This success induced Erasmus to enlarge and complete his labours. The
Adagiorum Chiliades, the title of the work in its new form, was part of
the work of his residence in Italy in the years 1506-9, and was published
at Venice by Aldus in September, 1508. The enlarged collection, to all
intents and purposes a new work, consists of no less than three thousand
two hundred and sixty heads. In a preface, Erasmus speaks slightingly of
the Adagiorum Collectanea, with that affectation from which few authors
are free, as a little collection carelessly made. "Some people got hold of
it," he adds, (and here the affectation becomes absolute untruth,) "and
had it printed very incorrectly." In the new work, however, much of the
old disappears, much more is partially or wholly recast; and such of the
old matter as is retained is dispersed at random among the new. In the
Collectanea the commentaries had all been brief: here many are expanded
into substantial treatises covering four or five pages of closely printed
folio.
The Aldine edition had been reprinted at Basel by Froben in 1513. Shortly
afterwards Erasmus himself took up his permanent residence there. Under
his immediate supervision there presently appeared what was to all intents
and purposes the definitive edition of 1515. It is a book of nearly seven
hundred folio pages, and contains, besides the introductory matter, three
thousand four hundred and eleven headings. In his preface Erasmus gives
some details with regard to its composition. Of the original Paris work he
now says, no doubt with truth, that it was undertaken by him hastily and
without enough method. When preparing the Venice edition he had better
realized the magnitude of the enterprise, and was better fitted for it by
reading and learning, more especially by the mass of Greek manuscripts,
and of newly printed Greek first editions, to which he had access at
Venice and in other parts of Italy. In England also, owing very largely to
the kindness of Archbishop Warham, more leisure and an ampler library had
been available.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account