> Sonja van Baardwijk-Holten wrote: > Julia Thompson wrote: > >I'm not really familiar with Erasmus. Nutshell > description? URL to > >something I could read in a reasonable period of > time? Book > >recommendation which I might get to sometime in the > next 10 years? > He's famous here even a university is named after > him and almost every > university has a building, hall, room or at least > one location named > after Erasmus. So I simply couldn't resist to > eradicate this particular > instance of ignorance. If anybody posted already I'm > sorry but currently > I have no time to check if anybody did, so here you > go: > > http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05510b.htm
He and Martin Luther had a debate on the nature of free will -- I'll bet the metaphorical fur was flying! His collection of proverbs (I discovered by searching) was a popular work, spawning many offshoots; this one is particularly apropos: http://leehrsn.stormloader.com/gg/dbi.html Dulce bellum inexpertis "War is sweet to those who have never tasted it" * 16 If Painters craft have truly warre dysplayde, Then is it woorsse (and badde it is at best) Where townes destroyde, and fields with bloud berayde, Yong children slaine, olde widdowes foule oppress, Maydes ravished, both men and wives distress: Short tale to make, where sworde and cindring flame Consume as much as earth and ayre may frame. 17 If pryde make warre (as common people prate) Then is it good (no doubt) as good may bee, For pryde is roote of evill in everie state, The sowrse of sinne, the very feend his fee, The head of Hell, the bough, the braunch, the tree, >From which do spring and sproute such fleshlie seedes, As nothing else but moane and myschiefe breedes. 18 But if warre be (as I have sayde before) Gods scourge, which doth both Prince and people tame, Then warne the wiser sorte by learned lore, To flee from that which bringeth naught but blame, And let men compt it griefe and not a game, To feele the burden of Gods mightie hande, When he concludes in judgement for to stande. 19 Oh Prince be pleasde with thine owne diademe, Confine thy countries with their common boundes, Enlarge no lance, ne stretch thou not thy streame, Penne up thy pleasure in Repentance poundes, Least thine owne sworde be cause of all thy woundes: Claime nought by warre where title is not good, It is Gods scourge, then Prince beware thy bloud... 207 But to conclude, I meane no more but thus, In all estates some one may treade awrye, And he that list my verses to discusse, Shall see I ment no more, but modestly To warne the wise, that they such faults do flie As put downe peace by covine or debate, Since warre and strife bryng wo to every state. *http://www.users.cloud9.net/~recross/why-not/Civility.htm Here is a look at his work "In Praise of Folly:" http://www.stupidity.com/erasmus/eracont2.htm "It was written in 1509 to amuse Thomas More....The text as we have it now moves from lighthearted banter to a serious indictment of theologians and churchmen, before finally expounding the virtues of the Christian way of life, which St. Paul says looks folly to the worId and calls the folly of the Cross (I Corinthians i, 18 ff.)....In an era such as our own, which may be thought to be in the grip of a value-shift no less bewildering and of changes in systems of transport and communication no less disturbing, the northern European renaissance must necessarily represent a historical paradigm of interest and importance. The attitudes of Erasmus, in constant and ironic pursuit of peace, stability, sanity and social advance, represent a serious and perhaps increasingly attractive choice from among the values and programmes with which we are confronted.... "....It starts off in relaxed mood when Folly, dressed in the "unaccustomed garb" of a jester, steps forward to claim that she is mankind's greatest benefactor, an assertion which is substantiated with great energy and ingenuity in an amusing parody of a classical declamation. Born in the earthly paradise of Plutus, the young and intoxicated god 'hotblooded with youth', and of Youth herself, 'the loveliest of all the nymphs and the gayest too', Folly was nursed by Drunkenness and Ignorance. She represents freedom from care, youth, vitality and happiness. Her followers include Self-love, Pleasure, Flattery and Sound Sleep, and she presides over the generation of life...." Debbi who wants some non-hot chocolate, as we are having record-breaking heat here: the fire season is underway __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger. http://messenger.yahoo.com/
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