Why William of Moerbeke Is Not the Author of ‘His’ 'Geomantia' (And Why That Does Not Make the Text Less Interesting)

Abstract

The intention of this note is to assess the current tendency to view the Geomantia as a genuine work by William of Moerbeke. While the attribution in the colophons is accepted at face value, other lines of enquiry have remained unexplored. This note advocates the inclusion of linguistic elements and the study of the transmission's cultural background into the debate.