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Eratosthenes: Astronomy
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The study of Eratosthenes is made difficult not only by the diversity of his interests, but ... by the lack of a reliable edition of his fragments. The only collection that made an effort to include fragments from all fields, is the completely outdated Bernhardy of 1822 (repr. 1968). Other old editions give parts of the fragments: Berger the geographical, Strecker those on the old comedy, Powell the poetic, Jacoby the chronographical and some miscellaneous.1 Admittedly, to work out a new collection is a difficult task, especially as the ascription of several fragments to particular works remains contested and much of the relevant ancient literature on astronomy or mathematics is not properly edited. Geus did not attempt to edit a new collection but hopes that his book would substitute for a new edition of the fragments (p. 2 n. 3).
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Eratosthenes ... devised a calendar that included leap years. His writings include a poem inspired by astronomy, as well as works on the theatre and on ethics. Eratosthenes was afflicted by blindness in old age, and committed suicide by voluntary starvation.
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ERATOSTHENES was one of the most distinguished men produced by the School of Alexandria. He is regarded by Delambre as the founder of scientific astronomy, on the ground of his alleged institution, in one of the observatories of Alexandria, or armillary spheres, with circles representing the meridian, the equator, and the winter and summer solstice.
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Astronomy