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DIOPHANTUS of Alexandria (fl. A.D. 250). Arithmeticorum libri sex, et de numeris multangulis liber unus. Edited by Claude Bachet de Méziriac (1581-1638), commentary by Pierre de Fermat (1601-1665). Toulouse: Bernard Bosc, 1670.
First printing of Fermat’s theorems relating to number theory, in the second edition of Bachet's Diophantus. Fermat owned a copy of the Greek editio princeps of 1621 in which he wrote notes on the mathematical problems posed by Diophantus; he died without any intention of having them published. When his son Claude-Samuel chose to include the annotations in this second printing of the work, he presented the first contribution by a Renaissance mathematician to the theory of numbers and the first step in the invention of differential calculus. The most famous of the 48 observations made by Fermat is the first statement of his celebrated 'Last Theorem', not proven until 1995 when Andrew Wiles, professor of mathematics at Princeton, completed a 130-page proof – Fermat had claimed he knew the proof but lacked the space in the margin to show it. Honeyman 893; Norman 777.
Folio (339 x 220mm). Greek and Latin text in parallel columns, Latin commentary in single column. Engraved title vignette after Rabault, two engraved headpieces, engraved opening initial, woodcut initials and ornaments (some faint waterstaining in upper inner corner, light spotting and browning, a few minor marginal nicks). Contemporary vellum, manuscript title and old shelf labels on spine (slightly bowed with faint stain on lower cover, a minor split and small wormholes in spine); modern blue half morocco box. Provenance: early Italian manuscript shelfmark on front pastedown – D.G.B. (early initials on endpaper).
First printing of Fermat’s theorems relating to number theory, in the second edition of Bachet's Diophantus. Fermat owned a copy of the Greek editio princeps of 1621 in which he wrote notes on the mathematical problems posed by Diophantus; he died without any intention of having them published. When his son Claude-Samuel chose to include the annotations in this second printing of the work, he presented the first contribution by a Renaissance mathematician to the theory of numbers and the first step in the invention of differential calculus. The most famous of the 48 observations made by Fermat is the first statement of his celebrated 'Last Theorem', not proven until 1995 when Andrew Wiles, professor of mathematics at Princeton, completed a 130-page proof – Fermat had claimed he knew the proof but lacked the space in the margin to show it. Honeyman 893; Norman 777.
Folio (339 x 220mm). Greek and Latin text in parallel columns, Latin commentary in single column. Engraved title vignette after Rabault, two engraved headpieces, engraved opening initial, woodcut initials and ornaments (some faint waterstaining in upper inner corner, light spotting and browning, a few minor marginal nicks). Contemporary vellum, manuscript title and old shelf labels on spine (slightly bowed with faint stain on lower cover, a minor split and small wormholes in spine); modern blue half morocco box. Provenance: early Italian manuscript shelfmark on front pastedown – D.G.B. (early initials on endpaper).
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