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The Praise of Folly/Against War

By: Desiderius Erasmus
Narrated by: Georgina Sutton, Leighton Pugh
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Publisher's Summary

Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536) was known as Prince of the Humanists - though a theologian, a Catholic priest and the leading European scholar of his time. A close friend of Sir Thomas More, Erasmus' writings had a strong influence on the growing movement for change in Christian Europe, both Lutheran and the Counter-Reformation. These two essays are among his most important - and well-known - writings.

'The Praise of Folly', written in Latin in 1509 and spoken by the goddess Folly (who champions a lively enjoyment of life), was a bold satire on (in the cautious contemporary environment) not only Western classical traditions but also the Catholic Church. Dedicated to More himself, Erasmus wittily challenged entrenched views in so forthright (and humanist) a style that it could have brought him in direct conflict with the papacy. Fortunately the pope, Leo X, enjoyed the humour and the challenge! It is here presented in the lively modern translation by Leonard H. Dean.

'Against War' (c. 1517) is 'an impassioned plea for peace among beings human, civilised, Christian'. A deeply humanist text, widely read through Europe in the ensuing years, it has a continuing currency. 'Nothing is either more wicked or more wretched, nothing doth worse become a man than war.' Leighton Pugh reads the classic translation by John Wilson.

Public Domain (P)2017 Ukemi Productions Ltd

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Timeless

Timeless, funny and well narrated. The Praise of Folly is like warm honey to the modern heart.

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The Past Is Not So Distant

507 years ago seems like such an inconceivable amount of time that the events of that era may as well have occurred on a planet and that peoples thoughts would have little relevance to our current state. Ofcourse, this couldn't be further from the truth but I've never felt it more obviously than in Erasmus' musings.

Against War quite simply should be enshrined into school curriculums the world over. It is such a simple premise, written so eloquently and thoroughly that it seems it should turn even the most hor headed individuals towards passivism. He presents a remarkably modern conundrum of two friends, one in debt to the other who, after a time, decides to sue his friend for not paying him back. The efforts that this involves are maliciously laid before the audiance to show that to do this would be to confirm your losses and add to them while lining the pockets of lawyers off the back of your discontent. Would it bot be better to take the money saved and split it with your friend, keeping what he owes you as recompense, thus keeping a friend and saving you both the hasstle. In this sense an unjust peace will always reep more rewards than a 'just war' .

I think we could all take a little something from that anecdote in a world so driven by money and the unscrupulous means people will go to to get hold of it. I for one certainly won't be forgetting this book in a hurry. Man was made in a form befitting of love, not of war.

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