Dante and the Early Astronomers

Abstract

DANTE'S cosmological ideas and his exposition of medieval astronomical knowledge have been discussed by several of the numerous commentators of his writings. It is, however, useful to have them collected in one place and discussed by a writer having a sound knowledge of modern astronomy. Mrs. Evershed has therefore done good and valuable work by producing the present volume. After. a rapid sketch of the principal celestial phenomena visible to the naked eye without instruments, she gives a popular account of the progress of Greek astronomy. The “list of principal authorities” at the beginning of the book shows that this account is mainly founded on some of the principal modern books and monographs on this subject. There are very few ancient writers in the list, e.g. Hipparchus, Ptolemy, Seneca, and others are conspicuous by their absence. On the other hand, Cicero, “De Senectute” is included, though there is not a word about astronomy in this little book except an allusion to Gallus, who was fond of predicting eclipses.

Dante and the Early Astronomers.

By M. A. Orr. Pp. xv + 507. (London: Gall and Inglis, n.d.) Price 15s. net.