Erasmus
— Prince of the Humanist
Today is the anniversary of the birth of
Erasmus of Rotterdam, the Prince of the Humanist. Erasmus devoted his career and his mastery of
Latin and Greek to translating and commenting upon sacred texts including a new
translation of the New Testament and non-sacred literature such as the writings
of Seneca. Along the way he wrote the Colloquies
and the Adages, social commentary such as the Praise of Folly and on the
need for internal reform of church practices including the Julius Exclusus. He wrote a “paraphrase” of the New Testament
(far longer in paraphrase than was the original text) that under Edward VI (in
English translation) was required to be in every English church. The future Queen Mary I (Mary Tudor)
translated a portion of the Paraphrases into English. The Paraphrases feature in the third
of the Kingsbridge novels of Ken Follett, the recently released Pillar of
Fire.
He and Sir Thomas More were the best of
friends, and the Praise of Folly was written while he was staying with More.
It’s not that I think a lot of Erasmus,
it’s just that I have copies of his portrait hanging in both my house and my
office.
In at least the first episode of The
Orville, behind the captain in his office are some bookshelves – one of the
books is The Cloister and the Hearth.
This novel is an imagined account of the lives of Erasmus’
parents.
While we are sure that October 28 is the
date of his birth, we are not sure of the year.
Strong cases can be made for 1466 and 1469.
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