AMBROSIUS THEODOSIUS MACROBIUS

V. C. ET INL.

OF THE BANQUETS OF THE FIRST DAY

OF THE SATURNALIA

BOOK I.

[Ed. Bip. vol. I. p. 197.]

Pref. Nature has reconciled many and various things to us in this life, my son Eustachius; but none has bound us more closely than the affection for those who have been begotten of us, and she has willed that our concern in raising and educating them should be such that parents could derive neither as much pleasure from any other source, should that which they desire turn out according to their wishes, nor as much grief, should the contrary occur. Hence it is that to me also, nothing is considered more important than your instruction; and because, for its perfection, I deem short cuts to be preferred over long detours, and being impatient of any delay, I do not...

[Mss. ABGPS. Edd. vicahgspdzb.]

The Saturnalia of the most distinguished and illustrious Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius, of the first day of the banquets, begins. AM3 (B "illustris" and "incipit feliciter"; G "Teodosii v. c. ac inl."; N "et ill."). Book I of the Saturnalia of the first day of the most distinguished and illustrious Ambrosius Theodosius Macrobius begins. P. Book I of the Saturnalia of the most distinguished Macrobius Theodosius begins. SM1 (M2 omits "viri"). Book of the Saturnalia of Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius begins. P3. The same, Book I of the Saturnalia begins. P46. Book of Macrobius on the Saturnalia begins happily. P7. Prologue to the Saturnalia of the first day of the banquets of Aurelius Macrobius Theodosius, former consul, begins. Bar. Book I of the Saturnalia of the first day of the banquets of Aurelius Macrobius Theodosius, v. c. et ill. Edd. l1 (v3-g adds "to Eustachius (ahg Eustathius) son"; hg "Aurelius", in margin "Ambrosius"; s "viri clarissimi et inlustris").
Pref. Multas variasque res omitted; added in margin by a recent hand in G. — Eustachi ABGSvicM12P234567. Eustathi ag-bPM3. — karitate A. — evenerit h. — possent I have written from conjecture; possint in Mss. and Edd.; possimus P5.
2 existimatur S. — omnis omitted in P. — promoveas corrected by a recent hand in...

Pref. 1. Conciliavit] i. e., she has joined and commended to us by some necessity. Cf. Cic. Acad. pr. II, 42, 131: But the Old Academy held that to live honestly, enjoying those things which nature first reconciles to man, is the highest good, and de harusp. resp. 27, 57: Nature first reconciles us to our parents, to the immortal gods, and to our country.

possent] The imperfect tense is necessary, since the same tense precedes in the words cederet and eveniret, and the present tense possint cannot be defended in any similar passage of Macrobius.