AUTHOR’S PREFACE

...philosophy PhilosophyIn the 16th century, "natural philosophy" was the term for what we now call science. especially requires, not in passing but deeply, to know and weigh those things which are brought forward by me in this work for the demonstration of these matters. So that the learned and unlearned alike might see that I avoid no one's judgment at all, I preferred to dedicate these my labors to your Holiness rather than to anyone else. This is because, even in this most remote corner of the earth where I live, you are considered most eminent both in the dignity of your rank and in your love for all literature and even Mathematics. By your authority and judgment, you might easily suppress the bites of slanderers—although the proverb says there is no remedy against the bite of a sycophant A person who uses flattery or malicious distortion to gain favor or attack others; Copernicus is anticipating that people will attack his work out of spite rather than knowledge..

If there should perhaps be idle talkers original: "ματαιολόγοι" (mataiologoi). A Greek term for those who speak nonsense or engage in vain, empty babbling. who, although they are ignorant of all Mathematics, yet take it upon themselves to judge these things, and because of some passage of scripture—badly distorted for their purpose—dare to find fault with and attack this my undertaking, I do not care for them. Indeed, I despise their judgment as rash.

For it is no secret that Lactantius Lactantius (c. 250–325 AD) was an early Christian author who famously argued against the idea of a spherical Earth, mocking the idea of people living on the "other side" (the antipodes)., an otherwise celebrated writer but poor mathematician, spoke quite childishly about the shape of the earth when he mocked those who declared that the earth has the form of a globe. Therefore, it should not seem surprising to students if some such people mock us as well.

Mathematics is written for mathematicians This is one of Copernicus’s most famous declarations. He argues that scientific arguments should be judged by scientific criteria, not by those outside the field., to whom these labors of ours—if I am not mistaken—will also seem to contribute something to the ecclesiastical Commonwealth original: "Reipub. ecclesiasticæ." This refers to the organizational and administrative body of the Catholic Church., over which your Holiness now holds leadership.

For not so long ago under Leo X, when the question of reforming the Church Calendar was discussed in the Lateran Council The Fifth Lateran Council (1512–1517). The Julian calendar was drifting out of sync with the solar year, making it hard to calculate the correct date of Easter., it remained undecided for this reason alone: that the lengths of years and months, and the movements of the Sun and Moon, were not yet considered sufficiently measured. Since that time, I have focused my mind on observing these more accurately, encouraged by the most distinguished man, Lord Paul, Bishop of Fossombrone Paul of Middelburg (1446–1534), a scientist and bishop who was a key figure in the early efforts to reform the calendar., who then presided over that business. What I have achieved in this matter, I leave to the judgment of your Holiness especially, and of all other learned mathematicians. And lest I seem to promise more to your Holiness concerning the utility of the work than I can perform, I now pass to the undertaking itself.