Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/419

CONFLICT BETWEEN THALIA AND BARBARISM. 415 mouth now ; I will break this silence. Ba. I might have said that more justly of your partisans. 2h. I have broken it. Ba. Those that do not understand our poetry do not know how to do anything, but to laugh and scoff. Th. They are such, that if a man understands them he will be never the wiser; and if he does not, he will know never the less.

Ba. There is no need of a great many words, the thing proves itself. Th. The thing prove itself ! I should be glad to see that. Ba. I mean those persons which the knowledge of things has rendered famous. Th. Is there any one such person 1 Ba. Yes, without number. Tit. That is well said, as if nobody could number them ; for nobody can number that which is but one, and not that neither. However you may begin, though you should not be able to go through with it. Ba. In the first and chief place, Florista, that took his name from flowers. Th. But not sweet-smelling ones. Ba. Then here is Papias. Th. A very learned man, indeed ! you ought to have named him first. Ba. Then here is Huguitio. Th. A very famous man ! Ba. And Michael Modista. Th. An excellent one ! Ba. Then here is James Glosarius. Th. A wonderful man ! Ba. And him that I esteem above them all, John de Garlandia, who excels in such an elegancy of words, and such a majesty of style, that there are but very few that can understand him. Th. Nay, nobody at all, unless they are barbarians as well as he ; for how can anybody easily understand him who did not well understand himself ]

Ba. There is no end in talking with you ; you outdo me in words, but I do not think victory consists in them. If you have a mind to it, let us each of us try what we can do. Do you make verses with me. Come, do not stand shivering and shaking, nor shilly-shally ; I am ready for you ; then it will appear whether of us gets the better. Th. I like it very well. Come on, let us try. But, Mistress Poetess, do you begin first. Ba. These are verses that I have often repeated in the presence of very learned men, and not without the great admiration of all of them. Th. I believe so ; now begin.

Ba. Zwollenses tales, quod eorum Theutonicales Nomen per partes ubicunque probantur et artes, Et quasi per mundum totum sunt nota rotundum, Zwollensique solo proferre latinica solo Discunt clericuli nimium bene verba novelli.

These verses are a demonstration how elegant a poet I am. Th. Ha, ha, ha ; they contain as many barbarisms as words. This, to be sure, is certainly your father's speech, I mean Chiron's ; a poem excellently composed ; I will not defer giving it its just due.

Tale sonant insulsa mihi tua carmina, vates, Quale sonat sylvis vox irrudentis onagri ; Quale boat torvus pecora inter agrestia taurus ; Quale testiculis gallus genitalibus orbus Concinit haud vocem humanam, sed dico ferinam. Hanc celebres laudate viri, et doctissime florum Auctor ades; gratos in serta nitentia flores Colligito, meritseque coronam nectito divae :