Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 48.djvu/369

 f. 28 a to end of book; pp. 7–188; cf. , pp. 649–71). Both Peter of Toledo and Peter [of Poitiers] claim in a colophon to have had a share either in this last work or the whole volume (''Seld. MS''. f. 196 a); but Robert explicitly states that he himself finished the translation of the Koran between 16 July and 31 Dec. 1143. Shortly afterwards the work was introduced into England by St. Bernard. On the way some chapters were lost, and Peter of Poitiers had to be applied to for a second copy, which he sent after making certain additions.

In the introductory letter to his translation of the Koran, Robert de Ketenes, after declaring that his controversial labours on the Koran are only an interlude in his proper study of astronomy or astrology, records a solemn vow to God that, when once he has finished the task in hand, he will devote himself to his life's work, a treatise on mathematical astronomy and astrology—a work which shall include in itself the sum of all knowledge. Whether he fully carried out this ambitious programme is uncertain; but we probably have at least two translations from the Arabic which he intended to work up into his projected encyclopædia. One of these translations is a version from Arabic into Latin of Ptolemy's ‘Planisphere,’ which Hermann finished at Toulouse on 1 June 1143 (or, according to another manuscript, 1144). He speaks of Robert in the dedication in terms suggesting that he had a hand in the work. The second probable contribution to Robert's encyclopædia is the translation (also from the Arabic into Latin) of Al Kind's great astrological treatise ‘De Judiciis Astrorum.’ This translation is certainly from the pen of a ‘Robertus Anglicus,’ whom one manuscript identifies with ‘Robert de Ketene,’ and, although dated in two other manuscripts 1272, may, on good internal evidence, be assigned to Robert de Retines [see under, fl. 1326)].

Many other works may be ascribed to Robert de Ketene. The introductory letter to Hermann of Dalmatia's version of Albumasar's ‘Introductiones in Astrologiam’ shows that the translator (Hermann) was assisted by the advice of ‘Robert,’ his ‘special and inseparable comrade; his peerless partner in every deed and art’ (Corpus Christi Coll. MS., Oxford, f. 60). Another letter, written about the same time (printed in 1489), declares plainly that Robert translated Albategni's ‘Astronomical Tables’ from the Arabic into Latin, and hints that he helped in translating a work by Mohammed ben Musa the Khorismian (, Hebr. Uebers. pp. 566, &c.;, pp. 391, &c.; Zeitschrift der deutschen morgenländischen Gesellschaft, xviii. 171, &c.).

Several manuscripts still preserve a translation of Albategni's ‘Tables’ made ‘for the meridian of London’ by ‘Robertus Cestrensis’ apparently about the middle of the twelfth century (, pp. 391–3, &c.; cf. Cat. of Ashmol. MSS. No. 361); while the same ‘Robertus Cestrensis’ figures in other manuscripts as the translator of Mohammed ben Musa's ‘Algebra’ in 1185. This, being a Spanish date, probably refers to the Spanish era, and is thus equivalent to 1147 A.D. (, pp. 391–3). This ‘Robertus Cestrensis’ can hardly be other than the ‘Robertus Cestiensis’ who made a translation of Ptolemy's ‘De Compositione Astrolabii’ ‘in the city of London in the year of the Æra 1185,’ i.e. in 1147 A.D. (ib.; cf., Cat. p. 12), and the ‘Robertus Castrensis’ who, on 11 Feb. 1182 (i.e. 11 Feb. 1144), finished a translation of the curious hermetic work of ‘Morien,’ ‘De Compositione Alchemiæ’ (, i. 509–10), from the Arabic into Latin. In all these cases ‘Castrensis,’ ‘Cestrensis,’ ‘Cestiensis’ may very well be misreadings for ‘Katenensis’ or ‘Kethenensis;’ and as the early translators from the Arabic constantly used the Spanish era for their chronology this would give a series of dates from 1144 to 1147 quite in accordance with the known facts of Robert de Ketene's life. Pits's statement that the latter died and was buried at Pampeluna in 1143 is an obvious guess.

Robert's Koran was first printed at Basle, possibly, too, at Zürich and Nuremberg in 1543. It had a preface by Luther, and was reissued in 1550 with a preface by Melanchthon. This edition includes Robert's ‘Chronica ridiculosa,’ and Hermann's two cognate works. It also prints two of Robert's letters. A third letter, not yet printed, and commencing ‘Cum jubendi religio,’ will be found in the Selden MSS. f. 44, &c. The latter manuscript embraces nearly all that is to be found in Melanchthon's edition, but in a somewhat different order, both as regards letters and treatises. Similar manuscripts are those at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and Merton. The ‘De Judiciis Astrorum’ has not yet been printed. The Bodleian Library possesses five manuscripts of this work (Ashmolean, 179, 209, 369, 434; Digby MS. 91); and the British Museum at least one (Cotton. MSS. App. vi.). Montfaucon mentions an unpublished manuscript of Robert de Ketene entitled ‘Gesta de Jerusalem,’ in the Vatican Library; but this is a confusion with Robert of St. Remi's ‘Historia Hierosolymitana.’