AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

...philosophy especially requires that those who wish to know and weigh these matters should examine the demonstrations I have presented in this work, not just in passing, but thoroughly. So that both the learned and the unlearned might see that I do not shrink from anyone's judgment, I preferred to dedicate these labors of mine 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 the most eminent both in the dignity of your office and in your love for all literature and even mathematics. Thus, by your authority and judgment, you can easily suppress the bites of slanderers—even though, as the proverb says, there is no remedy against the bite of a sycophant.

    If perhaps there be any babblers original Greek: ματαιολόγοι (mataiologoi); meaning idle talkers or those who speak nonsense. who, although they are ignorant of all mathematics, yet take it upon themselves to pass judgment on these things, and because of some passage of Scripture miserably distorted to their purpose, dare to find fault with and attack my undertaking; I do not worry about them—so much so that I even despise their judgment as reckless. For it is not unknown that Lactantius Lactantius (c. 250 – c. 325) was an early Christian author who famously argued against the existence of the Antipodes and the spherical shape of the Earth., an otherwise famous writer but a poor mathematician, speaks quite childishly about the shape of the Earth when he mocks those who declared that the Earth has the form of a globe. Therefore, it should not seem strange to the studious if such people mock us as well.

    Mathematics is written for mathematicians original: Mathemata mathematicis scribuntur., to whom these labors of mine, if I am not mistaken, will appear to contribute something even to the Commonwealth of the Church, over which Your Holiness now holds the leadership. For not so long ago, under Leo X, when the question of reforming the Ecclesiastical Calendar The reform of the Julian calendar was a major issue because the dates of festivals like Easter were drifting away from their astronomical seasons. was being discussed in the Lateran Council The Fifth Council of the Lateran (1512–1517)., it remained undecided for the sole reason that the lengths of the years and months and the motions of the Sun and Moon were not yet considered to be measured accurately enough. From that time on, I turned my mind to observing these things more precisely, encouraged by that most distinguished man, Lord Paul, Bishop of Fossombrone original: D. Paulo episcopo Semproniensi; Paul of Middelburg, who headed the committee on calendar reform., who was then in charge of that business. What I have achieved in this matter I leave to the judgment of Your Holiness especially, and to all other learned mathematicians. And lest I seem to promise Your Holiness more regarding the utility of this work than I can perform, I now pass on to the undertaking.