The renaissance editions of Festus

Bandeinteilung

• No full title for the historical-linguistic compendium of Sextus Pompeius
• Festus can be found in his manuscript tradition, because the first half of the
• Codex Farnesianus, the only organic witness of this work, has been missing
• since it was discovered in 1457.2 Festus’ text was an abridged version of De
• verborum significatu, the extensive treatise of Verrius Flaccus, and was
• subsequently abridged during the early Middle Ages by Paul the Deacon in
• an epitome known as De verborum significatione.3 These two titles and the
• lack of a reliable formulation for Festus’ work brought about variations in
• the head titles used throughout its entire editorial history.