Historical Context
“…a land lies beyond the stars, beyond the paths of year and sun, where Atlas the heaven bearer turns on his shoulders the firmament studded with blazing stars.”
Interactive Exploration
“In describing the general aspect of the Earth, we have sought to represent the lands known to the ancients with the addition of those discovered by the moderns […]”
"Cosmographiae introductio"
“The reason for this little book is to put forth a certain kind of introduction to our description of the universe drawn both as a globe and as a map.”
Imago Mundi
“A fourth part [of the Earth] has been discovered by Amerigo Vespucci […]. Inasmuch as both Europe and Asia received their names from women, I see no reason why any one should justly object to calling this part Amerige […]”
The New World
“There we learned that the land was not an island but a continent, both because it extends over very long, straight shorelines, and because it is filled with countless inhabitants.”
The Ancient World
“[...] according to Ptolemy and Alfraganus, the Earth rotates 24,000 miles, or 6,000 leagues [33,000 km]: which, divided by 360 degrees, makes each degree equal 162/3 leagues […]”
The Route to the Indies
“[...] the fleet sent by the King of Portugal two years ago to make discoveries about the region of Guinea: such a voyage as that I do not call discovery, but merely a going to discovered lands […]"
Catai and Cipango
“Although I have spoken often of the short distance that lies between here and the Indies, where the spices grow […]”
The Earth
“I have resolved, Magnificent Lorenzo, that, just as I have given you an account by letter of what happened to me, I shall send you two depictions of the world […]”
The Ocean
“For if my companions had not relied upon me and my knowledge of cosmography, there would have been no pilot or captain on the voyage […]”
The Sky
“Then I turned to the right, setting my mind upon the other pole, and saw four stars not seen before except by the first people. ”
