§3.prop.37ἐὰν κύκλου ληφθῇ τι σημεῖον ἐκτός, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ σημείου πρὸς τὸν κύκλον προσπίπτωσι δύο εὐθεῖαι, καὶ ἡ μὲν αὐτῶν τέμνῃ τὸν κύκλον, ἡ δὲ προσπίπτῃ, ᾖ δὲ τὸ ὑπὸ ὅλης τῆς τεμνούσης καὶ τῆς ἐκτὸς ἀπολαμβανομένης μεταξὺ τοῦ τε σημείου καὶ τῆς κυρτῆς περιφερείας ἴσον τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς προσπιπτούσης, ἡ προσπίπτουσα ἐφάψεται τοῦ κύκλου.
If any point is taken outside a circle, and from the point two straight lines fall on the circle, and one of them cuts the circle, and the other falls on it, and the rectangle contained by the whole of the cutting line and the part of it cut off outside between the point and the convex circumference is equal to the square on the falling line, the falling line will touch the circle.
κύκλου γὰρ τοῦ ΑΒΓ εἰλήφθω τι σημεῖον ἐκτὸς τὸ Δ, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Δ πρὸς τὸν ΑΒΓ κύκλον προσπιπτέτωσαν δύο εὐθεῖαι αἱ ΔΓΑ, ΔΒ, καὶ ἡ μὲν ΔΓΑ τεμνέτω τὸν κύκλον, ἡ δὲ ΔΒ προσπιπτέτω, ἔστω δὲ τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν ΑΔ, ΔΓ ἴσον τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ΔΒ. λέγω, ὅτι ἡ ΔΒ ἐφάπτεται τοῦ ΑΒΓ κύκλου.
For let any point Δ be taken outside the circle ΑΒΓ, and from Δ let two straight lines ΔΓΑ, ΔΒ fall on the circle ΑΒΓ, and let ΔΓΑ cut the circle, and let ΔΒ fall on it, and let the rectangle contained by ΑΔ, ΔΓ be equal to the square on ΔΒ; I say that ΔΒ touches the circle ΑΒΓ.
ἤχθω γὰρ τοῦ ΑΒΓ ἐφαπτομένη ἡ ΔΕ, καὶ εἰλήφθω τὸ κέντρον τοῦ ΑΒΓ κύκλου, καὶ ἔστω τὸ Ζ, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθωσαν αἱ ΖΕ, ΖΒ, ΖΔ. ἡ ἄρα ὑπὸ ΖΕΔ ὀρθή ἐστιν.
For let a tangent ΔΕ to the circle ΑΒΓ be drawn, and let the center of the circle ΑΒΓ be found, and let it be Ζ, and let ΖΕ, ΖΒ, ΖΔ be joined. Therefore the angle ΖΕΔ is right.
καὶ ἐπεὶ ἡ ΔΕ ἐφάπτεται τοῦ ΑΒΓ κύκλου, τέμνει δὲ ἡ ΔΓΑ, τὸ ἄρα ὑπὸ τῶν ΑΔ, ΔΓ ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ΔΕ. ἦν δὲ καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν ΑΔ, ΔΓ ἴσον τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ΔΒ·
And since ΔΕ touches the circle ΑΒΓ, and ΔΓΑ cuts it, therefore the rectangle contained by ΑΔ, ΔΓ is equal to the square on ΔΕ.
τὸ ἄρα ἀπὸ τῆς ΔΕ ἴσον ἐστὶ τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς ΔΒ· ἴση ἄρα ἡ ΔΕ τῇ ΔΒ. ἐστὶ δὲ καὶ ἡ ΖΕ τῇ ΖΒ ἴση·
But the rectangle contained by ΑΔ, ΔΓ was also equal to the square on ΔΒ; therefore the square on ΔΕ is equal to the square on ΔΒ; therefore ΔΕ is equal to ΔΒ.
δύο δὴ αἱ ΔΕ, ΕΖ δύο ταῖς ΔΒ, ΒΖ ἴσαι εἰσίν· καὶ βάσις αὐτῶν κοινὴ ἡ ΖΔ· γωνία ἄρα ἡ ὑπὸ ΔΕΖ γωνίᾳ τῇ ὑπὸ ΔΒΖ ἐστιν ἴση.
And ΖΕ is also equal to ΖΒ; therefore the two straight lines ΔΕ, ΕΖ are equal to the two straight lines ΔΒ, ΒΖ respectively; and their base ΖΔ is common; therefore the angle ΔΕΖ is equal to the angle ΔΒΖ.
ὀρθὴ δὲ ἡ ὑπὸ ΔΕΖ· ὀρθὴ ἄρα καὶ ἡ ὑπὸ ΔΒΖ. καί ἐστιν ἡ ΖΒ ἐκβαλλομένη διάμετρος· ἡ δὲ τῇ διαμέτρῳ τοῦ κύκλου πρὸς ὀρθὰς ἀπʼ ἄκρας ἀγομένη ἐφάπτεται τοῦ κύκλου· ἡ ΔΒ ἄρα ἐφάπτεται τοῦ ΑΒΓ κύκλου.
But the angle ΔΕΖ is right; therefore the angle ΔΒΖ is also right. And ΖΒ produced is a diameter; and the straight line drawn at right angles to the diameter of a circle from its extremity touches the circle; therefore ΔΒ touches the circle ΑΒΓ.
ὁμοίως δὴ δειχθήσεται, κἂν τὸ κέντρον ἐπὶ τῆς ΑΓ τυγχάνῃ.
Similarly indeed it will be proved even if the center happens to be on ΑΓ.
ἐὰν ἄρα κύκλου ληφθῇ τι σημεῖον ἐκτός, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ σημείου πρὸς τὸν κύκλον προσπίπτωσι δύο εὐθεῖαι, καὶ ἡ μὲν αὐτῶν τέμνῃ τὸν κύκλον, ἡ δὲ προσπίπτῃ, ᾖ δὲ τὸ ὑπὸ ὅλης τῆς τεμνούσης καὶ τῆς ἐκτὸς ἀπολαμβανομένης μεταξὺ τοῦ τε σημείου καὶ τῆς κυρτῆς περιφερείας ἴσον τῷ ἀπὸ τῆς προσπιπτούσης, ἡ προσπίπτουσα ἐφάψεται τοῦ κύκλου· ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
Therefore, if any point is taken outside a circle, and from the point two straight lines fall on the circle, and one of them cuts the circle, and the other falls on it, and the rectangle contained by the whole of the cutting line and the part of it cut off outside between the point and the convex circumference is equal to the square on the falling line, the falling line will touch the circle; which was to be proved.