Natural History

celem: aliam immeci cōtinentis trines original: "aliam immensi continentis trines" another of the vast continent, three parts; the outcome of all things is uncertain and dangerous, because it is subject to constant change: as Apelles a renowned ancient Greek painter depicted a certain fortune sitting on a wheel, which he did not allow to be easily stopped. Thus, between fate and fortune, it is placed in danger and doubt: as in this place, positioned outside all doubt and artifice, that is, all uncertainty and every danger, so that one might prefer it to his talent, which is least of all. Due to its extreme scarcity, it does not require a defender: it is not defended by an advocate, as it uses the authority of the law. I do not wish to read the first part, and I do not wish to read the tenth. The words are: "To each person, use of the book is permitted in the tenth; public." How much more... The marginal text continues, discussing the judge and the nature of defense, noting that one is said to be defended either when someone else defends us, or when we defend ourselves, or when a third party intervenes.

Ceryon honeycomb.

Ceras amaltheas cornucopia.
[H]ere are the authors one must keep in mind, if they could be present, for their antiquity and examples of deeds or actions.

Pandectae all-receiving books/encyclopedias.
Enchiridion handbook/manual.
Pinachidion tablets/index.
Lucubratio night-work/study by lamplight.

Homeromastices scourgers of Homer.

Theophrastus divine eloquence.

Vitilitigatores vicious critics/fault-finders.

Candidates were so called because they used white garments to denote integrity, as this color alone is modest, pure, and least offensive. With the greatest erudition, Politian Angelo Poliziano, an Italian scholar is not said to be "adorned" as some think, because that term is taken only in a good sense, but "equipped" in both a good and bad sense, just as "clothed" is good and "impeded" is bad. Regarding the word mola millstone/meal: mola salsa salted meal is called roasted grain sprinkled with salt, because it is sprinkled upon the sacrificial victims. The margin continues, detailing stylistic choices and the author's desire for his writing to be distinct from others who merely mimic philosophy.

In the times of the Caesars.
Times and matters not necessary are said to be "subtracted." Times are said to be under the Caesars when they are subtracted.

...a tor: of dimmer light: of despised grace: of doubtful faith: but to all, indeed, nature, and the things of its own nature. Thus, even to have wished to attempt beautiful and magnificent stories is a great thing. I indeed feel this way, especially that the cause of those in studies is such: those who, overcome by difficulties, preferred the utility of helping others to the grace of pleasing them. And I did this myself in other works, and I profess that I admire Livy Titus Livius, the Roman historian, a most celebrated author of histories, which he repeats from the origin of the city, having begun in a certain volume: "Already enough glory had been sought by him and he could have stopped, if a huge spirit did not feed on work." For surely, it was not fitting for the victor of peoples and nations and the glory of the Roman name to have composed those things for himself. It would have been a greater merit to have persisted for the love of the work, not for the sake of his own mind, and to have bestowed this upon the Roman people, not upon himself.

Twenty thousand things worth caring about. Since, as Domitius Piso says, "They ought to be treasures, not books," through the reading of about two thousand volumes, of which few students reach because of the secret nature of the material, from chosen authors we have included these in thirty-six volumes, having added many things which either the ancients had ignored or life had found afterwards. Nor is it doubted that there are many things which also escaped us. For we are men, and occupied with duties; we attend to these things in our spare time, that is, at night. Do not think that anything was idle during our hours. We spend the days for you. We compute our health with sleep, or content with this sole reward, that while we murmur these things (as M. Varro Marcus Terentius Varro, Roman scholar says), we live for more hours. For surely, life is a vigil.

For which causes and difficulties I dare to promise nothing. You yourself provide this, because we write to you. Nor is this trust in the work, but a dedication. Many very precious things seem so because they are dedicated to temples. We have said that the same Father and Master referring to Vespasian and his son Titus are the judge of our work. We began our history from the end of Aufidius Bassus a Roman historian. Where and what matter was done long ago is confirmed. And otherwise it was decided to entrust it to an heir, so that it might not be judged that one had given his life to ambition. But truly, by occupying the place for the fortunate I and my successors, whom I know will contend with us, just as we ourselves did with those before us. You will have the proof of this resentment of mine, because in these volumes I have prefixed the names of the authors. For it is kind (as I judge) and full of noble modesty to admit through whom you have succeeded, not as many of those whom I have touched have done. Know that in comparing authors, I have discovered that the most ancient ones were copied word for word by the most recent and nearby ones, and not even named. Not with that Virgilian virtue of trying to compete. Not with that Ciceronian simplicity, who in his books On the Republic admits Plato as his companion; in the Consolations of his daughter, he says he follows Crantor. Likewise Panaetius Stoic philosopher On Duties. Those volumes of his, you know, are not only to be built but to be held in one's hands daily. Truly, it is of a small and unhappy mind to prefer to be caught in theft rather than to return what is borrowed. Especially when the debt is paid with interest.

Among the Greeks, the felicity of titles is wonderful. They inscribed them Ceryon honeycomb, because they wanted to be understood as a honeycomb. Others, Ceras amaltheas cornucopia, because you might hope for a horn of plenty or even "hen's milk" an ancient Greek proverb for an impossible luxury to be drawn from the volume. Already, it is the fashion to have Pandectae encyclopedias, Enchiridion handbooks, Pinachidion tablets, inscriptions through which a legal bond might be deferred. But when you have entered, ye gods and goddesses, you will find nothing in the middle. Our coarser authors of antiquity and of the arts very wittily call them "night-work." As Bibaculus a Roman poet says, "I was and was called a pantomime," they assert. Varro in his satires removed them and [called them] "flexible things." Among the Greeks, Diodorus Diodorus Siculus, the historian trifles, and inscribed his history as a library. Appion, a certain grammarian—this man whom Tiberius Caesar called the cymbal of the world, because he could seem more like a drum of public fame—wrote that he was granted immortality by himself, to whom he was composing some things.

But I am not sorry to have thought of no more festive title. And so that I may not seem to attack the Greeks entirely, I wish to be understood and depicted from those founders whom you will find in these booklets: absolute works, and those which we are never tired of admiring, having inscribed them with a dangling title, as Apelles used to do, or Polycletus a Greek sculptor, as if the art were always beginning and imperfect, so that against the variety of judgments, a retreat for forgiveness might remain, as if he were about to amend whatever was desired if he had not been intercepted. Therefore, it is full of modesty that they inscribed all works as if they were the newest, and as if something had been taken from each by fate. Three, no more (as I suppose) of the things that are handed down did he make absolute, which I will return to their places, whereby it appeared that the highest security of art pleased the author. And for that reason, all those things were subject to great envy. I openly confess that many things can be added to mine. And not to these alone, but to all that I have published. So that I may beware of these Homeromastices scourgers of Homer along the way. Thus, I would say it more truly, as I hear, [than] the Stoics and Peripatetics and Epicureans also. For I have always expected from the grammarians a labor against the booklets which I published about grammar. And they have had successive miscarriages for ten years, when even elephants give birth faster.

We even see writings against Theophrastus, a man of such eloquence that he found the name "divine" from it, and even a woman [wrote against him], and a proverb was born from it: "the tree to be chosen for hanging." I cannot restrain myself from putting the very words of Cato the Censor Cato the Elder here. So that it may appear from there, even to Cato, regarding military discipline, [which he learned] having learned to serve under Africanus, or rather under Hannibal. And that he could not even bear Africanus, who had brought back a triumph as commander; that those who were ready to hunt for fame for themselves through the denigration of another's knowledge existed. What is it, then, to you in my volume? I know what has been written, and if they bring it forward in public, there will be many who will reject it. But those especially who are devoid of true praise. I allow their speeches to flow by. Nor was Plancus Lucius Munatius Plancus un-wittily saying, when I said Asinius Pollio was preparing speeches against him, which would be published by himself or his children after the death of Plancus so that he could not respond: "Only ghosts wrestle with the dead." By which saying he repelled those so that among the learned, nothing is judged more impudent. Therefore, secure even against the Vitilitigatores vicious critics, which Cato elegantly composed from "vices" and "litigators." What else do they do but litigate, or seek litigation? Let us pursue the rest of our purpose. But because your occupations had to be spared for the public good, what...

...necessary, so that we may accommodate them to some use: What we call the "seasons" of the language under the text; and they are of the "necessary" search for words by also adding. "When we compute health with sleep," a ratio having been made with sleep, we spend as much of these for it as is sufficient to avert it from health; "When we murmur these things," that is, we speak secretly at night, namely, writing, to have murmured is of the nature of "musso." To murmur, for to speak secretly, which is as if by a whisper. "Timmus in acunho musfare-t" a reference to a corrupted or obscure Latin passage regarding whispering: commonly it is so. "To cite" is placed, and therefore it is not fitting to murmur at oxen: to speak mutually is, the same [as] to mutter; "prelection" is a danger: these indeed, all [of them] in the form of a preface, as we have said. He excuses himself that he will no longer boast with praises: we have written greatly about all of our [leaders], namely Vespasian, because he and you and Domitian were: "by this work we began our history of our times from the end of Aufidius Bassus." Bassus is the order, "we began our history of our times from the end of Aufidius Bassus." "In this just volume," we have said, for "just," this is "great." Just as the Lord: as "a good part" and "just part" [is] "a great part." "Benedolus" is, indeed, very learned. And because already long ago... [The text continues with interlinear grammatical explanations of the Latin used in the preface, defining terms like "statutum," "ambitionem," and analyzing the author's intent.]