#177 - Astrological Nigromancy of Cecco d’Ascoli with Mat Hadfield & Brian Johnson

Summary

Mat Hadfield and Brian Johnson discuss their new Hadean Press book, An Exposition upon The Sphere of the Cosmos: The Astrological Nigromancy of Cecco d'Ascoli. The conversation explores why the Inquisition burned this Italian university lecturer alive in 1327, and how his teaching on astrological fatalism collided with Church doctrine. They also explain the medieval magical system of the four Kings of the four cardinal directions and its links to the cardinal signs of the Zodiac.

Key takeaways

• 1Book discussed: 'An Exposition upon The Sphere of the Cosmos: The Astrological Nigromancy of Cecco d'Ascoli', published by Hadean Press
• 2Cecco d'Ascoli, an Italian university lecturer, was burned alive by the Inquisition in 1327
• 3The episode examines astrological fatalism, the idea that the stars determine human fate
• 4The four Kings of the four cardinal directions are connected to the cardinal signs of the Zodiac
• 5Brian Johnson is also the author of 'A Similitude of Nature' (Revelore Press)
• 6Mat Hadfield writes a Substack called 'The Vault: Second Cycle'

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