The Mechanical Problems in the Corpus of Aristotle

Authors

Thomas Nelson Winter, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Comments

Copyright © 2007 Thomas N. Winter.

Abstract

This is a translation of the Mechanical Problems from the TLG Greek text. That it survives in the corpus of Aristotle has been prima facie evidence that Aristotle was the author, although there are many problems with this attribution. At many places I found indications that the date of the work was apt for Aristotle. But eventually, I saw a connection in Vitruvius (as described in the brief essay included here as “Who Wrote the Mechanical Problems in the Corpus of Aristotle”) that led to a conviction of the author's true identity. To “cut to the chase,” I conclude that the likeliest author of the Mechanical Problems is Archytas of Tarentum.

In addition to the translation and the essay on the authorship of the work, the complete Greek text (from Aristotelis Opera, ex recensione Immanuelis Bekkeri) is attached as a supplemental file.