Codex
A codex (Latin for book) is a handwritten book from late Antiquity[?] or the Middle Ages. Although the Romans used the codex and similar precursors made of wood for taking notes and other informal writings, the first recorded use of the codex for literary works dates to Martial in the late 1st century A.D., who experimented with the medium. At that time, the roll (also called a scroll) was the dominant medium for literary works and would remain dominant for secular works until the 4th century A.D. As far back as there is evidence in the early 2nd century A.D., it appears that the codex was the preferred format for Christian writings.The correct Latin plural is codices, although codexes is also often used as a plural form in English. The codex was an improvement over the scroll, because its pages and a spine allow easier reading and can be written on both sides. Though early codexes were made with papyrus, medieval book makers used parchment or vellum[?] (fine calf skin) for their pages, which made them very durable, but extremely expensive. The scholarly study of manuscripts from the point of view of book-making is called codicology[?].
The books of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica had basically the same form, with long folded strips of paper (usually made from either woodbark or plant fibers, often with a layer of whitewash applied before writing). Hence the ancient books of the Maya, Aztec, Mixtec peoples etc are also known as codicies.
A legal text or code of conduct is sometimes called a codex, for example, the Justinian Codex, since laws were record in large codices.
See also : paleography
Among wargamers of the game Warhammer 40,000 a source book for a particular side is called a Codex.
I was not uneasy about the result of the trial, but on the contrary felt
that the rowdies had set.html">set.html">set the dogs on me when I was going peacefully along
arrested me and put me in jail and let the rowdies go/go.html">go free, the gallant
American would be stirred to its utmost, and I should be instantly set at
view stood the ruffians who had misused me, and I began to fear that in
they had done, they might be harshly handled, and possibly even banished
remain upon her sacred soil.
The official interpreter.html">interpreter.html">interpreter of the court asked my name, and then spoke.html">spoke it
cleared my throat and began--in Chinese, because of my imperfect English:
"Hear, O high and mighty mandarin, and believe! As I went about my
and--
"Silence!"
It was the judge that spoke. The interpreter whispered to me that I must
me--I must only talk through my lawyer.html">lawyer.html">lawyer.
I had no lawyer. In the early morning a police court lawyer (termed, in
prison and offered his services to me, but I had been obliged to go
the interpreter how the matter stood. He said I must take my chances on
their faces perfectly. They will prove that the white men set the dog on
against Chinamen all they want to, but Chinamen ain't allowed to testify
to my cheek at this libel upon the Home of the Oppressed, where all men
I despised this Chinese-speaking Spaniard for his mean.html">mean slander of the
eyes with that sentence from the great and good American Declaration of
hung up over our family altars and in our temples--I mean the one about
There were my witnesses, but I could not use them. But now came a new
.
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