MANY BRUTE BEASTS AGREE AND LIVE IN A GENTLE FASHION TOGETHER
A Christian Humanist looks at war, I explore another American civil war trying to look through Erasmus’s eyes.
MANY BRUTE BEASTS AGREE AND LIVE IN A GENTLE FASHION TOGETHER
My intuition says that American civil war is once again a possibility,
And you may say that my intuition isn’t all that profound or special,
Now you’d be right but I’m overwhelmed with a war writing theme lately,
Yes, I’m hoping not to jinx us into such a disaster with this post today.
Believe that America tends to romanticize soldiery and fighting too much,
Realize that we’ve often turned to our weapons as a first response,
Understand that Desiderius Erasmus’s pleas to Pope Leo X still ring true,
Trump is just the latest of catalysts to stir up our worst natures,
Erstwhile I thought Erasmus’s rationale was good and spoke to me.
Because we really are a warring people since our founding it all applies,
Even though we don’t want to think of ourselves as the bad guys,
As we’ve the world’s strongest military - pleading it’s only necessary,
So in this world of weak minded people prone to warfare it’s true,
Trump tries to gaslight us about his peaceful ways but they don’t add up,
Something nudged me in sharing Erasmus’s words in these times.
Agree, it does seem that most animals agree to not overstep themselves,
Generally the killing they do fits into a realm of ordinary Mother Nature,
Rabid mammals are an anomaly - not so with the human mammal,
Each time I see the bellicose threat of civil war I wish for only nature,
Enlightenment seems the rarest of things witnessing such beligerancy.
And will the carnage only be scattered and light - our daftness aspires,
Nowadays we’re more willing to expect the worst to happen to us,
Democracy - will it hold fast through possible large bumps in the road?
Likely there’s enough ignorance and insanity to start a wildfire,
Indeed will this happen - “out of the hottest fire comes the strongest steel,”*
Visions of a twenty first century Gettysburg batter our minds perhaps,
Engagements on a smaller scale we are told by those who know.
Indiscriminate bloodshed - that common descriptor of other nations,
New times when “snuffing out” doesn’t mean extinguishing a Tiki torch.
And She hath given him the wit and understanding to kiss - says Erasmus.
Getting to an intestine war** in America again should seem preposterous,
Even though it strikes us as outlandish, it seems a real possibility now,
Nevertheless the question over the meaning of freedom still shows,
To man alone she have given weeping tears of meekness and mercy,
Lest the beast’s younglings should take any harm or be stolen,
Every human is transcended by the animal it seems.
For what can we expect of humanity in this day and age,
As we anxiously await the nation’s decision in the next election,
So we try to convince ourselves that the hatred will not boil over,
How can brother fighteth with the brother, one kinsman with another,
In the coming times will there be stories of fratricide listened to,
Of the times when border states were warring - have we advanced,
Now probably border states might not war but possibly city versus rural.
Terrible torturing times today with this Trump guy still on the loose,
Oh she hath endowed man with a spark of a godly mind, Erasmus said,
Giving mankind much, much more than the benefit of the doubt,
Err by Desiderius Erasmus can be argued, but his sentiment is golden,
Trump wasn’t among his concerns way back in 1514 we must remember,
How to stay a nation and avoid dictator dysfunction is our task,
Erasmus views are uplifting even today - at least I thought so,
Realize that we can heed his call to be much more like the beasts.
Desiderius Erasmus (28 October c. 1466 – 12 July 1536), commonly known in English as Erasmus of Rotterdam or simply Erasmus, was a Dutch Christian humanist, Catholic priest and theologian, educationalist, satirist, and philosopher. Through his vast number of translations, books, essays, prayers and letters, he is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Northern Renaissance and one of the major figures of Dutch and Western culture.
*Chinese proverb
**We bet you thought intestine was a noun referring to a part of the digestive system! It is, of course, but naming that internal body part isn't the word's only function. Both the noun and the adjective intestine have been a part of English since the 15th century, and both trace to the Latin adjective intestinus, meaning "internal," and ultimately to intus, meaning "within." Though the adjective intestine turns up much less frequently than does its anatomical cousin, it does see occasional use, especially as a synonym for civil and domestic (in contrast to foreign) applied to wars and disturbances.
Desiderius Erasmus
First published Wed Sep 27, 2017; substantive revision Thu Oct 14, 2021
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
In politics, Erasmus embraced consensus, compromise, and peaceful cooperation, ideals he recommended to the participants in the Reformation debate, albeit with little success. He broke with Martin Luther over the latter’s sectarianism. More fundamentally, the two men disagreed over heuristics* and engaged in a polemic over the question of free will. Erasmus took a skeptical position vis-à-vis Luther’s assertions. Unlike the reformer, he did not believe in the clarity of Scripture and used consensus and tradition as criteria to settle questions that did not allow a rational conclusion.
*Involving or serving as an aid to learning, discovery, or problem-solving by experimental and especially trial-and-error methods.
Christian Humanism from Google AI Overview
Christian humanism is a religious tradition that combines the humanist ethic with the metaphysical commitments of Christianity. It emphasizes the importance of human dignity, individual freedom, and happiness as central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian humanism also emphasizes a more personal portrayal of God and Jesus.
Here are some characteristics of Christian humanism:
Fully human condition: Christian humanism declares that everyone is fully human, regardless of their condition.
Transcendence of individualism: Christian humanism transcends individualism into a view of what is universally shared by all people.
Contributory logic*: Christian humanism is a contributory logic, not a logic of recognition.
*Contributory logic is a probabilistic view of causality that describes a factor as a "contributory" cause of an event when it plays a part in causing the event, but it's not the only cause. Other factors may also cause the event to happen or not happen.
Christian humanism emerged in the Northern Renaissance in Germany, England, Scandinavia, and other northern European regions. Desiderius Erasmus, a Catholic priest, professor, and philosopher, is often considered the Father of Christian Humanism.
MANY BRUTE BEASTS AGREE AND LIVE IN A GENTLE FASHION TOGETHER
Title: Erasmus Against War
Author: Desiderius Erasmus
Editor: J. W. Mackail
Erasmus Against War was written between 1513 and 1515, most likely in the winter of 1514–15. It was printed in 1515 in the enlarged and rewritten Adagia.* The treatise is addressed to Pope Leo X, who succeeded Pope Julius II in February 1513. It is a plea for peace among humans, Christians, and civilized beings. Erasmus had previously written about war in his work The Praise of Folly, where he criticized the attitude of kings and popes towards war. He also wrote a document called Anti-Polemus to Pope Julius in 1507, which contained many of the same arguments as Erasmus Against War.
*Adagia (singular adagium) is the title of an annotated collection of Greek and Latin proverb, of compiled during the Renaissance by Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. Erasmus' repository: 102 of proverbs is "one of the most monumental ... ever assembled" (Speroni, 1964, p. 1).
John William Mackail OM FBA (26 August 1859 – 13 December 1945) was a Scottish academic of Oxford University of and reformer of the British education system. He is most often remembered as a scholar of Virgil and as the official biographer of the socialist artist William Morris, of whom he was a friend. Mackail was Oxford Professor of Poetry from 1906 to 1911, and president of the British Academy from 1932 to 1936.
From - Erasmus Against War
Then first of all if one would consider well but the behaviour and shape of man’s body shall he not forthwith perceive that Nature, or rather God, hath shaped this creature, not to war, but to friendship, not to destruction, but to health, not to wrong, but to kindness and benevolence? For whereas Nature hath armed all other beasts with their own armour, as the violence of the bulls she hath armed with horns, the ramping lion with claws; to the boar she hath given the gnashing tusks; she hath armed the elephant with a long trump snout, besides his great huge body and hardness of the skin; she hath fenced the crocodile with a skin as hard as a plate; to the dolphin fish she hath given fins instead of a dart; the porcupine she defendeth with thorns; the ray and thornback with sharp prickles; to the cock she hath given strong spurs; some she fenceth with a shell, some with a hard hide, as it were thick leather, or bark of a tree; some she provideth to save by swiftness of flight, as doves; and to some she hath given venom instead of a weapon; to some she hath given a much horrible and ugly look, she hath given terrible eyes and grunting voice; and she hath also set among some of them continual dissension and debate—man alone she hath brought forth all naked, weak, tender, and without any armour, with most soft flesh and smooth skin. There is nothing at all in all his members that may seem to be ordained to war, or to any violence. I will not say at this time, that where all other beasts, anon as they are brought forth, they are able of themselves to get their food. Man alone cometh so forth, that a long season after he is born, he dependeth altogether on the help of others. He can neither speak nor go, nor yet take meat; he desireth help only by his infant crying: so that a man may, at the least way, by this conject, that this creature alone was born all to love and amity, which specially increaseth and is fast knit together by good turns done eftsoons of one to another. And for this cause Nature would, that a man should not so much thank her, for the gift of life, which she hath given unto him, as he should thank kindness and benevolence, whereby he might evidently understand himself, that he was altogether dedicate and bounden to the gods of graces, that is to say, to kindness, benevolence, and amity. And besides this Nature hath given unto man a countenance not terrible and loathly, as unto other brute beasts; but meek and demure, representing the very tokens of love and benevolence. She hath given him amiable eyes, and in them assured marks of the inward mind. She hath ordained him arms to clip and embrace. She hath given him the wit and understanding to kiss: whereby the very minds and hearts of men should be coupled together, even as though they touched each other. Unto man alone she hath given laughing, a token of good cheer and gladness. To man alone she hath given weeping tears, as it were a pledge or token of meekness and mercy. Yea, and she hath given him a voice not threatening and horrible, as unto other brute beasts, but amiable and pleasant. Nature not yet content with all this, she hath given unto man alone the commodity of speech and reasoning: the which things verily may specially both get and nourish benevolence, so that nothing at all should be done among men by violence.
She hath endued man with hatred of solitariness, and with love of company. She hath utterly sown in man the very seeds of benevolence. She hath so done, that the selfsame thing, that is most wholesome, should be most sweet and delectable. For what is more delectable than a friend? And again, what thing is more necessary? Moreover, if a man might lead all his life most profitably without any meddling with other men, yet nothing would seem pleasant without a fellow: except a man would cast off all humanity, and forsaking his own kind would become a beast.
Besides all this, Nature hath endued man with knowledge of liberal sciences and a fervent desire of knowledge: which thing as it doth most specially withdraw man’s wit from all beastly wildness, so hath it a special grace to get and knit together love and friendship. For I dare boldly say, that neither affinity nor yet kindred doth bind the minds of men together with straiter and surer bands of amity, than doth the fellowship of them that be learned in good letters and honest studies.
And above all this, Nature hath divided among men by a marvellous variety the gifts, as well of the soul as of the body, to the intent truly that every man might find in every singular person one thing or other, which they should either love or praise for the excellency thereof; or else greatly desire and make much of it, for the need and profit that cometh thereof. Finally she hath endowed man with a spark of a godly mind: so that though he see no reward, yet of his own courage he delighteth to do every man good: for unto God it is most proper and natural, by his benefit, to do everybody good. Else what meaneth it, that we rejoice and conceive in our minds no little pleasure when we perceive that any creature is by our means preserved.
Moreover God hath ordained man in this world, as it were the very image of himself, to the intent, that he, as it were a god on earth, should provide for the wealth of all creatures. And this thing the very brute beasts do also perceive, for we may see, that not only the tame beasts, but also the leopards, lions, and other more fierce and wild, when they be in any great jeopardy, they flee to man for succour. So man is, when all things fail, the last refuge to all manner of creatures. He is unto them all the very assured altar and sanctuary.
I have here painted out to you the image of man as well as I can. On the other side (if it like you) against the figure of Man, let us portray the fashion and shape of War.
Now, then, imagine in thy mind, that thou dost behold two hosts of barbarous people, of whom the look is fierce and cruel, and the voice horrible; the terrible and fearful rustling and glistering of their harness and weapons; the unlovely murmur of so huge a multitude; the eyes sternly menacing; the bloody blasts and terrible sounds of trumpets and clarions; the thundering of the guns, no less fearful than thunder indeed, but much more hurtful; the frenzied cry and clamour, the furious and mad running together, the outrageous slaughter, the cruel chances of them that flee and of those that are stricken down and slain, the heaps of slaughters, the fields overflowed with blood, the rivers dyed red with man’s blood. And it chanceth oftentimes, that the brother fighteth with the brother, one kinsman with another, friend against friend; and in that common furious desire ofttimes one thrusteth his weapon quite through the body of another that never gave him so much as a foul word. Verily, this tragedy containeth so many mischiefs, that it would abhor any man’s heart to speak thereof. I will let pass to speak of the hurts which are in comparison of the other but light and common, as the treading down and destroying of the corn all about, the burning of towns, the villages fired, the driving away of cattle, the ravishing of maidens, the old men led forth in captivity, the robbing of churches, and all things confounded and full of thefts, pillages, and violence. Neither I will not speak now of those things which are wont to follow the most happy and most just war of all.
The poor commons pillaged, the nobles overcharged; so many old men of their children bereaved, yea, and slain also in the slaughter of their children; so many old women destitute, whom sorrow more cruelly slayeth than the weapon itself; so many honest wives become widows, so many children fatherless, so many lamentable houses, so many rich men brought to extreme poverty. And what needeth it here to speak of the destruction of good manners, since there is no man but knoweth right well that the universal pestilence of all mischievous living proceedeth at once from war. Thereof cometh despising of virtue and godly living; thereof cometh, that the laws are neglected and not regarded; thereof cometh a prompt and a ready stomach, boldly to do every mischievous deed. Out of this fountain spring so huge great companies of thieves, robbers, sacrilegers, and murderers. And what is most grievous of all, this mischievous pestilence cannot keep herself within her bounds; but after it is begun in some one corner, it doth not only (as a contagious disease) spread abroad and infect the countries near adjoining to it, but also it draweth into that common tumult and troublous business the countries that be very far off, either for need, or by reason of affinity, or else by occasion of some league made. Yea and moreover, one war springeth of another: of a dissembled war there cometh war indeed, and of a very small, a right great war hath risen. Nor it chanceth oftentimes none otherwise in these things than it is feigned of the monster, which lay in the lake or pond called Lerna.*
*Lerna. In classical Greece, Lerna was a region of springs and a former lake located in the municipality of the same name, near the east coast of the Peloponnesus, south of Argos. Its site near the village Mili at the Argolic Gulf is most famous as the lair of the Lernaean Hydra, the chthonic many-headed water snake, a creature of great antiquity when Heracles killed it, as the second of his labors. The strong Karstic springs remained; the lake, diminished to a silt lagoon by the 19th century, has vanished.
For these causes, I trow [think or believe - archaic], the old poets, the which most sagely perceived the power and nature of things, and with most meet feignings covertly shadowed the same, have left in writing, that war was sent out of hell: nor every one of the Furies* was not meet and convenient to bring about this business, but the most pestilent and mischievous of them all was chosen out for the nonce [for the purpose], which hath a thousand names, and a thousand crafts to do hurt. She being armed with a thousand serpents, bloweth before her her fiendish trumpet. Pan** with furious ruffling encumbereth every place. Bellona*** shaketh her furious flail. And then the wicked furiousness himself, when he hath undone all knots and broken all bonds, rusheth out with bloody mouth horrible to behold.
*The Furies, also called the Erinyes, were three goddesses of vengeance who lived in the Underworld. The Underworld is the Greek realm of the dead. As goddesses of vengeance, the Furies were sent out to bring justice to people who committed crimes.
**Pan was the Greek god of shepherds, hunters, and the untamed wilderness. In ancient Greek art, he was often depicted as a horned man with the legs of a goat.
***Bellona was the Roman goddess of war, often depicted as a woman wearing armor and a helmet, and carrying a sword, spear, whip, or torch. She was also known as Duellona, and was associated with bloodshed, rage, and violence.
First, for there are many of the brute beasts, each in his kind, that agree and live in a gentle fashion together, and they go together in herds and flocks, and each helpeth to defend the other. Nor is it the nature of all wild beasts to fight, for some are harmless, as does and hares. But they that are the most fierce of all, as lions, wolves, and tigers, do not make war among themselves as we do. One dog eateth not another. The lions, though they be fierce and cruel, yet they fight not among themselves. One dragon is in peace with another. And there is agreement among poisonous serpents. But unto man there is no wild or cruel beast more hurtful than man.
Again, when the brute beasts fight, they fight with their own natural armour: we men, above nature, to the destruction of men, arm ourselves with armour, invented by craft of the devil. Nor the wild beasts are not cruel for every cause; but either when hunger maketh them fierce, or else when they perceive themselves to be hunted and pursued to the death, or else when they fear lest their younglings should take any harm or be stolen from them. But (O good Lord) for what trifling causes what tragedies of war do we stir up? For most vain titles, for childish wrath, for a wench, yea, and for causes much more scornful than these, we be inflamed to fight.
Moreover, when the brute beasts fight, then war is one for one, yea, and that is very short. And when the battle is sorest fought, yet is there not past one or two, that goeth away sore wounded. When was it ever heard that an hundred thousand brute beasts were slain at one time fighting and tearing one another: which thing men do full oft and in many places? And besides this, whereas some wild beasts have natural debate with some other that be of a contrary kind, so again there be some with which they lovingly agree in a sure amity. But man with man, and each with other, have among them continual war; nor is there league sure enough among any men. So that whatsoever it be, that hath gone out of kind, it hath gone out of kind into a worse fashion, than if Nature herself had engendered therein a malice at the beginning.
Erasmus wrote of war in a manner that is clear to us now as when it was written about 510 years ago. It is easy to comprehend how so much is still the same today. I imagine there were the “Trumps” of his day as well, when Europe was a mass of little kingdoms. In any case I hope you enjoyed what I’ve presented. I will end on a pseudo-sonnet.
Doomed for a Vicious Uproar
Erasmus beseeching the Pope of the day about the insanity of war,
And today so many have a similar sentiment to it,
We realize that Trump will lead us into some kind of warring shit,
Most likely Americans will turn against Americans - settling scores,
We’re in a massive cloud now of such a deadly multitudes of spores,
One knows that MAGA is incapable of holding onto their wits,
And I sense that those on the left are also about to through an irrational fit,
As much as I can tell we all might be doomed for a vicious uproar.
Oh the lowly brute beasts seem not to have all our problems,
They don’t generally lose their hate and want to kill out of spite,
The seem to live in the sunshine and not in the night,
As my Dad would say the world is filled with [reprehensible] gobblers,
And only anxiety can be expected in these questionable times,
Will we actually fight over a narcissistic fool of slime and grime,
Of course he’s not the only problem we face,
But he’s a big reason why we have lost our grace.
Thanks for reading. I would have to say that by this exercise I gained some knowledge about the renaissance which I would never had known otherwise. Hopefully you did too.
209th posting, October 27, 2024.