How Do You Do Good In Idrag Paper

Letter to Francesco Sfondrati. [Milan, ca. 1543]

The letter transcribed in this post is the letter of De sapientia nuncupatoria , a work first published in Nuremberg by Johannes Petreius 1544, along with the first version of Cardano autobiobliografía the Ephemerus , and reissue of consolatione , which had appeared two years earlier in Venice ( Hieronymi Medici Mediolanensis Cardani of Sapientia libri quinque. eiusdem libri Consolation three ALIIS aediti, sed nunc ab eodem recognitio author. eiusdem, propriis Libris, liber unus). The three works were reissued in Geneva in 1624, accompanied by Pietro De exile alcyonarians: Hieronymi Cardani Mediolanensis Philosophi et Medici longe clarissimi de Sapientia libri quinque. Quibus omnis humanae vitae cursus vivendique ratio explicatur. Eiusdem de Consolatione libri tres... Petri Alcyonii viri undequaque doctissimi de Exilio libri duo... Genevae : apud Pietrum & Iacopum Chouët, 1624 . En algunos de los ejemplares de esta edición se lee «Aureliopoli» como lugar de impresión, según Ian Maclean para facilitar su venta en los países católicos (“Cardano and his publishers 1534-1663”, en E. Keßler (ed.), Girolamo Cardano Philosoph, Naturforscher, Arzt , Harrasowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1994, pp. 328, n. 62). La tercera edición of the work is for the Opera Omnia 1663, which appears on pages 490-582 collection of the first volume. Just two years ago, finally, was published an excellent critical edition: Girolamo Cardano, De sapientia libri quinque. Edizione a cure di Marco Bracali , Olschki, Florence, 2008.

In my transcript of the letter, of course, I have considered the issue of Bracali, however, the text that has been the basis is a photocopy of a copy of the original edition of 1544-internet-is that I was given a few years ago by interlibrary loan. I have been unable to identify today that copy in any library English (probably have changed the symbol, which, if anyone is interested, it was R 18 490). In any case, neither I nor Marco Bracali found significant variations, as regards the text of the letter, and subsequent edition of 1624 and 1663, of which there are other digital reproduction.

interest I tried to transcribe this letter on the blog, although it is available in bookstores and libraries, especially the translation included in an appendix. This is an excerpt from the translation I did about four years ago the entire book of De sapientia and that since then, is waiting to decide to correct me through and through the numerous stylistic mistakes and errors contained therein. It is a huge task for which I always find good excuses to postpone it. Today's post serves as a small sample button, "former ungu leonem" and as a motivation for myself. Vale.


Sfondrati Francesco Cardano. [Milan, ca. 1543].

Source: Girolamo Cardano, De sapientia libri quinque, Norimbergae: apud Iohannem Petreium, 1544.

HIERONYMUS
Cardanus
MEDICUS
FRANCISCO Sfondrato ¹
Senatorio DINARCHAEQUE Bellani,
Mandeli, lacus ac Larii RIPAE, necnon oppidorum,
quae iuxta lacum Eupilum, S.P.D.

Cum propter sapientiam, multa et praeclara opera nobis reliquerit antiquitas, mirum sane est, nullum de ipsa Sapientia, propter quam omnia illa nobis invenire potuerunt, conscripsisse. Namque in Medicina Hippocrates et Galenus, in Philosophia Aristoteles et Plato, in Rhetorica Cicero et Quintilianus, in Geometria Euclides et Archimedes, in Astrologia Ptolemaeus, in Architectura Vitruvius, de Machinis Athenaeus, in Dialecticis Chrysippus, de Diis ipsis ac divinis, tum de plantis ac metallicis Theophrastus abunde scripserunt. Cum leges Solon, mores Crantor, Zeno, atque Antisthenes instituerint, omnes de gloria, de fortitudine, de morte opuscula confecere. At de Sapientia omnium horum magistra, morumque ac virtutum, tum etiam legum atque artium matre, nemo ad hanc usque diem scripsit. Atque ideo id magis mirum est, Timotheum et Diogenem cum nondum liquido constaret, quid esset Sapientia, de ipsis sapientibus multa memoriae mandasse. Neque enim ut puto in omnibus Sapientia eandem retinet rationem; cum alii divitias, alii paupertatem, gloriam alii, alii ἀτιμίαν (i. ignobilitatem ), quidam virtutem, alii voluptatem, curam aliqui, nonnulli negligentiam praeponerent. Qui enim fieri potest, ut in tanta vitae, morum, ac sententiarum repugnantia, una esset atque individua sapientiae ratio? Verum cum aliqui de ipsa tractaverunt, illam quae animi virtutum pars minima esset, non omnium reginam attigere. Operaeprecium igitur facturus videor, si omni diligentia, tanquam de omnium bonorum parente, foelicitatis authore, vitaeque magistra rationem tradidero; eamque nomini tuo dedicavero; ut si qua in parte minus probabitur, emendari queat; si placebit, authoritatem assequatur. Quamvis enim studiose cuncta, hominem tamen me esse non ignoro. Quare si id contingat, ut operam tuam desideret; quis ob amicitiam diligentius, aut ob prudentiam melius, vel ob authoritatem utilius, operi ipsi pro dignitate consulere poterit? Tibi enim privata vita splendida, literaria culta, publica religiosissima, administratio innocens, omnia prudentia summa et moderatione conspicua; ut si etiam liber ipse non satisfaceret, te tamen titulus eius habere patronum mereatur. Et quanquam multa sint, quae a vitae tuae instituto ac omnium bonorum abhorreant; multa etiam aspera, auribusque tuis indigna; quaedam etiam crudelia, et a lenitate naturae tuae dissidentia; alia quae simplicitati morum tuorum minime conveniunt; non tamen effugere potui, quin in describendo hominum vitam omnia recenserem. Praesertim cum eos in quibus haec sunt, dignoscere et cavere sapienti necessarium foret. Nam nec unguentarii, nardum, myrrham, ac cinnama tantum habent; sed et graveolentia sagapena, galbanaque; nec medici ad depellendos morbos solis utuntur smaragdis atque margaritis, sed viperis etiam et toxico. Itaque nec nobis vitio verti debet, si ea scripsimus quae non probamus; ac docemus, quae non laudamus. Verum si quis illud nobis obiecerit Horatianum,

Haec mihi Stertinius sapientum octavus ² .

Vel Euripidis illud,

mισῶ σοφιστὴν ὅστις οὐχ αὑτῷ σοφός ³ .
(i. Odi sapientem qui non sibiipsi sapiens est ).

Quis aegre ferat? Aut admiretur? Nam illud prorsus saepius accidit, ut qui alios velint docere, eadem in causa magistro ipsi indigeant. Nam et Galenus, qui tam copiose medicinam posteris tradidit, in semetipso de morbi natura aberravit. Ergo liberum de nobis sit unicuique iudicium; cum liceat Prodesse bus. Sapientiae saltem Eritque hoc testimonium vel, etiam if Reliqua non assequeremur, voluisse optimal. Vale.

Notes

Sfondrati 1 Francesco (1493-1550), a native of Cremona lawyer and senator of Milan. In 1533 Paolo Fregoso had bought the rights and privileges of the territories referred here Cardano. After the imperial occupation of the duchy of Milan in 1537, Charles V confirmed his possession of them, so that the señorazgo of Sfondrati was under the authority the former. Hence the strange title assigned Cardano: dinarcha , which seems to be a confusion between the Greek δυνάστης (ie "prince who governed under the dependence of another prince") and the ending - archa ( ἄρχω Greek 'rule'), in the manner of monarcha , oligarch, etc. Following, however, with the brief biography of Sfondrati be added that the same year was published De Sapientia, the 1544, was made a cardinal and, for the Council of Trent, speaking as a legacy in the court of Charles V. As is clear from the narrative of De propria vita (OOI 31b-32a), Cardano contacted him following the cure of his son, around 1537 or 38. Sfondrati, in turn, favored Cardano getting him some years later, by his mediation, a professor at the University of Pavia (OOI 12b) and his admission to the College of Physicians in Milan (OOI 4a and 32b).

2 Horace, Sermones II, 3, 296.

3 clip from a lost tragedy of Euripides (fr. 905). Cardano could have taken from Plutarch, Alexander , 53, 2; of latent Vivendo , 1128B 2, Luciano, Apologia 5, 3, or Cicero, Ad family XIII, 15, 2.

Translation

Girolamo Cardano, a physician, send many greetings to Francesco Sfondrati, senator and dynasty of Bellano Mandello and the shores of Lake Como, as well as people which are along the lake Eupilo.

Although due to the ancient wisdom have given us many outstanding works, is really admirable that have not written any of the wisdom, by reason of which could produce all those for us. Since Hippocrates and Galen wrote extensively on medicine, Aristotle and Plato, philosophy, Cicero and Quintilian, in rhetoric, Euclid and Archimedes, in geometry, Ptolemy, in astrology, Vitruvius, architecture, Ateneo, on the machines, Chrysippus, in dialectical Theophrastus, on the same gods and divine things and plants and minerals. Although Solon's laws and Crantor organized, Zeno and Antisthenes, customs, all composed pamphlets about the glory, on the strength and death. But the wisdom, master of all these things, as well as customs and virtues, well as mother of the laws and the arts, no one has written to this day. And so it is even more admirable that Timothy and Diogenes, when he still was not stated clearly what was the wisdom, have written many stories about the sages. Well no, I think, in all wisdom maintains the same reason, since some prefer riches, others poverty, the glory of others, others ἀτιμίαν (ie 'lack of reputation), some virtue, other pleasure, a little diligence and no procrastination. How could it be, therefore, that among such a variety of life, customs and views incompatible had a single and indivisible right of wisdom? Indeed, although some have tried on it, saw it was a fraction of the virtues of the soul, not the queen of all. Therefore, I think I will have done a worthwhile, if diligently teach their reason as a mother of all goods, the author of happiness and life teacher. And it's

dedicate to your name so that if somewhere less convinced, may be amended, if you like, get authority. For although everything has been assembled with care, I am aware that I am man. So, if you happen to have need of your care, who will ensure dignity of the work itself more diligently because of friendship, the better for the wisdom, or more useful because of the authority? As in you private life is bright, the literary, cultured, and the public, most religious, administration, blameless, and everything in general is conducted with the highest prudence and a marked moderation. So, even if not fully meet the book itself, however, deserves his title to hold you so protective. And there are some things that are repugnant to the layout of your life and all good, many are also harsh and unworthy of your ears, some fierce and contrary also to the softness of your character and others that are not suitable as least the simplicity of your manners, I could not, however, avoid covering all describing the lives of men, especially because it was necessary to distinguish the wise and prevented from those who are in such things. In fact, neither the perfumers have only nard, myrrh and cinnamon, but also a strong odor sagapeno galbanum or doctors to cure the diseases only used emeralds and pearls, but also snakes and tósigo. And so it should not have written achacársenos service if things do not endorse and teach what we do not praise. Now if someone would reproach that of Horace:

"They gave me the Estertinio, the eighth the wise. "

Or that of Euripides:

Mισῶ σοφιστὴν ὅστις οὐχ αὑτῷ σοφός .
That is: "I hate the wise is not wise for himself." Who

take bad or be surprised? As happens all too often that those who want to teach others, themselves require a teacher in the same case. For even Galen, who so copiously medicine transmitted to posterity, was wrong in his own case about the nature of the disease. Therefore, that each is free to form an opinion on us because everyone is allowed to exploit. And although not realize the rest, this will at least witness of wisdom: have wanted the best. Goodbye.