Catalog of the Inscriptions of the Library of the Roman College of the Society of Jesus

GIROLAMO CARDANO,

MOST EXCELLENT MATHEMATICIAN, PHILOSOPHIER, AND PHYSICIAN,

THE GREAT ART,

OR, ON ALGEBRAIC RULES,

Book one. Which is also the tenth in order of the whole work on Arithmetic, which he titled THE PERFECT WORK.

GIROLAMO CARDANO What is to be in the future is better original Greek: "ΟΙ ΦΕΡΤΕΡΟΝ Ο ΤΙ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΜΕΛΛΟΝ Ο ΤΙ ΓΕΝΗΣΕΤΑΙ." This motto reflects Cardano’s fascination with both mathematical progress and his lifelong interest in prophecy and the unfolding of time.

You have in this book, diligent Reader, the Algebraic Rules (which the Italians call "of the Thing" Rule of the Thing: original "de la Coſſa," from the Italian "cosa." In early algebra, the unknown variable (our "x") was called "the thing." Hence, algebra was often called the "Cossic Art.") so enriched with new inventions and demonstrations by the Author that, in place of the very few commonly known before, they have now become seventy. Nor do they untie the knot only where one number is equal to another, or two to one, but even where two are equal to two, or three to one Cardano is referring to the degree and complexity of equations. This book famously contained the first published solutions for cubic and quartic equations (equations involving x³ and x⁴).. It was decided to publish this book separately for this reason: so that, once this most abstruse and clearly inexhaustible treasure of all Arithmetic has been brought to light and, as if in a theater, set out for all to see, readers might be encouraged to embrace the remaining books of The Perfect Work (which will be published in volumes) all the more eagerly and learn them with less boredom.

Library of the National Library of Rome, Vittorio Emanuele

Shelfmark: 12-22. I. 16.