De geometria.
The Three Parts of Geometry
Geometry is divided into three branches: planimetry, altimetry, and cosmimetry.
Geometry has three parts: planimetry, altimetry, and cosmimetry.
Planimetry and Altimetry
Planimetry measures length and width on a plane, while altimetry measures height, with the etymological note that 'altum' means profound or lofty.
Planimetry measures a plane—that is, length and width—and extends forward and backward, to the right and to the left. Altimetry measures height and extends upward and downward. A deep sea is also called 'altum,' meaning 'profound,' and a tall tree 'alta,' meaning 'lofty.'
Cosmimetry and the Measure of the World
Cosmimetry, named from the cosmos or world, measures spherical things and takes its name from the excellence of the world's sphere above all other round forms.
'Cosmos' is interpreted as 'world,' and from this cosmimetry gets its name—that is, the measure of the world. This measures spherical things—that is, globular and round—like a ball and an egg. Cosmimetry takes its name from the sphere of the world because of its excellence: not because it deals only with the world's measure, but because the sphere of the world is more worthy than all other spherical things.
Read the original Latin
Geometria tres habet partes, planimetriam, altimetriam, cosmimetriam. planimetria planum metitur, id est, longum et latum, et extenditur ante et retro, dextrorsum et sinistrorsum. altimetria altum metitur et extenditur sursum et deorsum. nam et mare altum dicitur, id est, profundum, et arbor alta, id est, sublimis. cosmos mundus interpretatur, et inde dicta est cosmimetria, id est mensura mundi. haec metitur sphaerica, id est, globosa et rotunda, sicut est pila et ovum, unde etiam a sphaera mundi propter excellentiam dicta est cosmimetria, non quia tantum de mundi mensura agat, sed quia mundi sphaera inter omnia sphaerica dignior sit.
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