ledge of the time, doctrinal as well as secular. But the latter predominates, as it would in a Konversationslexikon. The general arrangement of the treatise is not alphabetical, but topical. To indicate the sources of its contents would be difficult as well as tedious. Isidore drew on many previous authors and compilers: to Cassiodorus and Boëthius he went for Rhetoric and Dialectic, and made frequent trips to the Prata of Suetonius for natural knowledge—or ignorance. In matters of doctrine he draws on the Church Fathers; and for his epitome of jurisprudence in the fifth book, upon the Fathers from Tertullian on, and (probably) upon some elementary book of legal Institutes.[1] Glancing
- ↑ See Kübler, "Isidorus-Studien," Hermes xxv. (1890), 497, 518, and literature there cited.
An analysis of the Etymologies would be out of the question. But the captions of the twenty books into which it is divided will indicate the range of Isidore's intellectual interests and those of his time:
I. De grammatica.
II. De rhetorica et dialectica.
III. De quatuor disciplinis mathematicis. (Thus the first three books contain the Trivium and Quadrivium.)
IV. De medicina. (A brief hand-book of medical terms.)
V. De legibus et temporibus. (The latter part describes the days, nights, weeks, months, years, solstices and equinoxes. It is hard to guess why this was put in the same book with Law.)
VI. De libris et officiis ecclesiasticis. (An account of the books of the Bible and the services of the Church.)
VII. De Deo, angelis et fidelium ordinibus.
VIII. De ecclesia et sectis diversis.
IX. De linguis, gentibus, regnis, etc. (Concerning the various peoples of the earth and their languages, and other matters.)
X. Vocum certarum alphabetum. (An etymological vocabulary of many Latin words.)
XI. De homine et portentis. (The names and definitions of the various parts of the human body, the ages of life, and prodigies and monsters.)
XII. De animalibus.
XIII. De mundo et partibus. (The universe and its parts—atoms, elements, sky, thunder, winds, waters, etc.)
XIV. De terra et partibus. (Geographical.)
XV. De aedificiis et agris. (Cities, their public constructions, houses, temples, and the fields.)
XVI. De lapidibus et metallis. (Stones, metals, and their qualities curious and otherwise.)
XVII. De rebus rusticis. (Trees, herbs, etc.)
XVIII. De bello et ludis. (On war, weapons, armour; on public games and the theatre.)
XIX. De navibus, aedificiis et vestibus. (Ships, their parts and equipment, buildings and their decoration; garments and their ornament.)
XX. De penu et instrumentis domesticis et rusticis. (On wines and provisions, and their stores and receptacles.)
