Henrici Stephani Epistola, qua ad multas multorum amicorum respondet, de suae typographiae statu, nominatimque de suo Thesauro linguae graecae. In posteriore autem ejus parte, quam misera sit hoc tempore veterum scriptorum conditio, in quorundam typographorum prela incidentium, exponit. Index librorum qui ex officina ejusdem Henrici Stephani hactenus prodierunt

HENRI ESTIENNE

And to start from the rumors that I know are being circulated about that work: there are those who expect from me a Thesaurus of the Greek language in which Greek words are explained by Greek ones, not by Latin ones. There are, on the contrary, those who both expect one in which they are explained by Latin ones, as in the Greek-Latin lexicons of a previous time, and promise themselves nothing other than a lexicon of the same kind, but much more enriched. Finally, there are those who, because they have heard that the words in my Thesaurus are arranged in an order far different from alphabetical, greatly wonder what that could be, and fear that my labor will not be useful not only to those who are veterans (so to speak) in the knowledge of the Greek language, but also to beginners. Behold what kind of Thesaurus most expect from me: now it remains for me to reveal to you what sort should be expected (if only God grants that I may proceed in it with one and the same tenor of labor, as it were).

First, therefore, I say that in that work, Greek words are everywhere rendered into Latin, and in some places are also explained in Greek; but that in common lexicons, as we see done in Greek-Latin ones, so that for the explanation of one Greek word, fifteen, twenty, and even thirty words are added in a continuous series in some places, I deny that this has been done by me, or that it should have been done. For even if one Greek word could be rendered by so many Latin ones (since, on the contrary, there are some in that large number which have a meaning far different from the meaning of the Greek word, and some even which have the opposite meaning), yet what would this be other than to overwhelm the reader with an indistinct and confused variety of meanings? And since to discuss these things without providing examples would be to speak of a matter clear in itself as if it were obscure, and to consult little for the utility of those studying the Greek language who will read these things, I will not commit that I have begrudged them, as if they were a hindrance to their progress.