IV

I have sought of my own accord to honor my Spartaoriginal: "Spartam pro virili ornare." A classical proverb meaning to do one's best in the station or task one has been assigned. to the best of my ability, striving in such a way that I might find some favor with critical and learned readers. Indeed, by employing the manuscripts of the Royal Library—which I shall describe more clearly at the beginning of the commentary—I have healed countless passages in Psellus's booklet that were corrupted, and I have filled in those that were mutilated. I have also sought out many other aids for interpretation. Whether I have used them correctly, let the learned men for whom I wrote be the judges. For my part, I do not wish to dwell longer on praising my own labor; I am so weary of saying things that seem useful only to me, but would benefit the readers little or not at all. If I had written this in an age when it was the custom for editors to hold forth through long prefaces labored over with the highest art, it would have gone poorly for me; I hate to "re-cook" original: "recoquere," likely referring to the Greek proverb "crambe bis cocta" or twice-cooked cabbage, meaning a tedious repetition. what has already been said by others, and I always hasten toward the outcome—namely, to the reviewing of a new author and the unrolling of new manuscripts.

To Psellus's On Demons, I have added several small works as if in a full dishoriginal: "saturam lancem." A Roman legal and literary term referring to a medley or a collection of various items offered together.; these are indeed by the same Psellus, but they are unpublished. I make this epithet conspicuous with a peculiar typeface, since it is almost their chief claim to praise. If any should object that they are of one kind, I reckon them to be too fastidious and of a palate...

-> On the Trinity, p. 112.