Compendium of Learning (Compendiosa Doctrina), Vol. I

COMMENTARY

ON THE TITLE AND INDEX.

What "Compendious Doctrine" signifies and by what author the book of Nonius appears to be inscribed is stated in the Adversaria Noniana, Chapter II, at the beginning.

The inscriptions are entirely missing in L and B; nor is anything prefixed in Gen except the title of Chapter IV. But in H, P, G, Montepessulanus, Spanhemianus, Bambergensis, A, and other books, such as certain Roman ones, the following are read at the front of the work: "Index of those things which are contained in this codex. Nonius Marcellus, the Peripatetic of Thubursicum, on the compendious doctrine by letters, for his son." In which the following dittographies duplicate readings or errors should be noted: Nonius Marcellus the Peripatetic Montepess., A. — Nonius G, Bamb. — this, Spanh. Peripatetic. — Thubursicensis original: "Tuburgicensis" H; P; Bamb.; Tiburgicensis ed. Spanhem.; Tuburticensis, which m. 2 changes into Tuburcicensis as witnessed by ed. Basil., G; Tiburcicensis Montepess., A; from the book of Saint Victor Tuburcicensis is cited by Quicherat. — Tyburticensis Vat. 3418; Tiburticensis ed. a. 1476 and all, as it seems, before Jun.; likewise in the margin of Jun. and Gothofr.; Me; Tiburtiensis Reg. 1469; Tiburiensis Jun., Gothofr., Me1. — de is omitted by recent books, as from the Roman Reg. 1469, Vatic. 2916, 3418, likely drawn from the note of the first chapter to the inscription of the whole work. — conp. Montep. — by letters (one t everywhere in the copy of ed. Spanhem.; compendium in Montepess.); omitted by ed. a. 1476 et al.; cf. Advers. Nonian. cap. II init.

Furthermore, from the books either written or printed in the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, I have deemed the following worthy of note.

In the first and second editions, there is no inscription or subscription of the title. In the Venetian edition of 1476 and all that I think preceded the Junian edition, it is inscribed thus: "Nonius Marcellus the Peripatetic (omitted by Ald., Bentin.) Tiburticensis compendious doctrine for his son on the property of words." To the Junian, Gothofredian, and Mercerian copy of 1583 is prefixed: "Nonius Marcellus on the property of words (of speech Me1)." — In the same, prefixed to the first chapter: "Nonius Marcellus the Peripatetic Tiburiensis on the compendious doctrine by letters for his son." — Finally, the correct inscription was restored by Mercerus in 1614, except that he reports it as Tiburticensis and preserves that 'de' incorrectly; likewise 'by letters'.

And the errors which I mentioned above indeed arose from the title of the whole work being confused with that of the first chapter. This was also the reason why Hincmar of Reims said the book of Nonius was inscribed 'On the property of words'. — But a note was added to Nonius in Vatic. 1554 and 1555 regarding the fourth chapter, as it is the most abundant of all, though not without some change. For in the former it is read: "on the significations of words," in the latter: "on the signification of verbs." Nor is the title 'on the investigation of the learned' in Chapter XII poorly inscribed in the codex of Casaubon.

The Index is contained in three books, as far as we know, and no more: L, P, and the Spanhemianus. It is read at the beginning of the work; in P and Span. after the title. Nothing has been reported regarding H either by Siversius or Onions. But it appears it once existed, since P is entirely drawn from it, and indeed alone. In the Spanhemianus, the inscription of Chapter III is omitted.