The Kalendarium of John Somer »

Linne R. Mooney is an associate professor of English at the University of Maine and coauthor of The Chronicle of John Somer.

John Somer was one of the leading English astronomers of the late fourteenth century. Geoffrey Chaucer likely consulted Somer’s Kalendarium to relate dates, times, and movements of the stars and planets to events in his tales. In her introduction to this scholarly edition, Linne Mooney discusses not only Somer’s importance but also Chaucer’s use of the Kalendarium in composing his texts from The Parliament of Fowls through The Canterbury Tales. She examines the thirty-three complete and nine fragmentary copies of the work known today and explains Somer’s innovative and influential eclipse tables, adopted by some scribes in later copies of the Kalendarium of Nicholas of Lynn, a contemporary of Somer’s. Somer’s Kalendarium itself is presented in the original Latin text with English translation on facing pages. Mooney also provides full textual apparatus for the eleven complete manuscripts closest to the base text.

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English poet Chaucer cites 14th century contemporary astronomer Somer's as a source in the prologue to a now lost or never completed part of his . With some emendations for clarification, this first publication of this medieval manuscript is believed to emulate the original and copy available to Chaucer. About half the text is devoted to commentary, while the other half presents in bilingual English-Latin format Somer's calendar, eclipse and other astronomical tables. Includes the Zodiac man illustration, Middle English and Latin versions of the canons, and variants of his star catalogue. Mooney is at the U. of Maine. Lacks an index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)