Epigram 9.578

URN
Created on
By
Updated on

Descriptions

#1

On the Conic Sections of Apollonius

Codex Palatinus 23, p.455

Texts

ὧν ἥδε βίβλος ἔνδον ὠδίνω, φίλε,
βαθὺς χαρακτὴρ καὶ περισκελὴς ἄγαν:
δεῖται κολυμβητοῦ δὲ πάντως Δηλίου.
εἰ δ᾽ αὖ κυβιστήσει τις εἰς ἐμοὺς μυχοὺς

καὶ πᾶν μεταλλεύσειεν ἀκριβῶς βάθος,
γεωμετρῶν τὰ πρῶτα λήψεται γέρα,
σοφὸς δ᾽ ἀναμφίλεκτος εἰσκριθήσεται.
τούτων δὲ μάρτυς ἐγγυητής τε Πλάτων:

— Paton edition

Deep, reader, and exceeding hard is the character
of the things wherewith this book is big, and it has
every need of a Delian diver.¹ But if one dive into
its depths and investigate accurately every recess,
he shall gain the first prize in geometry, and be pro-
nounced indisputably a learned man. Plato is witness
and security for this.²

— Paton edition

Cities

Comment

#1

Paton Edition: 1 A proverb used of anything very difficult.

2 By his insistence on the study of geometry.

Alignments

Internal references

External references

Media

Last modifications

Epigram 9.578: Creation of Scholium 9.578.1 by “epheline

Epigram 9.578: Addition of Manuscript 7623 by “epheline

Epigram 9.578: First revision

See all modifications →