Erasmus of Rotterdam - (full name Erasmus Desiderius of Rotterdam; Erasmus Roterdamus Desiderius) - Renaissance humanist (head of the "northern humanists"), theologian, philologist, writer. The author of "Praise of Folly" - a satire that ridiculed the mores and vices of contemporary society. He played a large role in the preparation of the Reformation, but did not accept it.

The formation of Erasmus of Rotterdam

Erasmus of Rotterdam was born October 28, 1467, in Rotterdam. The illegitimate son of a priest, Erasmus received his primary education at the “brothers of the common life” school in Deventer. In 1486 he became a monk, joining the brotherhood of regular Augustinian canons. Erasmus spent six years in the monastery, studying ancient languages, ancient and early Christian writers. Then he continued his education in Paris, where he became acquainted not only with the theological thought of late scholasticism, but also with the aspirations of humanistic culture. Erasmus was greatly influenced by the works of the Italian philologist-humanist Lorenzo Valla, the ideas of the Florentine Platonic Academy. In 1499, Erasmus first visited England, where he struck up a relationship with the Oxford humanists and Thomas More.

"Philosophy of Christ"

No one is forbidden to live with dignity.

Erasmus of Rotterdam

Pan-European fame brought Erasmus the first edition in 1500 "Adagias" - a collection of sayings, or winged words found in ancient and early Christian writers and considered as relics of ancient wisdom, the instructions of which, as Erasmus tried to show, have not lost their relevance. In 1501, the religious and ethical treatise "The Weapon of the Christian Warrior" (1504) was written, which formulated the basic principles of the Erasmian "philosophy of Christ" (or "heavenly philosophy"), emphasizing in Christianity not the ritual side, but the moral transformation of man in accordance with Christ's commandments.

In Italy and England

From 1506 to 1509, Erasmus of Rotterdam lived in Italy, at the University of Turin was awarded the degree of Doctor of Theology, and while in Venice, he worked closely with the renowned publisher Ald Manucius the Elder. Then he spent several years in England, lecturing at Oxford. Visiting More in London (1509), Erasmus finished the philosophical satire Praise of Folly (1511), which glorified him: in this work, in a playfully serious auto-panegyric of Folly, he criticized the accepted way of life, manners and customs of society and at the same time pursued humanistic ideas.

Basel period

Happiness is mainly about putting up with your fate and being content with your situation.

Erasmus of Rotterdam

Over time, E. Rotterdam gained wide popularity and fame, becoming the head of the so-called "republic of scientists" in the eyes of an educated European society. His opinion was taken into account not only in scientific and literary matters, but also in religious and political matters, patrons of the arts willingly helped him, secular princes and princes of the church offered their patronage. However, from 1514, Erasmus chose to settle in the Swiss city of Basel, where he lived until the end of his days. In this city, Erasmus developed friendly relations with the typographer Johann Froben, who became his main publisher.

Responding to the debate about the type of ideal monarch that unfolded in the Renaissance political literature, Erasmus wrote The Instruction of the Christian Sovereign (1516) in 1515. In 1516 he composed (in the genre of speech) and published "Complaint of the World", in which, from the standpoint of humanism, he showed the perniciousness of wars of conquest, which brought innumerable calamities to the peoples of Europe.

Translations from Greek

Sometimes it's good to love is good to hate, and righteousness to hate is to love.

Erasmus of Rotterdam

An important place in the work of Erasmus of Rotterdam was occupied by translations from Greek into Latin by ancient and early Christian authors - Euripides, Lucian, Origen, John Chrysostom. Erasmus also contributed to the publication of the texts of ancient writers. He published, along with his own commentaries, the creations of Jerome, the author of the Latin translation of the Bible (Vulgate, late 4th century). Of particular importance was the publication of the Greek text of the New Testament, undertaken by him in 1517, and then its new translation into Latin (1519), accompanied by extensive explanations and significantly different from the Vulgate, which caused criticism from the adherents of Catholic orthodoxy.

Rotterdam's controversy with Luther

For some time, Erasmus managed to stay away from the ideological struggle raging in Germany caused by the Reformation, despite the desire of both sides to attract him to their camp. However, in 1524, having published his treatise On Free Will, Erasmus found himself involved in a polemic with Martin Luther, who, in his reciprocal work On the Bondage of the Will (1525), defended a thesis directly opposite to that of Erasmus. Continuing the dispute with Luther, the scientist published several more works, including "On the desired church consent" (1533).

"Conversations are easy"

Most often, the winner is the one who is not taken seriously.

Erasmus of Rotterdam

Dutch theologian, biblical scholar, critic of the contemporary Catholic Church, writer. except 200 works that have come down to us 2000 his letters (but there were many more written). Real name - Gerard Gerardson.

“... for contemporaries Erasmus each of his works was a major event in the cultural life of Europe. His contemporaries primarily appreciated him as a zealous popularizer of ancient thought, a disseminator of new "humanitarian" knowledge. His "Adagia" (Sayings), a collection of ancient sayings and catchwords, which he delivered in 1500, was a huge success. As one humanist remarked, Erasmus in them "blurted out the secret of the mysteries" of the erudites and introduced ancient wisdom into the everyday life of wide circles of the "uninitiated". In witty comments to each saying or expression (reminiscent of the later famous "Experiments" C. Montaigne), where Erasmus indicates those cases of life when it is appropriate to use it, the irony and satirical gift of the future author of the "Praise of Words" have already affected. Already here Erasmus, adjoining the Italian humanists of the 15th century, contrasts the exhausted medieval scholasticism with living and free ancient thought, its inquisitive independent spirit. This is also adjacent to his "Apophthegmata" ("Brief sayings"), his works on stylistics, poetics, his numerous translations of Greek writers into Latin - the international literary language of the then society. "

Bertrand Russell, The History of Western Philosophy and Its Relationship with Political and Social Conditions from Antiquity to the Present, M., "Academic Project", 2006, p. 623-624.

“... interesting is Erasmus's Praise of Folly - a work of sharp Renaissance thought, compelling logic. And here stupidity is interpreted in two ways. The whole life of a cruel and backward medieval society is based on stupidity. And not only medieval. The father of stupidity is the god of wealth Plutos. He directs all the activities of people. But stupidity is not only an expression of social backwardness, it is, according to Erasmus, a necessary enzyme of life. Without the seasoning of stupidity, there would be no love and marriage, friendship and drinking. The very production of children is based on stupidity. Thanks to a silly and funny game, gloomy philosophers themselves are born. To stay among the people, one must avoid wisdom. For all social life is based on stupidity, everything is done by fools and for the sake of fools. “Stupidity creates states, maintains power, religion, government and justice. And what is all human life, if not the fun of stupidity "Erasmus calls a madman who wants to destroy this generally accepted comedy of life. To participate in life means to be delusional with the crowd, to play with it in that comedy of stupidity that is played by the whole world. "

Stein AL, At the tops of world literature, M., "Fiction", 1988, p. 25-26.

In addition to "Praise ..." Erasmus of Rotterdam translated and published big number works of ancient authors: Aristotle, Cicero, Demosthenes, Lucian, Suetonius, Ovid, Plautus, Plutarch, Seneca and the treatises of the church fathers.

The main constructive idea of ​​his works is a call for the revival of the ideas and ideals of early Christianity, the fulfillment by believers of the moral biblical precepts.

His work was criticized by both Catholics and Protestants ...

The largest humanist of the entire Northern Renaissance was Erasmus of Rotterdam (1469-1536). Having received his initial education in his homeland, in Holland, at the school of the “brothers of the common life,” in Deventer, Erasmus spent six years in a monastery, where he continued his fascinating studies of ancient languages. Acquaintance with the works of Italian humanists, especially with the works of Lorenzo Valla, gave impetus to his transition from the position of "new piety" to the position of humanism.

He continued his education in Paris, lived for several years in England, improved his skills in the Greek language and published works in Italy, but most of all, having settled in Basel for a long time, he was associated with German humanism. Unlike the supporters of Celtis, he preferred the position of "citizen of the world" to national enthusiasm, and literary-philological and widely understood religious-ethical issues to natural and mathematical sciences.

The scope of his publishing and commentary activities was unprecedented: he published not only many Greek and Roman classics, but also the collected works of the "church fathers", including Eastern, and other early Christian writers. Of particular importance was his publication of the New Testament, cleared of distortions, with a new Latin translation, which corrected errors by the canonized Vulgate Church.

Erasmus systematized and developed the method and specific methods of criticizing the text, methods of its allegorical interpretation, developed by the Italian humanists. He used them not only in works of a religious and philosophical nature, but also in the publication of a compendium of ancient wisdom - a collection of more than three thousand proverbs and sayings of ancient authors, supplied with his own commentaries.

In contrast to scholasticism, which Erasmus sharply criticized (although he did not completely outlive his dependence on it), he was interested not in questions of the transcendence of deity, but in the ways of practical piety. He saw its basis in a person's awareness of the divine principle, hidden in the earthly world and manifested in the spiritual and moral life of people. In this doctrine, the main features of which were already expressed in the early work of Erasmus - "Instructions to the Christian Warrior" (1501), mystical ideas and emerging rationalism were intertwined.

The ideas of Erasmus, especially his anthropology, contributed to the development of the pantheistic tendencies of philosophy in the 16th century. Erasmus assessed the best intellectual, moral, volitional qualities of a person, the improvement of his natural forces and abilities as a manifestation of the action of the divine spirit in a person. He attached great importance to education and upbringing in their unity - they fill the "gaps left by nature", enable a person to "push the boundaries of his lot."

Justifying the need to be guided by reason, consciously follow in practical life the laws of piety and high morality, which were identified by Erasmus with the teachings of Christ, he used the humanistically interpreted concept of "imitation of Christ", and called his position as a whole "the philosophy of Christ."

Hence, the ideas of Erasmus, which belong to the central in his work - the right to consider Christian "everything that is true that you have ever come across." This approach made it possible to look for examples of genuine wisdom and virtue outside the framework of orthodox Catholicism among representatives of different times and peoples, among people of different confessions, in the works of ancient pagan authors.

The dogmatic certainty of Christianity in the writings of Erasmus was eroded, the achievements of pagan culture were no longer considered as something hostile to Christianity, on the contrary, they were understood as the basis for the further development of the culture of mankind. The assimilation and dissemination of humanistic education thus acquired the role of the primary virtue of a true Christian.

Although Erasmus was in a hurry to stipulate that secular education only prepares for the perception of higher theological truths, in his works he concentrated all the power of talent and the broadest erudition on the promotion of humanistic culture.

In his "philosophy of Christ" Erasmus argued that personal ideals and human actions must be consistent with the moral laws of the "common good", excluding the egoistic narrowness of individual or group interests. In his Instruction to the Christian Warrior, he emphasized that this should be the ethics of both the ruler and his subjects, who are mutually ready to compromise for the sake of peace and the common good.

In concrete criticism of modern society from the standpoint of this theoretical and practical teaching, Erasmus acted as a mercilessly ironic denouncer of ignorance and vices of all classes, primarily clergy and monasticism, an opponent of formalism and ritualism in church piety.

All this, including Erasmus' sarcastic mockery of the fruitless intricacies of scholasticism, superstitions, and many class prejudices, was perceived in the context of the impending Reformation as a bold attack on the existing ecclesiastical and, in part, social order.

Erasmus turned not only to religious and philosophical, but also to the main political issues of his era. He hoped to correct society's shortcomings by spreading new culture and education, restructuring the spiritual life of people. It was supposed to be, in his words, "a peaceful victory."

He sharply opposed internecine wars and, recognizing the need to defend the fatherland, strongly condemned wars as a method of solving controversial issues, I saw in them a national disaster, an obstacle to the development of culture.

Erasmus considered the enlightenment of society to be a panacea for the many evils and troubles inherent in him, and it is no coincidence that pedagogy, inextricably linked with ethics, became the core of all the activities of a humanist.

Erasmus' many-sided creativity had a powerful impact on the European culture of the 16th century, and his strong influence was felt in the 17th century. His works were considered examples of eloquence and elegant Latin. I was attracted by the lively ease of his communication with the reader, the richness of intonation, love for a subtle joke, the ability to use an antique aphorism or an example from the Holy Scriptures in time.

His masterpiece of social and moral criticism, Praise of Stupidity, which combines the power of satire, irony, elegance of style, as well as a kind of encyclopedia of his pedagogical and ethical ideas, a cycle of dialogues "Home Conversations" ("Conversations Easily"), has become especially popular over the centuries. ...

, Swiss Union) - the largest scientist of the Northern Renaissance, nicknamed "the prince of the humanists." Prepared the first edition of the Greek original of the New Testament with commentary, laid the foundation for a critical study of the text of the Scriptures. He contributed to the return to cultural use of the literary heritage of antiquity. He wrote mainly in Latin.

Having won all-European fame with freedom-loving views, Erasmus did not accept the Reformation and at the end of his life sharply polemicized with Luther over the doctrine of free will (which many Protestants questioned).

Biography

Born October 28, 1469 (according to other versions of 1467), in Gouda (20 km from Rotterdam) in the present Netherlands. His father, who belonged to one of the burgher families of the town of Gouda (at the intersection of the roads Rotterdam-Amsterdam and The Hague-Utrecht), was carried away in his youth by a girl who reciprocated him. The parents, who had predetermined their son for a spiritual career, strongly opposed his marriage. The lovers, nevertheless, became close and the fruit of their connection was a son, whom his parents gave the name Gergard, that is, the desired one, a name from which, through the usual Romanization and Greekization at that time, his double literary pseudonym was subsequently formed Desiderius Erasmus that made him forget his real name ..

Education

He received his primary education first in a local primary school; from there he moved to Deventer, where he entered one of the schools founded by the "communal fraternities", the programs of which included the study of the ancient classics.

At the age of 13, he lost his parents. This, aggravated by the seal of the illegitimate, predetermined some of his character traits - shyness, sometimes bordering on cowardice, a certain amount of secrecy.

He understood - with such an inheritance, a public career would be inaccessible to him. Therefore, soon, after some hesitation, he decides to retire to a monastery.

Monastery

Once in the monastery, Erasmus fell in love with another monk; his ardent love letters have survived. It follows from them that inwardly he did not feel attracted to monastic life. Moreover, the realities of monastic life aroused deep disgust in him.

However, he spent several years in the monastery walls. He devoted most of his free time to reading his favorite classical authors and improving his knowledge of Latin and Greek.

Soon, the attention of influential patrons of the arts attracts outstanding knowledge, a brilliant mind and an extraordinary art of mastering elegant Latin speech. The Bishop of Cambrai took him to his secretaries to conduct correspondence in Latin.

Thanks to such ecclesiastical patrons, Erasmus was able to leave the monastery, give scope to his long-standing attraction to humanistic science and visit all the main centers of the then humanism. From Cambrai, he moved to Paris, which at that time was still the center of scholastic scholarship.

Confession

In Paris, Erasmus published his first major work - Adagia, a collection of sayings and anecdotes extracted from the works of various ancient writers. This book made the name of Erasmus famous in humanist circles throughout Europe. After several years in France, he traveled to England, where he was greeted with warm hospitality and honor, as a renowned humanist.

Here he became friends with many humanists, in particular with Thomas More, the author of the novel "Utopia", John Colet, and later with John Fischer and Prince Henry, the future King Henry VIII. Returning from England in 1499, Erasmus leads a nomadic life for some time - he consistently visits Paris, Orleans, Louvain, Rotterdam. After a new trip to England, in 1505-1506, Erasmus finally got the opportunity to visit Italy, where he had long been attracted.

In Italy, Erasmus received an honorable, sometimes enthusiastic reception. The University of Turin presented him with an honorary doctorate in theology; Pope, as a sign of his special favor to Erasmus, gave him permission to lead a lifestyle and dress in accordance with the customs of each country where he had to live.

After two years of traveling in Italy, he successively visited Turin, Bologna, Florence, Venice, Padua, Rome, for the third time he went to England, where he was strongly invited by his local friends, and where shortly before he ascended the throne his great admirer, Henry VIII. During this journey, according to Erasmus himself, he wrote the famous satire "Praise of Foolishness." Oxford and Cambridge universities offered him a professorship.

Teaching at Cambridge

Erasmus chose Cambridge, where one of his close acquaintances, Bishop Fisher, was the "Chancellor of the University". Here Erasmus taught the Greek language for several years, as one of the rare experts of this language at that time, and gave theological courses, which were based on the original text of the New Testament. This was a great innovation at that time, since most theologians of that time continued to follow in their courses the medieval, scholastic method, which reduced all theological science to the study of the treatises of Duns Scotus, Thomas Aquinas and several other favorite medieval authorities.

Erasmus devoted several pages to the characterization of these adepts of scholastic theology in his Praise of Folly.

“They are so preoccupied with their delightful nonsense that, spending days and nights behind them, they do not find even a minute of time to flip through the Gospel or the Epistles of the Apostle Paul at least once. But, doing their scholarly nonsense, they are quite sure that their syllogisms hold the ecumenical church just as heaven rests on the shoulders of Atlas, and that without them the church would not have lasted even a minute. "

But soon he was drawn to England, where he went again in 1515.

At the court of Charles V

The next year, he again migrated to the continent, and already forever.

This time, Erasmus found himself a powerful philanthropist in the person of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles of Spain (the future emperor Charles V). The latter granted him the rank of "royal advisor", not associated with any real functions, nor even with the duty of staying at court, but gave him a salary of 400 florins. This created a completely secure position for Erasmus, relieving him of all material worries, and provided an opportunity to completely surrender to his passion for scientific pursuits. Since then, indeed, the scientific and literary productivity of Erasmus is aggravated. The new appointment, however, did not force Erasmus to abandon his restlessness - he visited Brussels, Louvain, Antwerp, Freiburg, Basel. Only in the last years of his life did he finally establish his settled life in the last of the named cities, where he ended his days; he died on the night of July 11-12, 1536.

Characteristics of philosophy, ethnicity

Erasmus belongs to the older generation of Germanic humanists, the "Reuchlin" generation, although he was among the younger representatives of the latter (he was 12 years younger than Reuchlin); but by the nature of his literary activity, by its satirical connotation, he already to a large extent adjoins the humanists of the younger, "Gutten" generation. However, he cannot be completely attributed to any specific group of humanists: he was "a man in himself", as he is characterized in "Letters of Dark People" (see Gutten).

Germanic by his belonging to the empire, Dutch by blood and by place of birth, Erasmus was least of all similar to the Dutchman in his mobile, lively, sanguine temperament, and perhaps that is why he so soon fought back from his homeland, to which he never found no particular attraction. Germany, with which he was bound by citizenship to the "emperor", and in which he spent most of his wandering life, did not become a second home for him; German patriotism, which inspired the majority of German humanists, remained completely alien to Erasmus, like any patriotism in general. Germany was in his eyes his homeland no more than France, where he spent several best years own life.

Erasmus himself was completely indifferent to his ethnicity. “They call me Batav,” he says in one of his letters; - but personally, I'm not quite sure about that; it may very well be that I am Dutch, but we must not forget that I was born in that part of Holland, which is much closer to France than to Germany. " Elsewhere, he expresses himself about himself in a no less characteristic way: "I do not at all want to assert that I am French, but I do not find it necessary to deny it." We can say that the real spiritual home of Erasmus was the ancient world, where he really felt at home.

It is also characteristic that at the end of his life, Erasmus, after long wanderings around the world, chose the imperial city of Basel as a place of permanent settlement, which, in its geographical and political position and in the composition of its population, had an international, cosmopolitan character.

Influence on contemporaries

Erasmus occupies a completely special place in the history of German humanism also for that unprecedentedly honorable and influential position in society, which - for the first time in European history - received in his person a man of science and literature.

Before Erasmus, history does not know a single such phenomenon, and this could not have been before the spread of printing, which gave thought to people an unprecedentedly powerful instrument of influence.

After Erasmus, for the entire continuation of modern history, only one similar fact can be indicated: that completely exceptional position that fell to Voltaire's lot at the apogee of his literary glory, in the second half of the 18th century. "From England to Italy," says one contemporary of Erasmus, "and from Poland to Hungary, his glory resounded." The most powerful sovereigns of Europe at that time, Henry VIII of England, Francis I of France, popes, cardinals, prelates, statesmen and the most famous scientists considered it an honor to be in correspondence with him. The papal curia offered him the cardinality; the Bavarian government expressed its readiness to grant him a large pension, just so that he chose Nuremberg as his place of permanent residence. During the trips of Erasmus, some cities arranged solemn receptions for him, as a sovereign. He was called "the oracle of Europe", not only people of science - on various scientific and philosophical issues, but also statesmen, even sovereigns - on various political issues turned to him for advice. As a humanist, Erasmus is closest to Reuchlin: both are outstanding carriers of that scientific spirit, the spirit of research and accurate knowledge, which is one of the most essential features in the characterization of humanism in general.

Philologist

He spoke in defense of the child, in defense of childhood, which was fundamentally new in the understanding of childhood and the role of education, new in pedagogy. I believed that the child has the right to correct upbringing... The inner world of a child is a divine world, and it cannot be treated with cruelty. He sharply opposed the cruelty of the medieval school, which he called the "torture chamber", where you will hear nothing except the noise of rods and sticks, screams of pain and sobs, and violent abuse. What else can a child take out of here, besides hatred of science? Erasmus' protest against cruelty towards children was the greatest act of humanism, which marked the beginning of the search for forms of upbringing that exclude violence. Erasmus was one of the first to speak about public education proper, and the proclamation of the attitude to work as a criterion of morality put him among the most progressive thinkers of that era.

Organization of education and training

Education is the end, learning is the means. The main thing in upbringing is a properly delivered education. A correctly delivered education is a classical one, which is based on the Latin and ancient Greek languages ​​and ancient culture. The child should be given an early scientific education. You need to start at the age of 3.

First teach languages ​​to which a small child is very receptive. You have to learn by playing. Erasmus offers various games for teaching reading, writing, but warns that the games are not unnecessarily difficult. Special attention when teaching children, you need to pay attention to memory training, since all further success of the child in learning depends on it. He demanded to take into account his own activity and the activity of the child. In the learning process, the child and the educator should treat each other with love, because "the first step in learning is love for the teacher."

Erasmus re-opened for the world such a phenomenon as the world of the child, the world of childhood. Many of Erasmus's pedagogical views were innovative for their time and remain valid to this day. His humanistic ideas have greatly influenced the theory and practice of pedagogy.

Essays

• "Education of the Christian Emperor"
• "Complaint of the world, expelled from everywhere and crushed everywhere"
• "Diatribe or Discourse on Free Will"

Notes (edit)

Links

• Erasmus of Rotterdam - Voltaire XVI century... The program "Echo of Moscow" from the cycle "That's right"
• Erasmus of Rotterdam in the library of Maxim Moshkov
• Page of Erasmus of Rotterdam in the library of priest. Yakov Krotova

• Erasmus of Rotterdam "Praise of stupidity." Academia. 1931 - facsimile pdf reproduction of the book

Literature

• Huizinga Johan. Culture of the Netherlands in the 17th century. Erasmus. Selected letters. Drawings / Comp., Trans. with netherl. and foreword. D. Silvestrov; Comment. D. Kharitonovich. - SPb .:

Name: Erasmus of Rotterdam (Desiderius Erasmus)

Age: 69 years old

Activity: writer, scientist, doctor of theology

Family status: was not married

Erasmus of Rotterdam: biography

Erasmus of Rotterdam is a famous European philosopher, scientist and humanist of the Northern Renaissance. Admirers of his work called the researcher “the prince of humanists”. Among the merits of Rotterdam is the study of religious texts from a scientific standpoint, the interpretation of theology, as well as pedagogical covenants.

Childhood and youth

Erasmus of Rotterdam was born on October 28, 1469, although some sources indicate 1466 and 1467 as possible years of the boy's birth. Gouda, located near Rotterdam, became his homeland. Therefore, his surname is rather a nickname denoting the place of residence of the philosopher.

Erasmus turned out to be the illegitimate child of a servant and the son of honorable burghers, who was promised a career as a clergyman. The feelings that flared up between the young people were not marked by a wedding. Erasmus was brought up by his mother under the name Gergard. Later, in translation from Latin, his name began to be voiced as Desiderius Erasmus.

The boy felt a thirst for knowledge. At first he was a student of a simple school in Gouda, and then the school of Hert Groth, located in Deventer. The main profile in the second educational institution was ancient literature. Erasmus was left an orphan at the age of 13. His family fell victim to the plague, and the young man was sent to a monastery. Relatives on the father's side did not show interest in him, so one could not count on prospects.

From 1486 to 1492, the young man lived in the monastery of Augustinian monks, where he was ordained. He devoted everything to learning free time, plunging into reading books, improving in Latin and ancient Greek, learning the basics of oratory. The young man's successes did not go unnoticed, and he received the post of secretary to the bishop of the French city of Cambrai.

From 1493 to 1499, Rotterdam lived in Paris, where he met Lord Mountjoy. In a joint trip with a high-ranking person in London, Erasmus was introduced to John Fischer and John Colet. New acquaintances marked the beginning of a long-term friendship between the philosophers. In the same period, the first promenade with the British king took place.

Social activity

Erasmus traveled constantly between the Netherlands, Britain, France and Italy. In Turin, he received his doctorate in theology and was warmly received by the Pope. At Oxford in 1506, the philosopher was invited to teach, but he preferred Cambridge, who made a similar proposal. The choice was made on the basis of what a friend John Fisher taught in the latter.

Erasmus of Rotterdam became a teacher of the ancient Greek language and taught students theology. For his studies, he independently translated and interpreted the New Testament. This was the innovation of a researcher who criticized the usual approach to a religious text. In 1511, Rotterdam was appointed professor at Cambridge, and 2 years later he left for Germany. This was followed by a visit to Great Britain and Switzerland, where, under the patronage of Charles of Spain, the philosopher became an adviser to the king. The scientist continued his usual work and traveled tirelessly.

A separate place in the history of humanism is occupied by the contribution of Erasmus of Rotterdam. He had an impeccable reputation and authority in society. The only person who received the same fame was whose works were at the peak of popularity in the 2nd half of the 18th century. The fame of Rotterdam resounded throughout Europe.

He corresponded with the rulers different countries, popes and cardinals, maintained good relations with statesmen. Thanks to the location of the mighty of this world, he could become a cardinal, receive a pension from the Bavarian government if he chose Nuremberg for permanent residence.

The authority of Rotterdam was great: high-ranking officials and managers came to him for advice. He answered questions of a scientific, political and philosophical nature. As a true humanist, Erasmus of Rotterdam adhered to the ideas of a scientific spirit, caring for research and true knowledge.

Ideas and Creativity

The first books of the author were published in Paris. The debut work entitled "Adagia" was a compilation of aphorisms and instructive stories, which was based on the works of ancient writers. In 1501, Erasmus created the religious and ethical treatise "The Weapons of the Christian Warrior", published in 1504. He put the philosophy of spiritual self-improvement ahead of traditional rituals.

On a trip to Great Britain, a work titled Praise of Folly was produced, containing critical thoughts on scholastic theology of the Middle Ages. In it, the thinker discusses the achievements of mankind and its mistakes, repeating cyclically, prejudices and vices that are relevant at any time. The book was reprinted 40 times during the life of the author. It has been translated into popular languages ​​of the world.

Rotterdam had a wonderful sense of humor, erudition and optimism, so the writer defended his faith in a person who was ready to fight his own imperfection. In his work, Erasmus of Rotterdam combined the principles of a philosopher with the habits of a scientist and the talent of a writer. His contemporaries called him "the European oracle", since the activity and views of the thinker seriously influenced the worldview of man in the 16th century.

In 1515, the book "Instructions of the Christian Emperor" was published, and in 1516 - "Complaint of the World", describing the position of the thinker regarding wars of conquest and pacifist ideas. In his work On Free Will, the author opposed the Reformation. Erasmus of Rotterdam glorified humanism in different directions... He showed himself as a philologist, collecting, translating and interpreting the works of Lucian and other ancient Greek authors.

The researcher also studied the phonetics of language, which formed the basis of the science of linguistics. Ancient Greece... The theologian studied the gospel with a bold interpretation. He made critical assumptions, not knowing that a Protestant Christian movement would emerge from them. Another direction for the development of the thinker was pedagogy. Conversations Easily, prepared from 1518 to 1533, are among the most popular books in the field.

Rotterdam believed that the development of a person's personality is influenced by upbringing, which involves intellectual development, the laying of the foundations of morality and the formation of religious views.

Physiological development is an important accompanying factor. The main goal of upbringing is to unleash the potential of the ward, respecting and remembering that each individual is responsible for his actions. Erasmus promoted respect and care for children, discrediting violence and bodily harm. He also promoted the need for compulsory education for everyone.

Personal life

Erasmus of Rotterdam led a lifestyle suitable for a clergyman. He did not participate in love affairs and had an impeccable reputation in relation to communication with the opposite sex. The philosopher did not have a wife and children, and his whole personal life was made up of travel and scientific works. Researchers describing the biography of the thinker do not find a single incriminating evidence.

Once he depicted Rotterdam in a portrait as if he had looked at a girl. But the character in the picture was clearly embarrassed and uncomfortable with being close to a woman. None of Erasmus's friends shared the intriguing details of the philosopher's personal life, since they simply did not exist.

Death

Erasmus of Rotterdam died on July 12, 1536. The cause of death was dysentery. His last refuge was the Basel Cathedral, located on Cathedral Square in the heart of the city. In 1538, a red limestone monument was erected on the philosopher's grave.

The thinker went to another world, securing the glory of the head of humanism. As a legacy, he left behind an extensive library and expensive property. Basel today hosts a university where the Erasmus Scholarship has existed for a decade. Students here remember quotes from the great humanist.

Quotes

"Madness has the privilege of speaking the truth without offending anyone."

"Politeness breeds and evokes politeness."

"Everything turns love and makes a little wise."

"Even in the worst of destiny, there are opportunities for happy change."

Bibliography

• 1509 - "Praise of Foolishness"
• 1511 - "The dung chases the eagle"
• 1515 - "Education of the Christian Emperor"
• 1516 - "Complaint of the world, expelled from everywhere and crushed everywhere"
• 1524 - "On Free Will"
• 1530 - "On the decency of children's customs"
• 1533 - "Conversations Easily"