Eisner, Sigmund, ed., A Treatise on the Astrolabe (Norman OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 2002).

Text name(s): A Treatise on the Astrolabe;

Number of pages of primary source text: 234

Medieval Author(s): Chaucer, Geoffrey

Dates: 0 - 0

Archival Reference:

Original Language(s): English - Middle English;

Translation: Original language included.

Translation Comments:

Geopolitical Region(s): England;

County/Region:

Apparatus: Index Bibliography Introduction

Comments:

The Treatise on the Astrolabe is one of the lesser known works of Geoffrey Chaucer, author of the Canterbury Tales. In this text, Chaucer considers the use and function of the planispheric astrolabe (a device for locating and predicting the positions of the sun, moon, planets and stars, determining local time given local longitude and vice-versa, surveying, triangulation, and the construction of horoscopes). He also includes tables of longitudes and latitudes, and discusses astrology, which combines the tenets of both modern astrology and astronomy.

Introduction Summary:

In his introduction (103 pp), the editor gives background on the planispheric astrolabe, its construction, history, and the specific example of the Painswick astrolabe, of which there are color pictures in this volume. He also provides a critical commentary on Chaucer’s treatise, considering authorship, the dedication to “Little Louis” (thought to be Chaucer’s son), dating, sources, and Chaucer’s knowledge about the astrolabe and astrology. The introduction also provides a long textual commentary which justifies the editor’s choice of his base manuscript, and which carefully considers and compares each of the manuscripts in which the treatise survives, as well as the previous printed editions of the work. The editor also provides ample footnotes to the text of the treatise with textual, historical, and astrological commentary.

Cataloger: MCB