Molther

Abstract

In the same year as Kepler’s World harmony a book by a much lesser known mathematician was published in Frankfurt. It was entitled

The Delian problem of doubling the cube, that is, given any solid, to make a similar solid in a given ratio, by means of the second Mesolabum, by which two continuously proportional means can be obtained. Now at last easily and geometrically solved after innumerous attempts of the most eminent mathematicians. The history of the problem is given first and some results are added about the trisection of an angle, the construction of a heptagon, the quadrature of the circle and two very convenient designs of proportional instruments.¹

[Molther 1619] titlepage: “Problema Deliacum de cubi duplicatione, hoc est de quorumlibet solidorum, interventu Mesolabii secundi, quo duae capiantur mediae continue proportionates sub data ratione similium fabrica. Nunc tandem post infinitos praestantissimorum mathematicorum conatus expedite et geometrice solutum. Ubi historia problematis praemittitur, et simul nonnulla de anguli trisectione, heptagoni fabrica, circulique quadratura et duabus commodissimis instrumentorum proportionum formis inserentur.” Doubling the cube was called the “Delian problem” because of a tradition that people from Delos were once told by an oracle to double their altar.

Molther, born in 1591, was professor of Medicine at Marburg, his date of death is unknown; cf. [Bos 1993b] p. 29.