The Arithmetical Philosophy of Nicomachus of Gersa - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1916. Excerpt: ... THE ARITHMETICAL PHILOSOPHY OF NICOMACHUS OF GERASA Although Nicomachus is frequently mentioned by other writers, our knowledge of his life is limited to three details. He flourished about 100 A.D., a date fixed by the facts, first, that in his Enchiridion harmonikon, Nicomachus mentions a certain Thrasyllus seemingly, identical with Thrasyllus of Mendes who died about 36 A.D.; and, second, that L. Apuleius, born 125 A.D., translated Nicomachus's works into Latin during the reign of the Antonines. Then, according to Pappus, Nicomachus was a Pythagorean, and, finally, his native place was Gerasa, probably the modern Jerash, about 56 miles northeast of Jerusalem. Two treatises bear the name of Nicomachus, the Introductionis arithmetic ce libri duo and the Enchiridion harmonikon. The former is the basis of the present essay. A third treatise called Theologoummq, arithmetica is anonymous but is probably the work of Nicomachus. All three are written in Greek. The philosophical school to which Nicomachus belonged was Neo-Pythagoreanism. This was part of that eclectic This eFsay is based on a translation, with introduction and notes, of the pi6liriTi.K claayarrfi of Nicomachus of Gerasa, prepared by the writer in 1911, accepted as part fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Ph.D., and deposited in the Library of the University of Pennsylvania, where it may be consulted. The translation is of the Greek text edited by Bichard Hoche (Nicomachi Geraseni Pythagorei introductions arithmetical libri II, rec. Bicardus Hpche, Leipzig, 1866) and the notes make use of the material found in the commentaries of Iamblichus (Iamblichi in Nicomachi arithmetic, introduct. lib. ed. H. Pistelli, Leipzig, 1894), Philoponus ('Iwdvvov ypannaTiKou 'AXefavSptus, Tou piofiAvo...