Humanitext Reader

Euclid · Fragments §1.1

Catalogue of Works and the Division of Figures

Passage 1 of 29 · Greek

Summary

Proclus introduces Euclid's mathematical works and comments on his lost book "On Divisions," discussing the division of geometrical figures into like and unlike parts.

1.
Proclus Comm. in Eucl. p. 68,23sqq. (ed.
Proclus Comm. in Eucl. p. 68,23sqq. (ed.
Friedlein): Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τούτου μαθηματικὰ συγγράμματα θαυμαστῆς ἀκριβείας καὶ ἐπιστημονικῆς θεωρίας μεστά· τοιαῦτα γὰρ καὶ τὰ Ὀπτικὰ καὶ τὰ Κατοπτρικά, τοιαῦται δὲ καὶ αἰ κατὰ μουσικὴν στοιχειώσεις, ἔτι δὲ τὸ Περὶ διαιρέσεων βιβλίον.
Friedlein): Indeed, many other mathematical writings of this man are full of wonderful accuracy and scientific theory; for such are both the Optics and the Catoptrics, and such are also the Elements of Music, and further the book On Divisions.
ldem ibid. p. 144,18sqq. δεύτερον δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ὁλότητος τελειοῦται τῆς εἰς τὰ ἀνόμοια μέρη διακρινομένης, ὅθεν δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἑκάστῳ τῶν εἰδῶν ἐπιφέρει τὸ ὅλον, καὶ τῶν σχημάτων ἕκαστον εἰς διάφορα αὐτῶν εἴδη τέμνεται.
Idem ibid. p. 144,18sqq.: Secondly, it is perfected from the totality which is divided into unlike parts, whence indeed he himself applies "the whole" to each of the species, and each of the figures is cut into their different species.
καὶ γὰρ ὁ κύκλος εἰς ἀνόμοια τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν εὐθυγράμμων διαιρετόν ἐστιν, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Στοιχειωτὴς ἐν ταῖς Διαιρέσεσι πραγματεύεται τὸ μὲν εἰς ὅμοια τὰ δοθέντα σχήματα διαιρῶν, τὸ δὲ εἰς ἀνόμοια.
For indeed the circle is divisible into parts unlike in ratio, and so is each of the rectilinear figures, which is precisely what the Writer of the Elements himself treats in the Divisions, on the one hand dividing the given figures into like parts, and on the other hand into unlike parts.
Cfr.
Cf.
Studien über Euklid p. 36 sqq.
Studien über Euklid p. 36 sqq.
sine dubio cum hoc opere Euclidis adfinitate quadam coniunctus est liber III Metricorum Heronis, sed non ita, ut inde Euclidea peti possint.
Without doubt, book III of Heron's Metrica is connected by a certain affinity with this work of Euclid, but not in such a way that the Euclidean passages can be retrieved from it.

Notes

  1. 1.1θαυμαστῆς ἀκριβείας καὶ ἐπιστημονικῆς θεωρίας μεστά — The adjective μεστά (neuter plural agreeing with μαθηματικὰ συγγράμματα) is used as a predicate with the copula ἐστίν omitted. θαυμαστῆς ἀκριβείας... is the genitive of plenty dependent on μεστά.
  2. 1.1τῆς εἰς τὰ ἀνόμοια μέρη διακρινομένης — An attributive present passive participle modifying the preceding genitive noun τῆς ὁλότητος. The prepositional phrase εἰς τὰ ἀνόμοια μέρη indicates the result of division ('into unlike parts').
  3. 1.1ὃ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Στοιχειωτὴς ... διαιρῶν — The relative pronoun ὃ (neuter singular accusative) refers back to the entire preceding statement (the divisibility of circles and rectilinear figures) and functions as the direct object of πραγματεύεται. The present active participle διαιρῶν (nominative singular) agrees with the subject ὁ Στοιχειωτὴς and expresses means. The correlative τὸ μὲν ... τὸ δὲ is used adverbially ('on the one hand ... on the other hand') to contrast the two actions of dividing.

Cite this passage

Euclid, Fragments §1.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg016.humanitext-grc1:1.1

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.