Top 40 Archimedes Quotes

Compilation of memorable reflections of Archimedes, ancient Greek mathematician.

Archimedes of Syracuse was considered one of the most important intellectual figures of ancient Greece, working in physics, astronomy, engineering and, for what he was most recognized, engineering.Archimedes of Syracuse was considered one of the most important intellectuals of ancient Greece, working in physics, astronomy, engineering and, for which he was most recognized, mathematics.

Among his most outstanding works are the foundations of hydrostatics and statics, as well as being the first to approximate almost exactly the number Pi.

In this article you will find a selection of the best phrases of Archimedescommented.

Great phrases of Archimedes

Thanks to his work, we were able to obtain the first knowledge of mathematics and physics. A curiosity of this character is that he is attributed the term Eureka! which expresses the enthusiasm of deciphering something.

Due to his importance as a historical and inspirational figure, we will now take a look at some of Archimedes' most remarkable quotes.

1. Eureka!

A popular phrase to express satisfaction when we find the answer to something.. Its history is quite interesting since it is said that Archimedes ran naked through his bath excited to discover that he could measure the density of objects by measuring the displacement of an object through water with respect to its weight. All said by Vitruvius Pollio.

2. Give me a foothold and I will move the earth.

Showing confidence in his ability to discover complex things about the world.

3. I learn that some, be they my contemporaries or my successors, by means of the method, once established, will also be able to discover other theorems, which have not yet occurred to me.

Talk about the ability to discover more things from the method of mechanics.

4. There are things that seem unbelievable to most men who have not studied mathematics.

Mathematics governs almost everything in the world.. From shapes to sounds.

5. I will state the first theorem that I came to know through mechanics, namely, that any segment of a right-angled section of a cone (i.e., a parabola) is four-thirds of the triangle having the same base and equal height.

A reference to how he would begin his work and the texts that would be included in it.

6. Man has always learned from the past.

It is necessary to learn the lessons of our past to build a better future.

7. From the last proposition it follows immediately that the center of gravity of any triangle is at the intersection of the lines drawn from any two angles to the midpoints of the opposite sides, respectively.

A reference to his approach to gravity in a triangular space.

8. He who tried and did not succeed is superior to he who did not try.

By trying something, even if one does not succeed in achieving it, it is possible to have a small satisfaction. Instead of being burdened with the regret of not having done it.

9. The diameter of the earth is greater than the diameter of the moon and the diameter of the sun is greater than the diameter of the earth.

A sample of his work with respect to astronomy.

10. In any triangle, the center of gravity lies on the straight line joining any angle with the midpoint of the opposite side.

A reference to how gravity works within a space.

11. Those who pretend to discover everything, but find no proof, may be considered to have actually pretended to discover the impossible.

One can always make an approximation of something by knowing it.. But sometimes the truth can remain a mystery.

12. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line.

Straight lines are a quick path to a point.

13. Rise above yourself and take in the world.

Keep an open mind and remain open to the curiosities of the world.

14. This procedure is ... no less useful even for the demonstration of the theorems themselves; for certain things were first made clear to me by a mechanical method, though afterwards they had to be demonstrated by geometry.

Things may have an origin but they can also be derived in other ways.

15. After all, you can't learn history in reverse!

We can't go into the past, only forward.

16. He who knows how to speak also knows when to be silent.

It is not only necessary to be sure of knowing what to say, but also when to remain silent.

17. I did it!

The way we can translate Eureka!

18. I am convinced that the method of mechanical theorems will be very useful for mathematics.

For Archimedes, everything has a certain relationship with mathematics.

19. A backward glance is worth more than a forward one.

By looking back we can analyze our failures in order to better overcome an obstacle.

20. Any body immersed in a liquid experiences a vertical and upward thrust equal to the weight of the liquid displaced.

About the effect of water on objects.

21. Who knows what to do, also knows when.

Sometimes it is necessary to wait for the right momentinstead of being the fastest.

22. The center of gravity of any hemisphere is on the straight line which is its axis, and divides that straight line in such a way that the portion adjacent to the surface of the hemisphere has to the remaining portion the ratio that 5 has to 3.

His discovery of gravity in triangles later allowed him to create theories about gravity between distances.

23. Certain things, although at first they are made clear to me using mechanical devices, then they must be proved geometrically, because that method does not provide authentic demonstrations.

Geometry makes it possible to have a visualization of theories.

24. The magnitudes are in equilibrium at distances reciprocally proportional to their weights.

Equilibrium is achieved by balancing the weights similarly.

25. Mathematics reveals its secrets only to those who approach it with pure love, for its own beauty.

Passion for mathematics.

26. Play is a fundamental condition for being serious.

We cannot take everything to heart, it is also necessary to have a gambler's spirit.

27. I will give each of the other theorems investigated by the same method. Then, at the end of the book, I will give the proofs of the geometrical propositions.

Another reference to the way you would put your book together and how it ends.

28. The center of gravity of any parallelogram lies on the straight line joining the midpoints of the opposite sides.

Equilibrium makes it possible to maintain a proper inflow between points.

29. Dreams are the hopes of fools.

It is good to dream, but not to cling to illusions.

Aristarchus of Samos published a book containing some hypotheses, in which the premises led to the result that the size of the universe is many times superior to what now receives this name.

Referring to the work of one of his predecessors.

31. Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum to put it on, and I will move the world.

Referring to the way in which he can explain various natural phenomena.

32. Of course, if we have previously acquired, through the mechanical method, a certain knowledge of the problems, it is easier to find the demonstrative way.

For Archimedes, the mechanical method is the principle of many sciences.

33. Do not disturb my circles.

Never stop to criticize other people's passions.

34. The center of gravity of any cone is the point that divides its axis so that the portion adjacent to the vertex is threefold.

Another reference to how gravity works.

35. I thought it convenient... to explain in detail in the same book the peculiarity of a certain method, by which it will be possible... to investigate some of the problems of mathematics by means of mechanics.

Archimedes tried to be as detailed as he could in his book.

36. Every body immersed in a liquid experiences a vertical and upward thrust equal to the weight of the liquid dislodged.

Speaking about his discovery of the motion that objects achieve when they touch water.

37. How many theorems of geometry that at first seemed impracticable were successfully solved!

Things that seemed unattainable before can now be part of everyday life.

38. Equal weights at equal distances are in equilibrium and equal weights at unequal distances are not in equilibrium, but lean toward the weight at the greater distance.

To maintain correct equilibrium, the objects must share the same qualities.

39. Two magnitudes, whether commensurable or incommensurable, balance at distances reciprocally proportional to the magnitudes.

It does not matter if the elements have differences between them, as long as they maintain some similarities in weight and distance.

40. His hypotheses are that the fixed stars and the Sun remain motionless, that the Earth revolves around the Sun in the circumference of a circle, with the Sun situated in the center of the orbit, and that the sphere of the fixed stars, situated around the same center as the Sun, is so large that the circle in which the Earth is supposed to revolve is in the same proportion to the distance of the fixed stars as the center of the sphere is to its surface.

About the work of Aristarchus of Samos, which represented an innovation for the astronomy of the time.