My Final Days - Archimedes III

I have been living in my rooms for the last few months. It hurts too much to move much as old age is finally catching up with me. My studies of trajectories and spheres are coming along and it is due to this that I can now spend my time documenting my success. With painstaking calculation I have discovered that the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter IS constant. Many people, including the king, can’t see the value behind such a discovery, but a number of approximations have been given up to this point by many cultures: the Babylonians, Egyptians, and even the Chinese. I view it as a particular accomplishment of mine, spending hours upon hours, day after day, transcribing polygons to get as close to the answer as possible. With this work, and this new factor I have named pi, the world of mathematics has come into a new age. I am confident that my work will have impact for ages to come. The king of Syracuse is - of course - not pleased with my work, but as the years wear on and the siege of the city continues, everyone is getting worn down. Although I still create weapons for him, I find that the romans have worn the city down and will soon be taking over. The guilt I used to feel and the fear of the romans’ blades have long since faded. Nothing seems that important anymore, least of all death. I have found my own form of immortality that will keep my name alive throughout time. just for the sake of it, however, i will add some of my favorite old sketches that I've done for the king of syracuse. 

This is perhaps my favorite invention. it is a pump, a screw to "suck" up water. syracuse has found it ver useful to move lots of water very quickly throughout the city. it is a machine of luxury, and perhaps a little of

survival.  this was one of the first things i proposed to the old king, and it let me make use of many of the geometric principles that i find so intriguing. that was, of course, back in my peaceful days,  when i had just come back brazen and hot headed from egypt. what time - and war - does to a man.

a roman trireme being raised out of the water with my pulley and weight systems before being sent crashing back to the waves and rent apart. the realities of how my life has changed since then startle me. the war with rome, the practical loss of my freedom, the work that has ended up enthralling me and the things that have taken up so much of my time. it seems sad how little of my life's work is actually note worthy and memorable. yes, i am glorified in the streets, but how long will that last? i take comfort, knowing that my mathematical endeavors will last.