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Regarding the genus. VIII.

Genus, the first common word.

Notion, in Greek ennoia thought and prolēpsis preconception.

Regarding differences, see below chapter XXIX.

Genus is said regarding substance, art, dialectic, physics, etc.; regarding virtue: prudence, justice, etc.; regarding a vessel: congius, amphora; regarding a contract: purchase, etc. Likewise twofold, as is species: it is general-most and subaltern. General-most (in Latin, highest) is that which, since it is supreme, cannot have any subject, nor can it be a species: as are substance, quantity, quality, and the other heads of categories, or supreme genera.

Several meanings of genus among grammarians. Porphyry, chapter on species.

Genus is a common word or notion, for it is said of many things differing in species in the question "what is it," or that to which a species is subjected: as animal, art, virtue, vessel, gem, contract, etc., which severally comprise many forms or species by a certain communion. For under animal lie human and beast; under art, dialectic, physics, etc.; under virtue, prudence, justice, etc.; under vessel, congius, amphora; under contract, purchase, etc. The definition continues: it is general-most and subaltern. General-most (in Latin, highest) is that which, since it is supreme, cannot have any subject, nor can it be a species: as are substance, quantity, quality, and the remaining heads of the categories, or supreme genera. Subaltern genus (in Latin, intermediate or middle) is that which is placed between the supreme genus and the last species, and it can also be a species: as body, animal, tree, stone, fish, bird, etc., which when compared with those below are genera, but with those above are species. Besides this dialectical meaning of genus, several are numbered by Porphyry. For genus is accepted for the principle of generation. Virgil: "Et mi genus ab Ioue summo" original: "Et mi genus ab Ioue summo" And my lineage is from supreme Jove. Thus we say that Orestes drew his lineage from Tantalus. Likewise, Pindar the Theban by lineage; Plato the Athenian. And for quality and condition: as, "What genus of men is this?" etc. Latins often use the name of genus for species: as, there are many genera of herbs.