Principle Source Publisher Edition of Euclid's Elements

Henry Billingsley was the translator and publication sponsor for the first English version of Euclid's Elements. He describes the motivation for his work in the note to his readers:

"There is (gentle reader) nothing (the Word of God only set apart) which so much beautifies and adorns the soul and mind of man, as the knowledge of good arts and sciences.... Many other arts also there are which beautify the mind of man: but of all other none does more garnish and beautify it than those arts which are called Mathematical. Unto the knowledge of which no man can attain without the perfect knowledge and instruction of the principles, grounds, and Elements of Geometry. But perfectly to be introduced into them requires diligent study and reading of old ancient authors. Among which, none for a beginner is to be preferred before the most ancient philosopher Euclide.... So that without the diligent study of Euclid's Elements, it is impossible to attain to the perfect knowledge of Geometry, and consequently of any of the other mathematical sciences.... I have for their sakes, with some charge and great travail, faithfully translated into our vulgar tongue, and set abroad in print, this book of Euclid."

The Principle Source Publisher Edition of Euclid's Elements is a simple adaptation of Billingsley translation that attempts to be a more literal presentation of what Euclid wrote without interpretation, additions, commentary, or modification to English idioms.

Sir Thomas Heath wrote in a footnote to his translation of Euclid's Elements that the "In general statements of this kind, the Greeks did not say, as we do, "any point," "any triangle" etc., but "every point," "every triangle," and the like." He also thought it impractical to literally translate verbs that Euclid used universally in geometric constructions. Euclid used verbs that were perfect passivie imperative, literally "let it have been described." Heath chose to have his translation say "let it be described." The Principle Source Publisher edition of Euclid's Elements modifies the English to be more literally what Euclid wrote.