Jean de Meun / Dodechedron 1556 ; theme lotbook

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The following was the start of a discussion in 2009 ...
Dodechedron / Jean de Meung (1556) ...(19-05-2009)
http://tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=118352
Huck wrote:"Dodechedron" of Jean de Meung, a divination system
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A remake of an edition of 1577, "Renouvellé et changé de la première édition"
http://www.geomance.com/dodecafr/jdemeung.htm

At "Serapeum, Zeitschrift für Bibliothekwissenschaft, Handschriftenkunde etc .., 1850/" the author Sotzmann detected the text in his article about Losbücher "Die Loosbücher des Mittelalters" and was puzzled about the circumstances. His title of the Dodechodron was ...

"Le dodechedron de fortune, liure non moins plaisant et recreatif, que subtil et ingenieux entre tous les ieux et passetemps de fortune, autrefois compose par Jean le Meun pour le Roy Charles V. et mis en lumiere par F.G.L. (Franc. Grujet Lochois" ... probably Francois Grujet of Loches in the Toraine ..."). Paris. Vinc. Sertenas (or Gilles Robinet) 1556."

http://books.google.com/books?id=vLMEAA ... \#PPA73,M1

... and the year of production is 1556.

According the title text Jean de Meung, famous co-author of the "Roman de la Rose", dedicated the text to the French king Charles V. (reigning 1364 - 1380) ... however, the author Jean de Meung is calculated to be dead already much earlier then this (born ca. 1250/60).

Sotzmann himself couldn't find the oldest edition, but used one of 1586.
Sotzmann speculates, that the dedication might have been a writing error (Charles IV. instead of Charles V) or that the production of a manuscript for Charles V. might have taken place after the death of the author.
Sotzmann knows a story, according which Jean de Meung left at his death a big suitcase to the Jacobins in Paris, which contained plate of slates for writing ... the plates showed mathematical drawings, a difficult form of manuscript. Jean de Meung had a name as astrolog and alchemist.

The system works with 12 houses, which in a curious manner are connected to the 7 planets (somehow similar to the usual Planet/Zodiac arrangement, but with a contradiction):

1. L'ANGLE D'ORIENT. Saturn
2. SUCCEDENTE. Jupiter
3. LA DEESSE. Mars
4. L'ANGLE DE LA TERRE. Venus
5. BONNE FORTUNE. Mercury
6. MAUVAISE FORTUNE. Sun
7. ANGLE D'OCCIDENT. Moon
8. MAISON DE MORT. Saturn
9. MAISON DE DIEU. Jupiter
10. LE COEUR DU CIEL. Mars
11. LE BON ANGE. Venus
12. MALIN ESPRIT. Mercury

The 12 houses are arranged in a matrix towards the 12 signs of the zodiac:

1. Esprits (4 corner of the world, 4 elements, nature, luck, reason and sensuality - Aries
2. Substances, Arabian star names - Taurus
3. Impressions célestes, weather experiences and also comets - Gemini
4. Hommes, truthsayers, between them Merlin and Joachim - Cancer
5. Femmes, 10 sybils and Cassandra and Hildegardis - Leo
6. Oiseaux, Birds - Virgo
7. Animaux, Animals - Libra
8. Poissons, fishes - Scorpio
10. Herbes - Sagitarius
11. Pierres, stones - Aquarius
12. Metaux, metals - Pisces

Compare: http://www.geomance.com/dodecafr/planche1.htm

Sotzmann found in the text a verse:

"Cartes et dez sont trop coleres
C'est pour gens dignes de galeres"

So playing cards are mentioned. Sotzmann assumes, that, if this would be the authentical text, that this passage would speak against an authorship of Jean de Meung.
Our text was then a webpage ... http://www.geomance.com/dodecafr/planche1.htm

Today I found an original text, though from 1560 ...
http://warburg-archive.sas.ac.uk/pdf/fmh3210w.pdf

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Huck
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