Angelo Poliziano and the graphetai Symbol in His Notes on Catullus

Abstract

This paper focuses on a small group of variant readings written down by Angelo Poliziano in his copy of the editio princeps of Catullus, now Roma, Biblioteca Corsiniana, inc. 50.F.37. These notes are all introduced by a γραφeται symbol, which has not been taken into account by scholars so far and which, despite its ambiguity, could attest to manuscript collations. Many of these variant readings are similar to the ones recorded by Francesco Buzzacarini in his copy of Catullus, now Venezia, Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, ms. lat. XII.153 (4053). This, along with the fact that Giorgio Merula mentions Buzzacarini as one of the scholars from whom Poliziano allegedly “stole” his emendations, is used as the basis for formulating new hypotheses concerning these variants.