Definition

Noun: 1. A marginal note or explanatory comment: A "scholium" is a note, often found in the margins of a manuscript or an early printed book, that provides explanation, interpretation, or commentary on the main text. It is typically written by a scholar or commentator (a scholiast) and pertains to ancient or classical literature. 2. An annotation in classical texts: Specifically, it refers to the type of commentary found in editions of Greek and Roman authors, which may explain difficult words, historical references, or textual variants.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The medieval manuscript contained numerous scholia that helped modern translators understand the obscure passages.
  • The editor's task was to compare the scholium in the margin with the main body of the text to verify its accuracy.
  • This edition of Homer's Iliad includes all the ancient scholia, providing invaluable insight into how the text was understood in antiquity.

Advanced Usage

• "Critical scholium": A note that discusses a textual problem or proposes an emendation to the main text.
  • The critical scholium on line 245 suggests a different reading of the verb, which changes the meaning of the entire stanza.
• The plural form is scholia (/'skoʊliə/).

Variants and Related Words

• Scholiast (noun): The writer of a scholium; a commentator on ancient texts.
  • The scholiast who wrote these notes lived in the 10th century.
• Scholarly (adjective): Characteristic of or suitable for a scholar; learned.
  • The book is a scholarly work on Roman history.

Synonyms

• Annotation: A note of explanation or comment added to a text.
• Gloss: A brief explanation or translation of a difficult word or expression.
• Commentary: A series of explanations or interpretations.
• Marginalia: Notes written in the margins of a book.

Related Phrases

• To provide a scholium on: To write an explanatory note about a specific point in a text.
  • The professor provided a brief scholium on the historical context of the battle.

Noun

1. a marginal note written by a scholiast (a commentator on ancient or classical literature)