Rabbi Kalonymos ben David Kalonymides, "Maestro Calo"

Kalonymos ben David of the Kalonymos family, known also as Calo Calonymus, was also the court astrologer of the Duke of Bari in the early 16th century.16 But beside that, he is known for translating scientific and philosophical works, as well as for dealing with linguistics and philosophy. The Kalonymos family played a leading role in the Jewish intellectual life of Renaissance Italy. It originated from Southern Italy and had long been involved in medical practice. The father of our author, David Kalonymos of Bari, was granted citizenship of Naples as a court physician. The Neapolitan records often mention both David, the father, and Kalonymos ben David, "doctor of the arts and of medicine". As a result of the change in the conditions of south Italian Jewry, he moved to Venice not later than 1517. He is probably identical with Dr. Calonymus who was given a grant by the senate to keep his son at his studies.

Kalonymos ben David, besides being an astrologer, also dealt with linguistics and philosophy. As a linguist, he completed the final chapter on biblical accent marks of Abraham ben Meir de Balmes's work entitled Mikneh Avram, or Peculium Abramae. The book appeared in Venice at the end of 1523, some months after the death of Balmes. It was encouraged by Daniel Bömberg and used by Christian Hebraists of the ensuing period. As a philosopher, he translated the philosophical work Tahäfut al-Tahäfut of Ihn Rushd (Averroes) from Hebrew to Latin under the title Destructio Destructionis published in Venice in 1526/7.22 He even appended to it an original philosophical treatise on the creation of the world (Volumen de Mundi Creatione, Physicis Probata Rationibus). Furthermore, he contributed to the renaissance of the European culture with his Latin translation of al-Bitruji's ("Alpetragius") Theorica Planetarum, using Ibn Tibbon's Hebrew version, as well as with his taking part in the great Venetian editions of Aristotle and Averroes.

Concerning the astrological works of the Kalonymos family, we know about a collection of short treatises on astrological subjects in MS Parma 336, containing works of Kalonymos, his father, David and his brother, Chayyim.

The end of the manuscript contains a prediction for the 1490s, similar to a horoscope of Bonet de Lattes. Speaking about their attitude towards astrology, on page 77a of the manuscript we find that Kalonymos counts astrology "among the other speculative and talmudic wisdom" , that is, as part of a single "wisdom" in which astrology is included in an organic way. Fols. 44-47 of the same manuscript give "the reasons for the commandments " from the tables of Alfonso, attributed by Kalonymos himself to "R. Abba Mari, the father of my son-in-law, R. Elijah Chalfan".

According to the records, he predicted the war between Venice and the League of Cambrai: was he a good astrologer or a good political analyst? Similarly, in March 1513, he reassured the doge that the solar eclipse would not cause anything negative to Venice: was it a serious astrological prediction, a "politically correct" statement or a sign of a hidden skepticism of the truth of astrology?21' Personally I doubt the latter.

The introduction of our treatise also informs us about the family of Kalonymos. He wrote this work already after the death of his father, and dedicated it to his son-inlaw, Elijah Chalfan27 and to his son, David. The latter had just started to deal with this science, and probably this fact gave the motivation to collect all the astrological knowledge required for an astrologer. The work is entitled Tokhen Levenim, an expression taken from Ex. 5:18, where the Israelite slaves in Egypt did not get enough material for preparing bricks. But the expression tekhunah also refers to the name of astronomy used in medieval Hebrew.

In 1532 the council granted Kalonymus, a Jewish physician, the means necessary to keep his son at his studies, "so that he may become a man useful in the service of this illustrious city" (Romanin, "Storia Documentata di Venezia," v. 337, note 3).

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/nb2007005671.html

ממשפחת קלונימוס מחכמי ונציה( כיצד מזמנין - א {בלייער, מרדכי יהודה}עמוד:558)

https://tablet.otzar.org/pages/?&restore=1&t=1616250054766&pagenum=...

Qui si era pure rifugiato un altro illustre personaggio, il medico di
re Federico, Calo Calonymos, di famiglia barese, censita nel focatico della locale giudecca
nel 1498, poi, per un trentennio, attivo sulla scena veneziana. Era suo parente
Jacob, il maggiorente della giudecca cui tocc  l’ingrato compito di retrocedere, ai tempi
dell’espulsione del 1511, i due cimiteri locali al precedente proprietario, che s’impegnava
a salvaguardare le tombe, rispettando il paesaggio di alberi e colture non invasive
(Colafemmina, Documenti, 196, doc. 210, Napoli, 3 marzo 1498; Colafemmina,  Gli
ebrei in Puglia , 31-2, 17 maggio 1511).

Calo Calonimos/Calonymos, alias Marco
Challo, medico e astrologo a Monopoli
425 428 441, poi a Venezia 490 521
558, tentativo di avvelenarlo 54; privilegi
al f. David 442

14 Sanudo, Diarii, t. 15: col. 578, 27 febbraio 1513. In una lettera al doge del 1513,
l’ astrologo Marco Challo hebreo  – ma pi  noto come  Calo Calonymos phisico hebreo
  –, illustrando le sue qualit  nella  scientia astrologica , rivendicava, tra l’altro,
di aver predetto il terremoto del 1511 al Don , quando era ancora governatore di Monopoli,
quindi ben quattro anni prima dell’evento (De Peppo, DBI, s.v.  Don , Antonio ).

59 CCX, Not., reg. 4, f. 111v, 29 aprile 1516. Questo privilegio, con relativo monopolio
d’esercizio, valeva anche a Venezia, dove, per delibera dei Dieci del 27 maggio 1511,
era stato loro rinnovato l’incarico di gestire  alcuni mulini , costruiti sul loro modello.
Impossibile identificare i due inventori, tanto pi  che al cognome avevano sostitu
l’appellativo, di cui mancano altri riscontri. Sappiamo solo che Calimano  hebreo a
molendinis  era stato remunerato con 30 ducati a inizio secolo, per aver operato  mirabelmente
  a Brescia e nel Bresciano (Asola), in societ  con un certo Moise. Nel 1519
compare, invece, un Joseph de molinis, chiamato a testimoniare nell’intricato e pluriennale
processo per l’avvelenamento di un servitore del medico Calo Calonimos, in
cui era coinvolto anche il medico Lazaro (CX Misti, reg. 28, f. 217r; fz. 14, f. 105, 30 giugno
1501; CCX, Lettere rettori, b. 19 [Brescia], f. 20, 1  luglio 1501; Lettere, fz. 1bis,
f. 206, 28 agosto 1501; AC, reg. 3663/23, f. 146v, 9 luglio 1519).

62 Ne parlava diffusamente Netanyahu (Don Isaac Abravanel, 74-81), esaminando i
suoi scritti degli anni di Monopoli (fine 1495-1503) nel cap. dall’eloquente titolo di  Shelter
in the storm . Qui si era pure rifugiato un altro illustre personaggio, il medico di
re Federico, Calo Calonymos, di famiglia barese, censita nel focatico della locale giudecca
nel 1498, poi, per un trentennio, attivo sulla scena veneziana. Era suo parente
Jacob, il maggiorente della giudecca cui tocc  l’ingrato compito di retrocedere, ai tempi
dell’espulsione del 1511, i due cimiteri locali al precedente proprietario, che s’impegnava
a salvaguardare le tombe, rispettando il paesaggio di alberi e colture non invasive
(Colafemmina, Documenti, 196, doc. 210, Napoli, 3 marzo 1498; Colafemmina,  Gli
ebrei in Puglia , 31-2, 17 maggio 1511).

73  Non ne par al presente da quella [parte precedente] partirsi, n  pro nunc far altra
nostra deliberatione, ma, come habiamo dicto, al suo tempo non siamo per mancharli
  (Senato Mare, reg. 17, ff. 65v-66v, 54r, 16 e 24 novembre 1508); si attese il 1  febbraio
1509 per rispondere all’Universit  di Monopoli. Non escluderei l’ebreo in missione
a Venezia fosse Calo Calonymos.

Le premesse di questa ordinanza
le suggeriva il Sanudo, laddove elencava, con malcelata soddisfazione,
le misure adottate nella primavera del 1517 dai Capi dei Dieci
per svalutare il prestigio di cui si circondavano tre medici ebrei molto
ascoltati dai loro nobili pazienti, le cui case evidentemente praticavano;
si trattava di Lazaro,112 Calo Calonimos e Moise l’astrologo.
Nell’ordine, prima venne loro ritirata la licenza di portare la berretta
nera,113 poi fu fatto loro divieto di  portar veste a manege dogal,
ni becheto di seda, sotto gravissime pene. Et cuss  diti medici, oltra
la bareta zalla portano, etiam si taiono le manege dogal .114

112 Sanudo (Diarii, t. 23: col. 296, 9 dicembre 1516) ha trascritto la lettera, con la
quale Paolo Capello scriveva dalla sua tenuta di Ros  per giustificare la rinuncia alla
nomina a bailo, spiegando al Collegio di aver  brusor di urina, come sa maestro Lazaro
hebreo et domino Alvise… di Basan medici . Spiccano l’autorevolezza e le frequentazioni
di una casa di campagna gentilizia da parte di un professionista ebreo, ancora
a tre mesi dal provvedimento diretto a colpirlo personalmente. Del suo collega Calo
abbiamo pi  volte ricordato la stretta pratica di ambienti di governo con relative ‘profezie’,
arte divinatoria apparentemente anche molto gradita nel terzo dei medici, che
nella licenza a svolgere la professione era chiamato  m  Moyses spagnuol astrologo iudeo
medego  (AC, reg. 2053/3, 14-16 aprile 1511).

114 Sanudo, Diarii, t. 24: coll. 298-299, 26 maggio 1517. Nell’elenco compaiono tre
puntini in luogo del nome di un quarto medico, molto probabilmente David, figlio di Calo.

129 Sanudo, Diarii, t. 17, coll. 33-35, Venezia, 28 agosto 1513. Grazie alle sue doti mediche
– e divinatorie – che gli valsero la frequentazione dei circoli veneziani pi  esclusivi,
ottenne una licenza ducale per portare il berretto nero dovunque e per sempre
(ma gli fu tolta nel 1517); e una richiesta dei Dieci ai rettori di Padova per accontentare
con un  offizietto  suo figlio David. Nel primo dei due atti Calo era definito  hebreo
doctore medicante , nell’altro  doctor de medicina et philosophia . David sar  pure
lui medico, e uno dei massari dell’Universit  ebraica dopo la morte del padre (CX Misti,
fz. 35, doc. 391, 25 agosto 1515; CCX, Lettere, fz. 16, ff. 285, 317, 31 agosto, 11 settembre
1515).

In Levante circolavano voci per nulla
rassicuranti, e a Venezia gli ebrei si davano da fare per alimentarle
tra la gente: secondo queste dicerie, per un mese di fila, tra Quaresima
e Pasqua, a Gerusalemme aveva nevicato e in pieno giorno
erano comparse  due rote grande , evento unico, a memoria d’uomo;
da Damasco, invece, un  iudeo  aveva sentito fosche previsioni
di guerra imminente e tremenda fame in Italia.174 D’altronde,  maestro
Calo Calonymos phisico hebreo , medico molto vicino al centro
del potere veneziano, ricordava di aver previsto, all’inizio del 1509,
 la bastonada  effettivamente inflitta alla Signoria solo un paio di
mesi pi  tardi.175

175 Torneremo fra breve su questo  iudizio  di Calo, tratto dai suoi studi sulle  revolutioni
  e l’astrologia, e da lui enunciato, a mo’ di profezia, al rettore di Monopoli
nel 1509, e nel 1513 messo per iscritto, a richiesta del savio di Terraferma Pietro Tron
(Sanudo, Diarii, t. 17: coll. 33-35, 28 agosto 1513).

1) For the first entry: comment on the date: it is not 1517 or 1518. It simply refers to the 1st February 1517 following the Venetian calendar, date which in the modern calendar, normal used, means 1518.
The Venetian year ended at the end of march (not the 31st December).

Here, Marin Sanudo explains that the jew Vita was arrested by the Quarantine Criminal for having obtained a false testimony against master Callo, medical doctor, also jew. So, in the same days, they decided to call the same Callo following the petition by Sir Zuan Dolfin, who was avogador di comun within the Quarantia Criminal (a charge within the magistrate for Justice). So, he (Callo) presented himself (to the Judges). And also they decided with large majority(25 in favour, and 2 against) to arrest Lazaro, a jew medical doctor.

2) Second entry: July 1519: This morning, after a great discussion, introduced by Zuan Dolfin and Nicolò Michiel doctor, who have been in the past avogadori di comun, were sent out the jews, who were in prison for 10 months. Several Councillors had decided against Vita, jewish banker, who had falsely accused master Chalò jewish medical doctor to have killed someone in his home to obtain his money and found false witnesses. The votes were 21 yes; 13 no; and 2 abtstained. So the mentioned Vita was banned for three years from Venice and environment and had to pay 500 ducats, 400 of them to clean the canals and 100 to be given to the Avogadori. And also 100 measures of wheat to be given to different monasteries of sisters. But finally Jacob, son of Anselmo dal Banco, Chalò medical doctor and Lazaro also medical doctor were all acquitted and went home in Ghetto and made great feast.

Pecvlivm Abrae. Grammatica Hebraea Vna Cvm Latino nuper edita per Doctiss. Virum Magi[s]trum Abraham de Balmis by Abraham ben Meir de Balmes( Book )

1 edition published in 1523 in Hebrew and held by 3 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Liber de mundi creatione physicis rationibus probata, etc by Kalonymus ben David( Book )

3 editions published in 1527 in Latin and Undetermined and held by 3 WorldCat member libraries worldwide

Grammatica Hebraea : Una cum Latina interpretatione é regione posita by Abraham ben Meir de Balmes( Book )

1 edition published in 1594 in Latin and held by 1 WorldCat member library worldwide

Sefer diḳduḳ by Abraham ben Meir de Balmes( Book )

1 edition published in 1523 in Hebrew and held by 1 WorldCat member library worldwide

Mikneh Avram = Peculium Abrae : grammatica Hebraea una cum Latino nuper edita by Abraham ben Meir de Balmes( )

1 edition published in 1523 in Hebrew and held by 1 WorldCat member library worldwide

Alpetragii Arabi Planetarvm theorica physicis rationibus, nuper-rime latinis litteris mandata a Calo calonymos Hebreo Neapolitano by al-Bitraujī Nūr al-Dīn( Book )

1 edition published in 1531 in Latin and held by 1 WorldCat member library worldwide

Spherae tractatvs Ioannis de Sacro Bvsto Anglici viri clariss. Gerardi Cremonensis theoricae planetarvm veteres. Georgii Pvrbachii theoricae planetarvm novae. Prosdocimi de Beldomando Patauini super tractatu sphærico commentaria, nu[per] in lucem diducta per L. GA. nun[quam] amplius i[m]pressa. Ioannis Baptistæ Capuani Sipontini expositio in sphæra & theoricis. Ioannis de Monteregio disputationes contra theoricas Gerardi. Michaelis Scoti expositio breuis & quæstiones in sph[%C3%A6]ra. Jacobi Fabri Stapulensis paraphrases & annotationes. Campani co[m]pendium super tractatu de sphera. Eiusdem tractatulus de modo fabricandi spheram solidam. Petri cardin. de Aliaco epi[scopi] Cameracensis. 14. Quæstiones. Roberti Linconiensis epi[scopi] tractatulus de sphæra. Bartholomei Uesputii glossul[%C3%A6] in pleris[que] locis sph[%C3%A6]r[%C3%A6]. Eiusdem oratio. De laudibus astrologi[%C3%A6]. Luc[%C3%A6] Gaurici castigationes & figur[%C3%A6] toto opere dilige[n]tissime reformat[%C3%A6]. Eiusde[m] qu[%C3%A6]stio nunquid sub æquatore sit habitatio. Eiusde[m] oratio de inue[n]toribus & laudibus astrologi[%C3%A6]. Reuere[n]dissimo cardin. ep[iscop]o D. Bernardo Tridentino[rum] principi dicara. Alpetragii Arabi theorica planetarvm nvperrime Latinis mandata literis a Calo Calonymos Hebreo Neapolitano, ubi nititur saluare apparentias in motibus planetarum abs[que] eccentricis & epicyclis by Joannes de Sacro Bosco( Book )

1 edition published in 1531 in Latin and held by 1 WorldCat member library worldwide

Collection of numerous short works by various authors, several of which are commentaries on Sacro Bosco's Sphaera mundi
Miḳneh Avram Pecvlivm Abrae by Abraham ben Meir de Balmes( Book )

1 edition published in 1523 in Hebrew and held by 1 WorldCat member library worldwide

MS Parma 336
https://www.nli.org.il/en/manuscripts/NNL_ALEPH000083499/NLI#$FL179...

לתוכן וקישור לפריטים בקובץ ראה למטה.
חבורים, לקוטים ותרגומים מאת קלונימוס בן דוד קלונימוס שנכתבו כנראה בבארי, רובם בעשור האחרון של המאה הט"ו.
The Palatina Library Parma Italy Cod. Parm. 2637
Catalogue De-Rossi Parma Italy 336
ספרור הדפים [%D7%91%D7%A1%D7%95%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%99%D7%9D מרובעים] לפי ספרור המסגרות שעל הסרט.

1) דף [3]א-[11]ב: קלונימוס, קלונימוס בן דוד (מלקט ומתרגם): לוחות ולקוטים באסטרונומיה ובאסטרולוגיה.
2) דף [12]א-[15]ב: מאמר מקיף על סדור התמונה המשפטית.
3) דף [16]א-[24]ב: עמנואל בן יעקב: חבורים קצרים באסטרולוגיה.
4) דף [25]א-[37]ב: קלנוימוס, חיים בן דוד: חבורים באסטרולוגיה.
5) דף [38]א-[39]ב: פורבך, גיאורג: עיון הכוכבים המשרתים (מובא).
6) דף [39]ב-[42]א: פינצי, מרדכי: באור לוחות אלפונצו (מובא).
7) דף [42]ב-[43]ב: עמנואל בן יעקב: עיון באסטרונומיה.
8) דף [44]א-[46]ב: חלפון, אבא מרי בן אליה: באור לוחות אלפונצו.
9) דף [47]א: יוהנס מסקסוניה: באור לוחות אלפונצו (קטע).
10) דף [48]א-[50]א: יוהנה מסקסוניה: שנוי האויר (חלק א' פרק יז).
11) דף [50]א: סקרובוסקו, יוהנס דה: מראה האופנים (קטע).
12) דף [51]א-[54]א: קלונימוס, קלונימוס בן דוד: לקוטים באסטרונומיה ובאסטרולוגיה.
13) דף [60]א-[66]ב: יוהנס ממונטי רגיו: חבור באסטרונומיה.
14) דף [67]א: קלונימוס, חיים בן דוד: הוראות לעשיית לוח אסטרולוגיה.
15) דף [68]ב-[72]ב: אבן מרואן: חבור ולוחות בענין הנמודאר.
16) דף [73]א-[79]ב: קלונימוס, קלונימוס בן דוד: הורוסקופ ללידת יעקב בן דוד קלונימוס.
17) דף [76]ב-[85]ב: קלונימוס, קלונימוס בן דוד: חבור באסטרולוגיה (השפעת הכוכבים בלידה לפי הבתים).
18) דף [88]א-[103]א: קלונימוס, קלונימוס בן דוד: תחזית אסטרולוגית לשנת 1494.
19) דף [107]א-[119]א: קלונימוס, קלונימוס בן דוד: תחזית אסטרונלוגית לשנת 1495

1) Page [3] A- [11] B: Klonimus, Klonimus Ben David (collector and translator): Tablets and collections in astronomy and astrology.
2) Page [12] A- [15] B: A comprehensive article on the arrangement of the legal picture.
3) Page [16] A- [24] B: Emanuel ben Yaakov: Short essays in astrology.
4) Page [25] A- [37] B: Klanimus, Chaim Ben David: Compilations in Astrology.
5) Page [38] A- [39] B: Forbach, Georg: Browse the Serving Stars (quoted).
6) Page [39] in [42] A: Finzi, Mordechai: In the Light of Alfonso Tablets (quoted).
7) Page [42] in [43] in: Emanuel Ben Yaakov: A Study of Astronomy.
8) Page [44] A- [46] B: Halfon, Abba Mary Ben Elia: In the Light of Alfonso Tablets.
9) Page [47] A: Johannes of Saxony: In the Light of Alfonso Tablets (Section).
10) Page [48] A- [50] A: Johanna of Saxony: Changing the Air (Part I, Chapter 17).
11) Page [50] a: Scrobosco, Johannes de: The Appearance of the Bicycles (section).
12) Page [51] A- [54] A: Klonimus, Klonimus Ben David: Lakotim in Astronomy and Astrology.
13) Page [60] A- [66] B: Johannes of Monte Regio: A fellow in astronomy.
14) Page [67] A: Klonimos, Chaim Ben David: Instructions for making an astrology calendar.
15) Page [68] in [72] B: Ibn Marwan: A group and tablets in the matter of the Namodar.
16) Page [73] A- [79] B: Klonimus, Klonimus Ben David: Horoscope for the birth of Yaakov Ben David Klonimus.
17) Page [76] in [85] B: Clonimus, Clonimus son of David: A group in astrology (the influence of the stars in the birth according to the houses).
18) Page [88] a- [103] a: Clonimus, Clonimus son of David: astrological forecast for 1494.
19) Page [107] A- [119] A: Clonimus, Clonimus Ben David: Astronomical Forecast for 1495