Letter 76: Portuense, which Epreiana voca<n>tur, primotica are, and if intra quinque or sex dies not coeperint incidi, now...

The fields on the Portuensian road, which are called Epreiana, are early-yielding; and if within five or six days they have not begun to be cut, they will thereafter drop the seed itself, and the resulting hay is laid up as useless. [The remainder of the source record consists not of the letter but of the editor's critical apparatus and commentary. The textual notes read: "portuensi Kaltenbrunner; epreiana] Kaltenbrunner: epiana B; uocantur] Kaltenbrunner." The commentary notes that follow concern: the heading "To Gurdimer the count" (the one notice preserved to us concerning him; as to the title "count," compare the notes on letter 63,1, page 165; it is probable, the editor reckons, that he was of the same class of counts as Anilas in letter 67, page 175); the phrase "on the Portuensian road" (compare K. Miller, Itinera Romana, Stuttgart, 1916, page 252; V. Chapot, "Via," in Daremberg-Saglio, volume V, pages 790 and 796); the phrase "which are called Epreiana" (so it is to be read, although in the manuscript "uocatur" is found, as if the Portuensian road were named Epreiana; for that road is already sufficiently defined by its own name, whereas the meadows would remain wholly ambiguous and unnamed unless they were marked by some proper name of their own; is "Epreiana" perhaps to be supposed a corrupt reading for "euprepia" [comely]? For the Greek word euprepeia means the same as beauty, comeliness; compare Du Cange, Glossarium, volume III, page 334; Thesaurus, volume V, 2, page 1076); the phrase "they are early-yielding, and if within five..." (from which the date of the letter cannot be defined more precisely, for at different times and in different places of the earth the soil was broken up by the ploughshare; but generally it was first done in the latter part of the month of April; compare Olck, "Ackerbau," in Pauly-Wissowa, volume I, column 281); and the phrase "they will drop the seed" (compare A. Saglio-Dorigny, "Rustica res," in Daremberg-Saglio, volume IV, 2, page 922).] [There follows the heading and summary of the next letter:] OF POPE PELAGIUS I. He instructs the apocrisiarius Sarpatus to return to Rome, since he is now advanced in years and so afflicted with bodily weakness that he is in no way able to carry out so arduous a charge.

Portuense, quae Epreiana voca<n>tur, primotica sunt, et si intra quinque aut sex dies non coeperint incidi, iam postea diniit<t>ent semen ipsum et inutilia foena exinde reponuntur. portuensi Kaltenbrunner epreiana] Kalten.: epiana B uocantur] Kalten. Tit. Gurdimeri comiti: Una quae de eo nobis est servata notitia. Quoad comitis titulum, cf. notulas ad ep. 63,1, p. 165. Probabile reor, eum idem genus comitum fuisse atque Anilanem ep. 67, p. 175. in uia Portuense. Cf. K. MmbER Itinera Romana, Stuttgart, 1916, p. 252; V. ChapoT, Via, in Daremherg-Saglio, t. V, p. 790; 796. quae Epreiana uocantur: Ita legendum est, quamquam in cod. uocatur legitur, perinde ac si Epreiana nuncuparetur via Portuensis. Haec enim iam satis suo nomine definitur, sed prata omnino ambigua et inno¬ minata manerent, nisi aliquo eorum proprio nomine signarentur. Epreiana veiro corrupta lectio pro euprepia (decora) estne forte autumanda? Euprepeia enim graeca vox idem valet ac pulchritudo, decor. Cf. Du Gange, Glossa¬ rium ..., t. III, p. 334; Thesaurus ..., t. V, 2, p. 1076. primotica sunt et si intra quinque...: Unde accuratius definiri non valet litterarum aetas, nam temporibus aliis aliis in locis terrae vo¬ meri subigebantur. Generatim autem primum altera mensis aprilis parte fiebat. Cf. OiXK, Ackerbau, in Pauly-Wissowa, t. I, c. 281. dimittent semen: Cf. A. Sori<in-Dorigny, Rustica res, m Darem- berg Saglio, t. IV, 2, p. 922. PEI.AGII I PAPAE Aprocrisiario Sarpato mandat ut Romam repetiat, cum annosus iam sit imbecillitateque corporis ita affectus, ut nullo pacto munus tam arduum exercere valeat.