Acknowledgments
There are many people whose generous assistance and encouragement enabled this book to be successfully completed. This book emerged from my PhD dissertation, and my co-supervisors Michael Herren and Alexander Murray have provided many years of stimulating feedback as I developed my ideas. Their generosity did not cease with the completion of my degree at the University of Toronto, and I am truly grateful for the time they have taken to share with me their vast knowledge of Late Antiquity.
I had the privilege of receiving the 2019 Claudio Leonardi Fellowship from the Zeno Karl Schindler Foundation for Medieval Latin Studies, and the time I spent doing research under its aegis at the Società Internazionale per lo Studio Medioevo Latino (SISMEL) in Florence, Italy was indispensable for producing the results contained in this book. I also gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Zeno Karl Schindler-Stiftung for the publication of this book. I am also thankful for the hospitality of the SISMEL institute in 2019.
My family has been incredibly supportive through this whole (lengthy) process, especially my parents Byron and Jackie, my grandparents Chester and Barbara and my sister Laura. Their assistance has been especially welcome during the difficulties imposed upon my completion of this book because of the COVID-19 pandemic. To them my thanks are also due.
I believe that what I have written contributes to our knowledge of the truth. But as Fortunatus reminded me: Unde in homine mendace causa veritatis sit, nisi ipsa veritas se ministret, hoc est, nisi in hominem ipsam bonam voluntatem Deus veritatis inspiret qui et velle tribuit et posse conplevit? Therefore I say, in gratitude, Soli Deo gloria: to God alone be the glory.
Benjamin Wheaton