AD LIT: How to use an Astrolabe; Treatise on the Astrolabe, Geoffroy Chaucer

 Why you might read The Treatise on the Astrolabe?

This Treatise is the first description of a scientific instrument or technical manual in English. As such it is an interesting read. Chaucer did not finish it. In his introduction, he details five sections but we only have the first two. In my Self Education project, it rounds out Chaucer's work. As well as being an interesting romp into an obscure scientific instrument of the 1400s.

Synopsis of The Treatise on the Astrolabe

 The Treatise is a letter to a young Lewis. This may or may not be Chaucer's son. The introduction indicates five sections but we only have the first two. These cover a in-depth description of the instrument itself. The translation I used had a diagram of the description which helped with visualisation. The second section is instructions on its use in normal situations. As well as a series of variations.  

Reflections on The Treatise on the Astrolabe

Not having an Astrolabe to look at and interact with made this text rather challenging. Of course, it being in middle English didn't help either. That being said it was still an interesting read.

It was interesting to look at some of the older ideas around horoscopes. Today we only see horoscopes online or in magazines. And they have their own language and term. In this treatise, we see how those terms came to be and what is meant by having a planet in retrograde or a planet being in a sign.

What others have to say about The Treatise on the Astrolabe

"His Treatise on the astrolabe was written during the 1390s. It is the first 'technical manual' of its kind to be written in English instead of Latin, Greek, or Arabic." From St Johns College

Comparisons with other texts

This isn't the first technical document in my Self Education project. We have seen works by Hippocrates which are all factual pieces. For example On Surgery gives a detailed description of how to bandage patients. By contrast, this treatise is on a single instrument and how to manipulate it.

This is very different from Chaucer's other original work. Well semi-original as it is said to be based on two other works, but it is not a translation. His other original work is almost entirely in verse. By contrast, this treatise is entirely in prose. The Canterbury Tales is more about telling stories. Whereas this treatise is entirely factual. It also has a specific recipient in mind rather than the broad audience of the Tales.

Conclusion

This is a tricky work to get your head around. But it is a clear description of the instrument called the Astrolabe and its working. While it is not as well known as the Canterbury tales it shows a different side of Chaucer. In all, it gives some background to modern-day horoscopes.

Have you read The Treatise on the Astrolabe? If so what did you think of it? 
 
Want to read The Treatise on the Astrolabe but haven't? Please leave me a comment and let me know why you want to read it.

Hopefully, this post inspires you to take the time to look into it on your own journey of Self Education.

Get a copy of The Treatise on the Astrolabe.