The philosophical and mathematical commentaries of Proclus on the first book of Euclid's elements (Vol. 1 of 2) : $b To which are added, A history of the restoration of Platonic theology, by the latter Platonists: And a translation from the Greek of Proclus's Theological elementsProclus
Philosophy
The philosophical and mathematical commentaries of Proclus on the first book of Euclid's elements (Vol. 1 of 2) : $b To which are added, A history of the restoration of Platonic theology, by the latter Platonists: And a translation from the Greek of Proclus's Theological elements
Proclus
Euclid. Elements; Platonists
After him Ameristus, the brother
of Stesichorus the poet, is celebrated as one who touched upon, and
tasted the study of geometry, and who is mentioned by Hippias the
Elean, as restoring the glory of geometry. But after these, Pythagoras
changed that philosophy, which is conversant about geometry itself,
into the form of a liberal doctrine, considering its principles in a
more exalted manner; and investigating its theorems immaterially and
intellectually; who likewise invented a treatise of such things as
cannot be explained[109] in geometry, and discovered the constitution
of the mundane figures. After him, Anaxagoras the Clazomenian
succeeded, who undertook many things pertaining to geometry. And
Oenopides the Chian, was somewhat junior to Anaxagoras, and whom Plato
mentions in his Rivals, as one who obtained mathematical glory. To
these, succeeded Hippocrates, the Chian, who invented the quadrature
of the lunula[110], and Theodorus the Cyrenean, both of them eminent
in geometrical knowledge. For the first of these, Hippocrates composed
geometrical elements: but Plato, who was posterior to these, caused
as well geometry itself, as the other mathematical disciplines, to
receive a remarkable addition, on account of the great study he
bestowed in their investigation. This he himself manifests, and his
books, replete with mathematical discourses, evince: to which we
may add, that he every where excites whatever in them is wonderful,
and extends to philosophy. But in his time also lived Leodamas the
Thasian, Archytas the Tarantine, and Theætetus the Athenian; by whom
theorems were increased, and advanced to a more skilful constitution.
But Neoclides was junior to Leodamas, and his disciple was Leon; who
added many things to those thought of by former geometricians. So that
Leon also constructed elements more accurate, both on account of their
multitude, and on account of the use which they exhibit: and besides
this, he discovered a method of determining when a problem, whose
investigation is sought for, is possible, and when it is impossible.
But Eudoxus the Cnidian, who was somewhat junior to Leon, and the
companion of Plato, first of all rendered the multitude of those
theorems which are called universals more abundant; and to three
proportions added three others; and things relative to a section,
which received their commencement from Plato, he diffused into a
richer multitude, employing also resolutions in the prosecution of
these. Again, Amyclas the Heracleotean, one of Plato’s familiars, and
Menæchmus, the disciple, indeed, of Eudoxus, but conversant with Plato,
and his brother Dinostratus, rendered the whole of geometry as yet
more perfect. But Theudius, the Magnian, appears to have excelled, as
well in mathematical disciplines, as in the rest of philosophy. For he
constructed elements egregiously, and rendered many particulars more
universal. Besides, Cyzicinus the Athenian, flourished at the same
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