Digital classical philology and the critical apparatus

Abstract

The critical apparatus has been trade mark for classical philology ever since the development of the genealogical method and the establishment of the historical-critical edition. Its purpose is to justify the textus constitutus by displaying all significant variations in the history of a classical text and thus making editorial decisions transparent. Within digital scholarship, the critical apparatus tends to be perceived as a sign of methodological inadequacy and technological backwardness. Conceptual achievements of digital textual scholarship and their prototypical implementation into digital scholarly editions and library projects - even if mostly concerned with Medieval Latin, vernacular or modern literature - have developed a range of innovative practices, formats and features. These may help not only to transpose and vindicate the role of the critical apparatus in a digital environment but also to enhance its original core functionalities.