Humanitext Reader

Euclid · Fragments §6.15-6.16

Collinearity of Three Points via Parallels and Compound Ratios

Passage 13 of 29 · Greek

Summary

In §6.15, the collinearity of three specific points in a system of lines intersecting parallels is shown by applying the preceding theorem, and in §6.16, it is proved by compounding ratios that three points are collinear when points on lines drawn from two lines satisfy a certain ratio.

§6.15ιεʹ.
15.
Τούτου προτεθεωρημένου ἔστω παράλληλος ἡ ΑΒ τῇ Γ∠, καὶ εἰς αὐτὰς ἐμπιπτέτωσαν εὐθεῖαι αἱ ΑΖ, ΖΒ, ΓΕ, Ε∠, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθωσαν αἱ ΒΓ, ΗΚ ὅτι εὐθεῖά ἐστιν ἡ διὰ τῶν Α, Μ, ∠.
This having been preliminarily proved, let ΑΒ be parallel to Γ∠, and let straight lines ΑΖ, ΖΒ, ΓΕ, Ε∠ fall upon them, and let ΒΓ, ΗΚ be joined; (to prove) that the line through Α, Μ, ∠ is a straight line.
Ἐπεζεύχθω ἡ ∠Μ καὶ ἐκβεβλήσθω ἐπὶ τὸ Θ. ἐπεὶ οὖν τριγώνου τοῦ ΒΓΖ ἐκτὸς ἀπὸ τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ Β σημείου τῇ Γ∠ παράλληλος ἦκται ἡ ΒΕ, καὶ διῆκται ἡ ∠ Ε, γίνεται, ὡς ἡ Γ Ζ πρὸς Ζ∠, οὕτως τὸ ὑπὸ ∠Ε, ΚΛ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ ΕΛ, Κ∠.
Let ∠Μ be joined and produced to Θ. Since therefore, outside the triangle ΒΓΖ, from the vertex point Β, ΒΕ has been drawn parallel to Γ∠, and ∠Ε has been drawn through, it follows that, as ΓΖ is to Ζ∠, so is the rectangle contained by ∠Ε, ΚΛ to the rectangle contained by ΕΛ, Κ∠.
ὡς δὲ τὸ ὑπὸ ∠Ε, ΚΛ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ ∠ Κ, ΛΕ, οὕτως ἐστὶν τὸ ὑπὸ ΓΗ, ΘΕ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ ΓΕ, ΗΘ, ἐπεὶ εἰς τρεῖς εὐθείας τὰς ΓΛ, ∠Θ, ΗΚ δύο εἰσὶν διηγμέναι ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ σημείου τοῦ Ε α ΕΓ, Ε∠ καὶ ὡς ἄρα ἡ ∠Ζ πρὸς ΖΓ οὕτως ἐστὶν τὸ ὑπὸ ΓΕ, ΗΘ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ ΓΗ ΘΕ. διὰ τὸ προγεγραμμένον ἄρα ἡ διὰ τῶν Α, Μ, ∠ ἐστιν εὐθεῖα.
And as the rectangle contained by ∠Ε, ΚΛ is to the rectangle contained by ∠Κ, ΛΕ, so is the rectangle contained by ΓΗ, ΘΕ to the rectangle contained by ΓΕ, ΗΘ, since to three straight lines ΓΛ, ∠Θ, ΗΚ, two straight lines ΕΓ, Ε∠ have been drawn from the same point Ε. Therefore also, as ∠Ζ is to ΖΓ, so is the rectangle contained by ΓΕ, ΗΘ to the rectangle contained by ΓΗ, ΘΕ. Therefore, by what was written before, the line through Α, Μ, ∠ is a straight line.
§6.16ιϚ΄.
16.
Εἰς δύο εὐθείας τὰς ΑΒ, ΑΓ ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ σημείου τοῦ ∠ δύο διήχθωσαν αἱ ∠Β, ∠Ε, καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῶν εἰλήφθω σημεῖα τὰ Η, Θ, ἔστω δέ, ὡς τὸ ὑπὸ ΕΗ, Ζ∠ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ ∠Ε, ΗΖ, οὕτως τὸ ὑπὸ ΒΘ, Γ∠ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ Β∠, ΓΘ ὅτι εὐθεῖά ἐστιν ἡ διὰ τῶν Α, Η, Θ. ἤχθω διὰ τοῦ Η τῇ Β∠ παράλληλος ἡ ΚΛ. ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐστιν, ὡς τὸ ὑπὸ ΕΗ, Ζ∠ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ ∠Ε, ΖΗ, οὕτως τὸ ὑπὸ ΒΘ, Γ∠ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ Β∠, ΓΘ, ἀλλὰ ὁ τοῦ ὑπὸ ΕΗ, Ζ∠ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ ∠Ε, ΗΖ συνῆπται λόγος ἔκ τε τοῦ ὃν ἔχει ἡ ΗΕ πρὸς Ε∠, τουτέστιν ἡ ΚΗ πρὸς Β∠, καὶ ἐξ οὗ ὃν ἔχει ἡ ∠Ζ πρὸς ΖΗ, τουτέστιν ἡ Γ∠ πρὸς τὴν ΗΛ, ὁ δὲ τοῦ ὑπὸ ΒΘ, Γ∠ πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ Β∠, ΓΘ συνῆπται λόγος ἔκ τε τοῦ ὃν ἔχει ἡ ΘΒ πρὸς Β∠ καὶ ἐξ οὗ ὃν ἔχει ἡ ∠Γ πρὸς ΓΘ, καὶ ὁ ἔκ τε τοῦ τῆς Κ ἄρα πρὸς Β∠ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς ΗΛ ὁ αὐτός ἐστιν τῷ συνημμένῳ ἔκ τε τοῦ τῆς ΒΘ πρὸς Β∠ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς ΓΘ. ὁ δὲ τῆς ΚΗ πρὸς Β∠ συνῆπται ἔκ τε τοῦ τῆς ΚΗ πρὸς ΒΘ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ΒΘ πρὸς Β∠· ὁ ἄρα συνημμένος ἔκ τε τοῦ τῆς ΚΗ πρὸς ΒΘ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ΒΘ πρὸς Β∠ καὶ ἔτι τοῦ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς ΗΛ ὁ αὐτός ἐστιν τῷ συνημμένῳ ἔκ τε τοῦ τῆς ΒΘ πρὸς Β∠ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς ΓΘ. κοινὸς ἐκκεκρούσθω ὁ τῆς Θ Β πρὸς Β∠ λόγος·
To two straight lines ΑΒ, ΑΓ, from the same point ∠, let two straight lines ∠Β, ∠Ε be drawn, and let points Η, Θ be taken on them, and let it be that, as the rectangle contained by ΕΗ, Ζ∠ is to the rectangle contained by ∠Ε, ΗΖ, so is the rectangle contained by ΒΘ, Γ∠ to the rectangle contained by Β∠, ΓΘ; (to prove) that the line through Α, Η, Θ is a straight line. Let ΚΛ be drawn through Η parallel to Β∠. Since therefore, as the rectangle contained by ΕΗ, Ζ∠ is to the rectangle contained by ∠Ε, ΖΗ, so is the rectangle contained by ΒΘ, Γ∠ to the rectangle contained by Β∠, ΓΘ, but the ratio of the rectangle contained by ΕΗ, Ζ∠ to the rectangle contained by ∠Ε, ΗΖ is compounded of that which ΗΕ has to Ε∠, that is, ΚΗ to Β∠, and of that which ∠Ζ has to ΖΗ, that is, Γ∠ to ΗΛ, and the ratio of the rectangle contained by ΒΘ, Γ∠ to the rectangle contained by Β∠, ΓΘ is compounded of that which ΘΒ has to Β∠ and of that which ∠Γ has to ΓΘ, therefore the ratio compounded of that of ΚΗ to Β∠ and that of ∠Γ to ΗΛ is the same as the ratio compounded of that of ΒΘ to Β∠ and that of ∠Γ to ΓΘ. But the ratio of ΚΗ to Β∠ is compounded of that of ΚΗ to ΒΘ and that of ΒΘ to Β∠; therefore the ratio compounded of that of ΚΗ to ΒΘ and that of ΒΘ to Β∠ and further that of ∠Γ to ΗΛ is the same as the ratio compounded of that of ΒΘ to Β∠ and that of ∠Γ to ΓΘ.
λοιπὸς ἄρα ὁ συνημμένος ἔκ τε τοῦ τῆς ΚΗ πρὸς ΒΘ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς ΚΛ ὁ αὐτός ἐστιν τῷ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς τὴν ΓΘ, τουτέστιν τῷ συνημμένῳ ἔκ τε τοῦ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς τὴν ΗΛ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ΗΛ πρὸς τὴν ΘΓ. καὶ πάλιν κοινὸς ἐκκεκρούσθω ὁ τῆς ∠Γ πρὸς τὴν ΗΛ λόγος·
Let the common ratio of ΘΒ to Β∠ be struck out; therefore, the remaining ratio compounded of that of ΚΗ to ΒΘ and that of ∠Γ to ΗΛ is the same as the ratio of ∠Γ to ΓΘ, that is, the ratio compounded of that of ∠Γ to ΗΛ and that of ΗΛ to ΘΓ. And again, let the common ratio of ∠Γ to ΗΛ be struck out; therefore, the remaining ratio of ΚΗ to ΒΘ is the same as the ratio of ΗΛ to ΘΓ.
λοιπὸς ἄρα ὁ τῆς ΚΗ πρὸς τὴν ΒΘ λόγος ὁ αὐτός ἐστιν τῷ τῆς ΗΛ πρὸς τὴν ΘΓ. καὶ ἐναλλάξ ἐστιν, ὡς ἡ ΚΗ πρὸς τὴν ΗΛ, οὕτως ἡ ΒΘ πρὸς τὴν ΘΓ. καί εἴσιν αἱ ΚΛ, ΒΓ παράλληλοι· εὐθεῖα ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ διὰ τῶν Α, Η, Θ σημείων.
And alternately, as ΚΗ is to ΗΛ, so is ΒΘ to ΘΓ. And ΚΛ, ΒΓ are parallel; therefore the line through the points Α, Η, Θ is a straight line.

Notes

  1. 5α ΕΓ, Ε∠ — "α" is considered to be a scribal error or printing omission for the feminine plural nominative article αἱ, which points to the straight lines ΕΓ and Ε∠ as the subject.
  2. p.258τοῦ τῆς Κ — "Κ" is an omission for "ΚΗ" in this context. It refers to the ratio "ΚΗ to Β∠" mentioned just before, where the letter Η was dropped after the article τῆς in the substantival genitive phrase.
  3. 15πρὸς ΚΛ — "ΚΛ" is a scribal error for "ΗΛ". Judging from the compounding of ratios and the previous expression "Γ∠ to ΗΛ" as well as the subsequent "∠Γ to ΗΛ", ΗΛ is correct instead of ΚΛ.
  4. 15συνῆπται λόγος — This expression means "the ratio is compounded" (perfect passive of the verb συνάπτω). In ancient Greek mathematics, it refers to the operation of a "compounded ratio," where the ratio of rectangles (products) is expressed as the product of the ratios of their respective sides.

Cite this passage

Euclid, Fragments §6.15-6.16. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1799.tlg016.humanitext-grc1:6.15-6.16

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