THE BOOKS OF LIVY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1924, Page 5

THE BOOKS OF LIVY.

A PROFESSOR'S MISTAKE. MYSTERY CLEARED UP. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.-—Copyrign.. Rome, Sept. 18. The mystery of the missing books of Livy has been finally cleared up. A report, accompanied by a signed statement by Dr. Martino Fusco, has been presented to the Minister of Education by the In-spector-General of State Archives. This says that while examining the State archived in Naples Dr. Martino Fusco found a document dated December 23, 1332, which was already well known, in which King Robert of Anjou ordered pay nient to the scribe Paolino for the transcription of the ten books of Livy on th"* Macedonian war. Dr. Martino Musco, not being versed in mediaeval documents, thought Paolino’s copy was not restricted to the 10 known books, but referred to the complete text of Livy’s works. The professor continued his researches, meantime lightly assuring his friends that he had found all the missing codices and had already begun a translation of the second ten. Dr. Fusco’s statement admits that he followed a false scent and he formally retracts all his previous statements about the lost books.

The Minister of Education does not doubt the bona tides of the statement, but intends to watch developments with a view, if necessary, to preserving State rights to treasure trove.