Pictures of "The Vatican Sayings" As Discovered in The Vatican

This is the header/title of the section containing the "Vatican Sayings"...

and reads:

Επικουρου προσφωνησισ (Epikourou prosphonesis)

The first word is, of course, "of Epicurus"

The second word means something like "address, dedication, etc."

So it could be even something like "the mode of speaking of Epicurus" or, since his name comes first, "Epicurus's mode of speaking."

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, π , προσφύρω , προσφών-ησις

I must say I like that fancy initial Epsilon+pi ligature in Epicurus's name With a little fancy photomanipulation we can get just Epicurus's name with some flourishes from that title:

Επικουροσ (Epicurus)

I just wanted to add here how unimaginably fortunate we are for the libraries and archives that have scanned their books and ancient and medieval manuscripts. Online repositories allow us to do research with an ease that would have been inconceivable to Usener, Wotke, Bailey, et al. What would have involved international travel, getting permission from administrators of institutions, and other difficulties not that long ago, now involves me just casually bringing up 14th century manuscripts, magnifying, copying, and comparing, with merely a few keystrokes.

By Zeus! The Internet gets a (deservedly) bad rap sometimes, but for things like this, it is absolutely wonderful and amazing.

Edit

And I should add that the Internet provides us with the opportunity to have this virtual Garden, too!

Thank you Don for all of your work in bringing the information here!

Quote from Joshua

Thank you Don for all of your work in bringing the information here!

It's literally been my pleasure

I really love this Don. Your mirrored flourish really makes me think we are of somewhat similar minds. Thank you!