Pappus of Alexandria: Book 4 of the Collection

The major mathematical treatise by the towering Greek mathematician Pappus of Alexandria, the Collection, consists of eight volumes. This volume, the fourth, covers Hellenistic geometry from the point of view of mathematical methods and strategies.

Although not so well known today, Book 4 of Pappus' Collection is one of the most important and influential mathematical texts from antiquity. The mathematical vignettes form a portrait of mathematics during the Hellenistic "Golden Age", illustrating central problems for example, squaring the circle; doubling the cube; and trisecting an angle varying solution strategies, and the different mathematical styles within ancient geometry.

This volume provides an English translation of Collection 4, in full, for the first time, including: a new edition of the Greek text, based on a fresh transcription from the main manuscript and offering an alternative to Hultsch's standard edition, notes to facilitate understanding of the steps in the mathematical argument, a commentary highlighting aspects of the work that have so far been neglected, and supporting the reconstruction of a coherent plan and vision within the work, bibliographical references for further study.

Pappus' work is the most important source on Greek mathematics from late antiquity, an invaluable source of information about the mathematics of the Hellenistic "Golden Age" This volume of the Collection give unique insights into Greek geometrical methodology

Contenu
Greek Text and Annotated Translation.- Greek Text.- Annotated Translation of Collectio IV.- Commentary.- Plane Geometry, Apollonian Style.- Plane Geometry, Apollonian Style.- Plane Geometry, Archaic Style.- Plane Geometry, Archimedean.- Motion Curves and Symptoma-Mathematics.- Meta-theoretical Passage.- Angle Trisection.- General Angle Division.- Quadratrix, Rectification Property.- Analysis for an Archimedean Neusis.