Subject: Re: [HM] Pythagorean Theorem
From: Bernd Buldt (Bernd.Buldt@uni-konstanz.de)
Date: Fri Mar 10 2000 - 03:09:18 EST
dear all,
earlier than 1743 or even 5th century's proclus is diogenes laertius'
"lifes of philosophers" (approx. 1st half of the 3rd century). ch.
VIII of this book is devoted to the life and the doctrines of
pythagoras and his theorem is mentioned in at least three paragraphs.
§viii.12: the story about sacrificing an ox on discovering the proof;
§viii.14: the term "pythagoerean theorem" is mentioned (at least in
my german translation -- i don't have the greek original on my
shelves); §viii.21 tells the reader, that not only his philos.
doctrines (cf. viii.8) but also his math. wisdom was revealed to him
by a delphian priestess named themistokleia. finally i should
mention that diogenes relies on earlier sources here and throughout,
but that these texts are -- with exceptions that prove the rule --
lost.
regards, bb
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