John of Garland’s Clauis Compendii: Notes and Explications

Abstract

This article contains comments on a number of passages in John of Garland’s Clauis Compendii, primarily cases where the recent editio princeps by Elsa Marguin-Hamon can be improved or amended. Marguin-Hamon’s decision to privilege C (Cambridge, Gonville and Caius College 385/605) as a “manuscrit de base” is shown to be misguided; since the stemma is tripartite, the agreement of any two witnesses should give the reading of the archetype. Marguin-Hamon’s text can often be improved by repunctuation and closer attention to metre. Many problems in the work can be solved by comparison with parallel passages in other authors, including Isidore, Fulgentius, Priscian, Eberhard of Béthune, and “Macer,” as well as in John’s other works.