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nsuhrift der Redakurn. . ..

lnstitut Für Geschichte

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IF k’it Th is ff.
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iitA\’i Os ii i5’H 13 r I lo’ Os,

ii r s if i 2 -,

1988 by Institut fur Geschic hte der Arabs h4slamischen Wissenschaften V \ilS ii
Frankturt am Main
All rights reserved. No part oF this book my be reproduced or translated 31 ctt•s S I
n any form, by print, microfilm or any other means
without wrstten permission horn ‘he publssher
13KHAis urd Es. sOS S II
Published b’. IA! .1 551
nIt tot fur Gcschichie dec Arabisch2slarnischen Wissenschaften Frankfurt m Main
Printed in Germany by Rheingold Satz, Mama
 above, e en the selection of passagen from the Earn ad may have
been in part dictated by the interests of a hermetic school
62
There are other traces of’ the influence of Hermetism on Araim
philosophy and the subject requires further research I oni men
tion one instance which seems to have been cot rely overlooke d
I IlL i-iLAI I H t let Mt P I I
in spite 1)1 tIm amount of work txpencfed in the fluid. The’
PTh IJ3LE lJ J’ P1-IlL cG iPi!)
- Longer Ver’.ion’ of’ the Tie oiojy o) 1 ntotlc ha sonic intriguinu
references t( a doctrine of the word and of the will of (od,
shared or taken up: by Ismaili theologvi2. Zimrnerrnann seems
to regard the 1rr al-K i:altqc as the source or at least the ear
liest known occurence of these elements in the Islamic world an I
tries to explain the importance of the ‘Word’’ in the T/noloqtj iii The institute fbr the lit t nv of \c aim lydattyt’
Aristotle as a misinterpretation of the stoic oi’o arpgrrcx v a
frankfurt published P 1k III
While the confusion may have played its role. I think it is sin Ci -
ii Pr
-
Philosoj Ii (Jamal it Fa of ii lt hat tin:
pier to assume a direct influence of’ Hermetic conceptions Also IA: In AbA
allah al-Pinch. The facsimile wa made horn
the pervasiveness of the term r’caiei in our texts with a positit a ittai0—: lint a ttcti
by Al-Hindi h in elf i ‘ II ‘\ ). 1:3 1-3
valuation (=- incorporeal) which orresponds neit bet to the stoic a it a
of this facsimile ici let lie nit o toy I a k a
nor to the medical usane common in ( reek is best explained a a -
an.
The Proldc,n.s- of’ P/i ili-sooh i ciriist’
if oc cit 1 rv it a
c dcx of Hernwtic-( I nost ic 4
terniinology (01/ ft/Ill
on arithmeti gc net v c a 3
-
it I’ il’ is
ophy and thi olo,y. All i at s ae i ii t It I )1 ccli it anti
answers, Al-Hindi says chat li a erR c onti tria
do tCti3ia the
learned” and “opinh s if w il g I -

not mention I s s ur s e pI i It
In thi
5 paxa we will neaR ze the tro:jl s: Ci
cc a tOll 0 c,nI
pades 16 442 f h 51 16 I a ii
nature of thi ti-c atist an I a ft an-ilatc hc
6eijtutin e
HindI compiled his Ii eatise 11 em larc nimimi cat of
which I have c nly x n it I a it n
list ccl at beat on 1. Ihi Ito iinpto t ant a: :11 tam a iii: t liv
been tao lOth-centurx em vlopedic a oi-k- at
it ten a -inn tenth
ematicians n i iely th Ic r h 1 t “ i I tI n
62 Fhj$ a-,(,ertlon - mid nat ui-ally rc
uire to be ubtantiated by a iletatli d
of Purit\ )‘3 arid the A s 1 1 :
3 Iv II(( a \h \ afal alt
studs’ of’ the 1
Tiaolo
q . hf. i. p. ol 4—5 Dioter’:: uta/a (110 mGi-hi s’ii.
al-mar (llaaGh at aura a/-auoalu in a nor -hi, 118 11 1 195; at
63 Zimmermann
. op it. 196 If. aftei’ Pines, Fat the woc d of God, ef. Di pariatent ii M ida 6503 6 lap flat i v f ifi I 11. a IA
Hrmi-te-um 16: 8: 10: 11: lvi: XIl.14: toi’ hi-i will 18:1, IV]: frrec-ht. Netherlancl.
-

V7.
XITI2 The ‘‘dotting metaphor’’ Z:rnmermanii 135 I-il a1-Kindt s Ri-iula
Ui/wO) 0 311 6170? am (31 3 / 17
_743, 8- 27512 etco) also belongs her: (3 1 I
€31 ( hndt-es-.
farsinul edili at
Prm-fa” .4:-aim-i 128—131. In TtoI .4. 32 lititeri: i a ill 2 Page33—34 tn
r6hd r€ = I; p. the famine cit to::, hv: hi 1- v’ tv
Quite often. ru/’u’, a iii be an 1’j’ alert €1 07
i’ lay:. ‘to 13
and 1 7. Conipare mootnotm 7 and io.
or i/rile.
Or hi’ kh wa t Sat A 1 i 17 :
 alKhwarizrni .Scction
1 is about material in ahFlmdis tic atise
that dci ives ultiniatel Ironi the (r eek geometers Heron f Alt x the mooc thi cyl’mi it’ I ot’c .o et st’,.’it c’. She
andria and 6 (Jeininus who lived in the first t’enturv A. I). This
. S iii thu pan iii meuu°ui it on mtoins Fri
1 lo 1 a’ iS mci ntc u n
material has not been found in otht r Arabic sources, and one of the surla’e irea dfhi t hgui’’s, wtfi ut (i-i hi I with
wonders ho it was transmitted. ifl Section 5 we will show that numeruc’al i_’xamnplc, 1St in) ‘s. x mm iii ‘ 1 fl tl
al-Hindu had no advanced mathematical training. although hr ii rut o139 ru( st’on to a cot, im” ‘11 ip )l 1 - “.
ci iii ii
knew the geometry necessary fbi’ the tudy of astrcinom The ii are’ceom’m’ec t formula fin tI nu (a ‘o ti ‘t . i a cit
nal stction s de oted to traces of ontc mporar Y dictissuons iii ci “ md lie om 0 n Ia ) I ii’ ii a 0 i ii to in
0, n’ in ‘fits
Arabic’ Islamic niathematic’ in al’ Hindu’s 1. reatist’. I’ht’ mnosl. irit er’ t ‘TIe ltt’ni fart-i
o’les i iit I it Sri lilt ‘I - i 1 i_ ic
csting of these traces is a statement that contraduct Eueltd ‘on a id ii ‘iv,

parallel postulate. A1’Rindu set m tr hut ml tt i tis it a ) m’c .

a mntm )duc t io ,e mi t otI i( (It ins Si L ii t 1 1

pr’elirnina ‘ l’o t to st ii’ hi lo 11 1’ Ft 1 ,i’ n
1 sarci 1/ of 1! Iliad “S ( ‘ 11 (5 )fl (/1 )m( 11 1J i ny c ,wi Ii h t
t( nir hat tu- ti -‘a i’- i I n’c iii ‘a i i ld n
Al-Hindu s treatise us in five parts
7 n lines and angles on s ir t i Oil etoft I
ii vi t dii ‘tier o t ml c ‘w an ,oi C hi ‘cpitn 0 torus are
faces, on solids, on mensuration and on unit, of measurement
IC- tort toni i-c ani n it (
spec Lively. We will mainly bt concerned with the first t h ‘cc n 1 g a ii n fec to
giat the e dci no ik i ii
parts. containing a total of 185 questions and arusvers. Most an o I ii’ miniS i imlation of
of the lurct flu It en q ui’,to n ‘t iii ,urun
these concern the definition of’ terms and the cl’issuiicatuon ) fig will it ci ic t sc’nteii.
ores (for eXample triangles and quadrilaterals). hut in ome ques ‘I lit u st ions tn ‘c itt ci ninth cmi d or it not’ oh u’t n e
tions a pi’op rt of a figure is asked fbi and the arustt cm i then In tOt- name of hc ) tic rut i’d imcul tun’ nun “,‘c,,n-Lt(
a SOc ,

simple theorem, \o proofs are got en. st i’ond ti”atisc cit the fbi 5/n
ci of 41/ ,/ in) ‘5 tin ti ute
Al-Hindi first defines several basic concepts such as lines and What ‘s duutii ti’i tj 1 ,Jo,i’u 1’ JO
‘

51-i tilt I ‘

angles. surfaces, triangles. quadrulateral. polygons. and differe (2 \5 hat ot geomet m’s Ii it itt ni ‘ii on w it ud ‘5 mid
nt ci ap

figures bounded by two circular arcs or by )flC circular ‘ire the knott edge of Ii rim nat un tlir’ I’ ‘in P <ii o tIn
and proj ‘ties,
one or’ two straight lines. i—ic hen dicusses spherical. cylind and the quant it at) vc’ i 1 itt in hi i 1.’, 1 t ii1/1
I
rtcal it onu
and conical surfaces. rfhereup)n he tic fines st veral solids, such tudes that ire of’ 1 cmi c hr 3
as (3 What ‘ii’ the in cur it d s lie
regular polyhedra. I)r1ral1t’ltp1 c’ lii St O 1 0
pc’ds, pyramid pridrns. the sphere,
sess dist a it’ l2 nd i i s ii ml (it (Ii’ liii I ot a a ‘i’ the
the letter i3-’n/’i on reunictrv is in 1)icteri’ vii), 14, quantut ‘d ac It ty a’ 5’ 1) ‘n
.
pp. 292—301 and in 1lh
wan al EaSt’ pp. 19 72 i (3cr man translation is in I lit terici ti to th ii grit dc I Ii 5 it 3’
3. p 2,3 it
;\liu ,‘ckidallal alurianimnail iOn Alimad tin Ydsuf aI’Kha
ariznt: c’s. A. I).
951) is not the same pit son as the famous nuathe
matician Mulj’tmni’rd iOn p. .113 lint- 11 p .r ii
MOsa at’ Khwariznd whit wri hr on H nil H- A rail’ nil mOors 40 1 no 2 It.
and on sliiclira 10
tin Ar’abit I ext tO tnt’ set tion on geomnctm’v in t lit to rr’ inst ut tin
K ys oj ht Si it 101 set’ LI
Khwanitmi pp. 202 209, a ((erman translation i’- in Wiedentairn, “11 ii ,tl ‘ti Wail? i h.
On hone: Alexandria s’e 1)813 ‘1. ti, ‘ip, 31 0—S 113 Only n act itc ne o ‘I
Or (ieuninus see DEE vol. 13, pp 344 347 for Ins if Euclid’s 4 / ii’ i0 si 11
dat c uw I at or
‘

vol. 2, pp 79 384- 385

fLoe art tOt detailed references First part I S It a, inn n’S it., list it, ,
pp. 10, 33, 34 17 18 1 inc -
‘‘.

1—2: se’’ond part. rip. IX lint’ 3—27 line 13 third t tuh

i diniension’ nnht I ‘‘ions’ ii
hart p. 27 lint’ 6—I ‘12 p a p tnt’
35 line I lounth part pp 35 line 2 42 line 11. :90 nan °
tier iOn ohisiann’t cnn it In liii
p. 42 line 1 41 ‘
1 i’uimrI
ti_I 0 m.d ii pi ‘ r ii .c -‘ ‘
 (4) flow many are the magnitudesi Thra lines, surf’ace and
so1jd,
IS) How many are the distanm’ Three: length, breadth and
Ch )( 1 ii ii ii) \. Iii Ii ii i’ Ct lit
depth le penme f
aut mans text Ii fern at I i
5 rt € It 01! ii’) to
magmtude having one dstarice
‘

t6) What is a linc It is a —

11 (onc’ciit in oni:)’c a is TI u Ot’

1
r’1(’ i fi ili it trea
length only,
-

ii ni in
ts nd cut II ‘a it I 1
t Abstractly’ by way of the (human) mind
-

(7) Where is it found

does not mean that Al Ifinifi U’.! C If ir u”C II is-, 0 ‘1 ,\l Kin di
and imagination, not by way of the senses. By way of the senses:
tiesti e nt iii cc inc ii p is’ u’ h t i ci’ i I t P tie on ‘

it is in a surface because it is the end of it (the surface). Thus, if

ircometis of the 1k Wi i Saa an I i
4 it ‘im tetmy in ,

the breadth is taken away from a surface, only the length re a P

the Krnj’ sit f/is ss’O is C \I-Khaiu i/i i as cc diseus
mains, and that is a line, ( 1 ‘It ill
I IC t’i ii V iii I 11 It a i i
(8) What is the end of a linc its nd is two points.
iiao these I 550 Ii’s) ‘11 ‘urn
t of 0 Iii cc 5 a’ lit ads 0 iii
t oWn trea
9 What is a point It ia a thin without distance, that I to
li c.
say, without length and without breadth and without depth. iii lion 4
H Pt wi P t c it i Ia
m is, iii
10) Where is the point found in the (human mind it js found
, -

‘‘How many i’ liii sir aig ii r itt’, il-i it It’s fit’ firms
abstractly, and for the senses it i found in the line, because [he I Ii o
‘II ey am cure kit it) ii ii em lict ai
line is length without breadth. Thus if the length i taken away
-

‘fiord, ar’ua urn c ‘see -liii 19 1 1 Ps’st :ncepts are

from it, its end remains, and that end is a point, So the point
‘
,

hcn further defined i p lust uns Ii 19 ‘34 -1 ( \I’Khwà

possesses neither length noi breadth nor depth by necessity. al iost
ii ni th 1 u tht 1 1) IJ S I II I II I
(II) How many are the types of principal (i. c. general lmes 1
2(15- 2 16
posit.e (qhayr mu rcmkkab the aine wi r’ds al’Rhwam’,rii pp
i
Iwo. compo site mu rakk’ab) and incom
In us 158)9 ie i IIi II 5k
(12) How, many are the types of incomposite lines t Three
What is a tom’tis / i/si 1 a P I cc t ft or t’s nd surface
í ‘

straight. circular (rnuqa U’u’ONI and curved tl - stilit ci’ ‘or I 30,11 12)
5 ía line), the distance of’ with ‘i snout iii tie rriiififfe in cvii ‘

13) What is a straight line 13.1) It i r Khwa

1 Us sa uc le I it I ‘

which is equal to the distance betcen the two endpoints. (13.2)

riznhl J). 21)94- kP.
And it is said to he (a line) which is stretched rectilinearly be 0 Is’ I lu f)jI
Qu sti )fls Ii -1(1 i c ict iti ci i si ii it is
tween the two endpoints. (13.3) And it is said to be the shortest
‘

lowing p t-agc I I c I / td
line joining two points. (13.4) And it is said that it is (a line such 5’ l oily. 1
The line i 5 a riianpodc’ cc tilt toe tie tort ‘e
that all points that, are assumed on it are in one direction, 13.5 c nd
can rnly cc I c u cci is
And it is said to he (a line) such that if its end (i, e. the two end
‘

Abstractly, it can ne podia is oil i

t the lOiasiuIrntt’, ,, siPs 1 hi’ two ,

points) are fixed and if it is turned around, it will not be moved

ends it the lines or ito of - Thu pi tot 1 5 111111 sv’t fit ii) distance
from its position. 113.6) And it is said to be (a line) such that its
-‘

in length a d v ti et u’ d a 1 ii I a ivt
parts can fIt on each other from all i les, ‘

e \ wti act
ev ii C senses with sot iii 0 ii’ ()tt sits it
Notations such as 20:4 will henceforth be used as references to
page 2() ime 4 in the faesimileedition, X ‘Hr ids sum I I a ‘fir ti’sr r, 0 l ,t ,i(c s’ 6 iddi d
Iias’.aLe ifotI ) e itt soabls I suit trio r it ‘ Ut 15 s’, ns turn
itt 6 Fri ii n is r r ii) - I t6
Question 16 runs line?
‘what is a (‘umposit It is eomposedl’ 1w or
s iii til.’r r: sit he th
o or ii I t’ rot islit In ‘it tsr it
Inure hari two Incoinposite lines of one or more kinds’’ 1 ft :21, 33,1 - ‘I t s II lit
dii’ OW C ih (Ii :1,0’ ‘5 1 ( 5” -C I I , I (‘Si’’t)s’ ,

I 6:1 —15. Sot’ set’tion 3 and 4 of ho Tuner for a further dr’,eusion o

3 ii, 14
sOme if tin t uotetl passagi S
1
 aI’Khwariztni fhis N (ill •i-Hind, ha ( —a a) oU’ t)u a us’ ,OmI’ 1’) ( i’ (jilt
lv. ii can only he perceived by the imamflatiofl is 6 Us iii n tin>
t fa lkh n ‘tI 8’ to I I ii

pp. 203-204
tanula ìd u ac cc- c ( d to ci i
The letter on geomc’tr> of the lkhwan al-afã was clearly thc
,

th:rd s>( uree of Al hind) N iii .U13 isi -) 6 Ito -

section
most important ,ouree of Al-Hindi’ s treatise. The whole flu 6’
virtually akntica l with n a Is. In 21 14, 1 o “

Ofl units of neasurement (42:17 44 8) i’

fined n thc E: con i ii ‘1> ci- Ic \‘‘
part of this letter (ed. 1)iet end 299:1 c4—30 i 6.
‘1 lid
Th following similarit> i also remariale, Al-HincIi says
in
ice a i t
J7.5—61.
men chic to identify Exr ji ii: (hi > ‘ii .o- l thoU
50 How many arc’ the positions of dcc ular lines Two, paral ‘(il’i’
Si these unidentifie I sources t t”i ti hot n m’i UI- 5’

lel and intersecting (above the line he writes: meeting).

ten
What a parallel circular lines The> arc drawn about one
tre. 52 What are meeting circular linesf They are circula
r
lints) containing an angle
5fl( and 51 are strange hoc ausc iirc bs with different centre
rio not always meet or intersect. When ritirig 50 and (51 Xl .

Or f th ii r 11 u’cii- i. c ci
Hindi tirobably looked at the followinu passane of the lkhwan d (Im hiP p
is tiic fact that it i’ maui— no) ma ii ‘ii a a 1>
Safã’ an
found in Arabic ourm— .\i: sam >1> thc 1 >1(1 ‘

Parallel circular lines are circular lines with one centre in

tersecting circular lines are (circular lines) with different ten
tres’’ ed. Dieterici 295:21 —296:1). -pi inc Al-Khwarizm: inentici>- p :ia1tl€ (ml ii

He then realized that the Ikhwãn al-bafã incorrectly defined icc p o r c Ii ci ( a ii .7 is

interseetin circles, and wrote (52), which is in itself a cotrec

t N a Or ixnijth Y)ivii - 295 Itt: i,:. I P jaIl

statement. However. he overlooked that (5(1) should have been Or 1 ii’r’’/.y (ui ii, -I sO /‘sj’, iii, .7 6 ‘II [‘h-i -la’_ Iii’)
13 pc I a ui > Irea v i
modified as well. I 1>, U in
-ci arc )i’-ik:. ixi .1> 1 id i ci
On one occasion i-Hindi asked a question motivated b> the
.

113 and lit. sea H--roii pp. ‘ ‘H h:-a plc’i — a ‘‘‘ a •‘ ‘ma>
lkhwSn al-Safã’ and then fbrgot to answer that’ question. He Ai ani tell and to> t t r 01> 1 1 lii)
,, [

says (italics mine)’ cm , U, I> Iii ii ,t. i P 1>

‘(139) How man>’ are the kinds of solids that are contained h> .\i H:nd apuenried ci> a ci ‘-aT c’ 1

quadrilaterals fi. e. rectangles) and hoe’ many quadrtlatcrcn a (.ok- hic}- p. Icics n I (‘I ‘ iV

i isP ha i iwi u. a r a ( I
ontain thcm> They (the kinds) are foui Among them is one with A. rangemont d )thc a r1s a ‘ci a a6
three equal distances, I mean length. breadth and depth. and it aavn that are’-a-cd aftc i- ii r LI a’’ , c:>>,
is called cube, and it belongs> to the figures inscribed in a sphere Ii>. ie tIm di the I hi
‘
ci ) F (1 1

among them is one with two equal distances and a third distance 1)1 us i I 1 head> sit,. I a ti( i 111 P a)

which is shorter, and it is called brick lhnah): and among them he 1 a), at 0 2 a rid of Thea> -a a ii a mm i—c

Ics, mc- treati c’ (ha Wi a> or if A i i 1 i i ii 1- q ‘ii

is one with two equal distances and a third distance which is
‘

h (ci p t Ai v s>, 51 ci a h 1 ii .‘

itreater than the two above-mentionc d (distances), it is called bri,tarcjhus, (ni’ treatise tla ut-u ci >1 irteca in, at . -.
‘-
a in

beam t)rd and among them is the (kind) with different dis ant b,i>ik, inc thu eaTs it t i,’ sui->]-)’r,lo:’
1 uP> i.’u ‘- ii ‘c-a’-))’ a i Ii,i

tances. called tablet shaped (lauhi” (28:lt 293 ) P 1

c ci ii
s I h h
I 3 I)
a>
.

a. Ptu1-rn F or ha . r.a. i ,, .
.

read >P’r well, 5:3>, 9]>>. sc-a ‘-As V. 272 2U(

The ward tc, ia-an ‘se) iii nmiiimlins: -ac>d cPu (a
 l it possible that a sphere (ircilInseribes another olid a en -an net er be asc rified 0 o ..tdit to
tbough it faces are eq uilatei’al ann eq iiianau I RI’ fiiieil’e 11 t wt that Heron foond this SCo unol tok beth a 7 tot’
kind’.. the alleged o eiotation of \r “hunt’ Ic—
1 e ior Ic
Archimedes mentioned that a sphere eon eireurns nbc twe sol An r a bie t ‘rnl at i it ii 14 to itt I ox
ids contained by triangles and square 5 acli of them hay nit taut a d oc I ii ii >1\
four teen I ‘ices one of t hem is (‘ont auicd by e aht equilateral and \rali 1 len0 ore I Ii -, 0”..
equjangular triangles, and six equilateral and equiangular quad of Sonta 1-merit cs that 1) 0l0 0 01’ rot lee
rilaterals, o that this figure is i’omposeh oil aIr and earth, antI into Ai’ar,ic’. Heron— 1)’ I it t()f 01)0(1 i a am ti - lIt— (4
the other. in opposition to that firt solict, t contained b SIX Al -Hincif’s de1inition 1 3.5 turd 1 dii it a It U
equilateral and eq uiangular t ri angles ant I eight equilateral and H mdi need no t have t a r lit ‘lot ii 11 ro ei’e
equiangular quadnilat orals’ 28:2 6) also tr i snot lv A nit
This answer resembk s the following passage in the 1) hn In its lIt an w 2 (1110 c’ 1
of Heron of Alexandria: origin Prcn’lu ‘lb i Fin non am 1 ‘h -
f
0
‘Euclid proved in the thrteentb HooK 0 d the E1 ira lot, how Lii nit that compos to
o Is
°
2 anal ‘00 ‘(lit —0 0 10 ‘ ,

these live solids i. c. the fIve regular polvhedrat can he inst ribed lines were lirsi discussed tot t’eininus to a Iar,zo 2(’onme It a work
in a sphere. but he only thinks of the Platonic solids Archimedes which now lo—t A t r ri-lit o.t° t ‘,e (7 lIt i’- toot ‘

says that there are a total of thirteen solids that an he inscribed been md. I part iii o t’O i’’I
- trite
in a sphere, adding eight to the above-mentioned fha He say -
-trabm 29
that) Plat also knew one of them, the solid with four teen f tco Fir ally w 0w
r loon , 1-Il
of which there are two sorts, one conItinL of eight triangles ant!
..traight liru I hi.. elefe Ii no ,- Ott
. ill
iX squares. of earth and air, and already known to some ol the a ‘to 1’ q o I]
but it occurs on the [erro/ io”oon to 0 to 0 ii -

ancients, the other again nade up of eight squares and six tn-
angles, which seems to be more difficult “,

The resemblance between the t o passages is striking because

rd’ ly ‘4 8
of the rather nonsensical nature of the contents We know from oces Toe pat I e I i ho
Pappus of Alexandria tea. A. 1). 250) that i’chirnedes discovered them en I nun I a” 25 - — niI t ii iI __1
13 not ; semi-regular polyhedra
’: a serniregular polyhedron i’.
2 jar floirts lie on a ‘.jifler(. Ui)i0tt°t oh 00 0110 100 0 -
O sC 0’.

a (convexi solid with congruent solid angles. whose faces arc reg ane macthor. in all o-oi..c-s 0110 slOt 0.. rio-ti lit’ sOt ‘‘itO- 0°

too small lit ()flt5lfl the to 111101010 0 0(1’, —- 0 0 0’ ‘0’

ular polygons. not all having the same number of -ides. Such a o ‘on’,
Thus et I ‘an 4 Oat s come r ‘‘t, r al, on ‘ ‘ oil
polyhedron can always be inscribed in a sphere. fherc is a semi ore the’ it rI e p to e B lit i,h
regular polyhedron with eight triangular and six square faces 22 ondport cci t F Jo ii
but a polyhedron wrt Ii eight square faces and six triangular ‘tees I S (. ntradic. i
0 (,1,0., 1’ ‘

20
Br’ ntie— 1
Heron op. 64—i7, translation adapted train Heath ._1t,tooro, 7 r /: Jos lino-’.
,

‘utItt ni’nt,’’ ool. I ii. 295. ‘J’hern’ Heath ii..o oliseuos tw Piatonis 4-ott mo
[Tenon e- .5.
CO ‘LC 10 7 ,iflC- 5
which associat m I ho cube with earl ii and the oetahedr’on witi a at Cr. -° P a us, it rrow
21 He
ath, 4 It I tooT of (i 4 mat/u mate al. 2 p 98. Further inlor nation o3 16 (4.
on the scm -regular polyhedri and beaut lul drawings an ho h und o Wit ° In opus o 1
hams pp. 7 79. lion C ‘0 con otarv it ri co
Sue h a polvtotdr’ao was on,t r1a’ioI lv ‘Iloal 1 tim Qurri. —cc Be—eI eontamn, ‘.00 era) —tat ement— -- r - - - ti
11aon untO 0-ipita. no tie ident io’otl ii t,etnin110
 II I is

Iibutes t to the ant ieflt cmi It is unl ‘kely that Al Hi ndi opied
13,4 from the Infroduetton to (h (m tr because Al-Spa gist s
, V Ii i p in
number of additional definitions of a st “might line that do n 4 C that ihi t I mu
cur in Al-Ilindi s treat icr. liii - I ii

f Iliflhts Ii
lift It ‘C
41-Iliad cu i qro,i P right r I
i it ii a
Al-Hmdi tieris ed the mat eria in lii-, treat icc ft om tht i rhis \1 iii 4-

sourees, but the systematical a rrangeinent of his treatise mdi \ttl ng it

rates that he had a working knowledge of ek mentary geom I A mb ttr s
At the end of th treatise on astronomn lie added his ossn tlistua ha IH
slon of the rising and setting o’ nelipt it al signs at lot alities do,’ t
to the north pole (p. 112). Phus w tan assume that he had ni us
temed the geometry necessorm for thi studb of astronomt Tht
followmg question and answer shows hat he was iware of the 1’
existent e tif mort ads anced geometry
(58) How many are fbi’ types of cursed lines they art infi M “I
nit ely mans hut five’ kinds are used in 8
, eomt try the thret tor -
net thu If
sections called the sufficient exceeding and deficient seP ion ‘l I ti
(i. e. the parabola, hyperbola and ellipse), ‘md the lint called l lh nt) r
31 and the lint called dome-shaped
ralie ’ 17 21 lB 2
tm2 t It is
oil ml
LAS V d33 2O m, (hester Beat t y Jh32 2h9Hhe iii ents ile mr ti ii
t hilloci-,
a omc A th’m -,al that i’ LI a B hrt ‘‘
I S I I
some d in it are in me direr lion t a hoddoh I i k/al ‘a s a p i serib I mi
qa do too in oh a in ma a q i/a in no h i h t p ii ha ii / i 1 / 1 lii
5 5 tilt
aiai/ii ii 1 Pp samt ‘n tal ‘din
lao lab lie I C the souree P Al 1I’r di r x has e he en tlt orni ci U s haia ii
ti-N iyrizi on the Lii tnt a Phe Ai aba tex o tie N liv rot art of this m p ‘sid 11
inc nt cry is lost ii it the Latin translation mint i ms lowe, que sunt it lit tht i I
I ‘nes hat air stni al-shape 1) a ithout gic ing fc rther information ( urt zr the angk I
line 21 Al-Sijzi mentions spiral-shaped lao A li lines in his Ii ‘ioda ii me P
P onir irj f 2b, see tootm te 3(1 and it atit cci s i om is de crqt ion ti a tie
‘Onst 2 ii lit I
curse in best ion is the cylindrieal helix, not I ii sui ci of trehirnedes c Miihii n
ord ng to Proel is’ omrnentarm to the P itoo i cc ha h is iut known tc h sac
hr en translated ii to Ardhic liii or ci a as st u led in mti ui s by tpc llonii
of Perga an I by (ieminus Proelus pp, Sn, I hO a
32 rnkha ii, from Persian at mA hoyt / S ujir Ia I me I do not kn
1 ilir I I
what eurve this is I know of only one oth i o corn nec o this tei in ir 1 ie
mathematical text mm emely in the following pass ege in thr ( coo dito r Sl ) 3 2
in Dieteriei s edit ion of the Li IP i-s of the Iichcs an al Sama - smong the ig t e i 1imtt
ores there is a ficrure anile ci egg si aped h t y imf me ‘aIled irs em c It
 .1 P IIOGKNI)I Jr
h ii i
30
The last sentence is no (eat’ hot isster-t m, oat os-”snse
way in the late tenth century A. 1). and he made similar state in I
that tu(s pira 1 1 ( ha n
occasions.
‘“

ments on several 34
‘

another, it follows that (hr ult o circa ps ,>t a a ii dra cv ,iiorc

2. In the beginning of the treatise there is a long marginal ‘i’d”) eat c tth
and consisting of a lengthy than one’ line parallel to a ci rest line, Tint tic
note, extending over several ‘v 1-
1 have not been able to iluclid’s amous prall i 1 it it ‘

discussion of the concept of a point.

rtini (972—I 048) also coat ai,n o tint to hs’ Ifs t lost si Ot’ d his
identify the treatise from which the note was taken: the note is-
contemporaries doubted (In t r it h d i In pan ‘ill”) cc-I 1
a .
5t
‘ste’
somewhat similar to hut much longer than the discussion of a (1
‘l’hus Al-Ilindi’s I rco Ii 1 1
point in Ihn al-Hayt ham’s (‘omrn1ary or 1/a Pr intcs of Eu
‘
‘

long to the prehist ür\ of isoj hi,efok ,ssi 4’t 05 t

clid.
3. Question ,59, which begins on 18:2 and continues in the mar
gin, involves the hyperbola and its asymptote. The text runs:
How is it possible that if some point is assumed on the cone
37
and if there is drawn a line to t he line of the conic) section
,
38 / T/ pot ‘‘d/
that it approaches it, hut does not meet it, and whenever theii 11155’
pies, IlsOitir
B, Bs’s,-el-Hacen, (I ,,
5 Qt:r:t’— 4)1 ,,sil,,r,: o’ .50’’,
extensions increase, tlwv approach each other but, never meet
‘:

gelmsilliszcn Vsc’r’zehnflachssc’t Q’i 3, 1 /

nO I’) ‘
‘,,‘‘ ,/ ‘ r ho
That is (possible), if a point is marked on one of the asymptotes /10 in s/i, 4 s/nt si -, ‘its ‘1 (1

of the (conic) section, and if there is drawn a line parallel to the 8. Brent je’s Do’ s ste his I isa n 10 ‘ti it i’s I’ ott —
other (asymptote). Then, no matter how small the distance is be Zablentht’orit’ ibi sno tOt-n at Ia Os’s Ohs It ISO/S tOt It. its) tim ‘n in
tiken Schi iftc’n, Jo a, I I 081 151 °t
tween it and the common point (of the two asymptotes), that line sp5ttai
11 Bin ni Ab t 1-k ivi 0 a I
will meet the conic section. Further, whenever th line of the
‘

1/I / /t’) 1,t i’,’ 0/’) 0 I, Itt) 5(1111 5)0 ,ijtt’ It’,: ‘it , it 534,1,
(conic) section and the asymptote are more distant from the com
‘‘‘-

translation by B, l{anisia \\ 1 JIlt. L ‘ndon 1,434

mon point of the two (asymptotes), they will approach each NI. ( urt 1, Inn ii 3 i r a I 7’ //

t
other, and the distance between them will he less, hut they do 01 0/1 1 (. in) ps /1 1 1 0) ,l 3) us
to Jsu’/idis Opt ro Utn fl /, t&l I 5/100551, II 5
5 t
/‘15
not meet. /
F’, l)ietc net, ])tt P/i :0 0)14 1 I 0! (7 , I,, N 7 7 5)
This may also be possible (on -qad ?Ja/cu flu (lholcka ) for two o0k P /1 I’ a
3 Do’ Pr>j i t
parallel lines if one imagines the distance between them divided print Hildesfseins 1909:, t,’ 4 I 11,/ 1-’, 10

indefinitely. Then they also approach hut do not meet.’’ ,lit,sfl”ihf,

zns’iO’r OH I 105)51 lc’tI 1.i 1)1150 1555/, tpi ifl5 II ‘t “I ttt’ ¶1119
1)bB )/e!t( tort 0 P nI I jr it, ‘, 1,47
198(1, 14 soB. th P1 1 11 -I 1/

Ba Lio’q/osr, 1/tO “I I’I’iiti ii, 0 ,‘/) ‘ufl I ‘it)’ •‘ r “

n bee llocendijk. Heptaizon. pp. 249. 254, 27 note 1. :,

C;As Sc’s F’, St’zgir

‘I’he marginal remark should be read in the till lowing order: p. 10 right 3)
‘1’. L Hsstl Ajol n ‘

side, top of page; p. :33 top of page, left side, bottom of page; p. 16 hotton of
‘

page: i. richt side, top of pare: p. 17 top of page. left side, bottom of P F)’ ilcas F’’’ I, : slat ion
>
‘I’he text wa tin-’ 01cc) lie (t,
pace: p. 34 buttons of pace: p. 18 top of pace: p. 19 top of pace. left side, 01 0), l’s ma ,-a’ 1 stt (0
‘.ec’ I1oic nfel I anti ‘3u lik i ‘I)
The remark was written by Al-Hinds eompase page 112 line 4.
36 (AS V 370, 28; see Sude pp. 27—30. Its arms ig n pjt 8 >0
in a mas’cinal remark 1/ fl: tit 1,51st’ 11’ i50Jt1\ 4 110,1: .0,5”' 551’
> This should probably he: section of thee cons’,
tine stOteflWiit tHat 511:55 o’t’t to oslosis a) ‘II ‘‘. n .,/,Ho/ loOts us
> In ancient and Arabic-Islamic geometry the c’onr ) section is solne’times
tiamin I is ins lie Is it (I in ‘I ‘ it I, s -

considered to be part of the plane inside th cone that produces- the section,
‘

Os Is It 1)5
acme two s raigh lsnc s ccl ‘0 11 s’S
and therclhre the ‘‘line’ of the section’’ is- the curve that we would call the N (s’S “ a ii v ssesl iii
meet’’ p. l(tt. lines 14-15 to ‘so 51101 goi s rscto ‘10
tonic “eetiofl Al-flinch doc’s not say anywhere that the conic’ section in ques
,s’i ‘1 I o
,

tOt fsags sent of 41 Ibrursi 11/ ,

ion is a hyperbola, nor does ht explain what an asysnptot e is.

 32 JA p, H )Oi)i.J K

I. L, heath Euclid, tin t/lir6 n boo/n of tin Eu mi nm New York 1)over re

piint( 1956. .1 ‘olh,
‘F. L. heath, .1 h i,slorq o (ri k inolin unitS Oxford 1921. 2 vols,
..

10. ron of All xandria’ Hi ronft Al .ra ndri ru Opi ia quau .sopu ii ot own io Vol
IV’ Iii ion is thjin jtonr .s con) rau os (0111 r’hioi ‘bii Ui ron is qoai ft ru rtu r
çnonririro. ed. .1. L. hleiherg, Leipzig 1912.
1)AS KAPITFL if II Z Hi EN 511 5)111 H I S l

al ‘Hind, Muhammad i hn Alt iOn Abdallãh Probk ins of P/i ulmop/uij (lurna
/ FJ3( 131£ 1LV 1)1 11 11 (A )P 11’ (
a1’fatsofS), ed. F. Sezgin, Frankfurt 1985 Publications of the Institute br I N I
thu Hitorv of Arahic’Islarnic Science 8eries ( Vol. 19.
J. P. hlogendik, Rearranging the rnathematiuul and wit ronoinical manusr ript
Bankipore 2468. Journal for 1h History of Arabic Bra mi 6 1982 1 33 159.
J. P. Hogendijk, Oreek and Arabic construct ions of the regular heptagon. 1 I)ie Abhandlung Prt’; Ito utl 1 /Si /u .iiij Ii tilt \it iifl sill 5.
a
hire /01 Jlmstvrq of E.ruct ei ((lOIS 30 I 984 197 330
1khwn aI’Safa (Brethren of 1 1 ‘All S ‘AbdailOli al Hit It. IS 5° ii 1 35 i hi t kit o it’d
urity), Ita,sa il 1kb 0)1(0 at fafa tol KI wit at’
l)in al-Zirikli. ( airo I 92s. vol. 1. Scotia ala Ant/mgi apt t Ii urn 1 ISa it I n 1 tnt to (sO’
al-Kh krizrni, .h0 ‘Ahdallah Muhammad ihn \hmad ibn ‘rnsui
al’Katib,
sehiehte tier’ Arahisch’ 1’sIari,i’.i’hm’n Vt’ Oco n’o’h
ut
5 I oikf’urt
Libi r Plo fotih ot’Olu in ed (S van Vloten. Lcidt n 1968 (r pr nI a. ff1 ais Fk tnt h [1
of the 1895 l’t i r a tgt a c S u S it .

edition i.
die Uesehiehte der ff1 at hcmii’ut iS i Ic’s niarnuschon 41 itt t’f I e “s urn
Neugeha tier I h i,’etor 1/ of aiiro hi oio(h 1 01 at lu! Ii ‘110(10(11 1/ \
0I’k 1 975 em weiteres t’nzykiopa(i ‘I’ll
3 vols. \Bt’i’f’. (1 .\ oi a a S 11 U 1’
Pr’oulus .1 / 0111011 nlori, on tin £1.51 Book of Euclid’s ES on n/s. tranAated bekannt. I as ei’te 4uu1 i uS ii’ ii Ic t uc aS mien
with
introcluct ion and notes hv U. 11. Morrow. Princeton 1970. phiiosophisc’hen Enzvkl opSulit 1st uSa Z iii S of iiocr’’,. a iou 1
B 4, Rozenfeld, A. 1>. Ytischkevitc’h, 7roria paralli /nikh juno no ,sr din Es soil ‘n dci v ii e Ic 4 5 r 1 c a it ii
s a
twain i’ostok Jx’xJ V ci’. Moscos 1983,
,

non Quelleri uSher tinter ua hi a it tlen, I )ar’<utt an i’n ri t u’what

F’. Sezgin (So/c Oh/s des a ia h/n iou ,S,’h ri/il o ins. vol.5’. Mo//i nmmubl
.
-

ik his ru, zungen fiber’ die Bedeut ung do B utsur diwic i 1’ irn 1’ ago’ tic fur
130 H. Leiden fBrilI) 1974.
13. 11. Sutle. I/ui ‘i/’Ha,jthorn Sit ( to hihi It Z tic I a 1r
‘. (‘Oflhhhil 0/011/ Ofl fbi prm iii (SOs of Eiu’f it ‘ LII
un mi/s. Books 1— VI. Thesis. Princeton tnivers
itv 1974.
If. Wirdeinann, Bt’itrkgu 7ur (iusuhihtr der N sturwicon’nsuliaften XIV
1
Uher die (ieometrie anti Arithrnetik riach ilen Mafatbh aI- UlUrn. BilZui TI//c’
1 I i/n /t /ftr 101 011 L if ru.
hi ririi/i dir p/imj.siko/isi’b’rni (lizifl iscinn Bozi tat u Erlanq’ Ii
40 1 91)8 up. 1
p Ju/ /1
Si’ if ii ii ii 1 /n
1 29, reprinted in B. Wiedemann, AufFi’itzr air arab sc/on Wi,ss( nsr ha/ti .1

qi sdi oh S vol 1 (Hildeslieun 1 970f, pp. 400 428.

0.. Williams, Th r/sornulro’o/ Iaundofiomi 0/ mia/ral ,strmm,’tmirr Nest 4ork 1)ei’ iirrliei’en Fount rmacIi a ‘ii liinilu f/ui arid hint, iii I’ ageri ‘

(Dover reprint 1979. und Antwort cn egh dt t 1) c alt 14 iqO/a ii’ Sr hi ci iS”
umlaut in dci 55 ank iii iS tin c F lit in In su i i, u I m 1 4.
Sic wendet sieb. ouch irnt’r Sun ic’mi Finici / lltrn, iiitioi hat ‘iindIe’
gender Fr agn i a i i. 1 m Ii ma I i a It iu a
phiachen Wisaensc’haltcri Ic/ni eI’Icn, Al 5 cm flit’s Ira tt ‘nF 1 {iti I a as

‘s Km Sudi S ‘ n”t ItIi 41 / K I

33. 1)l)R’7(u27 Ll’ilmZii i’ioau bS’OI’c’ 11111 Ri ii’tchis
, (0

ah’hlindr Slu mum iad do Ii i ii ‘41 0 b

b b I ‘cl
‘.
1.’ /
uuil i I at s’sij , i d I ‘s ,.r i I’ S ‘i V I 1 1’ 1 i i
titutt’ ii’ the Ihisorl (lb A,ru,t Ic I ‘b,,miv a iiiu c ii, I .1, Si
2 Eine
t’ntt i”sucht ng Ic i m’ K p •ti 1- lii 1 ‘111 1 ic , . .1 is iii’
(feoru et n I ha i At gil 1 Ii if b S