BENEDICTO RINIO TO THE READER.

So that the method may be easily clear to you, studious reader, by which we indicate the things that have been labored upon in Avicenna for a long time, and which we are now publishing for the first time, you must be advised by me of these few things.
First, we place small Latin letters in the text, such as a, b, c, especially to those which have, as it were, a relation and mutual agreement with the places of the authors cited in the margin of the pages; then, indeed, we place the same letters before the cited places in the margin, but large, such as A, B, C.
Those places which are shown by such elements looking at each other, when they are alone by themselves, agree with each other in a double way: the first, when Avicenna writes some sentiment, either in the book on animals, or even elsewhere in this very work, which agrees with that which is especially before the eyes. The second, when Avicenna adapts to this work those things which we have observed to be accepted by him from other authors. The names of all, however, are noted as briefly as possible on account of the lack of space, with the names of the books, and the number of the chapters, and sometimes of the leaves, and the columns, and sometimes the lines, just as each one either inscribed or divided his work: and also as we have used the printed forms of this or that [edition]. Where in Avicenna it must be known that when I cite only the chapter, omitting the book, the Fen division/section, and the rest, it is included in that book which is then before the eyes at the top of the leaves, noted according to custom, and its own Fen likewise, and the other names of the divisions: thus likewise we cite the Summas, Doctrines, and Fen, and so also the Treatises, sometimes neglecting other names of the divisions comprising them: In Rasis, however, if you frequently go to the first leaf from that which is printed in the margin, you will find the cited place, because of the number 305 having been poorly placed once in Rasis by the printer, which is printed twice.
When we place some element in the text at the title of a chapter, and likewise in the margin we place it before Dioscorides, especially in the second book of this work where simple medicines are discussed, whatever things below have the same element inscribed in the same chapter, all those are signified to be with Dioscorides, although nothing in the margin responds to that element if it is repeated more often.
Those simples, or the names of others, which are named in Arabic or barbarously, we interpret into Latin, whatever we were able to find, especially in Dioscorides, but also in others.
Furthermore, we join small Latin elements in the text with the character †, and with a blank space enclosed by lines, for example, thus $a \dagger { \quad }$, when we signify that some things are to be restored there by the agreement of good authors: then, the things which we think are to be restored respond in the margin with a large Latin element placed before them, and the said character, thus $Q \dagger$ from mulsum honeyed wine: which are clearly those things which we order to be restored into that empty space.
We use the same elements and character in the text, but with some words which are enclosed by lines, for example, thus $a \dagger { \text{Demest} }$ when we wish to explain, or otherwise name, that which is enclosed, as if in the placed example it responds in the margin, $A \dagger \text{Demest.i.laurel}$. But here sometimes, with the element omitted, we are content with this character †.
Finally, the use is almost the same when we judge something is to be deleted. In the text, for example, thus it is $m \dagger { \text{acuta} }$, but in the margin the element and character respond, as well as an extended line, by which it is signified that that which is enclosed in the text by lines is to be deleted, in this manner $M \dagger \text{————}$
We use small Greek elements in the text, alone, such as $α, β, γ$, as often as we wish to show the same matter repeated in the same chapter, either by the forgetfulness of the author, or even intentionally: or also the same chapter repeated elsewhere, as it is often permitted to see in the fifth book: which I would think was done rather by the error of the ancient copyists.
Moreover, since four chapters of four simple medicines had been placed at the beginning of the second book in the previous edition, as if they were then missing, and were then published for the first time, we have found two of them in the Avicenna of that same edition: and the first, which was called Calmairan, is called Ohalmaran in the second book, ch. 538: the other, however, which was called Cehul, is called Theil in ch. 715, for it is easy for anyone to see that they are the same chapters. We have therefore taken care that those, as superfluous, should be removed from there: but the remaining two are to be inserted in their places: the first, indeed, into the second treatise, ch. 372, which is about kakille cardamom: the other into ch. 400, which is about the stone of a bull's gall. Consider all these things, written for your convenience, as good. Farewell.