Jan de Witt’s Elementa Curvarum Linearum, Liber Primus

Frontmatter

1. Introduction

Abstract

1. Almost every Dutch person knows that the famous Dutch statesman Jan de Witt (1625–1672) was Grand Pensionary of Holland and that he was murdered in a gruesome way by a mob, together with his two-yearsolder brother Cornelis. The murder took place on August 20, 1672, at Het Groene Zoodje, (now known as de Plaats) in the centre of the Hague. A statue on the spot serves to keep his memory alive.

Albert W. Grootendorst

2. Summary

Abstract

In this summary the theorems and their corollaries are given without proofs, restated in our modern notation. In Liber Primus Jan de Witt operates purely verbally, without using our common symbols +, -,×,:, =, etc.

Albert W. Grootendorst

3. Latin text and translation

Abstract

The Ancients have, at least in my opinion, passed down in a sufficiently clear way the true and essential nature and the principal properties of the straight lines, the angles enclosed by them, the rectilineal figures that arise from them, and the circles.

Albert W. Grootendorst

4. Annotations to the translation

Abstract

Obviously, the other straight line is supposed to preserve its direction.

Albert W. Grootendorst

Backmatter