the moon will be eclipsed. 6. If the epact is 6, in that year the winter will be warm and short, the summer until the middle warm, hay scarce, fruit deficient, wine will be abundant. The produce of the highlands good, the produce of the lowlands deficient. The autumn will be long and rainy, but temperate, in the mountains good, on the north side more abundant in every kind. Here in May on the 6th the moon will be eclipsed. 7. If the epact is 17, in that year the winter will be harsh, snowy and short, and the spring early, there will be rain. But from the rains the produce of the highlands will suffer, and the lowlands will be filled with good things. Wine and bread will be equally abundant. Honey and fruit equally. Hay abundant, every produce as in the highlands it is fitting. The autumn will be rainy and short. In that year there is no eclipse of the luminaries.

8. If the epact is 28, in that year the winter will be warm and short and snowy, and the spring rainy. The summer fine, hay, honey, fruit, wine equal. And all produce of the highlands abundant, but of the lowlands moderately good. The autumn will be long, dry and warm, the air mixed with good, but from the north side as if there will be no rain. Likewise, there will be no eclipse of the luminaries in this year. 9. If the epact is 9, in that year the winter will be short, the spring and summer dry, honey and wine little, produce abundant, but harmed by hail and locusts. The autumn alternately rainy and short, hay scarce, the year long, with locusts and frost. At times cold wind will blow from wherever it comes, and the breeze cool and moderate. And here in March the sun will be eclipsed on the 20th, and in August the moon will be eclipsed on the 14th.

10. If the epact is 20, in that year the winter will be snowy, long, and difficult. The spring rainy, the summer well-tempered, with honey, wine, fruit, and hay abundant in all respects. The autumn long, tempered with mild winds, but it will be dry and without deficiency, and the airs will not greatly harm. G: The moon will be eclipsed. On the August one, the moon will be eclipsed; on October, the moon will be eclipsed. 11. If the epact is 1, in that year the winter will be dry and short, the spring and summer dry. The bees will be distressed, the hay scanty; the highlands will be somewhat better, the lowlands deficient. The wine scanty, the autumn short and rainy, and the year will be short. Concerning this year, it speaks of a time of famine. The north will prevail, where rains and mists will be. Here, in December, the sun will be eclipsed, and in February, the moon will be eclipsed.

12. If the epact is 12, in that year the winter will be snowy, the spring thinned out by hail. The summer rainy. In the highlands, the grain will be harmed by rain, and the hay will also be harmed. But the lowlands will be well, with honey, fruit, and every kind. The autumn dry, the winter somewhat damp and short. This year indicates scarcity in the mountains. Here, in January, the moon will darken on the 2nd. 13. If the epact is 23, in that year the winter will be warm, snowy, long; in spring there will be a thinning out of the hail. The summer dry and long. Hay and honey will be sparse. Everywhere the winter dry and long; hail in the mountains and lowlands equally. This year will be one of famine and distress. A black year. Here, in February, the moon will darken on the 22nd. 14. If the epact is 4, in that year the winter will be warm, dry, and short, but spring will come quickly, early and dry; the summer warm. Hay will be scarce in the lowlands of Ertstskhe, but in the mountains it will be abundant. And the crops will also be abundant in the mountains, while in the lowlands they will be average. Fruit, honey, and wine will be found. The winter, if sown early, will be good. Here, in June, the moon will darken on the 7th, and in September, the sun will darken on the 9th.

15. If the epact is 15, in that year the winter will be dry, warm; the vine will wither from dryness, and the wheat will also be harmed. From the passing of March, rains and snows will cease, and the hail will be severe. The harvest of the lowlands will be scanty. The highlands will be superior. In July, it will rain and hail, and the wind will be moderate. Honey, fruit, and wine will be moderate. Fruit will be more abundant; hay will be bad. In June, the sun will be eclipsed, and in October, the moon will be eclipsed. 16. If the epact is 26, in that year the winter will be cold, dry, long. From the 20th of March, snow and rain will occur. From the 20th of April, rain will occur, and on the 11th of May, snow will fall. Rain and cold wind and frost will happen—may the mercy of God protect the crops. Wine and harvest will be moderate. Fruit will also be, honey will also be, but bread and wine will be abundant. And in October, the moon will be eclipsed.

17. If the epact is 17, in that year the winter will be hot and long, the spring will be not good, mixed with hail. Every crop will be thin. Spring will not be seen as good. Every crop will be thin. Hay, wheat, wine, the sowing of the mountains and the plains will be thin. Hay will be worse. In April, the moon will darken on the 5th, and in September, the moon will darken on the 30th. 18. If the epact is 18, in that year the winter will be snowy, the spring wet. There will be harm from hail, the legumes will be good. The summer will be cool. The air will be clear, the fruit large. The summer rains will be dry. The autumn will be mixed, the honey little, there will be a plague among cattle. In March, the moon will darken on the 22nd, in December, the moon will darken on the 18th. 19. If the epact is 19, in that year the winter will be snowy, in April the rains will be good. Hay, wheat, wine, honey will be equal. In May, hail will harm the vineyards. Although the winter is snowy, it will be warm. The spring will be rainy, the autumn long and mixed. Hail will destroy the crops of August. The wine will be little. In March, the moon will darken on the 14th, and in September, the moon will darken on the 17th.