On Numenius the Platonic Philosopher

Life of the writer

I, Johannes Fridericus Thedinga, was born in Lingen on November 30, 1850 original: "a. h. s. IL" (anno huius saeculi 50), to my father Eduard and mother Francisca. Having been initiated into the rudiments of letters, I attended the Gymnasium Georgianum in my native city, which was governed at that time by Noeldecke, and later by Lahmeyer. In 1868 original: "a. h. s. LXVIII" Arnold Passow succeeded to the leadership, whose untimely death, as he was a man who served me most excellently, I shall always mourn. In the autumn of 1869 original: "a. h. s. LXIX", having passed the exit examination, I betook myself to Bonn to devote my efforts to philology. In October of 1871 original: "a. h. s. LXXI" I moved to Berlin, and after six months to Göttingen. There, however, I was afflicted by a most serious illness, such that I was forced to interrupt my course of studies for a year for the sake of regaining my health. Finally, to conclude my studies, I stayed for twelve months again in Bonn.

I was taught by Bernays, Bonitz, Buecheler, Haupt, Hiller, R. Kekulé, Lucianus Mueller, Sauppe, Ioannes Schmidt, Springer, and Usener. Buecheler and Hiller granted me permission to participate in their philological exercises, Buecheler in epigraphy, and Mueller and Kekulé in metrics and archaeology, respectively. It was through the kindness of Usener and Buecheler that I became an extraordinary member of the philological seminar.

I owe the greatest thanks to all these men who served me so well.