Letter 28: Isidore of Seville [bishop and encyclopedist, c.
Isidore of Seville [bishop and encyclopedist, c.560-636] sends Braulio of Zaragoza [his younger colleague and disciple, bishop of Zaragoza] the dedication and presumably the final text of the Etymologiae, the monumental encyclopedia that would become the most-copied reference work of the Middle Ages. Isidore acknowledges Braulio's role in bringing the work to completion and reflects on the project's scope and ambition. The Etymologiae — twenty books covering grammar, rhetoric, mathematics, medicine, theology, history, agriculture, warfare, and more — became the indispensable intellectual toolkit of medieval European scholars.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
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To my beloved son Braulio, bishop, greetings.
To Braulio, most beloved brother and son in Christ,
To my dear son and brother Braulio, greetings in Christ.
To my most dear son Braulio, bishop, my joy and my comfort,
Isidore of Seville [c.