J. A. GILES, JUR. CIV. DOCTOR, ET COLLEGII CORPORIS CHRISTI, OXON. OLIM SOCIUS. VOL. III. POLYCRATICI LIBRI I.—V. OXONII, APUD J. H. PARKER; LONDINI APUD C. DOLMAN, NEW BOND STREET; D. NUTT, FLEET STREET; ET PARISIIS APUD B. DUPRAT. MDCCCXLVIII. PREFACE. NEXT to his Epistolary writings, the most important work of our author is his Polycraticus, contained in this and the following volumes. The full title of the work is POLYCRATICUS, sive de nugis Curialium et vestigiis philosophorum. It appears to be doubtful for what reason the name Polycraticus was chosen, for the etymology of that word gives no indication whatever of the nature or subject of his work. The treatise is divided into eight books, to which is prefixed a poetical introduction or prologue entitled Entheticus, in which the author, dedicating his work to Becket, then Chancellor and afterwards Archbishop, remarks, that nearly all mankind were engaged in pursuit of those trifles against which his work was aimed. It appears from the Peterborough Chronicle, that this work was completed in 1156, though it may have been written at different times before that date, and revised by its author at a later period. It has been often printed, after collation with different MSS. For the present edition the text has "MCLVI. Joannes Saresberiensis scripsit Polycraticum suum." Chronicon Angliæ Petriburgense, ed. J. A. G. 8vo. Lond. et Oxon. 1844. |