Greek Mathematics
XV. Euclid
(a) General
Stob. Ecl. ii. 31. 114, ed. Wachsmuth ii. 228. 25–29
Παρ᾿ Εὐκλείδῃ τις ἀρξάμενος γεωμετρεῖν, ὡς τὸ πρῶτον θεώρημα ἔμαθεν, ἤρετο τὸν Εὐκλείδην· “τί δέ μοι πλέον ἔσται ταῦτα μαθόντι;” καὶ ὁ Εὐκλείδης τὸν παῖδα καλέσας “δός,” ἔφη, “αὐτῷ τριώβολον, ἐπειδὴ δεῖ αὐτῷ ἐξ ὧν μανθάνει κερδαίνειν.”
(b) The Elements
(i.) Foundations Eucl. Elem. i. Ὅροι
α΄. Σημεῖόν ἐστιν, οὗ μέρος οὐθέν.
β΄. Γραμμὴ δὲ μῆκος ἀπλατές.
γ΄. Γραμμῆς δὲ πέρατα σημεῖα.
Euclid
XV. Euclida
(a) General
Stobaeus, Extracts ii. 31. 114, ed. Wachsmuth ii. 228. 25–29
Someone who had begun to read geometry with Euclid, when he had learnt the first theorem asked Euclid, “But what advantage shall I get by learning these things?” Euclid called his slave and said, “Give him threepence, since he must needs make profit out of what he learns.”
(b) The Elementsb
(i.) Foundations Euclid, Elements i. definitionsc
1. A point is that which has no part.
2. A line is length without breadth.
3. The extremities of a line are points.
- aHardly anything is known of the life of Euclid beyond what has already been stated in the passage quoted from Proclus (supra, p. 154). From Pappus vii. 35, ed. Hultsch ii. 678. 10–12, infra, p. 489, we infer the additional detail that he taught at Alexandria and founded a school there. Arabian references are summarized by Heath, The Thirteen Books of Euclid’s Elements, 2nd edn., 1926, vol. i. pp. 4–6. Euclid must have flourished c. 300 b.c.
- bFor the meaning of elements, see supra, p. 150 n. c.
- cFor a full discussion of the many problems raised by Euclid’s definitions, postulates and common notions the reader is referred to Heath, The Thirteen Books of Euclid’s Elements, vol. i. pp. 155–240.