GLOSSA - Enciclopedia Cattolica, Vol. VI, p. 529

Machine translation of the 1948–1954 Italian original. The original text is authoritative.

GLOSSA. - A literal explanation of a term or phrase, from the Greek *glossa* (tongue), and thus also "dialect, idiom, ancient or rare manner or word" which requires a note to be understood, which was also called "g." In this latter sense, *glossa* is used by Greek grammarians; then "g." or *glossema* is said of the explanation itself of words. Words explained together, with the explanation, were called "glossaries."

I. THE GLOSSAE TO THE BIBLE

Explanations of certain words, inserted into the text, are found in all ancient books and also in the Bible, because copyists or readers wrote explanations of archaic words, of place names that had been established, in the margin or even in the text itself. Thus, for example, in the Vulgate, Gen. 31:47 sqq., Jerome added an explanation of how the heap of stones erected by Laban and Jacob had been called with different words: "uterque iuxta proprietatem linguae suae," and Josh. 3:16b to explain the words "mare solitudinis" he added: "quod nunc vocatur mortuum." For the Hebrew text, the Masorah (q.v.) itself is largely a glossary, as is much of the commentary of the rabbis.

When these glossae became numerous, they were collected into separate works called "glossaries," and their authors were called "glossators." The oldest known Greek glossary is that of Hesychius of Alexandria, in which, however, the sacred glossae were added later (5th century). Other Greek glossaries or dictionaries include those of Theodoret, Photius, Oecumenius, Zonaras, and especially Suidas (c. 976), in whose lexicon biblical glossae constitute an important part, generally derived from Hesychius and other Greek interpreters. Among the works of the Fathers, especially those of Gregory Nazianzen and Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, were glossed.

To this class of glossaries or dictionaries also belong the *Onomastica sacra*, the oldest of which comes from the school of Origen and was later reworked by St. Jerome (*Liber interpretationis nominum Hebraicorum*), and the toponomastic dictionary of Eusebius of Caesarea translated by St. Jerome (*De situ et nominibus locorum Hebraicorum*).

For the Latin text of the Bible we have the *Glossa ordinaria* and the *Glossa interlinearis*. The former is not a glossary or dictionary in the proper sense of the word, but is a continuous commentary on the entire Holy Scripture, which in the Middle Ages enjoyed very great authority. It is printed in PL 113-114, and, together with the *Glossa interlinearis*, also in editions of the *Postillae* of Nicholas of Lyra. While the *Glossa interlinearis* is attributed to Anselm of Laon, the *ordinaria* was commonly ascribed to Walafrid Strabo, abbot of Reichenau (d. 17 July 849), but recent investigations, especially by Mrs. B. Smalley, show that it was composed no earlier than the 12th century, and is largely the work of Anselm of Laon and his school, who used existing works by Lanfranc, Berengaud of Tours, and even Walafrid Strabo, i.e., extracts from his gloss on Genesis and Exodus (q.V. BIBLICAL CAENES, III).

BIBL.: F. Vigouroux, Glose, in DB, III, cols. 252-58; J. Beckmann, Glossen, in LTHK, IV, cols. 538-41; B. Smalley, "Gilbertus Universalis, bishop of London (1128-34), and the problem of the *Glossa ordinaria*," in *Rech. de theol. anc. et médiévale*, 7 (1935), pp. 235-62; 8 (1936), pp. 24-60; id., "La *Glossa Ordinaria*. Quelques prédécesseurs d'Anselme de Laon," ibid., 9 (1937), pp. 365-400; J. de Blic, "L'oeuvre exégétique de Walafrid Strabo," ibid., 16 (1949), pp. 5-28. Arduino Kleinhans

II. LE G. AI TESTI DI DIRITTO CIVILE E CANONICO. — La letteratura giuridica bizantina ha la forma analoga degli scolii, di cui i più importanti e più noti sono quelli apostili alla compilazione dei Basilici, la famosa rielaborazione del Corpus iuris civilis, che si attuò in Oriente ad opera degli imperatori Basilio il Macedone e Leone il Filosofo (v. BASILIO, SANTO).

Nel primo medioevo l'elaborazione sotto forma di annotazioni attaccate al testo si continuò nelle scuole teologiche e religiose e passò pure a quelle letterarie e di retorica. Nel campo del diritto, e soprattutto del diritto civile, forse la forma delle annotazioni particolari si sviluppò dalle indicazioni precedenti al testo diseguale al testo (catapòdas) consentite da Giustiniano.

Tuttavia l'espressione g. non venne in uso e non fu caratteristica se non nel medioevo, quando passò a indicare tanto la singola annotazione particulare a un testo, quanto l'insieme di quella elaborazione per via di interpretazioni particolari, come pure la scuola e i maestri, che di quella forma principalmente si servirono. Glossatori furono detti, poi, a non omasticamente, gli studiosi - specialmente - biologi.

Nella scuola dei decretisti, oltre le glossae si ebbero come generi letterari di elaborazione più importanti; excepta e exceptiones, summae, distinctiones, quaestiones, brocharda, casus e historiae, mutuando le varie specie indicate, meno l'ultima forse, dalla scuola parallela di diritto civile.

Il metodo di glossare continuò attorno ai testi delle decretali (v. DECRETISTI).

BIBL.: F. Maassen, Beiträge zur Geschichte der juristischen Literatur des Mittelalters (Sitzungsber. der K. Akad. der Wiss., Phil.-Hist. Kl., 24), Vienna 1857, pp. 4-84; J. F. Schulte, Zur Geschichte der Literatur über das Dekret Gratians I, II, III Beitr. (Sitzungsber. der K. Akad. der Wiss., Phil.-Hist. Kl., 62), Vienna 1870, pp. 290-352; ibid., 64, ivi 1871, pp. 93-142; ibid., 65, ivi 1872, pp. 21-76; id., Die Glosse zum Deret Gratians von ihren Anfängen bis auf die jüngsten Ausgaben (Denkschr. der Phil. hist. Kl. der K. Akad. der Wiss., 21), ivi 1872; H. Singer, Beiträge zur Würdigung der Dekretstilentur, in dervhür für Katholische Kirchenrecht, 69 (1831), pp. 369-447; 73 (1855), pp. 3-124; E. Busta, Storia del diritto italiano, II, i, Milano 1925, p. 700 seq.; I. Juncker, Summen und Glossen. Beiträge zur Literaturgeschichte der katholischen Rechts im 12. Jahrhundert, in Zeitschrift der Savigny Stiftung für Rechtsgesch., Kan. Abt., 45 (1925), pp. 384-474; S. Kuttner, Repertorium der Kanonistik (1140-1234), Prodromus corporis glossarum, I (Studi e testi, 71), Città del Vaticano 1937; e inoltre la bibli. delle voci cui si rinvia nel testo. Antonio Rota.

GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutions, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palatinus Latinus 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Biblioteca Vaticana, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutions, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutions, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palatinus Latinus 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutions, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palatinus Latinus 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Biblioteca Vaticana, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutions, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palatinus Latinus 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Biblioteca Vaticana, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Biblioteca Vaticana, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book
GLOSSA - G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book III. Biblioteca Vaticana, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book III. Vatican Library, codex Palatinus Latinus 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II—beginning of book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of book II-beginning of book
GLOSSA — G. to the Corpus iuris civilis (Institutiones, end of Book II—beginning of Book III. Vatican Library, cod. Palat. lat. 766, fol. 30°).

GLOSSA