On Buildings

...as is gathered from the common errors of all the manuscripts; I have noted it with the letter x. From the archetype x, two manuscripts y and z, which have also perished, were derived. This is understood even from the fact that in the manuscripts of both the y class and the z class, at Proc. I 17, 16, these things were noted: "Concerning the pearl which they say the Iberians dedicated to the icon of the Mother of God original: "Theometor" (the Iberians say they dedicated this pearl to the icon of the Mother of God, P). It weighs twelve hexagia a unit of weight, likely six grams (six-something twelve, P), and they speak truly, as some of our own have seen it. Whether that is the one seen now (now omitted in P) or another, I do not know for certain (or another I do not know, P)."

Between x and y, and x and z, many other manuscripts intervened. The Procopian fragments, which are preserved among the Constantinian Excerpts, did not flow from manuscript x, but from some lost one, which I have called x 1. However, from manuscript y flowed y 1, which contained all the works of Procopius and Agathias and no longer exists. The scribe of manuscript z omitted many things which did not seem to him to be of enough value to be handed down to posterity; therefore, which manuscripts belong to the z family can be easily understood by the fact that they are all lacunose in the same places. I will note below what is missing in these manuscripts on page XXXIII, when I describe manuscript V.

If anyone should ask whether the z family or the y family is of greater importance for establishing the text, he would be met with great difficulty; for from the style of Procopius' discourse, it appears that both class z and y should be followed. Since the Constantinian excerpts (= W or H) did not flow from z or y, it matters much whether they agree with z or y; for generally, those readings are to be preferred which are exhibited both in either family and in the manuscripts that contain the Constantinian excerpts. I offer examples of this being the case from the first book:

I 47, 1 para alongside VGW] peri concerning P
5 ektrephein to rear PW] ekpherein to carry out VG
5 adunata impossible VGW] adunatos unable P
49, 5 Persais to the Persians VGW] persas Persians (accusative) P