Difference between revisions of "Dedication, no date (1570), Gerhard Dorn to August, Kurfürst von Sachsen (BP124)"
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| AbstractGPT= | | AbstractGPT=Dorn praises August's support for literature and fine arts, especially Medicine. He seeks patronage for the Latin translation of Theophrastus Paracelsus' surgical books from German, which will make them accessible to those unfamiliar with German. He recognizes that Paracelsus' works, while desired worldwide, face opposition from those clinging to familiar, yet unjust and false methods, fearing loss of status and profits. He laments that corruption often overshadows truth and argues that embracing truth leads to unshakeable conviction. Dorn defends Paracelsus against detractors who criticize him without understanding his principles, arguing that any alleged weaknesses only further demonstrate his exceptional abilities. For instance, if Paracelsus lacked Latin skills, it proved his divinely bestowed gift of surpassing the Latin and Greek scholars in doctrine. His choice to live among commoners was seen as humility. Dorn stresses that his focus is on the content of Paracelsus' teachings, not the elegance of the language in which they are expressed, deeming those overly concerned with language as 'ignorant chatterboxes.' He observes that attempts to malign Paracelsus only serve to further promote his teachings. | ||
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To the Most Illustrious Prince Augustus, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen, | To the Most Illustrious Prince Augustus, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen, Burgrave of Magdeburg, Prince Elector, etc. Greetings. | ||
If Your Highness had not so far favoured all kinds of literature and the fine arts, especially Medicine, so that the fame and glorious renown of this virtue of yours, among countless others with which you are adorned, resounded far and wide, I would not have dared to step into your sight with my very crude style. But indeed, that kindness of your familiar manners, with which you receive both the high and the low, has given me courage. Thus encouraged, I decided to publish some surgical books of Theophrastus Paracelsus, which I translated from German into Latin, under your patronage, so that they might become known to other nations that are not acquainted with the German language. Especially because I know that the writings of this man are desired by almost the whole world: except for those who bear heavily the abandonment of what has become familiar and entrenched, although they know very well that it is unfair and false. However, they may do this out of shame (which would rather be to their credit and honor, because they had exchanged the inferior for the superior) or for the loss of substantial profits, which they fear, since they can gain more from fairness than from falsehood. Nevertheless, the world has conceived this defect from the beginning, that, due to its corruption, it always prefers what is corrupt to what is good, and is hostile to the truth by any means, whether hidden or obvious, crooked or otherwise, precisely because the Calumniator does not know how to progress. It happened, therefore, that he inspired his sophistic art to men through the serpent, and later to Christians through pagan and gentile writings, and in this age it is more esteemed than truth itself. | |||
So what, shall we fear what can least harm us? Far be it. Those who embrace the truth and remain in it, can never be confounded. This being said, we know that our teacher teaches the truth, and for this very reason, he is hated by the impious who cannot act against him other than by slander. For they do not understand the least principle of Paracelsus, how could they then criticize him? Let them first learn his mind, so that they correct reason with reason, and not with injustice. What have they so far published against this man, which is not to his greatest praise: whom they nevertheless thought they had dishonoured? For they say he was ignorant of the Latin language: let's grant that, although it is fabricated. What else could their Dialectics infer from this, but that it was a gift of the Holy Spirit, by which he not only surpassed the Latins, but all the Greeks and other speakers in doctrine? Also, what will follow, if they say that he preferred to be among the commoners rather than the rich, other than the example of his humility? If these things are to be blamed on men, they will not hesitate to reprove the Apostles for the same, who were first unlearned, and after receiving grace, they spoke simply without Rhetoric or Dialectic, they associated with tax collectors as did their teacher Christ, not to imitate them, but rather to admonish them to embrace the truth. I would certainly wish for my part, that I could publish these writings of our teacher to foreign nations in any other vernacular language: but since there is none that is common to all, I am forced to use Latin for other than enjoyment: so it happens also, that I care very little for its elegancies. We are not dealing with gramm | |||
atical or Latin matters, but with the real things of the true arts, which are not more subject to this or any other language than to the vernacular, although they are expressed in them. Those who waste their whole life (as is customary) on the elegances of languages, become completely ignorant chatterboxes. Let these do what they can, wherever they turn, they can only open their mouths against this man, as Balaam did against the people of Israel: and when they try hardest to speak ill of him, they speak the best. They experience this more and more every day, namely that the harder they rage against this doctrine, the more lively it rises, and the more it is oppressed, like a palm, it rises upwards. There is no need for me to say much to Your Highness, who can judge better than anyone about this matter. Therefore, Most Illustrious prince, I pray that you be a protector of truth, as you have always been so far, also in these matters. Farewell, be happy and live. | |||
Your Highness's Servant, | Your Highness's Servant, | ||
Gerardus Dorn. | |||
Latest revision as of 09:29, 1 July 2023
| Author: | Gerhard Dorn |
| Type: | Dedication |
| Date: | no date [1570] |
| Pages: | 5 |
| Language: | Latin |
| Quote as: | https://www.theatrum-paracelsicum.com/index.php?curid=1984 |
| Editor: | Edited by |
| Source: | Paracelsus, Chirurgia minor quam alias Bertheoneam intitulauit, ed. Gerhard Dorn, Basel: Pietro Perna 1570, sig. unsigned 2r – unsigned 4r [BP124]
|
| CP: | Not in Kühlmann/Telle, Corpus Paracelsisticum |
| Translation: | Raw translation see below |
| Abstract: | Dorn praises August's support for literature and fine arts, especially Medicine. He seeks patronage for the Latin translation of Theophrastus Paracelsus' surgical books from German, which will make them accessible to those unfamiliar with German. He recognizes that Paracelsus' works, while desired worldwide, face opposition from those clinging to familiar, yet unjust and false methods, fearing loss of status and profits. He laments that corruption often overshadows truth and argues that embracing truth leads to unshakeable conviction. Dorn defends Paracelsus against detractors who criticize him without understanding his principles, arguing that any alleged weaknesses only further demonstrate his exceptional abilities. For instance, if Paracelsus lacked Latin skills, it proved his divinely bestowed gift of surpassing the Latin and Greek scholars in doctrine. His choice to live among commoners was seen as humility. Dorn stresses that his focus is on the content of Paracelsus' teachings, not the elegance of the language in which they are expressed, deeming those overly concerned with language as 'ignorant chatterboxes.' He observes that attempts to malign Paracelsus only serve to further promote his teachings. (generated by Chat-GPT) |
| Back to Paratexts Back to Texts by Gerhard Dorn |
[sig. unsigned 2r] Illvstrissimo Principi Avgvsto Saxoniæ Dvvi, Lantgrauio Turingiæ, Marchioni Misniæ, Burggrauio Magdeburgensi, Principi Electori, &c. Salus.
Nisi literarum & bonarum artium omni generi Tua celsitudo ita fauisset hactenus, & Medicinæ præsertim, vt etiam huius suæ virtutis alias innumeras inter, quibus illustratur, longè latèque rumor & gloriosa fama fesonaret: nequaquam ausus fuissem hoc rudi nimiùm stylo meo in conspectum eius prodire. Verumenimuero benigna consuetudinis eius illa humanitas, qua cunctos excipit altos atque humiles, dedit animum: quo reassumpto libellos aliquot chirurgicos Theophrasti Paracelsi, quos è Germanico sermone latinè ver- [sig. unsigned 2v] teram, sub eius patrocinio vt exteris nationibus etiam innotescerent, quæ Germanicæ linguæ sunt expertes, emittere non distuli. Maximè quòd sciam istius viri scripta fore toti mundo ferè desideratißima: exceptis illis qui relingquere grauiter assuetum & inueteratum ferunt, etsi perquàmoptimè sciant iniustum & falsum existere: tamen, vel ob verecundiam (quæ maximè laudi foret eis ac honori potiùs adscribenda, quòd viliora pro potioribus commutassent) aut propter ingentis lucri diminutionem, quam timent, cùm ex æquo plus quàm ex falso reportare queant. Nihilominus id mundus ab initio vitij concepit, vt ex sui corruptione, quod corruptum est, bono semper in finem vsque sui præferat veroq́ue infensus sit quacunque via tecta vel manifesta fiat, obliqua[c1] vel alia: recta siquidem quòd progredi Caluminator nesciat. Eo factum est vt Sophisticam artem suam, hominibus per serpentem, & postmodum Christianis per Et- [sig. unsigned 3r] nicos atque Gentiles scriptis inspirarit, eaq́ue hac tempestate pluris fiat ipsa veritate.
Quid inde, metuemus ne, quod nocere nobis minimè potest? absit. Quicunque veritatem amplexi manent in ea, confundi nunquam poterunt. Hæc dicta, quòd sciamus Præceptorem nostrum vera docere, nec non ea de causa tantum impijs inuisum, qui non aliàs contra ipsum agere possunt, quàm calumniosè. Non intelligunt enim Paracelsi minimum principium, quînam possent igitur eum carpere? Discant prius eius mentem, vt rationem rationibus, & non iniuria corrigant. Quid hactenus contra hunc virum ediderunt, quod non sit in eius maximam laudem: quem nihilominus ignominiosè tractaße putauerunt? Dicunt enim ipsum ignarum fuisse linguæ Latinæ: demus, etsi confictum. Quid aliud inde colligere sua Dialectica poterunt, quàm donum Spiritus Sancti fuisse, quo nedum Latinos, verùm etiam Græcos omnes [sig. unsigned 3v] aliosq́ue linguaces doctrina superarit? Item quid inde sequetur, quod inter plebeos potius ac libentius quàm diuites versatum eße dicant, aliud quàm humilitatis eius exemplum? Si hæc sint hominibus vertenda vitio, nec Apostolos hoc ipso reprehendere verebuntur, qui prius idiotæ fuerunt, & accepta gratia postmodum simpliciter locuti sunt absque Rhetorica vel Dialectica, cum publicanis etiam vt præceptor eorum Christus versati sunt, non vt eos imitarentur, sed admonerent potius ad veritatem amplectendam. Optarem sanè pro parte mea, vt alio quouis & vulgari possem idiomate scripta hæc nostri præceptoris exteris nationibus publicare: verùm quòd nullum sit communius omnibus, eo sanè præter delectationem vti cogor: quo fit etiam, vt elegantias eius minimè curem. Grammaticalia non tractamus neque latina, sed res ipsas artium verarum, quæ linguæ huic vel cuiuis alteri magis quàm vulgaribus minimè subij- [sig. unsigned 4r] ciuntur, quamuis eis exprimantur. Qui linguarum elegantijs totam (vt consuetum est) ætatem conterunt, rerum ignari prorsus loquaces euadunt. Faxint isti quod valent, quocunque se vertant, os in hunc virum aliter aperire non possunt, quàm Balaam in populum Israeliticum: & quum de eo maximè dicere malè nituntur, optimè dicunt. Hoc indies magis ac magis experiuntur, nempe quò sæuiunt acrius in doctrinam istam, eò viuacius exurgit, preßáque magis vt palma sursum erigitur. Non est quòd Celsitudini tuæ multa proferam, quæ melius omnibus hac de re iudicium facere potest. Precor igitur Illustrißime princeps, veritatis eße protector, vt fuisti semper hactenus, in istis etiam velis. Vale felix & viue.
Tuæ Celsitudinis Seruulus
Gerardus Dorn.
English Raw Translation
Generated by ChatGPT-4 on 1 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 Prince Augustus, Duke of Saxony, Landgrave of Thuringia, Margrave of Meissen, Burgrave of Magdeburg, Prince Elector, etc. Greetings.
If Your Highness had not so far favoured all kinds of literature and the fine arts, especially Medicine, so that the fame and glorious renown of this virtue of yours, among countless others with which you are adorned, resounded far and wide, I would not have dared to step into your sight with my very crude style. But indeed, that kindness of your familiar manners, with which you receive both the high and the low, has given me courage. Thus encouraged, I decided to publish some surgical books of Theophrastus Paracelsus, which I translated from German into Latin, under your patronage, so that they might become known to other nations that are not acquainted with the German language. Especially because I know that the writings of this man are desired by almost the whole world: except for those who bear heavily the abandonment of what has become familiar and entrenched, although they know very well that it is unfair and false. However, they may do this out of shame (which would rather be to their credit and honor, because they had exchanged the inferior for the superior) or for the loss of substantial profits, which they fear, since they can gain more from fairness than from falsehood. Nevertheless, the world has conceived this defect from the beginning, that, due to its corruption, it always prefers what is corrupt to what is good, and is hostile to the truth by any means, whether hidden or obvious, crooked or otherwise, precisely because the Calumniator does not know how to progress. It happened, therefore, that he inspired his sophistic art to men through the serpent, and later to Christians through pagan and gentile writings, and in this age it is more esteemed than truth itself.
So what, shall we fear what can least harm us? Far be it. Those who embrace the truth and remain in it, can never be confounded. This being said, we know that our teacher teaches the truth, and for this very reason, he is hated by the impious who cannot act against him other than by slander. For they do not understand the least principle of Paracelsus, how could they then criticize him? Let them first learn his mind, so that they correct reason with reason, and not with injustice. What have they so far published against this man, which is not to his greatest praise: whom they nevertheless thought they had dishonoured? For they say he was ignorant of the Latin language: let's grant that, although it is fabricated. What else could their Dialectics infer from this, but that it was a gift of the Holy Spirit, by which he not only surpassed the Latins, but all the Greeks and other speakers in doctrine? Also, what will follow, if they say that he preferred to be among the commoners rather than the rich, other than the example of his humility? If these things are to be blamed on men, they will not hesitate to reprove the Apostles for the same, who were first unlearned, and after receiving grace, they spoke simply without Rhetoric or Dialectic, they associated with tax collectors as did their teacher Christ, not to imitate them, but rather to admonish them to embrace the truth. I would certainly wish for my part, that I could publish these writings of our teacher to foreign nations in any other vernacular language: but since there is none that is common to all, I am forced to use Latin for other than enjoyment: so it happens also, that I care very little for its elegancies. We are not dealing with gramm
atical or Latin matters, but with the real things of the true arts, which are not more subject to this or any other language than to the vernacular, although they are expressed in them. Those who waste their whole life (as is customary) on the elegances of languages, become completely ignorant chatterboxes. Let these do what they can, wherever they turn, they can only open their mouths against this man, as Balaam did against the people of Israel: and when they try hardest to speak ill of him, they speak the best. They experience this more and more every day, namely that the harder they rage against this doctrine, the more lively it rises, and the more it is oppressed, like a palm, it rises upwards. There is no need for me to say much to Your Highness, who can judge better than anyone about this matter. Therefore, Most Illustrious prince, I pray that you be a protector of truth, as you have always been so far, also in these matters. Farewell, be happy and live.
Your Highness's Servant,
Gerardus Dorn.
