Everything about Narratio Prima totally explained
Narratio Prima is an abstract of the heliocentric theory of
Nicolaus Copernicus, published by the young German
astronomer Georg Joachim Rheticus in
1540. It is an introduction to Copernicus' major work,
De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, which was finally published in 1543 due to Rheticus's instigation. Thus, the
Narratio Prima is the first appearance of Copernican astronomy in print.
History of the book
Copernicus, born in 1473 and already well over 60 years old, had never published any astronomical work, as his only publication had been his translation of poems of
Theophylact Simocatta, printed in 1509 by
Johann Haller,
Cracow. His astronomical ideas were known, though, as he'd distributed the
Commentariolus as manuscript among friends decades ago. In the 1530s, he was urged to publish by many, yet still hesitated when in 1539, Rheticus arrived in
Frauenburg (Frombork) to become Copernicus' pupil — his first and only.
Philipp Melanchthon had arranged for Rheticus to visit several astronomers and study with them.
In September 1539 Rheticus went to
Danzig (Gdańsk) to visit the mayor who gave Rheticus some financial assistance to publish the
First Report. This
Narratio Prima, published by
Franz Rhode in Danzig in 1540, is still considered to be the best introduction to Copernicus'
De revolutionibus orbium coelestium. The
Narratio was published together with the
Encomium Prussiae, which praised the spirit of
humanism in
Prussia, as an open letter to
Johannes Schöner of
Nuremberg.
During his two year stay in Prussia, Rheticus published works of his own, and in cooperation with Copernicus, like in 1542 a treatise on trigonometry, later included in the second book of
De revolutionibus. Under strong pressure from Rheticus, and having seen the favorable first general reception of the
narratio prima his work, Copernicus finally agreed to give the book to his close friend,
Tiedemann Giese, bishop of
Kulm (Chełmno), to be delivered to
Nuremberg (Nürnberg) for printing by
Johannes Petreius, under supervision by Rheticus.
Later editions were printed in
Basel, in 1541 by
Robert Winter, and in 1566 by
Henricus Petrus, in connection with the second edition of
De revolutionibus orbium coelestium.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Narratio Prima'.
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