Henr. Stephani Dialogus de bene instituendis Graecae linguae studiis

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HENRI ESTIENNE'S DIALOGUE
ON THE PROPER ORGANIZATION
OF GREEK LANGUAGE STUDIES.
ITEM,
ON THE CAUTION TO BE USED
in reading certain unreliable teachers of it.

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CORNELIUS. Who gave your son this advice, that he should begin his Greek language studies with the reading of Homer? PHILIP. He does this by the advice and command of his tutor, who, once he was exercised in the rules of the grammarians, placed that first Greek writer into his hands.
CORNELIUS. Why did you not say "exercised" original: "exercito" rather than "exercised" original: "Exercitato"? PHILIP. As far as I know, "exercitus" the Latin word for 'army' or 'harassed' is taken in a bad sense: and someone is said to be "exercised" by cares, or "exercised" by labors, or even by pains. CORNELIUS. Since you know this, I would have preferred that you say, "exercised in the rules of the grammarians": surely as if in some prison. PHILIP. Good words, I pray. Do you dare to call the rules of the grammarians a prison? CORNELIUS. Far be it from me to call some of their rules, which are necessary, by this name: but I say that that vulgar crowd of them disturbs the minds of those learning. PHILIP. But that tutor,

Concerning the rules of grammarians that are minimally necessary.