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Erasmus' letter to Noel Beda of April 1525. The Latin text is taken from P.S.
Allen,
"Opus Epistolarum Des. Erasmi Roterodami", Vol. VI.
Oxford University Press, 1926. Re-issued 1992.
Noel Beda was a powerful theologian, syndic at the faculty of theology of Paris and Principal of the College of Montaigu, where Erasmus was once a student. He was one of Erasmus' chief critics: like other conservative theologians, he objected to the humanists' use of philology as a tool to translate and reinterpret biblical texts, and felt their exegesis might lead to heresy. Of course, this was also an issue of professional rivalry. In this spikey letter, Erasmus refutes Beda, arguing how orthodox and well-supported his humanist programme is, and how ill-counselled his opponents.
Cordial Greetings to the distinguished Master, Noel Beda. I received by way of Francois Deloynes, of happy memory, passages which you had annotated from my Paraphrase on St. Luke; I am so far indeed from being offended by your diligence, that I strongly desire you to do the same for the rest of my Paraphrases, but especially for my Annotations. For I should wish nothing to be picked up from my books which could cause error or displeasure. When I was preparing my second edition of the New Testament, I vigorously entreated Jan Atensis, of pious memory, to warn me if anything should give offence. That he promised to do. He approved fully, without exception, of its piety and erudition. When I replied to him that I preferred to be admonished rather than praised, for that was more useful, again and again he confirmed his approval. I asked Latomus the same; he now tears apart what he was then able to set straight, if anything was offensive to him. I asked the same of Ludvig Baer; Christopher, Bishop of Basle; John, Bishop of Rochester, and very many others: they only praised it. However, though the work found approval in the minds of such great men, I took away many things, corrected many others, and moderated very many. Now I am preparing the fourth edition. And if you won't find it too burdensome, point out anything which could reasonably displease the learned and virtuous, and you will really earn my gratitude. If you show yourself honest and impartial in this, I shall embrace your sincerity as worthy of a Christian theologian; but if you should do this in a rougher, more unfriendly way, I shall take it in good part. That sort of moderation is also of more use to the reputation of theology; for now the majority hears badly of it, due to the odious peevishness of some of them and their cheek in complaining at everything. For what will be said when people have read the little book of Pierre Cousturier, formerly a theologian at the Sorbonne and now a Carthusian monk? How much abuse there is in it, how much arrogance, how much stupidity and ignorance! He talks about nothing in the whole work, except "would-be theologians, little rhetoricians, dabblers, little asses, so-called translators, excesses, foolhardiness, errors, inducements to sin, heresies and blasphemies." And meanwhile he handles his argument in such a way as to show he understands nothing, clearly referring to the proverb, "The cobbler should stick to his last".[lit. let the shoemaker go no further than his sandal; a pun on Cousturier's Latin name, Sutor, meaning cobbler] He claims as certain some things which are manifestly false and others which are controversial: that this translation of the New Testament of ours is Jerome's, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and received as such into the Church; and that it is a betrayal to use another one. He claims that I have upset matters, so that my translation is read as the authoritative one, instead of the old version. From these hypotheses, as if thoroughly worked out, he concludes that all newer translations are scandalous, heretical and blasphemous. But he does not see that this insult recoils on Thomas, Beda and Nicholas of Lyra, who often cite different readings, and don't disapprove of them but translate them. For indeed, since there is blasphemy in the whole, there ought to be blasphemy in the part. Nor does he see that speaking in this way is blasphemy against the Pope, who has fully approved of my work in a letter; to say nothing of Adrian VI, who so far has not condemned my industry, urging me to do the same for the Old Testament which I have done for the New. And the same follows for the Bishop of Rochester, who has thanked me more than once, declaring that he has derived very many benefits from this work of mine; and it also follows for Tunstall, the Bishop of London, and for countless other men, equally eminent for virtue and learning. I perceive plainly that Cousturier has not read my work. What morever could be more insolent than raving like this against another's work, and not to have read that which is torn apart with insults? He demands that I should cite even one scholar who would read "In principio erat sermo". In fact I clearly explained that there in the Apology. He demands that I cite a single place in which some scholar made a mistake on account of the translation of a grammatical error. But I have indicated many such mistakes in my Annotations. There are countless people everywhere who do not detest Erasmus, and they are not lacking in sound and sober judgement. What will they say, Iask you, when they read such pamphlets originating from the Sorbonne? Of course, I am not overlooking those of your most learned who are displeased by this; but in the meantime, because of the stupidity of a few, good theologians are called into contempt and odium. A certain Dominican published a little book in Brabant, but it was so stupid and ignorant that no pig whatsoever could possibly be less learned; it was teeming with manifest insults to such an extent that no court buffoon could be have been more shameless. Those theologians of yours winked at it, not considering meanwhile how much laughter and odium they provoked for themselves. I have replied to your Annottations; I sent it to Nicolas Berault, who is to make a copy for you. Farewell. At Basle, 28th. of April, 1525. Erasmus of Rotterdam. Signed by my own hand.
Translated by Ealasaid Gilfillan. 12.06.05 |
The College of Montaigu where Beda was Principal from 1504.