Annotations to James Joyce's Ulysses/Oxen of the Sun/397
Annotations
editDiv. Scep. (Dog Latin) Divinitatis Scepticus or Doubter of Divinity, a mock Latin academic degree analogous to D. D. (Divinitatis Doctor, or Doctor of Divinity).[1] In Latin, Scepticus was used in the plural (Sceptici) to denote the philosophical sect of Sceptics, who doubted all things.
Pubb. Canv. Public Canvasser, a mock academic degree describing Bloom's occupation (canvasser for advertisments).[2] The double bb suggests that Joyce is thinking of a Late Latin academic degree such as might have been conferred on a Scholastic scholar.