A FALSE SCENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 16095, 19 September 1924, Page 5

A FALSE SCENT.

MISSING BOOKS OF LIVY. A DOCUMENT MISREAD. AN ERROR ADMITTED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received September 19. 11.40 a.m. ROME, September 18. The mystery of the missing books of Llvy has been finally cleared up. A report, accompanied by a signed statement by Professor Martinofusco, has been presented to the Minister of Education by the • Inspector-General of Slate Archives, which says that •while examining the Slate archives In Naples Professor Martinofusco found a document dated December 2:?, 1332, which was already well known, in which King Robert of Anjou ordered payment to a scribe named Paolirio for a transcription of ten books of Livy on the Macedonian war. Professor Martinofusco, not being versed in mediaeval' documents, thought Paolino's copy was not restricted to the ten 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 bad already begun a translation of the second one. Proressor Martinofusco's statement admits that he followed a false scent, and he formally retracts all his previous statements about ihe lost books. The Minister of Education docs not. doubt the bona tides of this . statement, but intends to watch developments, with a view, if n fssary, of preserving the Slate's rights to treasure trove.