Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus, known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, social critic, teacher, and theologian...
NationalityDutch
ProfessionPhilosopher
Date of Birth26 October 1466
heaven atheism scripture
It's the generally accepted privilege of theologians to stretch the heavens, that is the Scriptures, like tanners with a hide.
darkness atheism existence
They are looking in utter darkness for that which has no existence whatsoever.
kings teaching hard-work
For them it's out-of-date and outmoded to perform miracles; teaching the people is too like hard work, interpreting the holy scriptures is for schoolmen and praying is a waste of time; to shed tears is weak and womanish, to be needy is degrading; to suffer defeat is a disgrace and hardly fitting for one who scarcely permits the greatest of kings to kiss the toes of his sacred feet; and finally, death is an unattractive prospect, and dying on a cross would be an ignominious end.
mind body wedlock
The wedlocks of minds will be greater than that of bodies.
long soul world
From hence, no question, has sprung an observation ... confirmed now into a settled opinion, that some long experienced souls in the world, before their dislodging, arrive to the height of prophetic spirits.
men village six
The Jewish usurers are fast-rooted even in the smallest villages, and if they lend five gulden they require a security of six times as much. They charge interest, upon interest, and upon this again interest, so that the poor man loses everything that he owns.
reputation talent concealed
Concealed talent brings no reputation.
grief men
Time takes away the grief of men.
church-music modern music-is
Modern church music is so constructed that the congregation cannot hear one distinct word.
wind belly
Retain the wind by compressing the belly.
sweet peace war
War is sweet to those who have not experienced it.
sleep remember exquisite
Before you sleep, read something that is exquisite, and worth remembering.
giving advice
Don't give your advice before you are called upon.
life wise laughter
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.