Exegetical dialogue through compilation: examples from the h-family of the Iliad scholia

Few but quite revealing examples show that the constitution of the text of each of the three classes of Iliad scholia (VMK, exegetica, and D) benefits from a joint consideration of the recensio of all of them. The dissemination and reshaping of materials through the different branches make it advisable to approach the scholia in an inclusive manner and examine all the classes simultaneously. This definitely means not leaving out the h-family: it is, on the one hand, a witness to the three classes, and on the other it can be seen as a further, independent class of Iliad scholia. A full-spectrum strategy allows us to reconsider and assess the dynamics of the exegetical dialogue over time in the manuscript tradition and to make informed choices in the classification and in the manner of ordering and linking blocks of annotations in the edition. Last but not least, this approach affects the constitution of the text of individual scholia, raising new questions and also favouring unforeseen improvements and solutions.