BOETHIUS

ON THE PRINCIPLES OF ARITHMETIC

IN TWO BOOKS.

EXPLANATION OF THE SYMBOLS. In classical editing, these letters (sigla) are used to identify the specific ancient manuscripts the editor consulted to compare different versions of the text.

a = the Bamberg Codex A codex is a traditional book made of parchment pages, rather than a scroll. Msc.Class.2 (formerly HI. IV. 12 / F, 20) from the 10th century. It is most splendidly decorated, and it is very likely that Gerbert Gerbert of Aurillac (c. 946–1003), a renowned scholar and teacher who later became Pope Sylvester II. sent it to Otto III The Holy Roman Emperor, whom Gerbert tutored.. However, the excellence of its readings is not as high as its beauty. Indeed, although many passages were emended by a corrector's hand, quite a few were left still needing correction. Fifteen of the chapter headings are placed in the wrong positions. Nor did the book enjoy good fortune, as six or seven leaves were lost between the thirty-seventh and forty-third chapters of the second book, as well as the final leaf containing the end of the fifty-fourth chapter.

b = the Bamberg Codex Msc.Class.5 (formerly HI. IV. 11 / F, 16) from the 10th century; its readings are better in almost every instance. Many notes were also added above the lines and in the margin by a hand not much later than the original, providing readings that appeared in other manuscripts with equal or greater probability of being correct.

c = the Bamberg Codex Msc.Class.3 (formerly HI. IV. 14 / F, 3) from the 10th century. It is beautifully written, but not very carefully. Many individual words have been omitted, and five major gaps original: lacunae; these are places where the text is physically missing or was never copied. are found. However, it is more closely related to manuscript b than to a.

d = the Bamberg Codex Msc.Class.4 (formerly HI. IV. 13 / F, 26) from the 11th century. It is so similar to c that it actually provides better readings in several places. Many additions were made above the lines and in the margin by a second hand.