Astronomy as Battlefield? Nikephoros Gregoras, Barlaam of Calabria and the Calculation of the Sun Eclipse
Astronomy as Battlefield? Nikephoros Gregoras, Barlaam of Calabria and the Calculation of the Sun Eclipse

Summary/Abstract: In a letter written between the solar eclipses of November 1331 and the one of May 1333 Nikephoros Gregoras (ca. 1292/1295–1358/1361) described his involvement in an on-going ‘debate’ on astronomical matters and more precisely, on the accuracy of the calculation of the solar eclipses’ date. Gregoras described the relations between him and his adversaries in the following way: Therefore, having made those people aware that there will be another eclipse of the sun, after that one, whose date and hour, and measure it is necessary to determine, then, I continued being dedicated to silence for a whole one year, up to the present day. By announcing such news, I seemed to those similar, as it were, to someone who had thrown a precious stone into the deep sea. Thus I imposed on them, diving into the sea, to search for the place in the abyss, at the bottom of the sea, where the thrown stone lies. But such a task is not at all similar; on the contrary it is to such extend easier as it is for a small child to take up in its hands a bundle of stalks.

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