Pagina 268 de 734

The distribution in fact consisting in putting together these

terms thus: and if they are put together so as to preserve this

same ratio, the distribution puts them together justly.[11] So

then the joining together of the first and third and second and

fourth proportionals is the Just in the distribution, and this

Just is the mean relatively to that which violates the

proportionate, for the proportionate is a mean and the Just is

proportionate. Now mathematicians call this kind of proportion

geometrical: for in geometrical proportion the whole is to the

whole as each part to each part. Furthermore this proportion is

not continual, because the person and thing do not make up one

term.