Compter, dire et figurer : édition et commentaire de textes divinatoires et magiques en occitan médiéval

Abstract

Medieval Occitan texts contain elements of diviniatory and magical techniques which have hitherto not undergone in-depth analysis. They deal with the subject of calendar divination, lunaria or zodiologia, "classical" or astronomical geomancy (the poem of Maestre Guillem), spell books (a method of apertio libri, a "Dodechedron", a version of "Sortes Sanctorum") and astral magic (the "Liber experimentorum" by Guillem de Perissa Arnaud de Villeneuve's pseudo-secretary). These texts from the 13th to the 15th century are stored among the manuscripts in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (French National Library) under the classification marks lat. 7349, lat. 7420A, lat. 11016, fr. 1745, fr. 14771, fr. 19994, fr. 22543, n.a.f. 4427. Besides drawing up a glossary of divinatory and magical Occitan, the publication and translation of these texts in one volume allows the possibility to see a network of associations between the various magical and divinatory arts. This network is formed by the re-use, adaptation or modification of certain processes and symbols according to the techniques employed. This undertaking, as much imitative as creative, demonstrates the will of both creator and user alike to use the best language possible in order to draw awareness to the "superior entities of the world". Occitan literary works such as Flamenca, "Chanson de la croisade contre les albigeois" and "las novas" de Frayre de Joy et Sor de Plaser corroborate the use of these so-called "occult" arts. Beyond the Occitan genre of literature, referred to as fate or Providence, the creative undertaking either consists of allowing destiny to run its course or being able to control it