truly great, and for long I have despised those little syco- phants. What else should I do? Ought I give them an account of my conscience? It is sufficient for me that all the most prominent and best bishops like me; if I saw any way of life which would please Christ better I would forthwith adopt it. For love neither of fame nor of money nor of pleasure nor of life rules my mind. I will put your little gift among my treasures,^ and among the more precious ones. Egranus has learnedly answered concerning Qeopas.* I hear that Eleutherius is approved by all good men, but it is said that his writings are unequal. I think his Theses* will please all, except a few about purgatory, which they don't want taken from them, seeing that they make their living from t>.* I have seen Prierias's bungling answer.' I see that the monarchy of the Roman high priest* (as that see now is) is the plague of Christendom, though it is praised through thick and thin by shameless preachers. Yet I hardly know whether it is expedient to touch this open sore, for that is the duty of princes. But I fear they conspire with the pontiff for part of the spoils. I wonder what has come over Eck^ to begin a battle against Eleutherius. But what, cursed love of fame, wilt thou not force mortal breasts to do?" I have inscribed my Suetonius to the illustrious elector* who sent me a medal. Farewell, excellent sir, and commend me to Christ in all your prayers. Erasmus of Rotterdam.
88. CONRAD ADELMANN, CANON OF AUGSBURG TO
SPALATIN.
Conrad Adelmann (1462-1547), studied at Heidelberg 1475, Basle
Bologna in 1507-8, but more likely that Mutian or some common friend had made them acquainted since Erasmus' return to Germany in 1514.
^These words in italics are Greek in the original.
- On this, supra, no. 45.
'Erasmus first spoke of them on March 5. 1518. Allen, iii. 239, 241. Cf, tnpra. no. 78.
^Greek. Cf. Adagia, iii. 6, 31.
'It was sent by Luther to Lang (Enders, i. 336), and by him presumably to Erasmus.
•Greek.
'On the battle of Eck and Luther, tupro, nos. 6x and 62,
8Virgil: Aeneid, iii. 56-7.
•Cf. Allen, op. cit., ii. 578ff.
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