BOOK XVII. CHAP. I.

individual parts of the mind. For it does not show that the joining of letters occurs in just any manner, but through the most apt arrangement; whence authors also reasonably say that letters are called literae letters, as if legiterae path-readers, because they provide a path for reading when placed in a congruent order. Syllables likewise receive the same from letters, since the joinings arising from these, when done according to requirement, perfect the word. 5 It is therefore manifest that it is a consequence that words, since they are parts of a perfect sentence through construction—that is, τῇ κατὰ σύνταξιν αὐτοτελοῦς λόγου by the syntax of a self-sufficient discourse—also receive an apt structure, 1 that is, an arrangement. For what is prepared from individual words to be sensible—that is, intelligible—is in a way an element of a perfect sentence; and just as elements create syllables by their joinings, so also does the arrangement of intelligible things perfect a certain image of a syllable by the adjunction of words. For a sentence is a comprehension of words most aptly arranged, just as a syllable is a comprehension of letters most aptly joined; 2 and as a word consists of the conjunction of syllables, so also a perfect sentence consists of the conjunction of words. We can also observe this from the similarity of accidents. The same element is sometimes taken twice, as in relliquias relics, reddo I give back, but also a syllable, as in Leleges, tutudi I struck, peperi I brought forth. Similarly also a word, as: me me me, me; adsum qui feci I am here, I who did it; Fuit, fuit ista quondam in hac republica virtus There was, there was once such virtue in this republic. Yet this reaches as far as full sentences, when words once spoken are repeated again, either necessarily or...

Authors say. The Leipzig B, Erlangen, and Munich A manuscripts omit "authors," which is recommended by the unanimous consensus of the editions. The same manuscripts and the Erfurt edition order that "eo" be inserted shortly before "which."
§. 3. "Fuit, fuit ista." Commonly "illa." But the Leipzig A, B, Erlangen, Langer, Gphb, and Munich A codices, and the Ascensius edition, defend the received reading. It is clear that these words are taken from Cicero's First Oration against Catiline, Chapter 2. Therefore, it is false that all the editions I have seen add after "virtus": "Cicero in the Fourth Invectives." The Langer manuscript has "Cicero in the first invectives," and the Gphb "--- invectives." I have omitted these myself. Firstly, Priscian is not accustomed to postpone those things which demonstrate where the quoted words have been taken from. Furthermore, the position of these words is varied in the codices, since the Munich A manuscript places them before the word "fuit." Finally, no one will easily miss what has been omitted. However, my codices rightly call it the "first book" instead of the common "IV."