Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/168

156 HISTOEY OF THE GERMAN PEOPLE but without force or fervour ; the work is deficient in invention. The poet's object is to prove that, no matter how strong the temptations of life, a firm and full confidence in God will triumph over them ; and he has succeeded in his object. A victim of suffering and privation, the hero pursues his way undaunted. He journeys through a world at enmity to him, and reaches his goal by the help of a pure conscience and unshaken trust in God. In reading the poem one is unconsciously reminded of Albert Diirer's < Knight, Death, and Devil.' While the allegorical poem ' Der Theuerdank ' treats of the private life of Maximilian, the prose work ' Der Weisskunig ' is founded on his public activity and the warlike incidents of his life. Speaking of scholars, Maximilian used often to say that they ought to be rulers instead of subjects, and that they were worthy of all honour on account of the superior gifts with which God and nature had endowed them. It is therefore easy to see why he constantly sought their company, treated them with marked distinction, and confided matters of importance to them. Almost all his councillors were men of learn- ing, friends and patrons of classic literature. Amongst them were the already-mentioned Court historians, Ladislaus Suntheim, Jacob Manlius, and Johann Stabius. The latter, who since the year 1503 had accompanied the Emperor in nearly all his travels, was considered one of the most eminent scholars at the University of Vienna, and left several mathematical, historical, and astronomical works behind him. The Imperial Court secretary, Sebastian Sprenz, later bishop of Brixen, was distinguished for his knowledge of Hebrew and mathematics. The imperial councillors, Graf Ulrich