80 MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES. 



the Greek mathematicians. Pappus, one of the most celebrated, who, at the 

 close of the fourth century, formed his mathematical collections, was not 

 translated into Latin until the Renaissance. The influence of Boethius upon 

 the progress of the exact sciences in Europe was not destined to survive him> 

 and for more than two centuries mathematics were applied only to architec- 

 ture, hydraulics, and celestial cosmography, with regard to which the most 

 absurd notions were entertained. 



However, science was still worthily represented in the schools of Alexandria 

 and Constantinople. Two geometers belonging to them, Anthemius of 

 Tralles and Eutocius of Ascalon, flourished in the reign of Justinian (527 

 565). The former, busying himself more especially with the problems of 

 mechanics, contributed to the erection of the basilica of St. Sophia at Con- 

 stantinople, and obtained great renown as an architect and sculptor ; the 

 latter, by his commentaries on the mathematical writings of Archimedes and 

 Apollonius of Perga, made them of practical and general utility. 



But it was in the East, and in the very extreme East, that the pursuit of 

 mathematics, applied to the study of astronomy, had acquired the greatest 

 impetus. In China the Mandarin Yhiang noted the eclipses, drew up a 

 catalogue pf the stars, marked the degrees of longitude, and formed a new 

 calendar. In India the first astronomical tables were established by aid of 

 the Send-hind, the sacred book of the Brahmins. The Caliph Al-Mansour 

 ordered these tables to be translated into Arabic. Following his example, 

 the Caliph Haroun Alraschid constituted himself protector of the mathe- 

 matical sciences, which fitted in so well with the genius and tendencies of 

 his people : he had the books of Euclid, Diophantus, Ptolemy, Pliny, and the 

 best mathematicians, astronomers, and cosmographers of Greek and Latin 

 antiquity, translated into Arabic and Syriac. Under the Caliphs the school 

 of Bagdad attracted an immense number of students, who came to learn the 

 exact sciences. Geometry and astronomy were taught concurrently with 

 medicine. It is true that, owing to the prejudices from which even the most 

 eminent in science were subject, all the powers of calculation were employed 

 in the measurement of the sidereal conjunctions, and in stating precisely the 

 action of the moon upon the human body and upon the fecundation of germs. 



From Asia Minor, Greece, and Egypt, the exact sciences passed to the 

 Arab schools of Spain at Cordova, Seville, and Granada, where they were 

 cultivated with much success. Many Jewish rabbis, physicians, and astro- 



