This volume presents four early works by Vives: De initiis sectis et laudibus philisophiae (On the Origins, Schools and Merits of Philosophy); Veritas fucata (Painted Truth); Anima senis (the Soul of an Old Man); and Pompeius fugiens (Pompey in Flight). In each case the Latin text is accompanied by an English translation. The main aim of the editors has been to provide for the first time critical editions of the texts. The texts published here were included by Vives in the volume of collected essays which appeared in 1519 in Louvain under the title Opuscula varia. The text published at that time has also become the textus receptus.
Variants are, of course, included in the critical apparatus.
The apparatus fontium gives us an insight into Vives as a humanist. To the English translation are appended a small number of explanatory notes. Finally, there are these three indices: an index nominum (with reference in each to an encyclopaedia article which contains the bibliography forming the basis), an index locorum, and an index verborum memorabilium (which indicates deviations from Classical Latin forms).
This volume is the first in a planned series of Selected Works which will follow the same concept.