Euclid · Elements §11.prop.9-11.prop.10

Transitivity of Parallel Lines and Angles with Parallel Arms

Passage 245 of 316 · Greek

Summary

In Proposition 9, it is proved that two straight lines which are parallel to a third straight line, but not in the same plane with it, are parallel to each other. In Proposition 10, it is shown that two angles not in the same plane, whose arms are respectively parallel, are equal to each other.

§11.prop.9αἱ τῇ αὐτῇ εὐθείᾳ παράλληλοι καὶ μὴ οὖσαι αὐτῇ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ καὶ ἀλλήλαις εἰσὶ παράλληλοι.

Straight lines which are parallel to the same straight line, and are not in the same plane with it, are also parallel to one another.

ἔστω γὰρ ἑκατέρα τῶν ΑΒ, ΓΔ τῇ ΕΖ παράλληλος μὴ οὖσαι αὐτῇ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ· λέγω, ὅτι παράλληλός ἐστιν ἡ ΑΒ τῇ ΓΔ. εἰλήφθω γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς ΕΖ τυχὸν σημεῖον τὸ Η, καὶ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τῇ ΕΖ ἐν μὲν τῷ διὰ τῶν ΕΖ, ΑΒ ἐπιπέδῳ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἤχθω ἡ ΗΘ, ἐν δὲ τῷ διὰ τῶν ΖΕ, ΓΔ τῇ ΕΖ πάλιν πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἤχθω ἡ ΗΚ. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἡ ΕΖ πρὸς ἑκατέραν τῶν ΗΘ, ΗΚ ὀρθή ἐστιν, ἡ ΕΖ ἄρα καὶ τῷ διὰ τῶν ΗΘ, ΗΚ ἐπιπέδῳ πρὸς ὀρθάς ἐστιν.

For let each of the straight lines AB, GD be parallel to EZ, not being in the same plane with it; I say that AB is parallel to GD. For let a point H be taken at random on EZ, and from it let HT be drawn at right angles to EZ in the plane through EZ, AB, and let HK be drawn again at right angles to EZ in the plane through ZE, GD. And since EZ is at right angles to each of the straight lines HT, HK, therefore EZ is also at right angles to the plane through HT, HK.

καί ἐστιν ἡ ΕΖ τῇ ΑΒ παράλληλος· καὶ ἡ ΑΒ ἄρα τῷ διὰ τῶν ΘΗΚ ἐπιπέδῳ πρὸς ὀρθάς ἐστιν.

And EZ is parallel to AB; therefore AB is also at right angles to the plane through THK.

διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ἡ ΓΔ τῷ διὰ τῶν ΘΗΚ ἐπιπέδῳ πρὸς ὀρθάς ἐστιν· ἑκατέρα ἄρα τῶν ΑΒ, ΓΔ τῷ διὰ τῶν ΘΗΚ ἐπιπέδῳ πρὸς ὀρθάς ἐστιν.

For the same reason indeed, GD is also at right angles to the plane through THK; therefore each of the straight lines AB, GD is at right angles to the plane through THK.

ἐὰν δὲ δύο εὐθεῖαι τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ὦσιν, παράλληλοί εἰσιν αἱ εὐθεῖαι· παράλληλος ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ΑΒ τῇ ΓΔ· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.

But if two straight lines be at right angles to the same plane, the straight lines are parallel; therefore AB is parallel to GD; which was to be proved.

§11.prop.10ἐὰν δύο εὐθεῖαι ἁπτόμεναι ἀλλήλων παρὰ δύο εὐθείας ἁπτομένας ἀλλήλων ὦσι μὴ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ, ἴσας γωνίας περιέξουσιν.

If two straight lines meeting one another be parallel to two straight lines meeting one another, not being in the same plane, they will contain equal angles.

δύο γὰρ εὐθεῖαι αἱ ΑΒ, ΒΓ ἁπτόμεναι ἀλλήλων παρὰ δύο εὐθείας τὰς ΔΕ, ΕΖ ἁπτομένας ἀλλήλων ἔστωσαν μὴ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ· λέγω, ὅτι ἴση ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΑΒΓ γωνία τῇ ὑπὸ ΔΕΖ. Ἀπειλήφθωσαν γὰρ αἱ ΒΑ, ΒΓ, ΕΔ, ΕΖ ἴσαι ἀλλήλαις, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθωσαν αἱ ΑΔ, ΓΖ, ΒΕ, ΑΓ, ΔΖ. καὶ ἐπεὶ ἡ ΒΑ τῇ ΕΔ ἴση ἐστὶ καὶ παράλληλος, καὶ ἡ ΑΔ ἄρα τῇ ΒΕ ἴση ἐστὶ καὶ παράλληλος.

For let two straight lines AB, BG meeting one another be parallel to two straight lines DE, EZ meeting one another, not being in the same plane; I say that the angle ABG is equal to the angle DEZ. For let BA, BG, ED, EZ be cut off equal to one another, and let AD, GZ, BE, AC, DZ be joined. And since BA is equal and parallel to ED, therefore AD is also equal and parallel to BE.

διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ἡ ΓΖ τῇ ΒΕ ἴση ἐστὶ καὶ παράλληλος· ἑκατέρα ἄρα τῶν ΑΔ, ΓΖ τῇ ΒΕ ἴση ἐστὶ καὶ παράλληλος.

For the same reason indeed, GZ is also equal and parallel to BE; therefore each of the straight lines AD, GZ is equal and parallel to BE.

αἱ δὲ τῇ αὐτῇ εὐθείᾳ παράλληλοι καὶ μὴ οὖσαι αὐτῇ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ καὶ ἀλλήλαις εἰσὶ παράλληλοι· παράλληλος ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ΑΔ τῇ ΓΖ καὶ ἴση.

But straight lines which are parallel to the same straight line, and are not in the same plane with it, are also parallel to one another; therefore AD is parallel to GZ and equal.

καὶ ἐπιζευγνύουσιν αὐτὰς αἱ ΑΓ, ΔΖ· καὶ ἡ ΑΓ ἄρα τῇ ΔΖ ἴση ἐστὶ καὶ παράλληλος.

And AC, DZ join them; therefore AC is also equal and parallel to DZ.

καὶ ἐπεὶ δύο αἱ ΑΒ, ΒΓ δυσὶ ταῖς ΔΕ, ΕΖ ἴσαι εἰσίν, καὶ βάσις ἡ ΑΓ βάσει τῇ ΔΖ ἴση, γωνία ἄρα ἡ ὑπὸ ΑΒΓ γωνίᾳ τῇ ὑπὸ ΔΕΖ ἐστιν ἴση.

And since the two sides AB, BG are equal to the two DE, EZ, and the base AC is equal to the base DZ, therefore the angle ABG is equal to the angle DEZ.

ἐὰν ἄρα δύο εὐθεῖαι ἁπτόμεναι ἀλλήλων παρὰ δύο εὐθείας ἁπτομένας ἀλλήλων ὦσι μὴ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ, ἴσας γωνίας περιέξουσιν· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.

Therefore, if two straight lines meeting one another be parallel to two straight lines meeting one another, not being in the same plane, they will contain equal angles; which was to be proved.

Notes

§11.prop.9μὴ οὖσαι αὐτῇ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπιπέδῳ — The participle οὖσαι (present feminine plural nominative of εἰμί) agrees with the subject (implied as plural from ἑκατέρα τῶν ΑΒ, ΓΔ), expressing concession or condition. αὐτῇ is a dative referring to EZ.
§11.prop.10παρὰ δύο εὐθείας — The preposition παρά with the accusative (δύο εὐθείας) is used here in a geometrical sense to mean "parallel to".
§11.prop.9τῇ ΕΖ ἐν μὲν τῷ διὰ τῶν ΕΖ, ΑΒ ἐπιπέδῳ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἤχθω ἡ ΗΘ — Despite the hyperbaton, the syntax is resolved with ἤχθω as the main verb, ἡ ΗΘ as the subject, and the adverbial phrase τῇ ΕΖ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ("at right angles to EZ") separated.

Cite this passage

Euclid, Elements §11.prop.9-11.prop.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:11.prop.9-11.prop.10

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