§3.prop.17ἀπὸ τοῦ δοθέντος σημείου τοῦ δοθέντος κύκλου ἐφαπτομένην εὐθεῖαν γραμμὴν ἀγαγεῖν.
From a given point to draw a straight line touching a given circle.
ἔστω τὸ μὲν δοθὲν σημεῖον τὸ Α, ὁ δὲ δοθεὶς κύκλος ὁ ΒΓΔ· δεῖ δὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ Α σημείου τοῦ ΒΓΔ κύκλου ἐφαπτομένην εὐθεῖαν γραμμὴν ἀγαγεῖν.
Let the given point be Α, and the given circle ΒΓΔ; it is required then to draw from the point Α a straight line touching the circle ΒΓΔ.
εἰλήφθω γὰρ τὸ κέντρον τοῦ κύκλου τὸ Ε, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθω ἡ ΑΕ, καὶ κέντρῳ μὲν τῷ Ε διαστήματι δὲ τῷ ΕΑ κύκλος γεγράφθω ὁ ΑΖΗ, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Δ τῇ ΕΑ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἤχθω ἡ ΔΖ, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθωσαν αἱ ΕΖ, ΑΒ· λέγω, ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ Α σημείου τοῦ ΒΓΔ κύκλου ἐφαπτομένη ἦκται ἡ ΑΒ.
ἐπεὶ γὰρ τὸ Ε κέντρον ἐστὶ τῶν ΒΓΔ, ΑΖΗ κύκλων, ἴση ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ μὲν ΕΑ τῇ ΕΖ, ἡ δὲ ΕΔ τῇ ΕΒ·
For let the center of the circle be taken, namely Ε, and let ΑΕ be joined; and with center Ε and distance ΕΑ let the circle ΑΖΗ be described, and from Δ let ΔΖ be drawn at right angles to ΕΑ, and let ΕΖ, ΑΒ be joined; I say that from the point Α the straight line ΑΒ has been drawn touching the circle ΒΓΔ.
δύο δὴ αἱ ΑΕ, ΕΒ δύο ταῖς ΖΕ, ΕΔ ἴσαι εἰσίν· καὶ γωνίαν κοινὴν περιέχουσι τὴν πρὸς τῷ Ε· βάσις ἄρα ἡ ΔΖ βάσει τῇ ΑΒ ἴση ἐστίν, καὶ τὸ ΔΕΖ τρίγωνον τῷ ΕΒΑ τριγώνῳ ἴσον ἐστίν, καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ γωνίαι ταῖς λοιπαῖς γωνίαις·
For since Ε is the center of the circles ΒΓΔ, ΑΖΗ, ΕΑ is equal to ΕΖ, and ΕΔ to ΕΒ; therefore the two straight lines ΑΕ, ΕΒ are equal to the two straight lines ΖΕ, ΕΔ respectively; and they contain a common angle, that at Ε; therefore the base ΔΖ is equal to the base ΑΒ, and the triangle ΔΕΖ is equal to the triangle ΕΒΑ, and the remaining angles to the remaining angles; therefore the angle ΕΔΖ is equal to the angle ΕΒΑ.
ἴση ἄρα ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ τῇ ὑπὸ ΕΒΑ. ὀρθὴ δὲ ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΔΖ·
And the angle ΕΔΖ is right; therefore the angle ΕΒΑ is also right.
ὀρθὴ ἄρα καὶ ἡ ὑπὸ ΕΒΑ. καί ἐστιν ἡ ΕΒ ἐκ τοῦ κέντρου· ἡ δὲ τῇ διαμέτρῳ τοῦ κύκλου πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἀπʼ ἄκρας ἀγομένη ἐφάπτεται τοῦ κύκλου· ἡ ΑΒ ἄρα ἐφάπτεται τοῦ ΒΓΔ κύκλου.
And ΕΒ is a radius; and the straight line drawn at right angles to the diameter of a circle from its extremity touches the circle; therefore ΑΒ touches the circle ΒΓΔ.
ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄρα δοθέντος σημείου τοῦ Α τοῦ δοθέντος κύκλου τοῦ ΒΓΔ ἐφαπτομένη εὐθεῖα γραμμὴ ἦκται ἡ ΑΒ· ὅπερ ἔδει ποιῆσαι.
Therefore from the given point Α of the given circle ΒΓΔ the straight line ΑΒ has been drawn touching it; which was to be done.
§3.prop.18ἐὰν κύκλου ἐφάπτηταί τις εὐθεῖα, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ κέντρου ἐπὶ τὴν ἁφὴν ἐπιζευχθῇ τις εὐθεῖα, ἡ ἐπιζευχθεῖσα κάθετος ἔσται ἐπὶ τὴν ἐφαπτομένην.
If a straight line touch a circle, and some straight line be joined from the center to the point of contact, the straight line so joined will be perpendicular to the tangent.
κύκλου γὰρ τοῦ ΑΒΓ ἐφαπτέσθω τις εὐθεῖα ἡ ΔΕ κατὰ τὸ Γ σημεῖον, καὶ εἰλήφθω τὸ κέντρον τοῦ ΑΒΓ κύκλου τὸ Ζ, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ζ ἐπὶ τὸ Γ ἐπεζεύχθω ἡ ΖΓ· λέγω, ὅτι ἡ ΖΓ κάθετός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν ΔΕ.
εἰ γὰρ μή, ἤχθω ἀπὸ τοῦ Ζ ἐπὶ τὴν ΔΕ κάθετος ἡ ΖΗ.
ἐπεὶ οὖν ἡ ὑπὸ ΖΗΓ γωνία ὀρθή ἐστιν, ὀξεῖα ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΖΓΗ· ὑπὸ δὲ τὴν μείζονα γωνίαν ἡ μείζων πλευρὰ ὑποτείνει· μείζων ἄρα ἡ ΖΓ τῆς ΖΗ·
For let some straight line ΔΕ touch the circle ΑΒΓ at the point Γ, and let the center of the circle ΑΒΓ be taken, namely Ζ, and from Ζ to Γ let ΖΓ be joined; I say that ΖΓ is perpendicular to ΔΕ. For if not, let the perpendicular ΖΗ be drawn from Ζ to ΔΕ. Since then the angle ΖΗΓ is right, the angle ΖΓΗ is therefore acute; and the greater side subtends the greater angle; therefore ΖΓ is greater than ΖΗ.
ἴση δὲ ἡ ΖΓ τῇ ΖΒ· μείζων ἄρα καὶ ἡ ΖΒ τῆς ΖΗ ἡ ἐλάττων τῆς μείζονος· ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀδύνατον.
And ΖΓ is equal to ΖΒ; therefore ΖΒ is also greater than ΖΗ, the less than the greater; which is impossible.
οὐκ ἄρα ἡ ΖΗ κάθετός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν ΔΕ. ὁμοίως δὴ δείξομεν, ὅτι οὐδʼ ἄλλη τις πλὴν τῆς ΖΓ· ἡ ΖΓ ἄρα κάθετός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν ΔΕ.
ἐὰν ἄρα κύκλου ἐφάπτηταί τις εὐθεῖα, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ κέντρου ἐπὶ τὴν ἁφὴν ἐπιζευχθῇ τις εὐθεῖα, ἡ ἐπιζευχθεῖσα κάθετος ἔσται ἐπὶ τὴν ἐφαπτομένην·
Therefore ΖΗ is not perpendicular to ΔΕ. Similarly we shall prove that neither is any other straight line except ΖΓ; therefore ΖΓ is perpendicular to ΔΕ. If therefore a straight line touch a circle, and some straight line be joined from the center to the point of contact, the straight line so joined will be perpendicular to the tangent.
ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
Which was to be proved.
§3.prop.19ἐὰν κύκλου ἐφάπτηταί τις εὐθεῖα, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ἁφῆς τῇ ἐφαπτομένῃ πρὸς ὀρθὰς εὐθεῖα γραμμὴ ἀχθῇ, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀχθείσης ἔσται τὸ κέντρον τοῦ κύκλου.
If a straight line touch a circle, and from the point of contact a straight line be drawn at right angles to the tangent, the center of the circle will be on the straight line so drawn.
κύκλου γὰρ τοῦ ΑΒΓ ἐφαπτέσθω τις εὐθεῖα ἡ ΔΕ κατὰ τὸ Γ σημεῖον, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Γ τῇ ΔΕ πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἤχθω ἡ ΓΑ· λέγω, ὅτι ἐπὶ τῆς ΑΓ ἐστι τὸ κέντρον τοῦ κύκλου.
For let some straight line ΔΕ touch the circle ΑΒΓ at the point Γ, and from Γ let ΓΑ be drawn at right angles to ΔΕ; I say that the center of the circle is on ΑΓ.
μὴ γάρ, ἀλλʼ εἰ δυνατόν, ἔστω τὸ Ζ, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθω ἡ ΓΖ.
ἐπεὶ κύκλου τοῦ ΑΒΓ ἐφάπτεταί τις εὐθεῖα ἡ ΔΕ, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ κέντρου ἐπὶ τὴν ἁφὴν ἐπέζευκται ἡ ΖΓ, ἡ ΖΓ ἄρα κάθετός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν ΔΕ· ὀρθὴ ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΖΓΕ. ἐστὶ δὲ καὶ ἡ ὑπὸ ΑΓΕ ὀρθή·
For if not, let it be Ζ, if possible, and let ΓΖ be joined. Since some straight line ΔΕ touches the circle ΑΒΓ, and ΖΓ has been joined from the center to the point of contact, ΖΓ is therefore perpendicular to ΔΕ; therefore the angle ΖΓΕ is right.
ἴση ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπὸ ΖΓΕ τῇ ὑπὸ ΑΓΕ ἡ ἐλάττων τῇ μείζονι· ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀδύνατον.
And the angle ΑΓΕ is also right; therefore the angle ΖΓΕ is equal to the angle ΑΓΕ, the less to the greater; which is impossible.
οὐκ ἄρα τὸ Ζ κέντρον ἐστὶ τοῦ ΑΒΓ κύκλου.
Therefore Ζ is not the center of the circle ΑΒΓ.
ὁμοίως δὴ δείξομεν, ὅτι οὐδʼ ἄλλο τι πλὴν ἐπὶ τῆς ΑΓ.
ἐὰν ἄρα κύκλου ἐφάπτηταί τις εὐθεῖα, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ἁφῆς τῇ ἐφαπτομένῃ πρὸς ὀρθὰς εὐθεῖα γραμμὴ ἀχθῇ, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀχθείσης ἔσται τὸ κέντρον τοῦ κύκλου·
Similarly we shall prove that neither is any other point except some point on ΑΓ. If therefore a straight line touch a circle, and from the point of contact a straight line be drawn at right angles to the tangent, the center of the circle will be on the straight line so drawn.
ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
Which was to be proved.