The Kalendarium of John Somer

This scholarly edition explores how Chaucer utilized John Somer's Kalendarium to connect celestial events with his narratives, enhancing our understanding of medieval literature.

In The Kalendarium of John Somer, Linne Mooney delves into the significant role of John Somer's work in the context of Geoffrey Chaucer's literary creations. Mooney presents a thorough examination of how Chaucer likely utilized Somer’s Kalendarium to correlate celestial events with the narratives in his poems, from The Parliament of Fowls to The Canterbury Tales. She highlights the intricate relationship between astronomy and literature during the late fourteenth century, shedding light on how Somer’s insights into the movements of stars and planets influenced Chaucer's storytelling.

John Somer emerges as a pivotal figure in this exploration, being one of the foremost English astronomers of his time. Mooney discusses the innovative aspects of Somer’s Kalendarium, particularly his eclipse tables, which were later adopted by scribes in the works of Nicholas of Lynn. The book presents a detailed analysis of the thirty-three complete and nine fragmentary copies of the Kalendarium, offering readers a glimpse into its historical significance and the meticulous nature of its manuscripts.

The original Latin text of Somer’s Kalendarium is complemented by English translations on facing pages, making it accessible to a broader audience. Mooney’s scholarly edition not only preserves the integrity of Somer’s work but also provides comprehensive textual apparatus for the eleven complete manuscripts that are closest to the base text, enriching the reader's understanding of this important intersection of astronomy and literature.