Erasmus

Question 1

Praef.
Superioribus diebus cum me ex Italia in Angliam recepissem, ne totum hoc tempus quo equo fuit insidendum ἀμούσοις et illitteratis fabulis tereretur, malui mecum aliquoties vel de communibus studiis nostris aliquid agitare, vel amicorum, quos hic ut doctissimos ita et suavissimos reliqueram, recordatione
5 frui. Inter hos tu, mi More, vel in primis occurrebas; cuius equidem absentis absens memoria non aliter frui solebam quam presentis presens consuetudine consueveram; qua dispeream si quid unquam in vita contigit mellitius. Ergo quoniam omnino aliquid agendum duxi, et id tempus ad seriam commentationem parum videbatur accommodatum, visum est Moriae Encomium ludere.

Answer 1

a few days after when I was retreating to England from Italy, so as not to waste
the entire time we were on horseback talking about un-Muse-like and
uncultured tales, but rather I preferred many times to think about in my mind
either about our common studies or enjoying the memory of my friends, those
who I has left behind who are the most learned and most pleasant. Among them
was you, my More, you came to mind as one of the first; although I was absent
I still found joy in the memory of you equally absent no different from what I
used to enjoy when we were both present; may i perish if anything more
pleasant than this touches me in this life. And so I thought that something ought
to be done and this seemed like not the right time for a serious commentary, it
seemed like the right time to have a bit of fun with this Praise of Folly.

Question 2

5.
Quamquam quid vel hoc opus erat dicere, quasi non ipso ex vultu fronteque, quod aiunt, satis quae sim prae me feram, aut quasi si quis me Minervam, aut Sophiam esse contendat, non statim solo possit obtutu coargui, etiam si nulla accedat oratio, minime mendax animi speculum. Nullus apud me fucis locus, nec aliud fronte
5 simulo, aliud in pectore premo. Sumque mei undique simillima, adeo ut nec ii me dissimulare possint, qui maxime Sapientiae personam ac titulum sibi vindicant, καὶ ἐν τῇ πορφύρᾳ πίθηκοι, καὶ ἐν τῇ λεοντῇ, obambulant. Quamvis autem sedulo fingant, tamen alicunde prominentes auriculae Midam produnt. Ingratum mehercle et hoc hominum genus, qui cum maxime sint nostrae factionis, 10 tamen apud vulgum cognominis nostri sic pudet, ut id passim aliis magni probri vice obiiciant. Proinde istos cum sint μωρότατοι, caeterum sophi ac Thaletes videri velint, nonne iure optimo μωροσόφους illos appellabimus?

Answer 2

although what need was there to tell you this, as if it did not come from my very
face and forehead, because they say this, it is not enough for me to say who i
am, or as if anyone who were claiming that I am Minerva or Wisdom, could not
immediately be disproven with one look, even if there were no speech being
made, this is the least mendacious mirror of the soul. There is no place for
cosmetics in my speech, I do not pretend to have one thing on my face, and
another in my heart. I am so utterly like myself, so greatly that those men who
lay claim that they have the wisest character and title not able to conceal me,
and they stroll about like apes in purple and [donkeys] in lion skins. Although
they fashion these things zealously, nevertheless the protruding ears will betray
Midas somewhere. By Hercules this class of ungrateful men who although they
are wholly of my party, they are so ashamed of my name amongst the crowds,
that they toss it up at other willy nilly as a (lit. in the turn of) great insult. Then
these men are stupid, and yet a few of them wish to seem wise and like Thales,
surely it would be the best judgement that we should call them “foolosophers”?

Question 3

6.
Visum est enim hac quoque parte nostri temporis Rhetores imitari, qui plane Deos esse sese credunt, si hirudinum ritu bilingues appareant, ac praeclarum facinus 15esse ducunt, Latinis orationibus subinde Graeculas aliquot voculas, uelut emblemata intertexere, etiam si nunc non erat his locus. Porro si desunt exotica, e putribus chartis quatuor aut quinque prisca verba eruunt, quibus tenebras offundant lectori, videlicet, ut qui intelligunt, magis ac magis sibi placeant: qui non intelligunt, hoc ipso magis admirentur quo minus intelligunt. Quandoquidem 20 est sane et hoc nostratium voluptatum genus non inelegans, quam maxime peregrina maxime suspicere. Quod si qui paulo sunt ambitiosiores, arrideant tamen et applaudant, atque asini exemplo τὰ ὦτα κινῶσι, quo caeteris probe intelligere videantur. καὶ ταῦτα δὴ μὲν ταῦτα. Nunc ad institutum recurro.

Answer 3

For it has seemed that you imitate the Rhetoricians of our part of time who
wholly think themselves to be Gods, if they appear to be bilingual as is the
custom of the leech and they think that it is a famous feat if they continually
add a few Greek words into their Latin speech, just like interweaving into a
mosaic, even if there is not a place for it. Then if they want exoticism, they pull
four or five ancient words from decaying manuscripts, by which they spread
darkness over the reader, clearly, those who can understand them will be more
and more pleased with themselves: and those who do not understand, will
admire more the less they understand. since there is an elegant species of our
Erasmus, The Praise of Folly 2
enjoyment, to take up the most exotic thing. Because if only a few are more
ambitious, they laugh and they applaud, and by the example of the donkey they
shake their ears, so that they can show the others that they seem to
understand. and they go “Quite so”. Now I shall return to my outline.