PAL

Ptolemaeus Arabus et Latinus

_ (the underscore) is the placeholder for exactly one character.
% (the percent sign) is the placeholder for no, one or more than one character.
%% (two percent signs) is the placeholder for no, one or more than one character, but not for blank space (so that a search ends at word boundaries).

At the beginning and at the end, these placeholders are superfluous.

towards the rear through the signs ‘towards the rear through the signs’

English

References: Alm. Toomer: 99
Translation of:
Greek: ὡς εἰς τὰ ἐπόμενα τῶν δωδεκατημορίων [Alm. Heiberg: II.9, 142:12-13]