Erasmus (c.1466–1536,) fully Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, Dutch name Gerhard Gerhards, was a Dutch humanist and scholar. He was one of the most influential figures of the Renaissance in northern Europe. Writing extensively on both theological and secular themes, he was the first to achieve reputation through the printed word.
Born an illegitimate son of a priest in Rotterdam, Erasmus was ordained in 1492 and studied in Paris. From 1499, he adopted the life of an independent scholar, moving from city to city tutoring, lecturing, and corresponding with scholars throughout Europe.
Erasmus published his own Greek edition of the New Testament (1516,) followed by a Latin translation. He also wrote Encomium Moriae (1509, ‘In Praise of Folly’) and edited the works of Saint Jerome, Saint Thomas More, and other early Christian theologians.
Among Erasmus’s original works, Enchiridion Militis Christiani (1503, ‘Manual of the Christian Knight’) stressed ascetic piety as an ideal of Christianity and called for reform of the Church. Erasmus’s rejection of the doctrine of predestination and the scope of papal authority generated much controversy.
Erasmus paved the way for the Reformation with his satires on the Catholic Church, including the Colloquia Familiaria (1518, ‘Colloquies.’) Although his works influenced Martin Luther and other Protestant reformers, Erasmus sought change from within the Catholic Church and disagreed with the course of the Reformation. In De Libero Arbitrio (1524,’ On the Bondage of the Will,’) he clashed openly with Luther.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Desiderius Erasmus
Time takes away the grief of men.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Grief, Grieving
In short, no association or alliance can be happy or stable without me. People can’t long tolerate a ruler, nor can a master his servant, a maid her mistress, a teacher his pupil, a friend his friend nor a wife her husband, a landlord his tenant, a soldier his comrade nor a party-goer his companion, unless they sometimes have illusions about each other, make use of flattery, and have the sense to turn a blind eye and sweeten life for themselves with the honey of folly.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Fools, Foolishness
By a Carpenter mankind was made, and only by that Carpenter can mankind be remade.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Religion, Christianity
Great eagerness in the pursuit of wealth, pleasure, or honor, cannot exist without sin.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Enthusiasm
Picture the prince, such as most of them are today: a man ignorant of the law, well-nigh an enemy to his people’s advantage, while intent on his personal convenience, a dedicated voluptuary, a hater of learning, freedom and truth, without a thought for the interests of his country, and measuring everything in terms of his own profit and desires.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Royalty, Queens, Kings
Fools are without number.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Fools, Foolishness
As Plato entertained some friends in a room where there was a couch richly ornamented, Diogenes came in very dirty, as usual, and getting upon the couch, and trampling on it, said, “I trample upon the pride of Plato.” Plato mildly answered, “But with greater pride, Diogenes!”
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Pride
War is delightful to those who have had no experience of it.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: War
If you look at history you’ll find that no state has been so plagued by its rulers as when power has fallen into the hands of some dabbler in philosophy or literary addict.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Literature, Books
Prevention is better than cure.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Medicine
Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Light
Ask a wise man to dinner and he’ll upset everyone by his gloomy silence or tiresome questions. Invite him to a dance and you’ll have a camel prancing about. Haul him off to a public entertainment and his face will be enough to spoil the people’s entertainment.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Intellectuals, Intelligence
When I get a little money, I buy books; and if any is left, I buy food and clothes.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Reading, Books
Love that has nothing but beauty to keep it in good health, is short-lived, and apt to have ague-fits.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Love
Nothing is so foolish, they say, as for a man to stand for office and woo the crowd to win its vote, buy its support with presents, court the applause of all those fools and feel self-satisfied when they cry their approval, and then in his hour of triumph to be carried round like an effigy for the public to stare at, and end up cast in bronze to stand in the market place.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Politics
Heaven grant that the burden you carry may have as easy an exit as it had an entrance.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Prayer
Now I believe I can hear the philosophers protesting that it can only be misery to live in folly, illusion, deception and ignorance, but it isn’t—it’s human.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Human Nature, Humanity
The fox has many tricks. The hedgehog has but one. But that is the best of all.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Ability
The entire world is my temple, and a very fine one too, if I’m not mistaken, and I’ll never lack priests to serve it as long as there are men.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Foolishness, Fools
Fortune favors the audacious.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Fortune, Courage
Human affairs are so obscure and various that nothing can be clearly known.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Nature, more of a stepmother than a mother in several ways, has sown a seed of evil in the hearts of mortals, especially in the more thoughtful men, which makes them dissatisfied with their own lot and envious of another s.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Evil
He who allows oppression shares the crime.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Oppression
Apothegms are in history, the same as pearls in the sand, or gold in the mine.
—Desiderius Erasmus
It’s the generally accepted privilege of theologians to stretch the heavens, that is the Scriptures, like tanners with a hide.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Religion
As an example of just how useless these philosophers are for any practice in life there is Socrates himself, the one and only wise man, according to the Delphic Oracle. Whenever he tried to do anything in public he had to break off amid general laughter. While he was philosophizing about clouds and ideas, measuring a flea’s foot and marveling at a midge’s humming, he learned nothing about the affairs of ordinary life.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Philosophers, Philosophy
Experience is the common school-house of fools and ill men.—Men of wit and honesty are otherwise instructed.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Experience
The nearer people approach old age the closer they return to a semblance of childhood, until the time comes for them to depart this life, again like children, neither tired of living nor aware of death.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Age
He does good to himself who does good to his friend.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Friendship
Great abundance of riches cannot be gathered and kept by any man without sin.
—Desiderius Erasmus
Topics: Wealth
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Corrie Ten Boom Dutch Jewish Humanist
Henri Nouwen Dutch Catholic Priest
Thomas Aquinas Italian Catholic Priest
Baruch Spinoza Dutch Philosopher
Pope John Paul II Polish Catholic Religious Leader
Blaise Pascal French Philosopher, Scientist
Aldous Huxley English Humanist
Etty Hillesum Jewish Diarist
Vincent van Gogh Dutch Painter
John Henry Newman British Theologian, Poet