The Hindu-Arabic Numerals c9.129

c9.129

Let us now consider the third question, Is there any positive or strong circumstantial evidence that Boethius did know these numerals? The question is not new, nor is it much nearer being answered than it was over two centuries ago when Wallis (1693) expressed his doubts about it¹ soon after Vossius (1658) had called attention to the matter.² Stated briefly, there are three works on mathematics attributed to Boethius:³ (1) the arithmetic, (2) a work on music, and (3) the geometry.⁴