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The Eponyms of ‘Desiderius Erasmus’

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2018

Marjorie O'Rourke Boyle
Marjorie O'Rourke Boyle*
Affiliation:
Toronto, Canada
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Extract

If, as Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus instructed the schoolboys of Europe, names are indices of reality, what truth of nature or character did he perceive in his own name? The inventive author who invested the act of naming with gravity and wit, punning Folly from More, dubbing his colloquial characters aptly as ‘Cocles’ or ‘Eusebius', reviewed and revised his own name with humanist concern for the alignment of verba with res. As a student he dutifully signed himself ‘Herasmus,’ later dropping the initial consonant, and still later regretting that he had not adopted the more liquid ‘Erasmius.’ ‘Who ever heard of anyone being called “Love“?’ he protested. Rather than the adjectival form i.e., ‘amiable,'would have been more courteous and agreeable he thought.

Type
Research Article
Information
Renaissance Quarterly , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , Spring 1977 , pp. 12 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © Renaissance Society of America 1977

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References

1 See, e.g., De ratione studii, ed. Jean-Claude Margolin, in Opera omnia (Amsterdam, 1971-), 1-2, 113, 11. 4-5, 7-9; Opera omnia, ed. J. Clericus (Leiden, 1703-06), 1, 521A. Hereafter cited as ASD and LB editions.

2 ‘In convictu comis et suavis citra omne supercilium, ubique certe hoc est amabilis; quod ille nomen a se dolebat non usurpatum, quum primum scribere coepisset, et aeditis libellis innotescere. ‘Quis enim,’ inquit, ‘quenquam mortalium Amorem audivit appellari?', id quod Graecis significat .’ Beatus Rhenanus (Beat Bild) to Charles V, Erasmi Epistolae, ed. P. S. Allen et al. (Oxford, 1906-58), 1, 70-71,11. 545-549. Hereafter cited as EE. Modern typographical practice is followed for u/v.

3 Huizinga, J., Erasmus of Rotterdam (London, 1952), p. 6 Google Scholar.

4 ‘Pater dictus est Gerardus.’ Compendium vitae in EE, 1, 47,1. 4. Both the accuracy and the authorship of this document (1523) are disputed; see Allen, . In Erasmus of Christendom Roland H. Bainton also notes the similarity of names (New York, 1969), p. 27, n. 3Google Scholar.

5 The name initially appears in the salutation of a letter to Hendrik van Bergen, EE, 1, 161 (#49). For details see below, p. 16.

6 ‘De S. Erasmo Episcopo, Martyre Formiis in Campania,’ Acta sanctorum, Vol. XXI: Acta sanctorum Iunii, ed. Ioannes Carnandet (Paris and Rome, 1867), I, 206-214; Bibliotheca hagiographica latina antiquae et mediae aetatis, ed. Socii Bollandiani (Brussels, 1898-99), 1, 388-389; Delehaye, Hippolyte, Les origenes du culte des martyrs (2nd ed. rev.; Brussels, 1933), pp. 307–308 Google Scholar; Lanzoni, Francesco, Le origni delle diocesi antiche d'ltalia (Rome, 1923), pp. 115–116 Google Scholar; Balducci, Antonio, ‘Erasmo, vescovo di Formia, santo,’ Bibliotheca sanctorum, ed. Instituto Giovanni XXIII (Rome, 1964), IV, 1288-90Google Scholar. St. Erasmus claims one modern biography, a book by Fiore, L., Vita dei santi Erasmo e Marciano (Rome, 1950)Google Scholar.

7 ‘Nec ulla satietas, talium fabularum, cum portentosa quaedam….’ Stultitiae laus, LB, IV, 443A. Tr. Wilson, John, The Praise of Folly (Ann Arbor, Mich., 1958), p. 66 Google Scholar.

8 Balducci, , ‘Erasmo, vescovo di Formia, santo,’ Bibliotheca sanctorum, IV, 1288-90Google Scholar.

9 Réau, Louis, Iconographie de l'art chrétien, Vol. III: Iconographie des saints (Paris, 1958), 1, 438 Google Scholar. The phenomenon called St. Elmo's fire in France, Spain, and Italy is known as St. Helen's fire in England and Germany.

10 ‘De S. Erasmo, Episcopo, Martyre Formiis in Campania,’ Acta sanctorum Iunii, I, 208-211.

11 ‘… aut si quis Erasmum certis diebus, certis cereolis, certisque preculis convenerit, brevi sit dives evasurus.’ Stultitiae laus, LB, IV, 443c.

12 He was offered a bishopric (To Peter Gillis, EE, II, 356-357, ll. 10-26 [#476]; cf. From Andrea Ammonio, EE, II, 360, ll. 8-15 [#478], and From Sir Thomas More, EE, 11, 413, 11. 34-35 [#499]) and a cardinalate (From Giovanni Angelo Oddone, EE, XI, 97, ll. 653-658 [#3002]), which he reports refusing (To Conradus Goclenius, EE, XI, 226, ll. 31-35 [#3052]).

13 Spongia adversus adspergines Hutteni, LB, x, 1663A-B. Paraphrased by Bainton, Erasmus of Christendom, p. 178.

14 According to the chronology established by Allen, EE, Erasmus visited England from early summer in 1499 to January 27, 1500; from the end of 1505 to June 1506; and from June 1511 to July 1514.

15 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in London, Vol. 1: Westminster Abbey (London, 1924), p. 17b; Bradley, E. T., Annals of Westminster Abbey (London, 1898), pp. 113, 136-137Google Scholar; Troutbeck, G. E., Westminster Abbey (3d ed. rev.; London, 1926), pp. 115, 158-159Google Scholar.

The foundation for Henry's Lady Chapel was laid in 1503. The date of the razing of the Erasmus chantry under Abbot Islip, who supervised construction and renovation at the Abbey from 1500 to 1533, may be placed then between 1500 and 1503.

16 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), Westminster Abbey, p. 65a, pl. 213.

17 Ibid., p. 35a, pls. 20, 141. According to Troutbeck, Westminster Abbey, p. 158, the altar of St. Erasmus was finally moved to Abbot Islip's chapel, the next small chapel off the north ambulatory.

18 Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), Westminster Abbey, p. 35a, pls. 20, 141.

19 Erasmus established himself at Louvain in June or July 1517, with the intention of revising his edition of the New Testament, and he remained there until May 1521. He lectured in the theological faculty at the university.

20 Schöne, Wolfgang, Dieric Bouts und seine Schule (Berlin and Leipzig, 1938), pp. 5, 84-86Google Scholar, with black-and-white plates. Valentin Denis includes some color plates of the triptych in Dieric Bouts (Brussels and Amsterdam, 1957), pls. 18-27. Also see Goffin, Arnold, Thierry Bouts (Brussels, 1907)Google Scholar.

21 Schöne, , Dieric Bouts und seine Schule, pp. 84–85 Google Scholar, with documentation cited, p. 241. The custom was established by the local schoolmaster Gheert de Smet. The feast of St. Erasmus is Tune 2.

22 Réau, Iconographie des saints, I, 439; Amoldi, , ‘Erasmo, vescovo di Formia, santo. Iconografia,’ Bibliotheca sanctorum, IV, 1293 Google Scholar. Neither author mentions the engraving by Hopfer, which I chanced upon in the 1974 catalogue of antique prints published by Paul Proute, Paris.

23 Réau, , Iconographie des saints, I, 438–439 Google Scholar.

24 To Hendrik van Bergen, EE, 1, 161 (#49).

25 To John Colet, EE, 1, 246 (#108).

26 To William, 4th Lord Mountjoy, Blount, EE, 1, 290 (#126).

27 From Wolfgang Faber Capito, EE, II, 338, ll. 172-175 (#459); To Wolfgang Faber Capito, EE, II, 487 (#541).

28 To Cornelius Gerard, EE, I, (#78), To Willem Hermans, EE, I, (#81, #83).

29 See especially To Thomas Grey, EE, I (#64).

30 Bishops of Auxerre, Cahors, Chalon-sur-Saône, Langres, Thérouanne, Vienne, and an unidentified See; monks of Chiaravalle and Lonrey, a hermit of Pistoia, and a martyr of Pozzuoli. Alfonso Codaghengo et al., eleven articles, ‘Desiderio,’ in Bibliotheca sanctorum, IV, 580-587.

31 Only the sixth-century Vienne bishop and martyr even inclined toward Erasmus’ commitment to scholarship. According to his hagiographers he was solidly learned in letters and became a minor correspondent of St. Gregory the Great. Didier, Jean-Charles, ‘Desiderio,’ ibid., pp. 585–586 Google Scholar.

32 Athanasius, (Oxford, 1881), p. 63. The name ‘Desiderius’ occurs in a list of bishops from Gaul who support the deliberations of the Council.

33 Bibliotheca Erasmiana: Répertoire de oeuvres d'Érasme, ed. F. vander Haeghen (Nieuwkoop, 1961), ad series, p. 11. The complete works appeared from the press of Johannes Parvus in Paris. Only the opuscula of Athanasius are included in the LB, VIII, 330-423.

34 The critical application of philology to the New Testament by Valla marks a turning point in the history of biblical criticism, initiating the development of scientific exegesis. Erasmus’ own annotations are indebted to this manuscript.

35 ‘… quod Desyderio suo scribit Hieronymus, Aliud est, inquiens, esse vatem et aliud interpretem. Ibi Spiritus ventura praedicit; hie eruditio et verborum copia quae intelligit transfert.’ To Christopher Fisher, EE, 1, 410, 11. 140-143 (#182).

36 Praefatio S. Hieronymi in Pentateuchem, ad Desiderium, in Patrologia latina, ed. J.-P. Migne, XXXVIII, 177A-184B. Hereafter cited as PL. In the earliest Erasmian edition available to me it occurs as Hieronymi in Pentateuchem Mosi Praefatio, in Jerome, Omnes quae extant stridonensis lucubrationes, ed. Des. Erasmus (9 vols, in 5; Basel: Froben, 1536-38), III, 13-15.

37 Erasmus first indicates that he is preparing commentaries on Jerome in a letter To James Batt, EE, I, 326, ll. 42-45 (#139). The edition of Jerome's complete works was finally published by Froben in 1516.

38 ‘Desiderii mei desideratas accepi epistolas, qui quodam praesagio futurorum, cum Daniele sortitus est nomen, obsecrantis, ut translatum in Latinam linguam de Hebraeo sermone Pentateucheum, nostrorum auribus traderem.’ Praefatio S. Hieronymi in Pentateuchem, PL, XXVIII, 177A-179A.

39 Ibid., 182A.

40 Apologia adversus libros Rufini, PL, XXIII, 470B. In the edition by Erasmus it is entered as Ad Pammachium et Marcellinum Apologia Hieronymi aduersus Ruffinum in Omnes quae extant stridonensis lucubrationes, II, 196-250. Allen annotates this treatise as the locus of the citation (To Christopher Fisher, EE, 1, 410, n. 141), whereas it is originally Praefatio S. Hieronymi in Pentateuchem, as I have indicated above.

41 ‘… Erasmi Roterodami (dum Cantabrigiae ageret, ac divi Hieronymi epistolas et eundem ad Ruffinum publice praelegerit)… .’ Caius, John, The Annals of Gonville and Caius College, ed. John Venn (Cambridge, 1904), p. 125 Google Scholar.

42 Erasmus of Rotterdam, p. 6.

43 Contra Vigilantium, PL, XXIII, 356B, and Adversus Vigilantium in Omnes quae extant stridonensis lucubrationes, ed. Erasmus, II, 121B.

44 Cf. ‘Desiderius,’ in the Dictionary of Christian Biography, ed. William Smith and Henry Wace (London, 1877), 1, 818; Migne's note, PL, XXVIII, 178, n. 2.

45 Paulinus of Nola, Epistola XLIII in Epistolae, PL, LXI, 582-585.

46 To Hendrik van Bergen, EE, I, 163, 1. 88 (#49).

47 See n. 38. The English translation by John N. Hritzu renders it, erroneously I think, as: ‘I have received the desired letters of my dear friend, Desiderius, who got his name, as Daniel did, from his ability to foretell to a certain degree future events.’ The Apology against the Books of Rujinus in St. Jerome: Dogmatic and Polemical Works (Washington, D.C., 1965), pp. 145-146. It is clear from Dan. 9:23 that the name ‘Desiderius’ derives in Jerome's judgment from the angelic salutation to the prophet Daniel as a man greatly loved. See below and also the parallel passage in Jerome's letter to Desiderius, p. 22. The name ‘Desiderius’ suggests nothing of prophetic charism, although Desiderius’ plea for the translation presages, like the vision of Daniel, an eventuality.

48 Jerome, Omnes quae extant stridonensis lucubrationes, ed. Erasmus, III, in the index (cf. p. 198). The modern critical text is Jerome, , Lettres, ed. Jerome Labourt (Paris, 1951), II, 114–116 Google Scholar.

49 To Cornelius Gerard, EE, 1, 103, 1. 25 (#22), alluding to Epistolae XXI, XXVIII, and LIII; cf. Antibarbari, ed. Kazimierz Kumaniecki, ASD, 1-2, 103,11. 12-15; LB, x, 1724D.

50 See n. 37.

51 The text reads, ‘atque venerabili sorori tuae Serenillae,’ which Labourt annotates: ‘C'était sa femme, mais ils observaient la continence,’ Lettres, I, 115, n. 2.

52 Especially in ‘De rebus ac vocabulis,’ in Colloquia, ed. L.-E. Halkin et al., ASD, 1-3. 566-571; LB, 1, 820C-822C.

53 ‘… quamquam hoc nominis vaticinium etiam in te praedestinatum sit. Legimus enim sanctum quoque Danihelum appellatum “desideriorum virum” et amicum Dei, quia mysteria eius scire desiderabat.’ Lettres, ed. Labourt, 1, 115, ll. 11-15.

54 ‘Quia vir desideriorum es. Sive “amabilis” et “Dei amore dignus” ut Salomon appellatus est “ididia,” sive “vir desideriorum” quod pro desiderio tuo Dei secreta audire merearis et esse conscius futurorum.’ Jerome, , Commentariorum in Danielem, Corpus Christianorum Series Latina, Lxxva (Turnholt, 1964), p. 864 Google Scholar.

55 ‘… gavisus quidem sum testimonium honesti et eloquentissimi viri… .’ Lettres, ed. Labourt, I, 114, ll. 20-21.

56 See especially the Ratio verae theologiae in Ausgewählte Werke, ed. Hajo and Annemarie Holborn (Munich, 1964), pp. 175-305; LB, v, 75-138.

57 ‘Movet me viri coelestis et omnium Christianorum sine controversia longe turn doctissimi turn facundissimi pietas.’ To Greveradus, EE, 1, 332,11. 19-20 (#141). Tr. Mynors, R. A. B. and Thomson, D. F. S., The Correspondence of Erasmus (Toronto, 1974), 1, 308 Google Scholar.

58 ‘Novum Testamentum plurimos amicos mihi conciliavit ubique.’ To Johann Reuchlin, EE, 11, 331, 11. 48-49 (#457). Tr. Nichols, Francis M., The Epistles of Erasmus (New York, 1901-18), 11, 374 Google Scholar.