Page "Marcus Valerius Probus" Paragraph 1

He was a student rather than a teacher, and devoted himself to the criticism and elucidation of the texts of classical authors ( especially the most important Roman poets ) by means of marginal notes or by signs, after the manner of the Alexandrine grammarians.

In this way he treated Horace, Lucretius, Terence and Persius, the biography of the last-named being probably taken from Probus's introduction to his edition of the poet.

With the exception of these texts, he published little, but his lectures were preserved in the notes taken by his pupils.

Some of his criticisms on Virgil may be preserved in the commentary on the Bucolics and Georgics which goes under his name.

We possess by him part of a treatise De notis, probably an excerpt from a larger work.

It contains a list of abbreviations used in official and historical writings ( especially proper names ), in laws, legal pleadings and edicts.