S. P. Oakley

This volumes offers a study of all known manuscripts and incunabular editions of four classical texts: Vitruvius' De architectura, Cato's De agri cultura, Varro's De re rustica, Porphyrio's Commentary on Horace, and Priscian's Periegesis. The total number of witnesses involved comes to over 200; many of the manuscripts were produced in France or Italy, but English, German, Polish, and Swiss manuscripts also feature. For each text, the genealogical affiliations of its manuscript copies are determined (in many cases for the first time), as is the manner in which each was dispersed throughout medieval Europe and transmitted from antiquity through the Middle Ages to the first printed editions. S. P. Oakley shows that clear and decisive results can be achieved by application of the so-called stemmatic method and establishes which manuscripts future editors should use in editing these texts. Manuscripts that are not needed by future editors are discussed as fully as those that are, and many localizations and derivations are established. The result is a detailed study that deepens knowledge of the transmission of classical Latin texts, especially in the Renaissance, of scribal practice, and of techniques that can be deployed in the genealogical study of manuscripts and incunables.

Volume II: Vitruvius, Cato, de Agricultura and Varro, de Re Rustica, Porphyrio, and Priscian, Periegesis

Studies on the Transmission of Latin Texts

Stephen P. Oakley

This volume offers a comprehensive study of all the known manuscripts and incunables of two works: the history of Alexander the Great written by Quintus Curtius Rufus, probably in the first century AD, and the translation into Latin by Lucius Septimius of the spoof history of the Trojan War, allegedly written at the time of that war by a certain Dictys Cretensis. Drawing on in excess of 200 witnesses, the analysis reveals how the text of Curtius in all our extant manuscripts descends from one damaged copy that survived from the Roman Empire into the Middle Ages, and how the text of Dictys survived in two such copies. It demonstrates that clear and decisive results can be achieved by application of the so-called stemmatic method, and how the application of those results will lead to several improvements to our standard text of Dictys. As well as determining which manuscripts future editors should use in editing these texts and examining them in detail, it also offers equally full discussion of those which will not be needed, establishing many localizations and derivations. The result is a large body of material that will help deepen our knowledge of the transmission of classical Latin texts, especially in the Renaissance, as well as our knowledge of scribal practice and of techniques that can be deployed in the genealogical study of manuscripts and incunables.

Volume I: Quintus Curtius Rufus and Dictys Cretensis

Studies in the Transmission of Latin Texts

Livy's History of Rome is our main source for the study of the history of the early centuries of the Roman Republic. In Book X Livy narrates several important political and military advances, in particular the battle of Sentium in 295 BC, during the Third Samnite War, which would eventually lead to the Samnites' final subjugation. This commentary discusses all problems posed by Livy's matchless narrative. - ;Livy's tenth book, an exciting climax to his first decade, narrates two political advances of 300 BC, the Lex Valeria de provocatione and the opening up of major priesthoods to plebeians; it also tells of the Spartan Cleonymus' landfall at the site that long afterwards would be Venice. Its main topic, however, is Roman warfare, above all the outbreak of the Third Samnite War and the decisive battle of Sentium in 295 BC. This new commentary, which completes Professor Oakley's exposition of Books VI-X, deals comprehensively with all aspects of Livy's work, including the literary structure of his narrative, the historical and topographical problems of the Samnite Wars, the poetical and archaic language sometimes affected by Livy, and the numerous textual problems posed by the extant manuscripts. An extensive section of addenda and corrigenda contains revisions to the preceding volumes. - ;...what a monument! This is an extraordinary achievement, for which the new century's Livy scholars will be enormosly grateful. - Mary Jaeger, Classical World;...it may be the most impressive accomplishment by an individual Classicist in half a century. - Andrew Feldherr, Times Literary Supplement

Volume IV:

A Commentary on Livy, Books VI-X : Volume IV: Book X

R. J. E. Thompson

Since 1966, when James Diggle was elected to his Fellowship at Queen's College, Cambridge, his teaching and scholarly example have inspired many of his pupils to embark on their own academic careers. In this volume fourteen former pupils have contributed essays to mark his retirement. The contributions cover many of the diverse disciplines of Classics: Greek literature, Greek language, Latin literature, Textual Criticism, Greek and Roman Culture and the History of Scholarship. James Diggle has always excelled in the teaching of Greek and Latin composition and included are two offerings in Greek verse by former pupils. The volume concludes with a bibliography of the honorand's published writings.

Classical essays presented by former pupils to James Diggle on his retirement

Ratio et res ipsa

Livy's History of Rome is our main source for the study of the history of the early centuries of the Roman Republic. In Book X Livy narrates several important political and military advances, in particular the battle of Sentium in 295 BC, during the Third Samnite War. This commentary discusses all problems posed by Livy's matchless narrative.

S. P. Oakley

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