Author Bio- Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, or simply Erasmus was a Dutch Renaissance Humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher,and theologian.
Born on 27 October, 1446 and Died on 12 July 1536.
Was a classical scholar who wrote in pure latin style. Amongst humanists, he enjoyed the sobriquet "Prince of the Humanists"; he has been called "the crowning glory of the Christian humanists.Using humanist techniques for working on texts, he prepared important new Latin and Greek editions of the New Testament. These raised questions that would be influential in the Protestant Reformation and Catholic Protestant Reformation.
Speaker- Erasmus himself
Date and Context- Essay was written in Latin in 1509 by Erasmus of Rotterdam and first printed in 1511. The essay was inspired by De Triumpho Stultitiae, written by the Italian humanist Faustino Perisauli, born at Tredozio, near Forli.
Summary-The essay is filled with classical allusions delivered in a style typical of the learned humanists of the Renaissance. Folly parades as a goddess, offspring of Plutus, the god of wealth and a nymph, Freshness. She was nursed by two other nymphs Inerbrition and Ignorance, her faithful companions include Philautia (self-love), Kolkia (flattery), Lethe (forgetfulness), Misoponia (laziness), Hedone (pleasure),Anonia (madness), Tryphe (wantonness) and two gods Komos (intemperance) and Eegretos Hypnos (dead sleep). Folly praises herself endlessly, arguing that life would be dull and distasteful without her. Of earthly existence, Folly pompously states, "you'll find nothing frolic or fortunate that it owes not to me."
Key Quotation- " The popes of Rome....pretend themselves Christ's vicars; if they would but imitate his exemplary life .... an unintermitted course of preaching attendance with poverty, nakedness, hunger and a contempt of this world;.."
As a humanist, Erasmus applied humanist ideology to critique the corruptions of the church. Although, he was not a reformer, his works provided a foundation for reformers such as Martin Luther & John Calvin.
ReplyDeleteI this particular work, Erasmus compares the trappings of Christianity to Paganism, critiques the nonsense of indulgences and corrupt church officials, and comments on the manifestation of materialism in church practices.
"The Christians have now their gigantic St. George, as well as the pagans had their Hercules"
"By this easy way of purchasing pardons, any notorious highwayman, any plundering soldier, or any bribe-taking judge shall disburse some part of their unjust gains, and so think all their grossest impieties sufficiently atoned for."