كتاب أبلونيوس في المخروطات Kitāb Abulūnīyūs fī al-makhrūṭāt Apollonius of Perga أبلونيوس

Content

Arabic version of the Conics (Κωνικά; كتاب المخروطات) by Apollonius of Perga (Ἀπολλώνιος; أبلونيوس; fl ca 200 BC). Originally in eight books, only Books 1 to 4 survive in the original Greek; Books 1 to 7 are preserved in Arabic. The edition is called Taḥrīr makhrūṭāt (تحرير مخروطات), indicating that this is the edition (تحرير) by Naṣīr al-Dīn al-Ṭūsī (d. 1274; see f. 181, line 5 and Sezgin, Geschichte des arabischen Schrifttums , vol. 5, p. 141), based on the translation made for the Banū Mūsá (fl. 9th century; see f. 42r, line 9).

This copy was completed in Ramaḍān 1198/July-August 1784 (see colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. on f. 204v, transcribed below), probably for Warren Hastings, Governor-General of Bengal from 1772-1785. The script, ornamentation and binding of the volume indicate that it is part of a set comprising manuscripts IO Islamic 923 and IO Islamic 1249.

Contents:

• المقالة الأولى (Book 1; ff. 1v-42r);
• المقالة الثانية (Book 2; ff. 42r-67v);
• المقالة الثالثة (Book 3; ff. 67v-104v);
• المقالة الرابعة (Book 4; ff. 104v-121v);
• المقالة الخامسة (Book 5; ff. 121v-159v);
• المقالة السادسة (Book 6; ff. 159v-181v);
• المقالة السابعة (Book 7; ff. 181v-204v).

The diagrams referred to in the text are found on fold outs placed near the end of each book (ff. 41r, 66r, 103r, 120r, 158r, 180r and 196r).

There is an unfoliated blank leaf between ff. 195 and 196, and the text resumes with a basmallah on f. 197r after the diagrams on f. 196r, both of which features give the appearance that a new book begins on f. 197r. Since, however, there is no colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. at the end of the text on f. 195v and the colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. on fol. 204v (transcribed below) indicates the end of the Conics, the text on ff. 197r-204v is either a continuation of Book 7, basmallah notwithstanding, or a postscript.

The colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. on f. 204v is followed by further geometrical proposition by the hand of the copyist. Its relation to the rest of the text is unclear.

Between front papers i and ii are a fragment of the spine and loose leaf of paper bearing a brief note in Persian.

Begins (f. 1v, lines 1-2):

المقالة الأولى من كتاب أبلونيوس في المخروطات ستون شكلًا

الخط الواصل من رأس المخروط وأيته نقط على بسيطه يقع على بسيط

Ends (f. 204v, lines 1-2):

مربعهما أعظم من فصل ما بين مربعي رح ومنتصبه ومبين أيضًا أن فصل ما بين مربعي

ي ط ومنتصبه أعظم من فصل ما بين مربعي ث خ ومنتصبه ...

Colophon Section at the end of a manuscript text. (f. 204v, lines 2-3):

... تم المخروطات يست (؟) ويكم (؟)

رمضان المبارك سنة 1198 هجري مقدس

Extent and format

Codex A collection of pages, usually gathered into quires, and bound between covers. ; ff. vi+205+viii; one loose leaf at front

Physical characteristics

Material: Paper

Dimensions: 216 x 136 mm leaf [125 x 80 mm written]

Foliation: British Museum foliation in pencil; there is an unfoliated leaf between ff. 195 and 196, so although the last foliated leaf is numbered 204, there are in fact 205 folios

Ruling: Misṭarah ; 11 lines per page; vertical spacing 9 lines per 10 cm

Script: Nasta‘līq

Ink: Black ink, with rubricated headings and overlinings in red

Decoration: Every opening and every page has a border in gold, black and red ink; the first opening (ff. 1v-2r) is extensively illuminated in gold, red, green and blue

Binding: Hybrid binding with European and Islamic-style features; gilt tooled; leather doublure

Condition: Excellent condition; book block re-sewn, boards reattached and spine replaced

Marginalia: Very few and all appear to be by the copyist

Seals: Ff. 1r and 204v

Written in

Arabic, Persian and Farsi in Arabic script

Type

Manuscript

Access & Reference

Original held at

British Library: Oriental Manuscripts

Access conditions

Unrestricted

Archive reference

IO Islamic 924

History of this record

Date(s)

Ramaḍān 1198 (AH, Hijri qamari)

Context of creation

India

Immediate source of acquisition

East India Company Library

Related material

Finding aids

Loth, Otto, A Catalogue of the Arabic Manuscripts in the Library of the India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. (London : Printed by order of the Secretary of State for India in Council, 1877), Item 745, p. 218

Select Bibliography

Edition of Original Greek text and Arabic version:

• Apollonius de Perge, Coniques: Texte grec et arabe etabli, traduit et commenté , 6 vols, Roshdi Rashed, Micheline Decorps-Foulquier, and Michel Federspiel, eds (Berlin: De Gruyter, 2008-2009)

Study:

• Sezgin, Fuat, Geschichte des arabischen Schrifttums , vol. 5 (Leiden: Brill, 1971). pp. 136-143

Subjects

Geometry--Early works to 1800

People & organisations

Naṣīr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn Muḥammad Ṭūsīof Perga ApolloniusWarren Hastings

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كتاب أبلونيوس في المخروطات Kitāb Abulūnīyūs fī al-makhrūṭāt Apollonius of Perga أبلونيوس, British Library: Oriental Manuscripts, IO Islamic 924, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100022532234.0x000001> [accessed 25 November 2024]

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