Greek Anthology Book XIV: Metrodorus: 141

Arithmetical Epigram of Metrodorus

 * Tell me the transits of the fixed stars and planets when my wife gave birth to a child yesterday.


 * It was day, and till the sun set in the western sea it wanted six times two-sevenths of the time since dawn.

Solution
Let $t$ be the time since dawn that the birth happened.

It is assumed that the day is $12$ hours long.

We have:

So $7 \frac {11} {19}$ hours had passed since dawn when the baby was born.

That leaves $12 - 7 \frac {11} {19} = 4 \frac 8 {19}$ hours remaining till sunset.