With the release of this fourth and final volume, the publication of "The Collection" by Pappus of Alexandria comes to a close, featuring a modern Greek translation and commentary by the mathematician Evangelos Spandagos, as part of the series of ancient mathematical texts by the publishing house "Aithra".

The significance of this event for the mathematical community is derived from the importance of Pappus's work. Pappus, who thrived in Alexandria around 300 - 350 AD, is one of the last great geometers of the Greek tradition.

In his "Collection," which consists of eight books and was likely written around 320 AD, Pappus does not merely comment on significant geometric problems, but preserves the solutions provided by earlier mathematicians while simultaneously presenting his own improvements to these solutions, and finally formulates new solutions of his own.

For this reason, his work, which has survived in a single Byzantine manuscript from the 12th century, the Greek Vatican Code 218, literally constitutes a treasure trove of historical data for ancient mathematics and their tradition in the mid-fourth century.

(from the preface, Maro K. Papathanasiou)