# brackets around multiline columns of a table

I am trying to reproduce the table of kinds of dreams in an early-modern philosophical encyclopedia. Preserving the lineation within each column isn't necessary, but I would like to have the brackets align properly. The following code handles everything except for the vertical alignment of the fourth columns. The point on the bracket enclosing Externis/Internis should align with "physicum ortum," and there's a similar problem with Mediate/Immediate. (It would also be nice if the line spacing in the columns were tighter.) Suggestions?

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage[polutonikogreek,latin,english]{babel}
\usepackage{ucs}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage{mathtools}

\begin{document}

$\mbox{Somnium proprie dictum} \begin{dcases} \mbox{Ordinarium} \begin{dcases}\mbox{Vulgare seu commune}\\\mbox{physicum ortum}\\ \mbox{ex principiis}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Proprium aliquibus.}\\\mbox{Præsagiens}\end{dcases} \begin{dcases}\mbox{Externis}\\\mbox{Internis}\end{dcases}\\[2\jot] \mbox{Extraordinarium} \begin{dcases}\mbox{\greektext θεῖον\latintext }\mbox{ diuinum}\\ \mbox{\greektext θεόπεμπτον\latintext}\\\mbox{immissum à Deo}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Diabolicum}\\\mbox{\greektext Δαιμονιόπεμπτον\latintext}\end{dcases} \begin{dcases}\mbox{Mediate per}\\\mbox{bonos angelos}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Immediate}\end{dcases} \end{dcases}$
\end{document}

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Welcome to TeX.SE, and thank you for including a compilable example. This probably part of the reason as to why you were able to get answers so quickly. –  Peter Grill Apr 6 '12 at 0:31

Here is a modification to your setup that produces what you're after:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage[polutonikogreek,latin,english]{babel}% http://ctan.org/pkg/babel
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}% http://ctan.org/pkg/inputenc
\usepackage{mathtools}% http://ctan.org/pkg/mathtools

\begin{document}

$\mbox{Somnium proprie dictum} \begin{dcases} \mbox{Ordinarium} \begin{dcases} \begin{tabular}{@{}l@{}} Vulgare seu commune\\[\jot] physicum ortum\\[\jot] ex principiis \end{tabular} \begin{dcases} \mbox{Externis}\\ \mbox{Internis} \end{dcases}\\[2\jot] \mbox{Proprium aliquibus.}\\ \mbox{Præsagiens} \end{dcases}\\[2\jot] \mbox{Extraordinarium} \begin{dcases} \begin{tabular}{@{}l@{}} \greektext θεῖον\latintext diuinum\\[\jot] \greektext θεόπεμπτον\latintext\\[\jot] immissum à Deo \end{tabular} \begin{dcases} \mbox{Mediate per}\\ \mbox{bonos angelos}\\[2\jot] \mbox{Immediate} \end{dcases}\\[2\jot] \mbox{Diabolicum}\\ \mbox{\greektext Δαιμονιόπεμπτον\latintext} \end{dcases} \end{dcases}$
\end{document}​


Note the use of tabular that switches to text mode, avoiding perpetual use of \mbox.

Here is an alternate version that does not use dcases and allows for spacing control vertically and horizontally (since it uses the standard array and tabular environments with an associated @{}l@{} column specification). The result is a much tighter presentation:

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage[polutonikogreek,latin,english]{babel}% http://ctan.org/pkg/babel
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}% http://ctan.org/pkg/inputenc
\usepackage{amsmath}% http://ctan.org/pkg/amsmath

\begin{document}

$\text{Somnium proprie dictum} \left\{\begin{array}{@{}l@{}} \text{Ordinarium} \left\{\begin{array}{@{}l@{}} \begin{tabular}{@{}l@{}} Vulgare seu commune\\ physicum ortum\\ ex principiis \end{tabular} \left\{\begin{tabular}{@{}l@{}} Externis\\ Internis \end{tabular}\right.\\[6\jot] \text{Proprium aliquibus.}\\ \text{Præsagiens} \end{array}\right.\\[12\jot] \text{Extraordinarium} \left\{\begin{array}{@{}l@{}} \begin{tabular}{@{}l@{}} \greektext θεῖον\latintext diuinum\\ \greektext θεόπεμπτον\latintext\\ immissum à Deo \end{tabular} \left\{\begin{tabular}{@{}l@{}} Mediate per\\ bonos angelos\\[\jot] Immediate \end{tabular}\right.\\[6\jot] \text{Diabolicum}\\ \text{\greektext Δαιμονιόπεμπτον\latintext} \end{array}\right. \end{array}\right.$
\end{document}​

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Here's a different approach using a matrix (instead of cases) to fix the Externis/Internis "case". (I did not understand what needed to be done in the second case. You can compare the output with yours (which is first)

\documentclass[12pt]{article}
\usepackage[polutonikogreek,latin,english]{babel}
\usepackage{ucs}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage{mathtools}

\begin{document}
$\mbox{Somnium proprie dictum} \begin{dcases} \mbox{Ordinarium} \begin{dcases}\mbox{Vulgare seu commune}\\\mbox{physicum ortum}\\ \mbox{ex principiis}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Proprium aliquibus.}\\\mbox{Præsagiens}\end{dcases} \begin{dcases}\mbox{Externis}\\\mbox{Internis}\end{dcases}\\[2\jot] \mbox{Extraordinarium} \begin{dcases}\mbox{\greektext θεῖον\latintext }\mbox{ diuinum}\\ \mbox{\greektext θεόπεμπτον\latintext}\\\mbox{immissum à Deo}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Diabolicum}\\\mbox{\greektext Δαιμονιόπεμπτον\latintext}\end{dcases} \begin{dcases}\mbox{Mediate per}\\\mbox{bonos angelos}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Immediate}\end{dcases} \end{dcases}$

$\begin{matrix} \mbox{Somnium proprie dictum} & \begin{dcases} \mbox{Ordinarium} \left\{ \begin{matrix} \mbox{Vulgare seu commune}\\[-5pt] \mbox{physicum ortum} & \left\{ \begin{matrix} \mbox{Externis}\\ \mbox{Internis} \end{matrix} \right.\\[-7pt] \mbox{ex principiis} \\ \mbox{Proprium aliquibus.}\\ \mbox{Præsagiens} \end{matrix} \right.\\ \mbox{Extraordinarium} \begin{dcases}\mbox{\greektext θεῖον\latintext }\mbox{ diuinum}\\ \mbox{\greektext θεόπεμπτον\latintext}\\\mbox{immissum à Deo}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Diabolicum}\\\mbox{\greektext Δαιμονιόπεμπτον\latintext}\end{dcases} \begin{dcases}\mbox{Mediate per}\\\mbox{bonos angelos}\\[2\jot]\mbox{Immediate}\end{dcases} \end{dcases} \end{matrix}$

\end{document}


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I'm amazed. I go to the gym for an hour after posting, and on my return I find three solutions! Many thanks to the three of you. –  George Pigman Apr 5 '12 at 23:26