4P Li gç(' TRANSACTIONS

The publication of this edition of the Livre de Yconomique
marks the conclusion of the third stage of a
project formulated several years ago. It seemed desirable
to provide the scholarly world with readily accessible
modern editions of Nicole Oresme's fourteenthcentury
commented translations of four treatises from
the Mediaeval Latin Aristotle for Charles V of France.
Accordingly, the Lhre de Ethiques appeared in 1940,
followed in 1943 by the Livre du cici et du monde (with
the invaluable collaboration of Rev. Dr. A. J . Denomy).
The Livre de Politiques, now in preparation, will complete
the project. The editor entertains the hope that
these editions may serve as useful primary sources of
information for scholars engaged in the interpretation of
the history of ideas as well as for those principally concerned
with the evolution of the French language.
Since the Yconomique is small in volume, it has
proven feasible to include an English rendering en
regard with the French text, for the convenience of
readers who may find Oresme's Middle French sometimes
perplexing. For those who desire to compare
Oresme's translation with the principal Mediaeval Latin
version, the latter has been inserted as an Appendix. In
order to avoid a great accumulation of footnotes, the
PREFACE
783
sources of the numerous quotations found in the glosses
have been indicated in brackets in the English text. If
the editor has skimped somewhat in his treatment of
the language of the Yconornique, this is because a
thorough airing of this aspect of Oresme's French writings
is contemplated for the projected edition of the
Politiques.
The editor wishes to thank the American Philosophical
Society, whose generous grants-in-aid made
his preliminary research possible and under whose
auspices this work is published. To his colleagues at
Syracuse University, Professors Dean W. McPheeters
and Thomas W. Dickson, he is indebted for their careful
checking of his original draft. Professor Jules
Bogen, of New York University, and Professor Theodore
Suranyi-Unger, of Syracuse University, distinguished
authorities on economic history, have given assistance
by clarifying the meaning of several technical
terms occurring in the text. The editor is especially
grateful to his wife, whose help was often demanded and
whose patience never failed.
Syracuse, N. Y
February, 1957
A. D. M.