Theory of proportions: Book 5 Proposition 22
Translations
Ἐὰν ᾖ ὁποσαοῦν μεγέθη καὶ ἄλλα αὐτοῖς ἴσα τὸ πλῆθος, σύνδυο λαμβανόμενα καὶ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ, καὶ δι' ἴσου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ ἔσται. Ἔστω ὁποσαοῦν μεγέθη τὰ Α, Β, Γ καὶ ἄλλα αὐτοῖς ἴσα τὸ πλῆθος τὰ Δ, Ε, Ζ, σύνδυο λαμβανόμενα ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ, ὡς μὲν τὸ Α πρὸς τὸ Β, οὕτως τὸ Δ πρὸς τὸ Ε, ὡς δὲ τὸ Β πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ Ε πρὸς τὸ Ζ: λέγω, ὅτι καὶ δι' ἴσου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ ἔσται. Εἰλήφθω γὰρ τῶν μὲν Α, Δ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Η, Θ, τῶν δὲ Β, Ε ἄλλα, ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Κ, Λ, καὶ ἔτι τῶν Γ, Ζ ἄλλα, ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Μ, Ν. Καὶ ἐπεί ἐστιν ὡς τὸ Α πρὸς τὸ Β, οὕτως τὸ Δ πρὸς τὸ Ε, καὶ εἴληπται τῶν μὲν Α, Δ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Η, Θ, τῶν δὲ Β, Ε ἄλλα, ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια τὰ Κ, Λ, ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ Η πρὸς τὸ Κ, οὕτως τὸ Θ πρὸς τὸ Λ. διὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ ὡς τὸ Κ πρὸς τὸ Μ, οὕτως τὸ Λ πρὸς τὸ Ν. ἐπεὶ οὖν τρία μεγέθη ἐστὶ τὰ Η, Κ, Μ, καὶ ἄλλα αὐτοῖς ἴσα τὸ πλῆθος τὰ Θ, Λ, Ν, σύνδυο λαμβανόμενα καὶ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ, δι' ἴσου ἄρα, εἰ ὑπερέχει τὸ Η τοῦ Μ, ὑπερέχει καὶ τὸ Θ τοῦ Ν, καὶ εἰ ἴσον, ἴσον, καὶ εἰ ἔλαττον, ἔλαττον. καί ἐστι τὰ μὲν Η, Θ τῶν Α, Δ ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια, τὰ δὲ Μ, Ν τῶν Γ, Ζ ἄλλα, ἃ ἔτυχεν, ἰσάκις πολλαπλάσια. ἔστιν ἄρα ὡς τὸ Α πρὸς τὸ Γ, οὕτως τὸ Δ πρὸς τὸ Ζ. Ἐὰν ἄρα ᾖ ὁποσαοῦν μεγέθη καὶ ἄλλα αὐτοῖς ἴσα τὸ πλῆθος, σύνδυο λαμβανόμενα ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ, καὶ δι' ἴσου ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ λόγῳ ἔσται: ὅπερ ἔδει δεῖξαι.
If there be any number of magnitudes whatever, and others equal to them in multitude, which taken two and two together are in the same ratio, they will also be in the same ratio ex aequali. Let there be any number of magnitudes A, B, C, and others D, E, F equal to them in multitude, which taken two and two together are in the same ratio, so that, as A is to B, so is D to E, and, as B is to C, so is E to F; I say that they will also be in the same ratio ex aequali, . For of A, D let equimultiples G, H be taken, and of B, E other, chance, equimultiples K, L; and, further, of C, F other, chance, equimultiples M, N. Then, since, as A is to B, so is D to E, and of A, D equimultiples G, H have been taken, and of B, E other, chance, equimultiples K, L, therefore, as G is to K, so is H to L. [V. 4] For the same reason also, as K is to M, so is L to N. Since, then, there are three magnitudes G, K, M, and others H, L, N equal to them in multitude, which taken two and two together are in the same ratio, therefore, ex aequali, if G is in excess of M, H is also in excess of N; if equal, equal; and if less, less. [V. 20] And G, H are equimultiples of A, D, and M, N other, chance, equimultiples of C, F. Therefore, as A is to C, so is D to F. [V. Def. 5]