[169] The ten so-called accents of the grammarians are described: the acute, the grave, the circumflex, the marks to indicate long and short vowels, the hyphen, the comma, the apostrophe, the rough and smooth breathing.
[170] This section is to be explained by reference to the chief controversy in the history of the science of grammar in classical times, that between analogy and anomaly, or whether grammatical regularity or irregularity was the more basic phenomenon. In Capella’s grammar analogia is the heading under which declensions of nouns and conjugations of verbs are given, while exceptions are grouped under the heading anomala. See Martianus Capella, Eyssenhardt, pp. 75–97. Also Sandys, History of Classical Scholarship, Index.
[171] Solecism is “the failure to put words together according to the correct method”, while barbarism includes blunders in the use of single words. 1, 33, 1.
[172] Chiefly a parade of long words, like perissologia, macrologia, tapinosis, cacosyntheton, etc. 1, 34.
[173] A large number of poetical figures are described. This section is probably nothing but an evidence of conservatism, since Isidore certainly did not include a study of the poets in his scheme of education.
[174] A number of metres are described and some attention is given to different kinds of poetry, such as the elegiac, bucolic, hymn, cento, etc.
[175] Du Breul has disciplinis, not artibus.
[176] Librarii et calculatores.
[177] From Jerome, ad Soph., in Migne, Patr. Lat., 6, 7, 30.
[178] This sentence, as many others, is in the accusative and infinitive without any governing verb.