As to the commonplaces met with in the course of our reading, so simple that they can hardly have escaped your notice, we have devoted less attention to them, and have purposely refrained from examining them carefully. It is no easy matter to undertake to read each individual work, to grasp the argument, to remember and record it but when the number of works is large, and a considerable time has elapsed since their perusal, it is extremely difficult to remember them with accuracy. 5 If, during your study of these volumes, any of the summaries should appear to be defective or inaccurate, you must not be surprised. But, considering that nothing would be gained by this, we have set them down indiscriminately as they occurred to us. Not be difficult, if one preferred it, to describe historical events and those dealing with different subjects under separate headings. The summaries will be arranged in the order in which our memory recalls them. No doubt we have not been expeditious enough to satisfy your feverish eagerness and vehement desire, but still we have been quicker than might have been expected. Accordingly, regarding the fulfilment of your request as a sacred obligation, we engaged a secretary, and set down all the summaries we could recollect. We believe that their number is exactly 279.
Your idea was to have something to console you for our painful separation, and at the same time to acquire some knowledge, even if vague and imperfect, of the works which you had not yet read in our company. Photius, to his beloved brother Tarasius, in the name of the Lord, greeting.Īfter our appointment as ambassador to Assyria 3 had been confirmed by the assent of the embassy 4 and approved by the emperor, you asked to be furnished with summaries of those works which had been read and discussed during your absence. Register and enumeration of the books read by us, 279 in number, of which our beloved brother Tarasius desired to have a summary. Photius, Bibliotheca or Myriobiblion (Cod.
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