Dedication, 1580-02-25, Thomas Erastus to András Dudith
| Author: | Thomas Erastus |
| Recipient: | András Dudith |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | 25 February 1580 |
| Place: | Heidelberg |
| Pages: | 2 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=3004 |
| Editor: | Edited by |
| Source: | De cometis dissertationes novae, ed. Thomas Erastus, Basel: Leonhard Ostein for Pietro Perna 1580, sig. *2r–*2v [BP.Erastus.1580-01]
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| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | One year ago, Erastus wrote a detailed letter to Dudith on the topic of terrestrial heat and recounted the undue criticism he faced from Lord Marcello Squarcialupo. He also explored Aristotle's perspectives on comets, defending them against Marcello's objections. Asserting that his arguments are consistent with the holy scriptures, Erastus aimed to offer a thorough understanding of comets, discussing both their nature and significance. However, upon printing, Erastus noticed an inadvertent rearrangement of the content. He writes to Lord Dudithius to clarify this oversight, ensuring that readers are not mislead by the altered sequence. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
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[sig. *2r] Illvstri ac generoso viro D[omi]n[o] Andreae Dvdithio ab Horehovuiza, Cæcaris Consiliario, &c. Domino suo honorando.
Svperiore anno, ut tibi, Vir amplissime, gratificarer, epistola bene longa, quid de calore in terra incluso sentirem, exposui, simulq́ue quàm nullo meo merito in ea re, à Domino Marcello Squarcialupo reprehensus fuerim, demonstraui. Huic epistolæ deinde adieci declarationem senentiæ Aristot[elis] de ortu & natura Cometarum, eamq́ue ita aduersus eundem D[ominum] Marcellum defendi, ut mihi persuaserim, neminem porrò de veritate huius rei dubitaturum. Quî enim falsum esse, aut pro non vero haberi possit, quod sacrosanctis literis est consentaneum? In his duobus libellis, cum de Cometarum natura & generationis causis præcipuè disseruissem, eam quoque partem, quæ de significatione eorum agit, quamq́ue præcedente anno publicaueram, rursus coniun- [sig. *2v] gere volui, ut totam de Cometis doctrinam, breuibus istis libellis declaratam haberes. Sic autem dispusueram, ut primìm de ortu & natura eorum disputarem: deinde quid de efficientia & significatione rectè dici posset, ostenderem. Nuper, id est, ante triduum, impressis iam libellis, intellexi, nescio quo consilio, naturalem hunc ordinem disturbatum, & ultimum in primum locum translatum esse. De qua re, ne tibi, vir amplissime, (aut alijs, qui fortè legent) admirationem parerem, monere te statim volui. Quanquam non magnus est error, so modò qui leget, cum in præcedentibus aliquid dictum leget, id in sequentibus traditum intelligat. Heidelbergæ 6. Kal[endis] Mart[ii] anno 1580.
Thomas Erastus.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 16 August 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
To the illustrious and noble man, Andreas Dudithius of Horehovuiza, Imperial Councillor, etc., his respected sir.
Last year, to gratify you, most esteemed man, I presented in a rather lengthy letter my thoughts on the heat trapped within the earth, and at the same time demonstrated how, through no fault of my own in that matter, I was rebuked by Marcello Squarcialupo. To this letter, I subsequently added a declaration of Aristotle's opinion on the origin and nature of comets and defended it against the same Marcello in such a way that I convinced myself that no one would henceforth doubt the truth of this matter. For who can deem false or regard as untrue that which is in agreement with the holy scriptures? In these two small books, as I particularly discussed the nature of comets and the causes of their generation, I also wanted to combine the part which discusses their significance, which I had published the previous year, so that you would have the entire doctrine of comets explained in these short writings. However, I had arranged it so that I first debated their origin and nature and then showed what could rightly be said about their efficiency and significance. Recently, that is, three days ago, after the books had been printed, I understood, for some unknown reason, that this natural order was disturbed and that the last was moved to the first place. Regarding this, so that I wouldn't cause wonder to you, most esteemed man, (or to others who might read it), I wanted to inform you immediately. Although the mistake isn't significant, as long as the reader, when he reads something said in the previous sections, understands it as conveyed in the subsequent ones. Heidelberg, 25th February in the year 1580.
Thomas Erastus.
