Sec.55. Irridentur:  the contradictions of physical philosophers were the constant sport of the sceptics, cf.  Sext. A.M. IX. 1. Absolute ita paris:  Halm as well as Bait. after Christ, brackets ita; if any change be needed, it would be better to place it before undique.  For this opinion of Democr. see R. and P. 45. Et eo quidem innumerabilis:  this is the quite untenable reading of the MSS., for which no satisfactory em. has yet been proposed, cf. 125. Nihil differat, nihil intersit:  these two verbs often appear together in Cic., e.g._D.F._ III. 25.

Sec.56. Potiusque:  this adversative use of que is common with potius, e.g._D.F._ I. 51.  Cf. T.D. II. 55 ingemescere nonnum quam viro concessum est, idque raro, also ac potius, Ad Att. I. 10, etc. Proprietates:  the [Greek:  idiotetes] or [Greek:  idiomata] of Sextus, the doctrine of course involves the whole question at issue between dogmatism and scepticism. Cognoscebantur:  Dav. dignoscebantur, Walker internoscebantur.  The MSS. reading is right, cf. 86. Consuetudine:  cf. 42, “experience”. Minimum:  an adverb like summum.

Sec.57. Dinotatas:  so the MSS., probably correctly, though Forc. does not recognise the word.  Most edd. change it into denotatas. Artem:  [Greek:  technen], a set of rules. In proverbio:  so venire in proverbium, in proverbii usum venire, proverbii locum obtinere, proverbii loco dici are all used. Salvis rebus:  not an uncommon phrase, e.g. Ad Fam. IV. 1. Gallinas:  cf. fragm. 19 of the Acad.  Post. The similarity of eggs was discussed ad nauseam by the sceptics and dogmatists.  Hermagoras the Stoic actually wrote a book entitled, [Greek:  oi skopia] (egg investigation) [Greek:  e peri sophisteias pros Akademaikous], mentioned by Suidas.

Sec.58. Contra nos:  the sense requires nos, but all Halm’s MSS. except one read vos. Non internoscere:  this is the reading of all the MSS., and is correct, though Orelli omits non.  The sense is, “we are quite content not to be able to distinguish between the eggs, we shall not on that account be led into a mistake for our rule will prevent us from making any positive assertion about the eggs.” Adsentiri:  for the passive use of this verb cf. 39. Par est:  so Dav. for per, which most MSS. have.  The older edd. and Orelli have potest, with one MS. Quasi:  the em. of Madv. for the quam si of the MSS. Transversum digitum:  cf. 116. Ne confundam omnia:  cf. 53, 110. Natura tolletur:  this of course the sceptics would deny.  They refused to discuss the nature of things in themselves, and kept to phenomena. Intersit:  i.e. inter visa.