Ἐὰν δύο ἀριθμοὶ πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὦσιν, καὶ πολλαπλασιάσας ἑκάτερος ἑαυτὸν ποιῇ τινα, οἱ γενόμενοι ἐξ αὐτῶν πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔσονται, κἂν οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοὺς γενομένους πολλαπλασιάσαντες ποιῶσί τινας, κἀκεῖνοι πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἔσονται [καὶ ἀεὶ περὶ τοὺς ἄκρους τοῦτο συμβαίνει]. Ἔστωσαν δύο ἀριθμοὶ πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους οἱ Α, Β, καὶ ὁ Α ἑαυτὸν μὲν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Γ ποιείτω, τὸν δὲ Γ πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Δ ποιείτω, ὁ δὲ Β ἑαυτὸν μὲν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε ποιείτω, τὸν δὲ Ε πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ζ ποιείτω: λέγω, ὅτι οἵ τε Γ, Ε καὶ οἱ Δ, Ζ πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ οἱ Α, Β πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν, καὶ ὁ Α ἑαυτὸν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Γ πεποίηκεν, οἱ Γ, Β ἄρα πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν. ἐπεὶ οὖν οἱ Γ, Β πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν, καὶ ὁ Β ἑαυτὸν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε πεποίηκεν, οἱ Γ, Ε ἄρα πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν. πάλιν, ἐπεὶ οἱ Α, Β πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν, καὶ ὁ Β ἑαυτὸν πολλαπλασιάσας τὸν Ε πεποίηκεν, οἱ Α, Ε ἄρα πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν. ἐπεὶ οὖν δύο ἀριθμοὶ οἱ Α, Γ πρὸς δύο ἀριθμοὺς τοὺς Β, Ε ἀμφότεροι πρὸς ἑκάτερον πρῶτοί εἰσιν, καὶ ὁ ἐκ τῶν Α, Γ ἄρα γενόμενος πρὸς τὸν ἐκ τῶν Β, Ε πρῶτός ἐστιν. καί ἐστιν ὁ μὲν ἐκ τῶν Α, Γ ὁ Δ, ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῶν Β, Ε ὁ Ζ. οἱ Δ, Ζ ἄρα πρῶτοι πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἰσίν: ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
If two numbers be prime to one another, and each by multiplying itself make a certain number, the products will be prime to one another; and, if the original numbers by multiplying the products make certain numbers, the latter will also be prime to one another [and this is always the case with the extremes]. Let A, B be two numbers prime to one another, let A by multiplying itself make C, and by multiplying C make D, and let B by multiplying itself make E, and by multiplying E make F; I say that both C, E and D, F are prime to one another. For, since A, B are prime to one another, and A by multiplying itself has made C, therefore C, B are prime to one another. [VII. 25] Since then C, B are prime to one another, and B by multiplying itself has made E, therefore C, E are prime to one another. [id.] Again, since A, B are prime to one another, and B by multiplying itself has made E, therefore A, E are prime to one another. [id.] Since then the two numbers A, C are prime to the two numbers B, E, both to each, therefore also the product of A, C is prime to the product of B, E. [VII. 26] And the product of A, C is D, and the product of B, E is F.