Latin didactic poem about celestial phenomena, written in hexameters and divided into five books. The Astronomica was written c. AD 30–40 by a Roman poet whose name was likely Marcus Manilius and re-discovered in the Renaissance. The earliest work on astrology that is extensive, comprehensible, and mostly intact, the Astronomica describes celestial phenomena, and, in particular, the zodiac and astrology. Lovecraft probably model the title of the Necronomicon from this volume - an affordablle and lovely volume for those interested in astrology!
 
M. Manilii Astronomicon ex recension Richardi Bentleji cum selectis variorum ac propris notis Praefationi subjuncta. Varia de Manilio Judicia et Julii Pontederae Epistola "De Manilii Astronomia & Anno caelesti" cura et studio Meliae Stoeber.
 
1767 - 1 vol. in-12 contemporary binding full brown sheepskin, spine with 5 decorated raised bands, Sumptibus Amandi König Bibliopolae, Argentorati [ Strasbourg ], 1767, 38 pp. (including frontispiece), 531 pp., 4 ff. not. ch.Reminder of the full title: M. Manilii Astronomicon ex recension Richardi Bentleji cum selectis variorum ac propris notis Praefationi subjuncta. Varia de Manilio Judicia and Julii Pontederae Epistola "De Manilii Astronomia & Anno caelesti" cura et studio Meliae Stoeber. Satisfactory condition (strong binding. rubbed with mq. on the back, split with a joint but still solid, good interior condition). Text by Bentley, with the letter by J. Pontedera taken from the 1743 edition (Houzeau, 1037). Astrologer and astronomer, Marcus Manilius was born in the last years of the reign of Augustus, probably in North Africa (we have been able to attribute Berber origins to him). A manuscript of the "Astronomica" was rediscovered by Le Pogge around 1417. It was often republished, and quoted, from Montaigne to Lovecraft. Language: Latin