Part 20 (2/2)

Here they will exclaim perchance, 'What have _you_ to do with a mythical God?' He came to me, I did not adopt him When I was called to Rome, and Alexander, titular Archbishop of St Andrews,[111] was su Jaavethese was one which had _Terraved on the jewel; an Italian interested in antiquities had pointed this out, which I had not known before I seized on the o that the term of my existence was not far off--at that tiht in n I added the verse, as I said before

And so fro me to correctto any But in the medal there is added in Greek, [Greek: Ora teloslife,' in Latin _Mors ultima linea rerum_ They will say, 'You could have carved on it a dead man's skull' Perhaps I should have accepted that, if it had come my way: but this pleased me, because it came to me by chance, and then because it had a double charm for me; from the allusion to an ancient and faing to devices

There isAnd if only they would at last set a _terreee theirunder Ito injure their reputation that I a themselves over to the ridicule of the whole world by these stupid tricks, and not blushi+ng to find themselves confuted with mockery on every occasion The Lord keep you safe in body and soul, my beloved friend in Christ

XXI TO CHARLES BLOUNT[112]

Freiburg iau, 1 March 1531

To the noble youth Charles Mountjoy, greetings:

I have determined to dedicate to you Livy, the prince of Latin history; already nificent or accurate edition: and if this is not enough, augmented by five books recently discovered; these were found by soenius in the library of the monastery at Lorsch by Siance in all branches of literature and at the same time born for the advancement of liberal studies Now this iuo, and equipped with great store of books; for this was formerly the special care of princes, and this is usually the inal manuscript was one of marvellous antiquity, painted[114] in the antique fashi+on with the letters in a continuous series, so that it has proved very difficult to separate word froeable, careful and trained for this very task This causeda copy to be handed to the printer's men for their use; a careful and faithful watch was kept to prevent any departure froment which came to us recently fro,[115] what acclae addition to Livy's _History_?

Would to God that this author could be restored to us coive so, now in Denmark, now in Poland, now in Gerainst all men's expectations, I do not see e should despair of the possibility of finding still more And here, inworthily if they offered rewards and attracted scholars to the search for such a treasure, or prevailed upon the and hiding away to the great detri in a fit state to be of public utility For it seeh the bowels of the earth almost down to Hades at vast peril and expense in order to find a little gold or silver: and yet will utterly disregard treasures of this kind, as far above those others in value as the soul excels the body, and not consider the for

This is the spirit of Midases, not of princes; and as I know that your character is utterly at variance with this spirit, I doubt not that you will ain Now, there are chiefly two considerations which reenuinely by Livy: in the first place that of the diction itself, which in all features recalls its author: secondly that of the arguments or epitomes of Floras, which correspond exactly with these books

And so, knowing that there is no kind of readingfor men of note than that of the historians, of whom Livy is easily the chief (I speak of the Ro of Sallust beyond two fraglutton, so to speak, your father has always been for history (and I doubt not that you rese incongruously in publishi+ng these five books with a special dedication to you Although in this point I should not wish you to rese over his books every day froht, which is weariso a the servants; so far he has been able to do this without loss of health; still, I do not think it wise for you to take the same risk, which may not turn out as successfully Certainly when your father was studying along with the present king while still a youngapproval of his father Henry VII, a king of reood sense

Joined to this edition is the Chronology of Henry Glareanus, a able industry refines, adorns and enriches with the liberal disciplines not the renowned Gyion as well The Chronology shows the order of events, the details of the wars, and the naned astonishi+ng confusion, brought about through the fault of the scribes and dabblers in learning Yet this was the sole guiding light of history! Without this Pole star our navigation on the ocean of history is completely blind: and without this thread to help him, the reader becoh he be, in these labyrinths of events If you consider your letter well repaid by this gift, it will now be your turn to write me a letter Farewell

XXII TO BARTHOLOMEW LATOMUS[116]

Basle, 24 August 1535

To Bartholo for your silence you are wasting your ti tried friends by this coe you with an oht to accuseanything new They are afraid of their own revenues suffering, this being the sole aim of most of them You would scarcely believe to what machinations they stooped at Louvain in their efforts to prevent a trilingual college being established I worked strenuously in the ly very unpopular There was an attees at Tournai, but the University of Louvain and the Franciscans at Tournai did not rest until the project was abandoned The house erected for this purpose overlooked the Franciscans' garden--that was the cause of the trouble

I have had a long life, counting in years; but were I to calculate the tiout, I have not lived long But we must patiently bear whatever the Lord has sent upon us, Whose will no one can resist, and Who alone knohat is good for us The glory [of an immortal name] moves me not at all, I am not anxious over the applause of posterity My one concern and desire is to depart hence with Christ's favour

Many French nobles have fled here for fear of the winter stor been recalled[117] 'The lion shall roar, who shall not fear?'

says the Prophet[118] A like terror has seized the English, fro the the ground, then hanged, and finally drawn and quartered There is a firm and probable ru been co-opted by Paul III as a cardinal caused the King to hasten his being dragged out of prison and beheaded--histhe scarlet hat It is all too true that Tho in prison and his fortune confiscated It was being said that he too had been executed, but I have no certain news as yet[120] Would that he had never embroiled hiical cause to the theologians The other friends who froifts now send nothing and write nothing fro from anyone, as if under every stone there slept a scorpion

It see of a Council here But I do not see how it is to meet in the midst of such dissension between princes and lands The whole of Lower Gerly infected with Anabaptists: in Upper Ger in here in droves; so Goletta; in er from the Anabaptists

I do not think that France is entirely free of this plague; but they are silent there for fear of the cudgel

Now Iabout my position which will amuse you I had written to Paul III at the instance of Louis Ber, the distinguished theologian Before unsealing the letter he spoke of reat respect And as he had toCouncil, the na others But obstacles were h for the duties, and my low income; for they say there is a decree which excludes from this office those whose annual inco benefices on me, so that I can acquire the proper income from these and receive the red hat The proverbial cat in court-dress I have a friend in Rome who is particularly active in the business; in vain have I warned him more than once by letter that I want no cures or pensions, that I a death, often longing for it, so horrible sometimes are the pains It is hardly safe for me to put a foot outside my bedroom, and even the merest trifle upsets me[121] With my peculiar, emaciated body I can only stand warm air And in this condition they want to push me forward as a candidate for benefices and cardinals' hats! But ratified by the Supres towardsive your sothy letter, if you were to repeat that fault often Farewell

FOOTNOTES:

[21] Servatius Roger (d 1540), who hth Prior of Steyn; it was as Prior that he wrote to Erase him to return to the monastery, see pp 11, 87 f, 212 ff

[22] Juvenal, ix 18-20