Euclid of Alexandria

Mathematics Greek -325 – -265 267 quotes

Often referred to as the 'Father of Geometry,' his work 'Elements' is one of the most influential mathematical treatises in history.

Quotes by Euclid of Alexandria

Aphorism: The whole exceeds the part, as knowledge exceeds ignorance.

Common notion extension -300

Passage: Pythagorean theorem holds in all right triangles.

Elements, Book I, Prop 47 -300

Letter excerpt: To my pupil, erect your mind as you erect a perpendicular.

Attributed letter -300

Speech: Let us construct not just figures, but understanding.

Academy speech -300

Last words variant: My work is done; the proofs remain.

Deathbed -300

Comeback: Your question bisects my patience; here's the answer.

Anecdote -300

Observation: Irrational lines challenge our finite grasp.

Elements, Book X -300

Reflection: In math, we find the eternal now.

Personal -300

Saying: Parallels teach us of infinite possibilities.

Aphorism -300

Passage: Areas of similar figures are as squares of sides.

Elements, Book VI -300

Excerpt: Dear colleague, the conic sections unfold new worlds.

Letter -300

Quote: Geometry bridges earth and heaven.

Interview -300

Joke: The square root of minus one? A complex character!

Witty -300

Observation: The sphere's volume is two-thirds its circumscribing cylinder.

Elements, Book XII -300

Reflection: Proofs are the poetry of logic.

Personal -300

A plane angle is the inclination of the lines to one another, when two lines meet one another, but not in a straight line.

Elements, Definition 8

And when the lines containing the angle are straight, the angle is called rectilineal.

Elements, Definition 9

Rectilineal figures are those which are contained by straight lines, trilateral figures being those contained by three, quadrilateral those contained by four, and multilateral those contained by more than four straight lines.

Elements, Definition 19

The laws of nature are but the mathematical thoughts of God.

Attributed, but likely apocryphal

What is sought with difficulty is found with delight.

Attributed, but likely apocryphal