Prvdentivs, Apotheosis 895

Extract

The MS. tradition of Prudentius is particularly interesting, since in the famous Codex Puteanus (Par. Lat. 8084) we have a MS. dating from the early sixth century—i.e. but little more than a hundred years after the publication of the collected poems in 405. Yet it has only been of late years that due consideration has been given to this ancient Codex, which is the actual MS. corrected by Vettius Mavortius' own hand. Mr. Winstedt has spoken (Classical Review, 1904, pp. 112 sqq.) of the neglect which it has suffered for the most part from editors, and also (C.R., 1905, pp. 56 sqq.) of the similar lack of attention paid even by Dressel to its seventh-century companion at Milan—the Codex Ambrosianus; while, later, J. Bergman shewed himself enthusiastic in its praise (Sitzungsberichte der kais. Ahad. der Wissenschaften in Wien, 1907). A confirmation is now available of a curious and generally discredited reading in this MS. (the Puteanus), from that same Arma glossary (Leyd. 67F, 1191–128r) of ‘saec. viii.-ix’ which bears witness to the readings of a lost Terence MS. of the δ-family, the best minuscule family, older than any extant MS., as I shewed in the April, 1925, number of this journal. At Prud. Apoth. 895 the reading of Puteanus is—

Agenitus genitusque deus, pater et patre natus.