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A. 343: B. 363 fol: G. 70; fol.; (H. 579)). Certain mechanical devices may then be resorted to. Take, for instance, the opening Eine of the Third Book. The sixth foot, since it is never a dactyl, must consist of but two syllables, here, gentem. The fifth foot is regularly a dactyl, here, -vertere. We have now the first four feet to determine. The first foot is plainly a spondee, since the Post in the first syllable is necessarily long, and the a in quam is long, being followed by m and ℗ (of res). The fourth foot is also a spondee since the - the sign of the genitive case in Priami, is long, and by elision there remains but one syllable (que e-) before the beginning of the fifth foot. This must be, and as a matter of fact is, long. Of the remaining syllables composing the second and third feet, the diphthonge in die we know is long. The only combination possible then is res Asi-, and -æ Pris. We thus learn, without consulting a lexicon, that the four vowels in Ari- and Pria- are short. In this way the line may be read without a previous knowledge of root vowels. The same method may be applied with like success to many other lines.

For an explanation of common terms in Latin prosody often recurring in the Notes of this book, such as Elision, Hiatus, Casura, etc., see H. 720 fol; LM. 1109 fol; A. 359 fol; B. 358 fol.; G. 713 foi; (H. 596 fol.).

IV. MANUSCRIPTS

The text of Virgil occupies a unique position among the works of Roman writers in that it was transmitted to us by several very ancient manuscripts. These are seven in number, and they date from the fourth and 5th centuries AD. Three are fragmentary. containing only a few leaves, while the other four are practically complete. All are written in the capital' script, the oldest form of writing employed in Latin manuscripts. One of the most valuable is known as the Schetae Vitotrae. It begins with the third bock of the Georgics and extends through the eighth book of the

1 Compare Wuton s, Auxilia Vergalana, Boston, 1892.

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FACSIMILE PAGE (REDUCED) OF THE CODEX PALATINUS

This manuscript is preserved in the Vatican Library. It is written in the rustic capital script,

and dates from the fourth or fifth century A.D. Book XII.

The page given contains 11. 576-598 of

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Aeneid. It is adorned with interesting miniatures. Of nearly equal value are the more complete Codex Palatinus, and the fragmentary Schedae Rescriptae Veronenses, the Verona palimpsest. Slightly inferior is the Codex Mediceus, preserved in the Laurentian Library of Florence. From a subscriptio, or note appended to the Eclogues, we learn that this manuscript cannot be later than A.D. 494. Of less importance still is the Codex Romanus. Of the seven lead

ing manuscripts, the two remaining are so incomplete that they have little value in determining the text of the poems. They are the Schedae Rescriptae Sangallenses, another palimpsest which has but ten leaves preserved, and the Schedae Berolinenses or Puteanae, which has but seven leaves containing each forty lines. The later manuscripts of Virgil are numerous, thus attesting the popularity of the poet during the Middle Ages. But few of them, however, are worthy of any independent consideration when they vary from the readings of the older capital manuscripts. Ribbeck derives all existing manuscripts of Virgil from one common original called an 'archetypus,' written with but little regard for calligraphy in the cursive style, and filled with numerous conjectures, glosses, and interpolations.

extensively than Virgil by Nearly every line may be

No Latin author was quoted more ancient scholars and grammarians. found somewhere in the works of later Roman writers, cited word for word. These quotations are not always of value in emending the text as we receive it in the manuscripts, for in such citations the memory was relied upon largely, and no need was felt of confirming the reading by reference to a reliable manuscript. We know that Virgil's Aeneid was used as a text book in Roman schools also. An interesting confirmation of this are the scratchings upon the walls of ancient Pompeii of the opening lines of both the first and second books, Arma virumque cano and Conticuere omnes, lessons that the school children were conning on their way to or from school.

Some writers, as Aulus Gellius (second century A A. Nonius Marcellus (third century), and Macrobius (four

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not merely quoted passages from Virgil, but well from the standpoint of the textual critic. are exceedingly interesting, and the emendation sometimes adopted by modern textual critics testimony of the manuscripts. The most impo who commentated on Virgil's poems are M. Vale part of the first century A.D.), Aelius Donatus and Servius (fourth century), the most famou

V. EDITIONS AND HELPFUL

The first printed edition of Virgil, the edi published in Rome about 1469. The first editio press appeared in 1501, and during the sixteent number of editions were printed. Not until century, however, do the really critical texts a appear.

Some of the early editions are those of Ru numerous later reprints), Heinsius (1676), B Heyne (1767-1775), the same revised and e (1830-1841), Lemaire (1819-1822), and Ho (1843).

Later and recent editions1 are:

(a) Of the entire works:

F. Dübner, Paris, 1858.

O. Ribbeck, Leipzig, 1859-1868. Later editi with Mss. readings, 1894-1895. This is t edition.

A. Forbiger, Leipzig, ed. 4, 1872-1875.

*J. Conington and H. Nettleship, London, 18 $9.75.

1 Books recommended for a High School library are mark The names of the publishers and the list prices are also added

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