Text Meets TEX
The TexTEX Project
Yukie Baba
baba@icu.ac.jp
revised
02/27/2002
Transcribing medieval manuscripts or early printings can often become a highly frastrating task when those materials contain certain abbreviations, ligatures, or any other signs which are no longer in use today. Including mise-en-page or pictorial information, such as large initials, words written/printed along with geometric figures, diagrams, interlinear glosses, neume notations, illustrations, rubrics, etc., seems even more impossible.
However, thanks to Dr. Knuth and many other devoted TEX nicians, now we can create almost every sort of digital transcriptions of medieval manuscripts and incunabula with the help of TEX and METAFONT.
This webpage demonstrates how TEX and METAFONT can be used as powerful instruments to create transcriptions of medieval manuscripts and early printings, preserving some Palaeographical, Codicological, Typographical and Iconographical features of the original materials.
Click any incipits of manuscripts or incunabula in the list below to see some graphic file samples of the transcriptions I composed with METAFONT and TEX, together with a number of useful macro packages. To print these graphic files with a high resolution, click "pdf" in the list.
ms = manuscript ; pb = printed book
| ms | Expliciunt capitula | Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Reg. Lat. 316, f.2v. | saec. VIII | |
| ms | Omnipotens uirtus | Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Reg. Lat. 124, f.35v. | saec. IX | |
| ms | In Principio creauit | J. P. Getty Museum, Marquette Bible,vol.1, fol.10v. | saec. XIII | |
| ms | Secundum generationem | British Library, Burney 282, f.37v. | saec. XIII | |
| ms | Sumer is icumen in | British Library, Harley 978, f.11v. | saec. XIV | |
| pb | Kyng William | Keio Univ. Library, 120X-656-1. | saec. XV | |
| pb | Prologus | Keio Univ. Library, Gutenberg Bible. | saec. XV | |
| pb | Luna significat | Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts. | saec. XVI | |
| pb | Hec rosa uirtutis | Keio Univ. Library, 120X@513@2. | saec. XVI | |
| pb | Of Froyssart | Keio Univ. Library, 120X@513@2. vol.2, fol.319r. | saec. XVI | |
| pb | Plutarchus | Keio Univ. Library, 120X 875 1, p.216. | saec. XVI |
Lector caveat: My intention here was not to create perfect transcriptions but to make examples as many as possible. As you will soon notice, I did not check my transcriptions twice. I will appreciate if you could kindly teach me where and how I should improve my transcriptions. I will also welcome any questions and suggestions about this website. My answer to your question will be posted on FAQ page. Thank you : )
Pagina Domestica Babae: since January 22, 2002