Editing Servius the Grammarian (section)

== Commentary on Virgil==
The commentary on [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]''{{mdash}}{{lang|la|''In Vergilii ''Aeneidem'' Commentarii''|italic=unset}}, {{lang|la|''In'' Aeneida|italic=unset}}, {{lang|la|''Commentarii in Vergilii ''Aeneidem|italic=unset}}, {{lang|la|''In Vergilii ''Aeneidos'' Libros I{{ndash}}III Commentarii''|italic=unset}}, or {{lang|la|''Ad'' Aen.|italic=unset}}{{mdash}}survives in two distinct manuscript traditions.<ref>The manuscript tradition is examined by Charles E. Murgia, ''Prolegomena to Servius 5: the manuscripts'' (University of California Classical Studies 11), University of California Press, 1975.</ref> 

The first is a comparatively short commentary, attributed to Servius in the superscription in the manuscripts and by other internal evidence. The second class derive from the 10th and 11th centuries, embed the same text in a much expanded commentary. The copious additions are in contrasting style to the original; none of these manuscripts bears Servius' name, and the commentary is known traditionally as ''Servius auctus'' or ''Servius Danielis'', from Pierre Daniel who first published it in 1600.<ref>{{in lang|it}} I. Biffi and C. Marabelli (eds.), ''Figure del pensiero medievale. Fondamenti e inizi IV-IX secolo'', Jaca Book, 2009, p. 306</ref> 

"The added matter is undoubtedly ancient, dating from a time but little removed from that of Servius, and is founded to a large extent on historical and antiquarian literature which is now lost. The writer is anonymous and probably a Christian",<ref>''Encyclopædia Britannica'' 1911: sub "Servius Maurus Honoratus"</ref> although one proposed author, [[Aelius Donatus]], was a Christian. 

A third class of manuscripts, written for the most part in Italy, includes the core text with interpolated [[scholia]], which demonstrate the continued usefulness of the ''Virgilii Opera Expositio''.{{cn|date=October 2021}}