TO BOOK 1

As I found that no one before us had written down a proper treatise on the books of Archimedes on Sphere and Cylinder, and seeing that this has not been overlooked because of the ease of the propositions (for they require, as you know, precise attention as well as intelligent insight), I desired, as best I could, to set out clearly those things in it which are difficult to understand; and I was more led to do this by the fact that no one had yet taken up this project, than I was deterred by the difficulty; as I was also reasoning in the Socratic manner that, with god's support, most probably we shall reach the end of my efforts. And third, I thought that, even if, through my youth, something will strike out of tune, this will be made right by your scientific comprehension of philosophy in general, and especially of mathematics; and so I dedicate it to you, Ammonius, the best of philosophers. It would be fitting that you help my effort. And if the book seems to you slight, then do not allow it to go from yourself to anyone else, but if it has not strayed completely off the mark, make your view upon it clear for, if it comes to be established by your own judgment, I shall try to explicate some other of the Archimedean treatises.