Desiderius Erasmus, The Praise o Quotes

A collection of quotes by Desiderius Erasmus, The Praise o.

Desiderius Erasmus, known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a renowned Dutch humanist, theologian, and scholar born around 1466. He was one of the most influential figures of the European Renaissance, with his ideas shaping the cultural, religious, and intellectual climate of his time and beyond.

Erasmus experienced a challenging childhood, orphaned at an early age and raised in a monastery. However, he displayed exceptional academic aptitude and received a quality education. Erasmus mastered Latin and Greek, which allowed him to study classical literature and the Bible in their original languages.

Throughout his life, Erasmus advocated for a return to the true teachings of Christianity, emphasizing personal piety and inner faith over external rituals. He criticized the corruption and ignorance of the Catholic Church, sparking controversy and making enemies amongst some clergy members. Nevertheless, Erasmus managed to navigate the turbulent religious climate of his era by maintaining connections with influential figures on both sides of the religious divide.

Erasmus is best known for his book "The Praise of Folly," a biting satire that mocks the vices and follies of society, including the clergy and the nobility. This work, along with his translations of ancient texts and his scholarly commentaries, helped pave the way for the Reformation and exerted a significant influence on subsequent generations of thinkers.

Desiderius Erasmus died in Basel, Switzerland, in 1536. Despite the controversies he encountered throughout his life, his legacy endures as a leading figure of the humanist movement, whose works and ideas continue to shape our understanding of the Renaissance intellectual landscape.

If a person were to try stripping the disguises from actors

If a person were to try stripping the disguises from actors while they play a scene upon stage, showing to the audience their real looks and the faces they were born with, would not such a one spoil the whole play ? And would not the spectators think he deserved to be driven out of the theatre with brickbats, as a drunken disturber ?... Now what else is the whole life of mortals but a sort of comedy, in which the various actors, disguised by various costumes and masks, walk on and play each one his part, until the manager waves them off the stage ? Moreover, this manager frequently bids the same actor to go back in a different costume, so that he who has but lately played the king in scarlet now acts the flunkey in patched clothes. Thus all things are presented by shadows.

Desiderius Erasmus, The Praise o

Acting Actors