Dedication, 1570-01-01, Pierre Hassard to Antoine de Withem, seigneur d'Isque

From Theatrum Paracelsicum
Author: Pierre Hassard
Recipient: Antoine de Withem, seigneur d'Isque
Type: Dedication
Date: 1 January 1570
Place: Brussels
Pages: 7
Language: French
Quote as: https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=1975
Editor: Edited by Julian Paulus
Source:
Paracelsus, De la peste, et de ces causes et accidents, ed. Pierra Hassard, Antwerpen: Christophe Plantin 1570, p. 3-9 [BP114]
CP: Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum
Translation: Raw translation see below
Abstract: The text is a letter in which the author expresses his belief that science, particularly medicine, is the most important thing for the well-being of the Republic. He recently came across a book on the plague by Paracelsus and has translated it into French to help people against the threat of the disease. He dedicates the translation to the addressee, whom he admires for his interest in agriculture. The author argues that agriculture is the best occupation as it gives pleasure, promotes health and knowledge of God's works, and discourages vice. He gives examples of historical figures, including Diocletian, Seneca, and Plato, who retired from public life to engage in agriculture. Finally, he emphasizes that the court is a place where it is difficult to find virtue and where one can easily be lost, while agriculture is a place of peace, rest, and contentment. (generated by Chat-GPT)
Back to Paratexts
Back to Texts by Pierre Hassard

[p. 3] A tres noble homme Messire Antoine de Withem, Seignevr d’Isqve Arquennes, &cet. Pierre Hassard d’ARmentieres Medecin, salut.

Moonsievr entre toutes les choses politicques & qui peuuen faire seruice à la Republicque, nulle ne me semble plus vtile, necessaire & digne d’estre aimee, prisee, & honoree, que la science, par le moyen de laquelle nous pouuons obuier, preuenir & dechasser les maladies, & conseruer le corps en santé iusques au dernier periode & terme ordonné & constitué de Dieu. Et sur toutes celles qui nous enseigne à resister autant que se peut faire à ce fleau & punition diuine, & maladie supernaturelle de la peste; de laquelle, ainsi que nous admonestent plusieurs doctes Astrologues en leurs presages (& nous en auon touché quelque chose en noz annuelles Predictions) sommes és temps prochains & futurs grandement menacez.

A ceste cause, comme ces iours passez s’est trouué entre mes mains vn petit liure, quant aux feuillets, mais bien grand quant au contenu [p. 4] & sens d’iceluy, de l’incomparable docteur & prince de Philosophie, Medecine & Chirurgie Aureole Philippes Theophraste Paracelse, traictant les vrayes causes, accidens, & curation de ladicte peste, non parauant d’aucun touchees: l’ay voluntiers employé quelques heures de l’apres-soupee à la mettre & traduire du hault Alleman de l’auteur en nostre lange Françoise, laquelle s’entend quasi par toute l’Europe, à fin que ses salutaires preceptes peussent seruir à vn chascun contre ceste horrible & tant redoubtee maladie & infection; & que ie monstrasse vne partie du debuoir auquel ie suis obligé par nature à nostre patrie.

Et pource Monsieur qu’il y a ia long temps que i’ay vn ardent desir de vous faire certain & vous declarer le bon & entier vouloir que i’ay de vous faire quelque seruice aggreable, si l’occasion le permettoit, il m’a semblé conuenable de mettre cedict liure en lumiere en vostre nom; ce que i’ay faict d’autant plus voluntiers que ie sçay le proufit qui peult reuenir en ce païs de la publication d’iceluy.

Aussi est ce vn œuure laquelle merite bien vn homme noble tant de race, que d’entendement, & bon iugement pour la defendre contre ses detracteurs & malveuillants, qui ne sont en petit nombre; lesquels, comme ie croy, [p. 5] craignent que la vraye doctrine d’iceluy ne leur redonde au grand dommage de leur cuisine.

Aussi ne leur plaisent ses ordonnances, reigles & manieres de faire comme à eux trop difficiles & laborieuses: ce qui toutesfois ne deuroit retarder le bon Medecin, veu qu’il rend raison suffisante de tout, & principalement de ce que les Anciens n’ont point entendu: & n’a esté negligent d’exercer de ses mains propres, tout ce qui appertient au vray art de Medecine & Chirurgie; ce que ne font plusieurs qui auiour d’huy aiment mieux eercer leurs mains delicates à traicter vn ieu de tables ou de cartes, & delaissant ou remettent ce qui est plus requis en vn bon Medecin, aux Apothecaires, &c.

Pourtant dis ie qu’à bon droict ie vous ay dedié ceste traduction, qui n’espargnez trauail ne labeur pour l’agriculture, qui est l’occupation qui mieux esueille les humains, & apporte plus de plaisir à vn esprit las & trauaillé de continuelles affaires & sollicitudes, & qui plus faict admirer, & donne cognoissance des œuures miraculeuses de Dieu, ensemble faict mespriser touts delices, vanitez, voluptez, & autres telles choses, qui allument tous vices en nous.

Pource non sans cause & raison plusieurs grands Roys, Princes & Seigneurs se sont bien [p. 6] voulu tant abaissaer que de s’addonner à lagriculture, & la traicter de leurs propres mains. Tesmoins en sont Cato Censorinus, quifut estimé l’vn des plus sages de Rome, lequel laissa la court Romaine, nonabstant qu’il y fust en merueilleux credit, & se retira en vn petit village sien, où il passa le residu de ses ans en repos, ayant pour singuliere recreation d’aller deux ou trois fois du iour veoir la campagne, ou les vignes, & y trauailler quelque fois. La reste du temps il l’employoit en la lecture des bons & vertueux liures: dont vn iour quelque quidam passant par là escriuit d’vn charbon sur la porte de sa maisonnette:

O felix Cato, tu solus scis viuere.

Lucullus Consul & capitaine Romain tresvaillant guerroyeur, & de renommee immortelle, voyant la Republique troublee par la faction de Sylla contre Marius, laissa Rome, & feit vne maison aux champs pres de Naples, là où il se delectoit fort à la chasse & vollerie, mais sur tout à lire & disputer incessamment.

L’Empereur Diocletian apres qu’il eust gouuerné l’empire dixhuict ans, le laissa, & se retira aux champs pour passer le demeurant de sa vie en paix & repos, disant qu’il estoit temps [p. 7] de laisser l’estat dangereux de court pour prendre le pacificque du village.

Et apres qu’il se fut retiré, il respondit aux Ambassadeurs que luy enuoyerent les Romains pour le faire retourner, lesquels le trouuerent occupé en vn petit iardin qu’il auoit, à escarter les laictues, & planter des oignons: S’il ne valoit pas mieux que celuy qui les auoit plantez, arrousez, & entretenus, les mengeast ioyeusement & en paix, que retourner entre les seditions de la Republique? I’ay, dict il, essayé que vault le commander à la court, & le labourer au village; parquoy laissez moy en paix, car i’ayme trop mieux icy viure du trauail de mes mains qu’en grande sollicitude estre à l’Empire.

Cleo & Pericles entre les Grecs succeusseurs de Solon grand legislateur, n’en feirent pas moins, & paracheuerent le demeurant de leur vie estudiants, & passants le temps à l’agriculture. E ledict Pericles escriuit à ceste occasion sur so porte:

Inueni portum, Spes & Fortina valete.

Au mesme nombre se peuuent mettre le grand Philosophe Seneca, & Scipio l’Africain, lequel apres tant de belles victoires qu’il auoit eus en vingt & deux ans qu’il feit la [p. 8] guerre ou il ne perdit iamais batailles, & ne feit chose dont il peut auoir reproche, en l’aage de cincquante & deux ans se retira de la court de Rome en vn petit village, où il demeura par l’espace de vnze ans sans iamais entrer en Rome.

Item Plato le diuin Philosophe ne pouuant plus supporter l’importunité de ses amis, ny la crierie du peuple, s’en alla demourer à vn village pres d’Athenes, & y fina ses iours apres y auoir demouré quatorze ans.

Ie pourrois mettre en auant à ce propos vn grand nombre d’autres grands personages, & nobles gents, qui pour l’agriculture ont delaissé les honneurs & affaires publicques pour vacquer à ladicte agriculture & vie rustique, où ils trouuerent plus de repos, plaisir, santé, & salut, quant à l’ame, que lors qu’ils est estoient plongez & quasi submergez és affaires de court: bien cognoissants qu’en court n’y a chose plus rare, ne plus chere à recouurer que vertu, ne plus aisee à trouuer qu’abondance de trois manieres de gent; de rapporteurs, de flateurs & de menteurs. La court est le lieu où lon peult venir à grands biens, aussi est ce le lieur où on est coustumier de se perdre.

Vous donc Monsieur, à l’imitation de ces grands Princes, Seigneurs & gens de haulte [p. 9] estoffe, n’estes iamais tant aise, à repos & content, que quant voz affaires vous laissent rusticquér en vos iardins, & aultres lieux d’agriculture, lesquelz par vostre diligence, sollicitude, & despense auez si bien bastis & enrichis de plusieurs & diuers arbres, plantes & herbes vtiles pour l’vsage humain, que cest belle chose: là où vouz prenez vne heureuse & tranquille delectation, en contemplant, & admirant les graces de Dieu, & vertus merueilleuses de Nature.

Doncques Monsieur soubs la guide de vostre nom i’ay mis ceste traduction en lumiere; me confiant que cela suffira pour conuaincre la malignation des calomniateurs, tant de l’auteur que du translateur. Recepuez donc ce mien petit labeur, pour estre perpetuel tesmoing que ie vous doibs seruice & reuerence. Ie prie le Creatueur, vous donnér tresheureuse & longue vie, & en sa grace entiere posperité: de Bruxelles ces Calendes de Ianuier. 1570.



English Raw Translation

Generated by ChatGPT on 18 March 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 very noble man Sir Antoine de Withem, Lord of Isqve Arquennes, etc., Pierre Hassard of Armentieres, Physician, greetings.

Sir, among all things political that can serve the Republic, none seems to me more useful, necessary, and worthy of being loved, valued, and honored than science, through which we can obtain, prevent, and drive away diseases, and keep the body healthy until the last period and term ordained and constituted by God. And among all those that teach us to resist as much as possible this scourge and divine punishment, and supernatural disease of the plague; of which, as several learned Astrologers admonish us in their predictions (and we have touched on it somewhat in our annual Predictions), we are greatly threatened in the near and future times.

For this reason, as I recently came across a small book, in terms of pages, but very great in terms of content and meaning, by the incomparable doctor and prince of Philosophy, Medicine and Surgery, Aureolus Philippus Theophrastus Paracelsus, dealing with the true causes, accidents, and cure of the said plague, which had not been touched upon by anyone else: I willingly spent some hours after supper translating it from the high German of the author into our French language, which is almost understood throughout Europe, so that his salutary precepts could serve everyone against this horrible and much-dreaded disease and infection; and that I could show a part of the duty which I am obliged by nature to our country.

And therefore, Sir, since I have long had a burning desire to make you certain and declare to you the good and entire will that I have to do some agreeable service for you, if the opportunity arose, it seemed appropriate to me to publish this book in your name; which I have done all the more willingly as I know the benefit that can come from its publication in this country.

Also, this is a work that deserves a noble man of both race, intellect, and good judgment to defend it against its detractors and malevolent ones, who are not few in number; who, as I believe, fear that the true doctrine of it will redound to their great disadvantage.

Also, they do not like his ordinances, rules, and ways of doing things, as they find them too difficult and laborious: however, this should not delay the good Physician, since he provides sufficient reason for everything, especially for what the Ancients did not understand; and he has not been negligent in practicing with his own hands everything that belongs to the true art of Medicine and Surgery, which many nowadays prefer to exercise their delicate hands in playing a game of tables or cards, and leaving or delegating what is more required in a good Physician to the Apothecaries, etc.

Therefore, I say that I have rightly dedicated this translation to you, who spare no effort or labor for agriculture, which is the occupation that best awakens humans and brings more pleasure to a mind tired and worn out by constant affairs and solicitations, and which makes us admire more and gives knowledge of the miraculous works of God, together with making us despise all pleasures, vanities, voluptuousness, and other such things, which ignite all vices in us.

For this reason, and not without cause and reason, several great Kings, Princes, and Lords have been willing to humble themselves to engage in agriculture and handle it with their own hands. Witnesses to this are Cato Censorinus, who was considered one of the wisest in Rome, who left the Roman court, although he was in great credit there, and retired to a small village of his own, where he spent the rest of his years in peace, having for his singular recreation to go two or three times a day to see the countryside or the vineyards and work there occasionally. The rest of the time, he spent in reading good and virtuous books; one day, some passer-by wrote with charcoal on the door of his little house:

O fortunate Cato, you alone know how to live.

Lucullus, the Consul and very valiant Roman captain, and of immortal renown, seeing the Republic troubled by the faction of Sylla against Marius, left Rome and built a house in the countryside near Naples, where he greatly enjoyed hunting and bird catching, but above all, reading and disputing incessantly.

The Emperor Diocletian, after he had governed the empire for eighteen years, left it and retired to the countryside to spend the remainder of his life in peace and rest, saying that it was time to leave the dangerous state of the court to take up the peaceful one of the village.

And after he had retired, he answered the ambassadors sent by the Romans to bring him back, who found him busy in a small garden he had, weeding lettuce and planting onions: "If it is not better that he who planted, watered, and maintained them, should joyfully eat them in peace, rather than return to the seditions of the Republic? I have," he said, "tried what it is to command at court and to work in the village; therefore, leave me in peace, for I would much rather live here by the labor of my hands than be in great solicitude for the Empire."

Cleo and Pericles, among the Greek successors of Solon the great legislator, did no less, and completed the remainder of their lives studying and passing the time in agriculture. And the said Pericles wrote on his door on this occasion:

"I have found a harbor, farewell Hope and Fortune."

In the same number can be put the great philosopher Seneca, and Scipio Africanus, who after so many great victories that he had in twenty-two years of war, where he never lost a battle and did nothing that he could be reproached for, at the age of fifty-two, retired from the court of Rome to a small village, where he remained for eleven years without ever entering Rome.

Also, the divine philosopher Plato, unable to bear the importunity of his friends or the clamor of the people, went to live in a village near Athens and ended his days there after living there for fourteen years.

I could put forward in this regard a great number of other great personages and noble people who, for agriculture, have left the honors and public affairs to devote themselves to said agriculture and rustic life, where they found more rest, pleasure, health, and salvation, as far as the soul is concerned, than when they were plunged and almost submerged in court affairs, well aware that in court there is nothing rarer or more expensive to recover than virtue, and nothing easier to find than an abundance of three types of people: reporters, flatterers, and liars. The court is the place where one can come to great wealth, but it is also the place where one is accustomed to losing oneself.

Therefore, Monsieur, following the example of these great princes, lords, and people of high status, you are never as happy, at rest, and content as when your affairs allow you to engage in rustic activities in your gardens and other places of agriculture, which you have so well built and enriched with many and diverse trees, plants, and herbs useful for human use, that it is a beautiful thing: where you take a happy and tranquil delight, contemplating and admiring the graces of God and the wonderful virtues of nature.

Therefore, Monsieur, under the guidance of your name, I have brought this translation to light, trusting that this will suffice to convince the malignity of the slanderers, both of the author and the translator. Therefore, please accept this small effort of mine as a perpetual witness that I owe you service and reverence. I pray the Creator to give you a very happy and long life, and in His full grace, prosperity. From Brussels on the Calends of January, 1570.