Abstract

In his Convivio, Dante bases his etymologies of the words auctor and auctoritas on the Derivationes by Hugutius from Pisa. From this author, he also draws the etymon tied to the verb auieo, that is built up with all five vowels. This paper argues that such verb arises out of a paleographic tradition, originating from a wrong interpretation of a passage by Isidore's Etymologies, taken up by Hugutius. The manuscript tradition has worked on the Latin text as the apothecaries do. As an image of the Derivationes reminds to us, the apothecaries chop and mix all the ingredients they need to produce new perfumes or medicines. Dante has relied on Hugutius' auctoritas when he used this verb and the ethymons.