astroart wrote: gebrauche die Abschintte, [etwa 8,7, 6, 5, 4,]

When I see those numbers it looks like the terms are meant here.
It seems indeed a terrible task to translate these texts, it resembles interpretations of the Bible.

astroart wrote:the first one who invented this technique is Hermes. Some arabic authors ( who still are not translated in modern languages ) when they explain the method of the primary directions ( tasyr) they say: "according to Hermes"

Unfortunately little is known about Hermes. I'm afraid a lot is mixed with myths and no year is given. Somewhere in an article I read that when in Hellenistic times writers referred to 'the ancients' these were not as far back in time as most believe but about a century or so before them.[/quote]

Thanks, Dimitar. Do you have the page number for this reference? It would save me quite a bit of time!

Hi Martin!
Here is the translation of a passage from Porphyry where he talks about the method of primary directions according to Thrasyllus(R.Schmidt's translation):

"Thrasyllus, on the other hand, says that striking with a ray is destruction, and that those present in tetragonal or diametrical figures destroy, while the testimony of trigonal figures in the interval of the hour-marking portion is not taken for destruction.But he says that it does not matter whence they bring their ray to bear(epipherousi ten aktina), whether from figures in the right or from those on the wellnamed side, onto the post-ascension of the Hour-Maker or of the star having the lordship of Selene , whence the releasing(aphesis) will be; but he says that if Selene chances to have the domicile master with itself or diametrical to itself, we will make the realising from the domicile master.For example , if Selene were in the Archer with Zeus, or Zeus were in the Twins with Selene itself being in the Archer, we will release from Zeus."

astroart wrote:Here is the translation of a passage from Porphyry where he talks about the method of primary directions according to Thrasyllus(R.Schmidt's translation):

Thanks. I'm convinced I would find it more intelligible in the original, though.