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Euclid · Elements §1.prop.27-1.prop.28

Conditions for Parallel Lines by Alternate and Interior Angles

Passage 16 of 316 · Greek

Summary

Proposition 27 proves that if a straight line falling on two straight lines makes the alternate angles equal, the straight lines are parallel. Proposition 28 proves that they are also parallel if the exterior angle equals the interior and opposite angle on the same side, or if the interior angles on the same side equal two right angles.

§1.prop.27ἐὰν εἰς δύο εὐθείας εὐθεῖα ἐμπίπτουσα τὰς ἐναλλὰξ γωνίας ἴσας ἀλλήλαις ποιῇ, παράλληλοι ἔσονται ἀλλήλαις αἱ εὐθεῖαι.
If a straight line falling on two straight lines makes the alternate angles equal to one another, the straight lines will be parallel to one another.
εἰς γὰρ δύο εὐθείας τὰς ΑΒ, ΓΔ εὐθεῖα ἐμπίπτουσα ἡ ΕΖ τὰς ἐναλλὰξ γωνίας τὰς ὑπὸ ΑΕΖ, ΕΖΔ ἴσας ἀλλήλαις ποιείτω·
For if a straight line EF falls on two straight lines AB, CD, and makes the alternate angles AEF, EFD equal to one another, I say that AB is parallel to CD.
λέγω, ὅτι παράλληλός ἐστιν ἡ ΑΒ τῇ ΓΔ. εἰ γὰρ μή, ἐκβαλλόμεναι αἱ ΑΒ, ΓΔ συμπεσοῦνται ἤτοι ἐπὶ τὰ Β, Δ μέρη ἢ ἐπὶ τὰ Α, Γ. ἐκβεβλήσθωσαν καὶ συμπιπτέτωσαν ἐπὶ τὰ Β, Δ μέρη κατὰ τὸ Η. τριγώνου δὴ τοῦ ΗΕΖ ἡ ἐκτὸς γωνία ἡ ὑπὸ ΑΕΖ ἴση ἐστὶ τῇ ἐντὸς καὶ ἀπεναντίον τῇ ὑπὸ ΕΖΗ· ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀδύνατον·
For if not, being produced, AB, CD will meet either in the direction of B, D or in the direction of A, C. Let them be produced and let them meet in the direction of B, D at H. Then of the triangle HEF, the exterior angle AEF is equal to the interior and opposite angle EFH; which is impossible.
οὐκ ἄρα αἱ ΑΒ, ΓΔ ἐκβαλλόμεναι συμπεσοῦνται ἐπὶ τὰ Β, Δ μέρη.
Therefore AB, CD, being produced, will not meet in the direction of B, D.
ὁμοίως δὴ δειχθήσεται, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐπὶ τὰ Α, Γ· αἱ δὲ ἐπὶ μηδέτερα τὰ μέρη συμπίπτουσαι παράλληλοί εἰσιν· παράλληλος ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ΑΒ τῇ ΓΔ. ἐὰν ἄρα εἰς δύο εὐθείας εὐθεῖα ἐμπίπτουσα τὰς ἐναλλὰξ γωνίας ἴσας ἀλλήλαις ποιῇ, παράλληλοι ἔσονται αἱ εὐθεῖαι· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
In the same way it will be proved that neither will they meet in the direction of A, C; and those which do not meet in either direction are parallel; therefore AB is parallel to CD. If therefore a straight line falling on two straight lines makes the alternate angles equal to one another, the straight lines will be parallel; which was to be proved.
§1.prop.28ἐὰν εἰς δύο εὐθείας εὐθεῖα ἐμπίπτουσα τὴν ἐκτὸς γωνίαν τῇ ἐντὸς καὶ ἀπεναντίον καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μέρη ἴσην ποιῇ ἢ τὰς ἐντὸς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μέρη δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσας, παράλληλοι ἔσονται ἀλλήλαις αἱ εὐθεῖαι.
If a straight line falling on two straight lines makes the exterior angle equal to the interior and opposite angle on the same side, or the interior angles on the same side equal to two right angles, the straight lines will be parallel to one another.
εἰς γὰρ δύο εὐθείας τὰς ΑΒ, ΓΔ εὐθεῖα ἐμπίπτουσα ἡ ΕΖ τὴν ἐκτὸς γωνίαν τὴν ὑπὸ ΕΗΒ τῇ ἐντὸς καὶ ἀπεναντίον γωνίᾳ τῇ ὑπὸ ΗΘΔ ἴσην ποιείτω ἢ τὰς ἐντὸς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μέρη τὰς ὑπὸ ΒΗΘ, ΗΘΔ δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσας· λέγω, ὅτι παράλληλός ἐστιν ἡ ΑΒ τῇ ΓΔ. ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἴση ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΗΒ τῇ ὑπὸ ΗΘΔ, ἀλλὰ ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΗΒ τῇ ὑπὸ ΑΗΘ ἐστιν ἴση, καὶ ἡ ὑπὸ ΑΗΘ ἄρα τῇ ὑπὸ ΗΘΔ ἐστιν ἴση· καί εἰσιν ἐναλλάξ· παράλληλος ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ΑΒ τῇ ΓΔ. πάλιν, ἐπεὶ αἱ ὑπὸ ΒΗΘ, ΗΘΔ δύο ὀρθαῖς ἴσαι εἰσίν, εἰσὶ δὲ καὶ αἱ ὑπὸ ΑΗΘ, ΒΗΘ δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσαι, αἱ ἄρα ὑπὸ ΑΗΘ, ΒΗΘ ταῖς ὑπὸ ΒΗΘ, ΗΘΔ ἴσαι εἰσίν·
For if a straight line EF falls on two straight lines AB, CD, and makes the exterior angle EHB equal to the interior and opposite angle HTD, or the interior angles on the same side, BHT, HTD, equal to two right angles, I say that AB is parallel to CD. For since the angle EHB is equal to the angle HTD, while the angle EHB is equal to the angle AHT, therefore the angle AHT is also equal to the angle HTD; and they are alternate; therefore AB is parallel to CD. Again, since the angles BHT, HTD are equal to two right angles, and the angles AHT, BHT are also equal to two right angles, therefore the angles AHT, BHT are equal to the angles BHT, HTD.
κοινὴ ἀφῃρήσθω ἡ ὑπὸ ΒΗΘ· λοιπὴ ἄρα ἡ ὑπὸ ΑΗΘ λοιπῇ τῇ ὑπὸ ΗΘΔ ἐστιν ἴση· καί εἰσιν ἐναλλάξ· παράλληλος ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ΑΒ τῇ ΓΔ. ἐὰν ἄρα εἰς δύο εὐθείας εὐθεῖα ἐμπίπτουσα τὴν ἐκτὸς γωνίαν τῇ ἐντὸς καὶ ἀπεναντίον καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μέρη ἴσην ποιῇ ἢ τὰς ἐντὸς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μέρη δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσας, παράλληλοι ἔσονται αἱ εὐθεῖαι· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
Let the angle BHT be subtracted from both; therefore the remaining angle AHT is equal to the remaining angle HTD; and they are alternate; therefore AB is parallel to CD. If therefore a straight line falling on two straight lines makes the exterior angle equal to the interior and opposite angle on the same side, or the interior angles on the same side equal to two right angles, the straight lines will be parallel; which was to be proved.

Notes

  1. 1.prop.27εἰ γὰρ μή — An idiomatic ellipsis introducing a proof by contradiction, meaning "for if not" or "for if they are not [parallel]" (with the verb and predicate from the previous statement understood).
  2. 1.prop.28τὴν ἐκτὸς γωνίαν τῇ ἐντὸς καὶ ἀπεναντίον καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μέρη ἴσην ποιῇ — A double accusative construction governed by the verb `ποιῇ` ("makes [something] [something]"). `τὴν ἐκτὸς γωνίαν` is the direct object, and `ἴσην` is the object complement. The dative phrase `τῇ ἐντὸς...` modifies the adjective `ἴσην`, meaning "equal to...".

Cite this passage

Euclid, Elements §1.prop.27-1.prop.28. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.prop.27-1.prop.28

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