Mathematical Collections (Commandino 1588)

Who has not experienced your liberality and magnificence? Who has felt that you are forgetful of even the smallest favor? That this is so is understood even from this very act: for you have not forgotten that from an early age you progressed greatly in the mathematical disciplines with Commandino as your teacher, and for that reason, you wished to honor both him and his family and his country with the greatest praise, when by your command, your effort, and your money, you ordered Pappus to be brought into the light. By this most singular benefit, you have wiped away our fear that some other person might preempt the role that Commandino had assumed for himself. This is a very great thing; this is most glorious for the author. To this we who depend on him—but especially I, to whom it is of the greatest importance, as I have married one of his daughters (as you know)—owe you as much as it is difficult to repay. But since, due to his death, it was not permitted for him to dedicate this book to your highness, nor was it permitted for me due to those very dissensions (otherwise I would have obeyed his will in this matter, just as I was to obey in all other things), bound by such a great benefit of yours, we have deemed it our duty to declare to you through these letters that we are not unmindful of your excellent goodwill toward our family. For as for returning the favor, there is nothing that we can even contemplate: for considering the magnitude and excellence of your merit toward us, and how different is the order and fortune in which we both move (because you are a most great Lord, and I am a most humble servant), I see that besides my highest goodwill, nothing remains for me for the remuneration of such a great service. This therefore remains, that we pray to God the All-Good and All-Great for a very long and happy life for you. Farewell.

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