Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/360

356 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. especially such as are gone to heaven, it would be blasphemy. HI. You have made out the matter finely; then, if Erasmus has said that the adorable Virgin was a vile handmaid of the Lord's, there is nobody but would say this was impiously spoken. But inasmuch as she speaks of herself after that manner, it is for her glory, and furnishes us with an example of modesty ; because as whatsoever we are, we are by the grace of God; so the greater any person is, the more humbly he ought to behave himself.

Le. I agree with you so far. But those persons when they say they correct, intend to corrupt or falsify. But then we ought to see whether the word vilitas answers to the Greek word that Luke made use of. Hi. For that very purpose I made haste from the ser- mon to consult the text. Le. Pray, let me hear what you gathered thence. Hi. The words which Luke, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writ with his holy fingers, are thus, ort iir&Xfipsv twi rrv TairiivMcriv re EovXovg O.VTOV', our Erasmus has translated, Quia respexit ad humilitatem ancillce suce. He only adds the preposition, which Luke himself did not leave out ; which is no inelegant Latin, nor is super- fluous as to the sense. Terence in Phormio speaks in the same form, Respice ad me. But in the annotations we find Luke rather said, aspice ad me, than respice ad me. Le. Why, then, is there any differ- ence between respicere and aspicere? Hi, Not very much; but there is some. He respioit, who, turning his head, looks at those things that are behind him; he aspicit, who simply looks upon. As in Terence, Phaedra looks upon Thais coming out of doors, saying, Totus, Parmeno, tremo horreoque postquam aspexi hanc. But the brother Chserea speaks thus, Cum hue respicio ad virginem ; for he had turned himself toward the old man, and when he had done, turned his body back again to the maid. But yet sometimes respicere is used for to have regard to, or care of anything, either coming on us, or that is present. So the satirist uses it

Respicere extremse jussit spatia ultima vitse.

For death follows us as pressing upon our backs, at which we look back as often as we think of it. And Terence says, Respice senectutem suam. Therefore, he that being intent upon anything else, does not take care of his children, is said non respicere illos ; and on the other hand, he that throwing off other cares, turns his thoughts this way, is very elegantly said respicere. But God at one view sees all things past, present, and to come ; but yet in the holy scriptures he speaks to us after the manner of men. He is said aversari those whom He rejects, respicere those whom He bestows His favour upon, after having seemed to neglect them for some time. But Luke had expressed this more fully, if he had said aTrcSXt^Ei' ; now we read it tTrt&Xtifrtv ; but read which you will, the sense is much the same. Le. But then the pre- position repeated seems to be superfluous.

Hi. It is certain" the Latins speak in this manner, Accessit ad me appulit animum ad scribendum. I do not think the preposition is superfluous in this sentence ; for he may be said respicere who happens to look back, directing his sight to no particular object ; but when it is expressed respexit ad me, there is a peculiar favour of the person's being