History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c7.s17.t5.32

v1.c7.s17.t5.32

**European References.** *Isidorus of Seville.* The nine characters (of the *ghobār* type), without zero, are given as an addition to the first chapter of the third book of the *Origines* by Isidorus of Seville in which the Roman numerals are under discussion. Another Spanish copy of the same work (of 992 A.D.) contains the numerals in the corresponding section. The writer ascribes an Indian origin to them in the following words: "Item de figuris arithmetice. Scire debemus in Indos subtilissimum ingenium habere et ceteris gentes eis in arithmetica et geometria et ceteris liberalibus disciplinis concedere. Et hoc manifestum est in nobem figuris, quibus designant unum-quemque gradum cuinslibet gradus. Quarum hec sunt forma.”