EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS AND SOURCES

In classical scholarship, this list is known as a "Critical Apparatus." It tells the reader which ancient handwritten books (manuscripts) were used to create this printed version and what symbols the editor uses to show changes.

M The Munich manuscript 621.
original: "codex Monacensis 621." "Monacensis" is the Latin name for Munich, Germany. This refers to a specific physical book held in the Bavarian State Library.

M¹ The same, corrected by the scribe himself.
original: "idem ab ipso librario correctus." This indicates a spot where the original copyist (the scribe) realized they made a mistake and fixed it while they were still writing.

M² The same, corrected by a second hand.
original: "idem ab altera manu correctus." This refers to changes made to the Munich manuscript by a different person, usually at a later date.

F The Florence manuscript, formerly Saint Mark's 284.
original: "codex Florentinus, olim Marcianus 284." This manuscript is held in Florence, Italy. It was originally part of the collection at the Convent of San Marco.

F¹ The same, corrected by the scribe himself.
original: "idem ab ipso librario correctus."

F² The same, corrected by a second hand.
original: "idem ab altera manu correctus."

O The agreement of both the Munich and Florence manuscripts.
original: "codicum, Monacensis et Florentini, consensus." When both primary sources agree on a word, the editor uses the letter 'O' (likely for 'Omnes' or 'Optimis') to show there is no disagreement between the sources.

|| || With these lines, I have enclosed those parts which have been added beyond the authority of the manuscripts.
original: "his lineis circumscripsi quae praeter codicum fidem addita sunt." These are "conjectural emendations"—words the editor added because he believed the original scribes accidentally skipped them, even though the words aren't in the physical books.

[ ] In these brackets, I have included what I believe should be deleted.
original: "his uncis inclusi quae delenda esse censeo." These are called "interpolations"—words found in the manuscripts that the editor thinks were mistakenly added by later scribes and don't belong in the original text.