希腊数学著作的传播

The Transmission of Greek Works in Mathematics

古代希腊是近代自然科学的发祥地之一 ,希腊数学对近代数学的产生和发展有着重要的影响 .公元 5世纪以后 ,希腊文化接连遭受致命打击 ,终于走向衰退 .希腊学术著作屡遭动难 ,绝大部分被焚毁 .那么 ,希腊数学又是怎样被保存下来 ,以及怎样在文艺复兴之前传入欧洲 ,并最终成为近代数学的基础的呢 ?这是数学传播史研究中的一个十分重要的课题 .笔者在以往工作的基础上 ,又深入探掘、研究了大量史料、文献 ,基本搞清了希腊数学著作传播的概况 .本文前两部分先后介绍在科学史上两次大翻译运动中希腊数学著作是怎样相继传入阿拉伯国家和西欧的 ,第三部分阐明拜占庭人对保存和传播希腊数学著作所做的重要贡献 .文中有许多史实 ,特别是关于拜占庭数学的史实 ,不仅在国内一般的数学通史中被忽略 ,而且在相关的专著中也很少见到 .

Ancient Greece is the birthplace of mod er n natural science. Greek mathematics excerted a decisive influence upon emergenc e and development of modern mathematics. Since the 5- th century, Greek cult ure in succession had been subjected to mortal blows, and moved towards decline, and most of Greek classics were destroyed by fire. Then, how Greek mathematics was w ell p reserved and passed to the Europe before the Renaissance, and became bas is of modern mathematics? This is an important question for study of the history of the transmission of mathematics. There are three parts in this paper. In the fir st part it is expounded that how Greek works in mathematics were passed to the A rabs.In the second part it is introduced how Greek mathematics was passed to the Europeans from 1100 to 1300. The Byzantine contribution to the transmission of Gr eek mathematics is discussed in the third part.Some valuable historical material s for Byzantine mathematics are shown in this paper.