The Souda’s two entries for Bo ̄los, one labeled “D [perhaps De ̄mokritean]
philosopher” (B-481), and the other “Mende ̄sian Pythagorean” (B-482), generally believed
to refer to the same person, ascribe to him the following (lost) works: Scientific Inquiry and
Medical Art; Concerning Things from the Reading of the Histories that Lead us to Pause [in Thought];
Concerning Wonders; Naturally Potent [Drugs?]; On Sympathies and Antipathies (the Souda adds of
Stones, probably the vestige of another title); and On Signs from the Sun, Moon, Ursa Maior,
Lamps and the Rainbow.
He was also said to have authored the Kheirokme ̄ta (Things Wrought by Hand) falsely ascribed
to D (C 7.5.17 and contested by P 24.160). A fragment pre-
served by Columella, and illustrative of the text’s genre, concerns a method for curing
diseased sheep using magical sympathies and antipathies. It is unlikely, however, that
Bo ̄los is the source of some or indeed any of the alchemical recipes and treatises attributed
to De ̄mokritos (CAAG 2.41–56; see P. H) as has sometimes been claimed.
DK 78; DSB 2.256–257, J. Stannard; OCD3 249, D.J. Furley and J.T. Vallance.
Bink Hallum
Book of Assumptions by Aqa ̄t
̇
un (Hekato ̄n? Agatho ̄n?) (200 – 600 CE?)The Arabic translation of a Greek treatise containing 43 demonstrated geometrical the-
orems pertaining to the geometry of triangles and circles (chords and tangents). This collec-
tion of lemmas drawing from various sources (but with no explicit reference to other works)
is probably of late antique origin. The first half contains 19 propositions also found (with slight
differences) in the MS “the Book by A on the Elements of Geometry.” The
third proposition recalls prop. 10 of Archime ̄de ̄s’ liber assumptorum, and some others are
(sometimes strongly) similar to propositions found in P, probably suggesting common
sources rather than derivation. The names “Hekato ̄n” or “Agatho ̄n” are only possible
guesses, and no Greek geometers with such names are known.
Jones (1986) 2.603–605; Y. Dold-Samplonius, “Some Remarks on the ‘Book of Assumptions by
Aqa ̄t
̇
un,’” JHAS 2.2 (1978) 255–263.
Alain Bernard
Book of the Signs of the Zodiac (after ca 200 CE?)
The Asfar Malwasˇia, or “Book of the Signs of the Zodiac” (AM), is a compilation of texts
dealing with astrology and omens. It is written in Mandaic, an eastern Middle Aramaic
dialect associated with the Mandaeans, a Gnostic sect historically native to Mesopotamia
(from at least the 2nd c. CE) but which exists today mainly through its diaspora in Europe,
North America and Australia.
In addition to its astronomical basis, there is a clearly discernible anthropological dis-
course in AM, particularly in chapters 1–20, presenting an astrological analysis of human-
kind. There is much evidence for the influence of Babylonian science in AM, particularly
astronomy and astrology. The most likely Babylonian sources are Enuma Anu Enlil, on celes-
tial omens, Iqqur Ipusˇ, on hemerology, and Sˇumma alu on terrestrial omens. Thus the oldest
parts of AM probably date to ca 200 CE, when the central Babylonian temples, the deposi-
tory of the sciences (medicine, astronomy, astrology, incantations), were still functioning.
Although it is possible that the Babylonian elements apparent in AM derive from a
Hellenistic intermediary, Rochberg has presented compelling evidence for a direct reception
BOOK OF THE SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC