The Construction of Dimension

by JLS
for the GC

GRICE, after all, published a book -- which perhaps did NOT make a millionaire out of him (it was posthumous): the construction of value. So one can always try.

It seems to me that 'dimension' is overrated -- as far as you go by the Short/Lewis Latin Dictonary. A meagre 6 lines! And a cross-reference to "I measure", deponent for "dimetior", to which I now proceed.

This is an exegesis of that word, "dimension' as used in discourses or various types, and while we examine the strict mathematical origin of it all.

dīmētĭor, mensus, 4, I. v. dep. a.,

"to measure any thing, to measure out"

(v. demetior init.—rare but class.):

“studium dimetiendi caeli atque terrae,”

Cic. de Sen. 14, 49:

“dimetiri et dinumerare syllabas,” id. Or. 43, 147:

“campum ad certamen,”

Verg. A. 12, 117:

“mundum,” Quint. 12, 11, 10; cf. id. 9, 4, 112.

—Hence, part. as subst.:

dīmētĭens , entis, f.,

the diameter (διάμετρος), Plin. 2, 23, 21, § 86 sq.!*?

In pass. signif.:

“columnae altitudo dimetiatur in partes duodecim,”

Vitr. 3, 3; 5, 9; Quint. 8 prooem. §

“27: mirari se sollertiam ejus, a quo essent illa dimensa atque descripta,”

Cic. de Sen. 17, 59; so in the part., Caes. B. G. 2, 19, 5; 4, 17, 3; Quint. 9, 4, 27; Cic. N. D. 2, 62, 155; Verg. G. 1, 231; 2, 284.

—Cf. in fut. pass. part.:

“non cum vitae tempore esse dimetiendam commemorationem nominis nostri,”

Cic. Arch. 11, 29 Halm (Baiter, dimittendam).

----- Next: the idea of dimensions as being basically FOUR.