Abstract
The critical apparatus has been trade mark for classical philology ever since the development of the genealogical method and the establishment of the historical-critical edition. Its purpose is to justify the textus constitutus by displaying all significant variations in the history of a classical text and thus making editorial decisions transparent. Within digital scholarship, the critical apparatus tends to be perceived as a sign of methodological inadequacy and technological backwardness. Conceptual achievements of digital textual scholarship and their prototypical implementation into digital scholarly editions and library projects - even if mostly concerned with Medieval Latin, vernacular or modern literature - have developed a range of innovative practices, formats and features. These may help not only to transpose and vindicate the role of the critical apparatus in a digital environment but also to enhance its original core functionalities.
