Ptolemy's Almagest is one of the most influential scientific works in history. A masterpiece of technical exposition, it was the basic textbook of astronomy for more than a thousand years, and still is the main source for our knowledge of ancient astronomy. This translation, based on the standard Greek text of Heiberg, makes the work accessible to English readers in an intelligible and reliable form. It contains numerous corrections derived from medieval Arabic translations and extensive footnotes that take account of the great progress in understanding the work made in this century, due to the discovery of Babylonian records and other researches. It is designed to stand by itself as an interpretation of the original, but it will also be useful as an aid to reading the Greek text.
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G.J. Toomer's new English edition of Ptolemy's classic treatise is more than just a fresh translation.... What Toomer has produced is the best edition in any language, one that will remain the standard preferred text for years to come. (Nature )
On the whole the accuracy and faithfulness to the original, including the small but important matter of a scrupulous adherence to Ptolemy's own mathematical notations, are exemplary. (G.E.R. Lloyd The Times Literary Supplement )
On the whole the accuracy and faithfulness to the original, including the small but important matter of a scrupulous adherence to Ptolemy's own mathematical notations, are exemplary. (G.E.R. Lloyd The Times Literary Supplement )
Language Notes
Text: English, Greek (translation)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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34 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The main desire of Ptolemy in writing his Almagest is to explain and account for the motions of the apparently erratic celestial beings in terms of perfect and circular motions. In doing so he introduces the epicyclic (which states that the center of a smaller circle orbits around the earth and the object orbits around the smaller circle) and the eccentric hypotheses (which supposes that the center of the circular motion of the planet is not exactly centered on the earth), which are ultimatly equivalent to eachother in terms of result. Begining with the motion of the sun in the sky and moving on to the less accountable outer planets, Ptolemy moves his mathematics brilliantly with a nod to a story teller's art. Some may find his introduction of his equant (something that is often said to defile his principles of perfect motion), which explains the retrogradation of the outer planets, to be a let down to the fanfare of perfection in the stars. Yet, overall, the Almagest manages to recapture the magic and wonder of the universe through complicated mathematical hypotheses and to succesfully lay the ground for the break throughs of Copernicus, Brahe, and Kepler to come. If you are at all interested in astronomy or mathematics, you ought to read this.
10 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Marc
Format:Paperback
Adding to the other comment below about star names beginning with "al-," I might add that the title "Almagest" itself is an Arabic translation of the original Greek "Megale Syntaxis."
12 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
The mathematics is difficult to follow, but as it is developed from Euclid and Eratosthenes it is reliable. The observations have been made from a very wide area and over a long time; but while the mechanics may be rather mysterious the results are impressive.
Does the front cover always show Penelope weaving at her loom? - the ancients obviously thought highly of Homer and the Greek myths.
The Tetrabiblos survives together with the parallel Greek. Since the Almagest went through successive transliterations/translations (and interpretations?), it might not be too surprising if the Greek text has disappeared.
And what of Ptolemy's other books? - his geography for example. The Almagest has observations from Ceylon to Thule, including Britain. The ancients must have travelled widely.
Is there anywhere an account of the origin of the names of stars and constellations? These seem to have accumulated over time. Many star names begin "Al-", from the Arabic, I suppose.
Well done!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ptolemy's "Almagest"
It's a very interesting astronomy book, it's explain how they've thought about the motion of the planets(epicycles)in the past(AC)by the time of the Ptolemy and Babylonia.
Published on July 4, 2006 by R. Poubel
5.0 out of 5 stars
epicycle
so it turns out that the center of the eccentric circle that the planets travel on travels on its own circle but be careful this is not a giant epicycle on a small deferent! haha! Read more
Published on October 10, 2003 by "xagbx"
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