E. B.

Columbia University, New York, February, 1912.

CONTENTS

PART I
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER I
Isidore’s Life and Writings
PAGE
1. Importance of Isidore[15]
a. Place in history of thought[15]
b. Influence[17]
2. Historical setting[18]
a. The Roman culture in Spain[18]
b. Assimilation of the barbarians[18]
c. Predominance of the church[19]
3. Life[20]
a. Family[20]
b. Leander[20]
c. Early years and education[21]
d. Facts of his life[22]
4. Impression made by Isidore on his contemporaries[23]
Braulio’s account[23]
5. Works[24]
a. Braulio’s list[24]
b. Works especially important as giving Isidore’s intellectual outlook[25]
(1) Differentiae[26]
Stress on words[26]
(2) De Natura Rerum[27]
View of the physical universe[27]
General organization of subject-matter[28]
(3) Liber Numerorum[29]
Mysticism of number[29]
(4) Allegoriae[29]
(5) Sententiae[29]
(6) De Ordine Creaturarum[30]
c. His main work—the Etymologies[30]
(1) Description[30]
(2) Contents[31]
(3) Antiquarian character[32]
(4) Leading principle of treatment—word derivation[33]
(5) Inconsistency of thought[34]
(6) Circumstances of production[34]
CHAPTER II
Isidore’s Relation to Previous Culture
1. Dependance on the past[35]
2. Ignorance of Greek[35]
3. Relation to Latin writers[37]
a. The function of the Christian writers[37]
b. The development of the pagan thought[37]
(1) The encyclopædias[38]
(a) Characteristics[38]
Decay of thought[38]
Epitomizing tendency[39]
Literary scholarship[39]
Scientific scholarship[40]
(b) Method of production[40]
(c) Acceptability of encyclopædias to the church fathers[41]
(d) Debt of Isidore to them[41]
(2) The encyclopædias of education[43]
4. The personal element contributed by Isidore[44]
5. Sources used by Isidore[45]
a. Confusion of the tradition[45]
b. Investigations and their results[45]
CHAPTER III
Isidore’s General View of the Universe
1. Introductory considerations[48]
a. The difficulties in ascertaining the world-view[48]
(1) Inconsistencies[48]
(2) Unexplained preconceptions[48]
b. Conditions favoring the construction of a world-view[49]
2. The physical universe[50]
a. Form of the universe[50]
Question of the sphericity of the earth[50]
Greek cosmology versus Christian cosmology[54]
b. Size of the universe[54]
c. Constitution of matter[55]
The four elements[55]
Properties[55]
Cosmological bearing[57]
Bearing on the physical constitution of man[59]
Use of the theory in medicine[59]
Phenomena of meteorology explained by the theory[60]
Seasons[61]
d. Parallelism of man and the universe[62]
3. The solidarity of the universe[63]
a. Strangeness of Isidore’s thinking[63]
b. The conception of solidarity[64]
c. Number[64]
d. Allegory[65]
4. The supernatural world[67]
a. Contrast between mediæval and modern views[68]
b. Method of apprehending the supernatural world[68]
c. Relative importance of natural and supernatural[68]
(1) In nature[68]
(2) In man[69]
(3) Asceticism[70]
d. Inhabitants of supernatural world[70]
(1) Theology[70]
(2) Angelology[70]
(3) Demonology[72]
5. View of secular learning[73]
a. Philosophy[73]
(1) Conception of philosophy[73]
(2) Attitude toward pagan philosophy[74]
b. Poetry[74]
c. Science[75]
(1) Attitude toward pagan science[75]
(2) Condition of pagan science[76]
(3) Low place accorded to science[76]
(4) Science harmonized with religious ideas[77]
(5) Perversity of pagan scientists[78]
6. View of the past[79]
a. Pagan past as a whole dropped[79]
b. Idea of the past dominated by Biblical tradition[79]
c. Importance of Hebrew history[80]
CHAPTER IV
Isidore’s Relation to Education
1. Problem of Christian education[81]
2. Cassiodorus’ solution[82]
a. Theology[83]
b. The seven liberal arts[83]
3. The educational situation in Spain[84]
4. Isidore’s solution[85]
a. Attitude toward the secular subject-matter[85]
b. Comprehensive educational scheme[86]
(1) First eight books of the Etymologies[86]
(2) The higher and the lower education[87]
5. Bearing of Isidore’s educational scheme on the development of the universities[88]
PART II
THE ETYMOLOGIES
Book I
On Grammar
Introduction[89]
Analysis[92]
Extracts[95]
Book II
1. On Rhetoric (chs. 1–21)
Introduction[105]
Analysis[107]
Extracts[111]
2. On Logic (chs. 22–30)
Introduction[113]
Analysis[115]
Extracts[115]
Book III
1. On Arithmetic (chs. 1–9)
Introduction[123]
Extracts (chs. 1–9)[125]
2. On Geometry (chs. 10–14)
Introduction[131]
Translation (chs. 10–14)[132]
3. On Music (chs. 15–23)
Introduction[134]
Extracts (chs. 15–23)[136]
4. On Astronomy (chs. 24–71)
Introduction[140]
Extracts (chs. 24–71)[142]
Book IV
On Medicine
Introduction[155]
Extracts[158]
Book V
1. On Laws (chs. 1–25)
Introduction[164]
Extracts (chs. 1–25)[166]
2. On Times (chs. 28–39)
Introduction[173]
Extracts (chs. 28–39)[175]
Books VI-VIII
[Theology]
Introduction[183]
Analysis[184]
Extracts—Book VI. On the Books and Services of the Church[185]
Extracts—Book VII. On God, the Angels and the faithful[192]
Extracts—Book VIII. On the Church and the different sects[196]
Book IX
On Languages, Races, Empires, Warfares, Citizens, Relationships
Introduction[207]
Analysis[208]
Extracts[208]
Book X
Alphabetical List of Words
Extracts[214]
Book XI
On Man and Monsters
Analysis[215]
Extracts[215]
Book XII
On Animals
Introduction[222]
Analysis[223]
Extracts[223]
Books XIII and XIV
[On Universe and Earth]
Introduction[233]
Analysis[233]
Extracts—Book XIII. On the Universe and its parts[234]
Extracts—Book XIV. On the Earth and its parts[243]
Book XV
On Buildings and Fields
Analysis[248]
Extracts[249]
Book XVI
On Stones and Metals
Analysis[252]
Extracts[253]
Book XVII
On Agriculture
Analysis[258]
Book XVIII
On War and Amusements
Analysis[258]
Extracts[259]
Book XIX
On Ships, Buildings and Garments
Analysis[261]
Book XX
On Provisions and Utensils Used in the House and in the Fields
Analysis[263]
Appendix I
Isidore’s Use of the Word Terra[264]
Appendix II
Subdivisions of Philosophy[267]
Bibliography[270]

PART I
INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I