vi PREFACE 



The Commentary proceeds from an independent 

 examination of the original sources used by Varro, 

 and of those authors who borrowed from him, 

 though, as will be seen, I have made free use of 

 both ancient and modern commentators. When I 

 have borrowed I have — in all cases, I hope — 

 acknowledged the debt. 



The apparent superfluity of illustrative matter 

 will be forgiven if it be remembered that the book 

 is not only submitted to the criticism of the scholar, 

 but directed to the general reader, and even the 

 practical farmer. For the sake of those who possess 

 *' small Latin and less Greek," I have translated 

 passages of general interest from Cato, Columella, 

 the Geoponica, etc. 



In the Introduction and the first two Excursus I 

 have treated at length of the mise en scene of the 

 imaginary conversations in each of the three books, 

 and of the date at which they are supposed by 

 Varro to have taken place — matters which have 

 been undeservedly neglected, and have important 

 bearing on the text. In Excursus III certain con- 

 jectural emendations are proposed and discussed. 



A plan is given of Varro's famous aviary, described 

 by him in the third book. In 1794 the Prince de 

 Segur published one, together with a voluminous 

 commentary on Varro, iii, 5, 9, but he introduced 

 many violent and arbitrary alterations into the 

 text, and his plan is demonstrably wrong in many 

 important particulars. 



My thanks are due and are gratefully paid to the 

 Lord Abbot of Monte Cassino for his hospitality 

 and gracious permission to use the magnificent 

 library of the Badia; to the Signore Padre Bene- 

 detto del Greco for his kindness in showing me the 



