Dedication, 1572-03-01, Thomas Erastus to Johann Albrecht I., Herzog zu Mecklenburg
| Author: | Thomas Erastus |
| Recipient: | Johann Albrecht I., Herzog zu Mecklenburg |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | 1 March 1572 |
| Place: | no place |
| Pages: | 5 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=2778 |
| Editor: | Edited by Julian Paulus |
| Source: | Thomas Erastus, Disputationum de medicina nova Philippi Paracelsi pars altera, Basel: Pietro Perna 1572, sig. ):(2r–):(4r [BP.Erastus.1572-01]
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| Abstract: | Erastus explains his motivation to critique the works of Paracelsus. He was moved by the exhortations of learned men and evidence to confront Paracelsus's books, finding them filled with dangerous errors and blasphemous content. He aims to protect piety and refute harmful superstitions. In the second part, he scrutinizes Paracelsus's doctrines, asserting their fallacies and harm, while promoting his own principles as grounded in truth and reality. He requests the prince, known for his piety and promotion of arts, to receive, judge, and, if agreeable, defend his arguments against detractors. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
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[sig. ):(2r] Illvstrissimo et clarissimo principi, D[omini] Iohanni Alberto, Dvvi Mechelbvrgensi, Principi Vuandaolorum, Comiti Schuerini, Domino Rostochij & Stargardiæ, &c. Domino suo clementissimo.
Nec meo solius iudicio, nec temerè & fortuitò hasce aduersus Paracelsum Disputationes institui, Princeps illustrißime. Nam & authoritate atque exhortatione virorum doctrina, virtute ac pietate præstantißimorum motus, & argumentis neutiquam aspernandis aut leuibus persuasus, in certamen hoc tandem descendi. Plus apud me vtraque valuerunt, quòd libros Paracelsi (quos tunc occasione disputationis, inter quosdam de Stibij viribus natæ, iterum euoluere fortè cœperam) non modò portentosis & perniciosis erroribus refertos, verùm etiam intollerabilium & inauditarum blasphemiarum plenos inueniebam. Manifestam & planè horrendam istam impietatem, cùm à nemine ferè seriò publiceq́ue redargui, ac sine insigni impietate ferri: tamen longius non poße iudicarem, cohortationibus bonorum et doctorum virorum minus restiti: ne, quod in alijs ego tacitè accusabam, in me alij meritò condemnarent. Quòd reliqua doctrinæ ipsius capita nulli data opera sigillatim refutarent, minus mirabar. Etsi enim pestifera sunt propè ommnia, quæ peßimo consilio nouauit, ita sunt tamen absur- [sig. ):(2v] da, putida, falsa, inepta, monstrosa ab omni tùm sensu, tum ratione aliena & abhorrentia, vt non tàm argumentis refutanda, quàm risu & complisione manuum ac pedum explodenda videantur. Veriti sunt, puto, viricordati & prudentes, ne, si apertam stultitiam longo argumentorum tractu refellere studerent, plus ex ea diligentia dedecoris, quàm gloriæ sibi compararent. Ego autem horum nihil vel metuens vel desperans pietatis ac veritatis defensionem alacri animo suscepi: nec dubito quicquam, quin voluntas & studium Deo probentur, factum verò bonis viris omnibus gratum acceptumq́ue sit futurum. Ergo in prima parte hoc egi sedulò, vt publicè prodeßem omnibus: et confutarem perspicuê ac solidè, in quibus plerique omnes videntur peccare. Quis enim opinatur fascinationibus vim quandam ineße? quis superstitiosas quorundam molitiones, Magorum nefarios ausus, Lamiarum & similium conatus execrabiles, firmiter credit irritos eße? Passim videmus adhuc pharmaca ægris offerri sub numero certo et definito: quo nec maior nec minor putatur vtilis eße: imò nocere creditur. Sic in nominibus certorum morborum pronunciatis, vim exitiosam inesse persuasum habent plurimi. Quare aut prorsus non efferunt talia, aut cum præfatione despuentes proferunt. Multum vestibus tribuunt multi. Nec desunt, qi plurimum referre putant, qua forma æger decumbat. Sic in herbarum collectione, medicaminum præparatione, alijsq́ue pluribus grauißimè vbique preccatur. Noxias hasce superstitiones, cùm non solùm plantari ac vehementer augeri à Paracelso notassem, verùm et- [sig. ):(3r] iam mouas, horribiles & inauditas insuper blasphemias seminari & diuulgari cognouißem, primam instituti operis partem pietatis defensionem et pestilentißimorum errorum confutatione continere volui: vt, qui libros eius fortè legent, moniti sciant à quibus sibi temperent. In altera parte fundamenta doctrinæ Physicæ Paracelsi excußi & discußi: in fumum abire, adeoq́ue ad nihilum recidere ostendi: dum ad veritatis trutinam examinata, non falsa tantùm ac putida, verùm etiam damnosa ac impia esse commonstraui. Quippe operam dedi, vt philosophiæ quam probamus nos & sequimur, principia firmißimis argumentis ab ipsa rerum euidentia & senssum testimonijs petitis, certa, firma, solda, vera, rebus consentientia probarem: Aduersariorum autem rationi, sensibus, rebus ipsis repugnare demonstrare. Et vt illi etiam, qui philosophiæ operam nunquam dederunt, ac proinde disputationum philosophicarum non sunt vsquequaque capaces, nullam sibi dubitandi causam relictam intelligerent, à Deo nostra in sacrosancto eius verbo asseri et comprobari, Paracelsica vituperari & damnari, quàm potui clarißimè declaraui. Quòd porrò Illustrißimo Celsit[udinini] tuæ nomine, Princeps Lavdatissime, librum hunc insignitum & ornatum in publico apparere volui, inconsultè factum non est. Nam cum, quæ in eo disputantur, partim ad pietatem spectemt, partim ad bonarum artium notitiam pertineant, merito videbatur illi Principi consecranus: qui & pietatis amans, & optimarum artium studiosus atque intelligens publicæ ab omnibus[c1] habe- [sig. ):(3v] tur. Quàm verò peitatis studium & sincerus Dei cultus tibi sint cordi, tùm alia plurima docent, tùm illud aperè declarat, quòd erroribus ac superstitione profligatis, & Ecclesijs imperio tuo subiectis à falsæ doctrinæ fermento repurgatis, verum veri Dei cultum constanter ac fortiter tueris. Quanta deinde beneuolentia & sedulitate plantes, excites, ames, colas, nutrias, promoueas bonarum artium studia: quo amore harum professores et studiosos complectaris, foueas, ornes, amplifices, nulli nesciunt. Quinimò vel ex eo perspiciunt omnes, quòd non solùm te felicissimè in bonis literis versatum intelligunt, verùm etiam filios tuos Principes rectè præclareq́ue institui summa cura, voluptate ac studio præcipere vident ac audiunt. Communia hæc omnium duntaxat recito, ne videar aliud agere velle, quam ago. Quæ priuatim ex D[omino] Ioan[ne] Husano, Cel[situdinis] tuæ Cancellario, viro multifaria eruditione politißimo, ac maximarum rerum vsu clarißimo, & D[omino] Thoma Blarero cum Maiorum suorum claritate, tum propria virtute nobilißimo, de præclarißimis excelsi & Heroici animi tui virtutibus, corporis bonis, alijsq́ue tum fortunæ tum industriæ ornamentis audiui, silentio præterire ob id volui, ne adualri Celsit[udinis] tuæ voluisse videar. Satis habeo, quòd tua Celsit[udo], eos progreßus feciße in bonis artibus noscitur, vt & iudicare hæc nostra, & aduersus iniquos calumniatores defendere, publicè denique omnibus commendare valeas. Quamobrem reuerenter tuam Cel[situdinem] oro, vt hilari vultu hoc, quod offerimus suscipias, otio dato perlegas & iudices, et, si recta, si vera, si pietati, quæ disputamus, consentanea [sig. ):(4r] eße perspexeris, aduersus maleuolorum morsus fortiter heroiceq́ue defendas. Erit hoc Deo gratum, tuæ Celsit[utidinis] gloriosum, Reipublicæ vtile ac salutare. Deus opt[imus] Max[imus] tuam Celsitudinem ad nominis sui gloriam per multos deinceps annos incolumen seruet. Amen. Calend[is] Martij. Anno M. D. LXXII.
Tuæ Celsit[udinis] obseruantißimus: Thom[as] Erastus Medicus.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 15 July 2023. Attention: This translation is a machine translation by artificial intelligence. The translation has not been checked and should not be cited without additional human verification.
To the most illustrious and distinguished prince, Lord Johann Albert, Duke of Mecklenburg, Prince of Wenden, Count of Schwerin, Lord of Rostock and Stargard, &c. My most merciful Lord.
These disputations against Paracelsus were not initiated by my judgment alone, nor haphazardly or randomly, most illustrious Prince. For I was moved both by the authority and exhortation of men of learning, virtue, and outstanding piety, and convinced by arguments by no means to be despised or light, I finally entered this contest. Both held greater weight with me, as I found the books of Paracelsus (which I then happened to start re-reading due to a dispute among some about the powers of antimony) not only filled with monstrous and harmful errors, but also full of intolerable and unheard-of blasphemies. This manifest and truly horrendous impiety, which almost no one seriously and publicly argues against and bears without conspicuous impiety: yet I judged it could not go any further, and I resisted less the encouragements of good and learned men: lest others rightly condemn in me what I silently accused in others. I was less surprised that no one thoroughly refuted the remaining doctrines of his teaching. Although almost all of them are harmful, which he renewed with the worst counsel, they are nevertheless so absurd, rotten, false, foolish, monstrous, alien and abhorrent to both sense and reason, that they seem not so much to be refuted by arguments as to be laughed at and rejected by clapping hands and stamping feet. Kind and prudent men, I suppose, have feared that if they attempted to refute obvious foolishness with lengthy argumentation, they would get more disgrace than glory from such diligence. However, fearing or despairing nothing of these things, I undertook the defense of piety and truth with a cheerful spirit: and I have no doubt that my will and zeal will be approved by God, and that what I have done will be pleasing and acceptable to all good men. Therefore, in the first part, I worked diligently to make public good for all: and to refute clearly and solidly, where most seem to sin. For who thinks that a certain power is in spells? Who firmly believes that the superstitious movements of some, the nefarious daring of Magi, the execrable attempts of witches and the like, are ineffective? We still see medicines being offered to the sick under a certain and defined number: which is believed neither to be more or less useful: but rather it is believed to be harmful. Thus, many are persuaded that a destructive force is in the names of certain diseases when pronounced. Therefore, they either do not utter such things at all, or spit out a preface before saying them. Many attribute much to clothing. Nor are there lacking those who think it matters greatly in what form a patient lies down. So in the collection of herbs, the preparation of medicines, and many other things, very serious mistakes are made everywhere. These harmful superstitions, when I noticed not only that Paracelsus propagated and strongly increased them, but also that new, horrifying and unheard of blasphemies were being sown and spread, I wanted the first part of the work I began to contain the defense of piety and the refutation of the most pestilent errors: so that those who perhaps will read his books, being warned, know from what they should abstain.
In the second part, I shook and discussed the foundations of Paracelsus's Physical doctrine: I showed it to evaporate into smoke, and thus to fall back into nothing: when examined at the balance of truth, I demonstrated them to be not only false and rotten, but also harmful and impious. Indeed, I worked so that I might prove the principles of the philosophy which we approve of and follow, sought from the clear evidence of things and testimonies of the senses, to be certain, firm, solid, true, and consistent with reality. However, I demonstrated that the opponent's reasoning contradicts sense and the very nature of things. And so that even those who have never studied philosophy, and are therefore not entirely capable of philosophical disputes, may understand that they have no cause for doubt, I have made it as clear as I could that our doctrines are asserted and approved by God in his holy word, while those of Paracelsus are condemned and disparaged.
Furthermore, that I wanted this book, marked and decorated in the name of Your Illustrious Highness, to appear in public, most laudable Prince, was not done thoughtlessly. For since the matters discussed in it pertain partly to piety and partly to the knowledge of good arts, it seemed rightfully to be dedicated to that Prince who is held by all to be a lover of piety and a student and understander of the best arts. As for how much the pursuit of piety and sincere worship of God are dear to you, this is taught by many other things, and openly declares that, with errors and superstition dispelled, and the churches under your authority cleansed from the leaven of false doctrine, you steadfastly and courageously uphold the true worship of the true God. How much you plant, rouse, love, cultivate, nourish, and promote the studies of good arts with goodwill and diligence: how much you embrace, support, adorn, and magnify the professors and students of these with love, is known to none. Indeed, everyone perceives even from this that they understand not only that you have been most happily versed in good letters, but also that they see and hear that you have with the greatest care, pleasure, and study commanded your princely sons to be rightly and excellently educated. I merely recite these common things of all, so as not to appear to be trying to do something other than what I am doing. What I have privately heard from Johann Husanus, Chancellor of Your Highness, a man most cultivated in multifarious learning, and most illustrious in the practice of important affairs, and from Thomas Blarer, most noble by both the fame of his ancestors and his own virtue, about the most illustrious virtues of your high and heroic spirit, bodily goods, and other ornaments of both fortune and industry, I wanted to pass by in silence for this reason, so as not to appear to have wanted to flatter Your Highness. It is enough for me that Your Highness is known to have made progress in good arts, so that you can both judge these things of ours, and defend them against unfair detractors, and finally recommend them publicly to everyone. For this reason, I respectfully beg Your Highness to accept this with a cheerful countenance, give leisure to read and judge it, and if you perceive that what we dispute is right, true, and in accordance with piety, defend it strongly and heroically against the bites of the malicious. This will be pleasing to God, glorious for Your Highness, and beneficial and salutary for the Republic. May the greatest and best God keep Your Highness safe for the glory of His name for many years to come. Amen. On the first of March, in the year 1572.
Most observant of Your Highness: Thomas Erastus, Physician.
