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Constructions for inscribed and circumscribed figures: Book 4 Proposition 1

Translations

Εἰς τὸν δοθέντα κύκλον τῇ δοθείσῃ εὐθείᾳ μὴ μείζονι οὔσῃ τῆς τοῦ κύκλου διαμέτρου ἴσην εὐθεῖαν ἐναρμόσαι. Ἔστω ὁ δοθεὶς κύκλος ὁ ΑΒΓ, ἡ δὲ δοθεῖσα εὐθεῖα μὴ μείζων τῆς τοῦ κύκλου διαμέτρου ἡ Δ. δεῖ δὴ εἰς τὸν ΑΒΓ κύκλον τῇ Δ εὐθείᾳ ἴσην εὐθεῖαν ἐναρμόσαι. Ἤχθω τοῦ ΑΒΓ κύκλου διάμετρος ἡ ΒΓ. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἴση ἐστὶν ἡ ΒΓ τῇ Δ, γεγονὸς ἂν εἴη τὸ ἐπιταχθέν: ἐνήρμοσται γὰρ εἰς τὸν ΑΒΓ κύκλον τῇ Δ εὐθείᾳ ἴση ἡ ΒΓ. εἰ δὲ μείζων ἐστὶν ἡ ΒΓ τῆς Δ, κείσθω τῇ Δ ἴση ἡ ΓΕ, καὶ κέντρῳ τῷ Γ διαστήματι δὲ τῷ ΓΕ κύκλος γεγράφθω ὁ ΕΑΖ, καὶ ἐπεζεύχθω ἡ ΓΑ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸ Γ σημεῖον κέντρον ἐστὶ τοῦ ΕΑΖ κύκλου, ἴση ἐστὶν ἡ ΓΑ τῇ ΓΕ. ἀλλὰ τῇ Δ ἡ ΓΕ ἐστιν ἴση: καὶ ἡ Δ ἄρα τῇ ΓΑ ἐστιν ἴση. Εἰς ἄρα τὸν δοθέντα κύκλον τὸν ΑΒΓ τῇ δοθείσῃ εὐθείᾳ τῇ Δ ἴση ἐνήρμοσται ἡ ΓΑ: ὅπερ ἔδει ποιῆσαι.

Into a given circle to fit a straight line equal to a given straight line which is not greater than the diameter of the circle. Let ABC be the given circle, and D the given straight line not greater than the diameter of the circle; thus it is required to fit into the circle ABC a straight line equal to the straight line D. Let a diameter BC of the circle ABC be drawn. Then, if BC is equal to D, that which was enjoined will have been done; for BC has been fitted into the circle ABC equal to the straight line D. But, if BC is greater than D, let CE be made equal to D, and with centre C and distance CE let the circle EAF be described; let CA be joined. Then, since the point C is the centre of the circle EAF, CA is equal to CE. But CE is equal to D; therefore D is also equal to CA.