The Adages of Erasmus

Rating:
Summary: Extraordinarily readable and extremely relivant
Review: Erasmus was fascinated by proverbs and this book highlights over 80 proverb essays of the more than 4,000 that Erasmus collected and commented on. Typically each is accompanied with his comments, which are sometimes in a few lines and sometimes in full-scale essays. They display his wit and elegance, along with bursts of satire alternating with serious views. The proverbs when published was kind of a « top seller » of Europe at the time.

This selection by Dr. William Barker emphasizes Erasmus' skill in explaining the proverbs, shows how he made his book, and demonstrates the way in which many of the proverbs moved into the English language. The text is illustrated with images by Brueghel and Holbein and examples of proverb use from emblem books.

Of the 80 proverb essays, some are masterpieces of social criticism (War is sweet to those who have never tried it), others provide scholarly explanations of philosophical ideas or gestures and customs (Thumbs up). Many of the proverbs have passed into modern usage (Know thyself, To give someone the "finger", Well begun is half done), some even retaining their Latin form (Deus ex machina). And a few, it turns out, were created by Erasmus himself through his occasional misinterpretation of the ancient languages (Pandora's box, To call a spade a spade).

Above all the book is extremely readable and Professor Barkers comments are thoroughly enjoyable. It is the kind of book you can dip into now and then for some quick insights or amusement.

Rating:
Summary: Ancient Wisdom, Timeless Wisdom
Review: It is hard to believe that a compilation of over 4,000 adages from
Greek and Latin could ever be a bestseller, but that is what happened
five hundred years ago when Erasmus started publishing his editions of
adages. Erasmus is more famous for _Praise of Folly_ (1511) which is
still funny and represents a pinnacle of sly wit and subversive
erudition. His compilation of adages, however, was his most popular
work in his own time. You can still find the full edition all of
them, in six volumes, but now there is a one volume selection, _The
Adages of Erasmus_ (University of Toronto Press), selected by William
Barker. As an introduction to renaissance thinking and to an
astonishingly well-read and retentive mind, this edition of the
_Adages_ is excellent, but it is also a reminder to us moderns of how
deeply the roots of learning go back into the past.

The _Adages_
became influential just as adages themselves are to our way of
thinking. Proof that this particular collection continues to
influence us comes most pointedly from a couple of mistakes that
Erasmus made. In his discussion of "He calls figs figs, a spade a
spade," Erasmus took the Greek "skaptein" meaning "to
dig" as the source of "scapha;" he thought it was a spade,
but it actually is a small dugout boat, or skiff. The meaning of the
proverb is unchanged; Erasmus explains, "It suits a man who speaks
the truth in a simple and countrified style, who tells of things as
they are, and does not wrap them up in ornamental verbiage." But
ever since Erasmus, no one has said "to call a skiff a skiff."
Time and again, this collection points out very familiar ideas which
were first voiced thousands of years ago; Erasmus discusses "To
leave no stone unturned," "Know thyself," "The cart before
the horse," and many more which, except for translation, are
entirely the same as they were for the ancients. To read the _Adages_
is to find comfort in this sort of scholarly stability. In addition,
there are a good many expressions here, some crude, which didn't make
it to modern times, but perhaps should have. Erasmus, admitting
"the line is too obscene to give much pleasure to the
translator," reflects on "In canis podicem inspicere," from
Aristophanes: "I told him to go and look into a dog's anus."

Many of the adages here show a citation and a very brief
explanation, but those who wish weightier matter will enjoy reading
the digressions. Sometimes Erasmus apologizes for going far from his
source proverb, but by such means he gives us his ideas on the proper
upbringing of princes, his own work in scholarly explication, or the
futility of war. It is clear that he delights in pointing out to his
contemporaries the continuation of learning from the ancients and the
need to adopt the lessons to his own times. This large and attractive
summary of his thought in _Adages_ is just right for those who wish to
take the lessons into our own.


Rating:
Summary: Ancient Wisdom, Timeless Wisdom
Review: It is hard to believe that a compilation of over 4,000 adages from
Greek and Latin could ever be a bestseller, but that is what happened
five hundred years ago when Erasmus started publishing his editions of
adages. Erasmus is more famous for _Praise of Folly_ (1511) which is
still funny and represents a pinnacle of sly wit and subversive
erudition. His compilation of adages, however, was his most popular
work in his own time. You can still find the full edition all of
them, in six volumes, but now there is a one volume selection, _The
Adages of Erasmus_ (University of Toronto Press), selected by William
Barker. As an introduction to renaissance thinking and to an
astonishingly well-read and retentive mind, this edition of the
_Adages_ is excellent, but it is also a reminder to us moderns of how
deeply the roots of learning go back into the past.

The _Adages_
became influential just as adages themselves are to our way of
thinking. Proof that this particular collection continues to
influence us comes most pointedly from a couple of mistakes that
Erasmus made. In his discussion of "He calls figs figs, a spade a
spade," Erasmus took the Greek "skaptein" meaning "to
dig" as the source of "scapha;" he thought it was a spade,
but it actually is a small dugout boat, or skiff. The meaning of the
proverb is unchanged; Erasmus explains, "It suits a man who speaks
the truth in a simple and countrified style, who tells of things as
they are, and does not wrap them up in ornamental verbiage." But
ever since Erasmus, no one has said "to call a skiff a skiff."
Time and again, this collection points out very familiar ideas which
were first voiced thousands of years ago; Erasmus discusses "To
leave no stone unturned," "Know thyself," "The cart before
the horse," and many more which, except for translation, are
entirely the same as they were for the ancients. To read the _Adages_
is to find comfort in this sort of scholarly stability. In addition,
there are a good many expressions here, some crude, which didn't make
it to modern times, but perhaps should have. Erasmus, admitting
"the line is too obscene to give much pleasure to the
translator," reflects on "In canis podicem inspicere," from
Aristophanes: "I told him to go and look into a dog's anus."

Many of the adages here show a citation and a very brief
explanation, but those who wish weightier matter will enjoy reading
the digressions. Sometimes Erasmus apologizes for going far from his
source proverb, but by such means he gives us his ideas on the proper
upbringing of princes, his own work in scholarly explication, or the
futility of war. It is clear that he delights in pointing out to his
contemporaries the continuation of learning from the ancients and the
need to adopt the lessons to his own times. This large and attractive
summary of his thought in _Adages_ is just right for those who wish to
take the lessons into our own.