Prolegomena

Prolegomena deals with the introductory and hermeneutic sections of a wide range of commentaries and studies on philosophical, scientific, biblical and other ancient authors.Special attention is given to unclearness as a stimulus for interpretation. New light is shed on the Life of an author (e.g. Plotinus') as a preliminary to the study of his works, and on the part played by the idea that life and doctrine should agree with each other.The results obtained by the study of the practices as well as the avowed principles of ancient scholars and commentators among other things further the understanding of the interrelated philosophical, literary, medical and patristic exegetical traditions, of the book of Diogenes Laërtius, of Galen's autobibliographies and of Thrasyllus' Before the Reading of the Dialogues of Plato.

'Prolegomena is a breathtakingly learned book...' Brad Inwood, Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 1995. 'This is a scholarly and illuminating book.' Royal Holloway, Phronesis, 1995. 'This is a useful book on an interesting subject. Thanks to its abundant bibliography and its analytical index nominum et rerum guiding the (specialist) reader conveniently through a huge collection of references, quotations and enumerations, it will particularly serve as an instrument of research for future work on the history of ancient practices of interpretation....one should be grateful to Mansfeld for making this interesting material accessible and drawing in such an illuminating way the historical lines running through this heterogeneous collection.' Philip J van der Eijk, Medical History, 1996. 'This is a carefully argued book with a mass of complex discussion and eveidence which will make it a most useful source book for anyone concerned with the teaching and formative background of Hellenistic and later Greek philosophy.' Andrew Smith, The Classical Review, 1996. '...a fascinating and timely study...' Lloyd P. Gerson, International Studies in Philosophy, 1997.

Jaap Mansfeld (1936, Ph.D. 1964) is Professor of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at Utrecht University. He has published widely on ancient philosophy, its historiography and its receptions.