Letter #1770
Ioannes DANTISCUS to Diego GRACIÁN de AldereteLöbau (Lubawa), 1537-11-16
English register: IN LETTER: Dantiscus is replying to Gracián’s letter. He explains that his reply comes late because he was waiting in vain for a reaction to his proposals, presented to a few friends and Isabel (Delgada), concerning the future of his daughter (Juana Dantisca). Dantiscus writes that he presumes Gracián knows about his letter to Isabel on this matter. He accuses Isabel of wanting to sell his own child to him, which is why he considers her to be mentally deranged. He notes that Isabel’s offer can be understood as questioning his fatherhood (“after all, who would buy something they knew was their own?”). Dantiscus writes that he wishes Gracián well, so he will not oppose his marriage (to Juana Dantisca), even though it was agreed upon without asking his consent. He promises that after the sacrament is fulfilled, he will also offer his material support. He reminds Gracián that in view of the bride’s young age he should take care of her upbringing and education. To Gracián’s request that he obtain, from the Polish king, the function of representative of the Kingdom of Poland at the imperial court for him, Dantiscus replies that this function is currently filled by Dantiscus’ aide from the times of his diplomatic service, Fabian (Wojanowski), whom Isabel knows and Gracián surely does too. Dantiscus promises to write to him to contact Gracián on the matter of helping him with his duties. Dantiscus refuses to pay Isabel an annual salary because she did not accept his terms. However, he asks Gracián to pay her 20 ducats that he will reimburse him for when the opportunity arises. He declares that if Isabel were to abandon her current licentious lifestyle, she can expect annual support from him, but he doubts if such a change of nature is possible. Dantiscus states that he has no time to write a longer letter because he is currently arranging to send money to Rome to pay for the confirmation of his election to Warmia bishop. He notes that the Warmia diocese to which he is transferring is three times wealthier than the Chełmno diocese. IN POSTSCRIPT: Dantiscus refuses to pay his daughter a dowry. He argues that he would incur a double loss – her marriage to Gracián means he will be separated forever from his child. Dantiscus claims that if Isabel had agreed to send his daughter to him without demanding money for this, he would have supported her financially so that she wouldn’t be forced to continue to make a living from prostitution, and would have remembered her in his testament as well, and found a worthy husband for his aughter. However, he declares that he will offer as much support as he can to Gracián and Juana once the marriage is consummated. In very bitter words, he supposes that despite the bride’s young age this has probably already happened. He promises that he will soon send his daughter a gift that will serve as a memento of her father.
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Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
BCz, 244, p. 309Ioannes de Curiis Dantiscus, episcopus Culmensis etc. et ad ecclesiam Varmiensem postulatus etc. Domino Iacobo Graciano salutem.
Quod cf.
ms 1 [...]centioris paper damaged⌈licentiorisms 2 3 4 licentioris,
ms 1 [...]centioris paper damaged⌉ ms 2 3 4 institutum,
ms 1 institu[t]um paper damaged⌈institutumms 2 3 4 institutum,
ms 1 institu[t]um paper damaged⌉ vitaelicentioriscentioris institutuminstitutum vitae on the margin in place of crossed-out vitae genus⌉ turpi consuetudine, cuius maxima est written over ...⌈... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉estest written over ...⌉ vis, conflatum superinscribed in place of crossed-out conquisitum⌈conquisitumconflatumconflatum superinscribed in place of crossed-out conquisitum⌉ relinquere possit, poteris tamen superinscribed⌈tamentamen superinscribed⌉ illi nostro nomine superinscribed⌈nostro nominenostro nomine superinscribed⌉ viginti numerare aureos, quos tibi per oportunitatem reddi faciemus, quibus si
cf. Porph. Com. in Hor. Art. 1. 6. 22 quoniam in propria non pelle quietem Ex proverbio sumptum est; eos namque, qui mediocritatis suae obliti maiora se ipsis adpetunt, solemus dicere noncontinere se intra pelliculam suam; Adagia 1526 No. 592 intra tuam pelliculam te contine ⌊intra pelliculam redierit redienscf. Porph. Com. in Hor. Art. 1. 6. 22 quoniam in propria non pelle quietem Ex proverbio sumptum est; eos namque, qui mediocritatis suae obliti maiora se ipsis adpetunt, solemus dicere noncontinere se intra pelliculam suam; Adagia 1526 No. 592 intra tuam pelliculam te contine ⌋
hones
BCz, 244, p. 310
tati iniciari ceperit, quottannis subsidii aliquid a nobis ms 2 3 4 tuto,
ms 1 tut[o] paper damaged⌈tutoms 2 3 4 tuto,
ms 1 tut[o] paper damaged⌉ expectabit. At veremur quod superinscribed⌈quodquod superinscribed⌉, quemadmodum
cf. Suet. Ves. 16.3 Quidam natura cupidissimum tradunt, idque exprobratum ei a sene bubulco, qui negata[m] sibi gratuita[m] libertate[m], quam imperium ade[m]ptum suppliciter orabat, proclamaverit, vulpem pilum mutare, non mores.; Adagia 1526 No. 2219 Lupus pilum mutat, non mentem ⌊vulpes quod superinscribed⌈quodquod superinscribed⌉ pilos quidem accedente aetate on the margin⌈accedente aetateaccedente aetate on the margin⌉ sit mutatura, sarta tecta atque integra manente naturacf. Suet. Ves. 16.3 Quidam natura cupidissimum tradunt, idque exprobratum ei a sene bubulco, qui negata[m] sibi gratuita[m] libertate[m], quam imperium ade[m]ptum suppliciter orabat, proclamaverit, vulpem pilum mutare, non mores.; Adagia 1526 No. 2219 Lupus pilum mutat, non mentem ⌋. Non est aliud, quod conquisite in praesentia ad te ms 2 3 4 scribamus,
ms 1 scrib[amus] paper damaged⌈scribamusms 2 3 4 scribamus,
ms 1 scrib[amus] paper damaged⌉ occupati auro ad
ms 1 post[u]lationis paper damaged⌈postulationisms 2 3 4 postulationis,
ms 1 post[u]lationis paper damaged⌉ seu superinscribed in place of crossed-out ac⌈acseuseu superinscribed in place of crossed-out ac⌉ translationis hinc nostrae ad ecclesiam Varmiensem, quae est on the margin⌈quae estquae est on the margin⌉ pinguioris in triplo fortunae, quam haec nostra est, emere cogimur. Bene vale, et amicis, qui written over ae⌈aeii written over ae⌉ te suis litteris nobis ms 2 3 4 commendarunt,
ms 1 comm[en]darunt paper damaged⌈commendaruntms 2 3 4 commendarunt,
ms 1 comm[en]darunt paper damaged⌉ plurima nostro nomine salute impartire[4].
Ex
Postscript:
BCz, 244, p. 294
Non abs re et hoc, mi Graciane, in tuam notitiam deducendum existimavi, ne de me in posterum ms 2 3 4 quoquo,
ms 1 qu[o]quo paper damaged⌈quoquoms 2 3 4 quoquo,
ms 1 qu[o]quo paper damaged⌉ modo conqueri possis, quod ratione dotis, ms 2 3 4 quam,
ms 1 qu[am] paper damaged⌈quamms 2 3 4 quam,
ms 1 qu[am] paper damaged⌉ tibi fortassis amplam de me, nihil debebo,
ms 1 comm[o]dis paper damaged⌈commodisms 2 3 4 commodis,
ms 1 comm[o]dis paper damaged⌉ invitata condicionibus ad me mittere semper est reluctata, nisi prius ducentos praesenti pecunia a me haberet ducatos. Hanc cum illa exercere mercaturam indignissimum iudicavi, eaque animum meum longe a se
et filia abdicavit. Si illa minime ms 2 3 4 fucato,
ms 1 fucat[o] paper damaged⌈fucatoms 2 3 4 fucato,
ms 1 fucat[o] paper damaged⌉ candori meo, quem olim sine omni labe cognovit et integrum superinscribed in place of crossed-out ulla labe ... semper fuit experta⌈ulla labe ... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉ semper fuit expertaomni labe cognovit et integrumomni labe cognovit et integrum superinscribed in place of crossed-out ulla labe ... semper fuit experta⌉, credidisset, iampridem vel per dominum Albertum Kuon, aut per compatrem meum dominum Ulricum Ehinger on the margin⌈vel per
ms 1 tant[o] paper damaged⌈tantoms 2 3 4 tanto,
ms 1 tant[o] paper damaged⌉ a me intervallo dissideat, neque spes est videndi eam umquam, non secus atque si in vivis non esset mihi venit existimanda.
Quicquid ex ea voluptatis paternae mihi debebatur, tu praeripuisti, et, cum
cf. Ov. Met. 1. 366 sic visum superis ⌊sic superis visum estcf. Ov. Met. 1. 366 sic visum superis ⌋, iam me non invito on the margin⌈iam me non invitoiam me non invito on the margin⌉ tibi eam habe. Quod si adhuc dos esset mittenda, duplici afficerer damno, et tu commodo duplici. Satis sit igitur tibi in uno, cum mihi ex illa cedit nullum. Nihilo tamen secius, postquam consumaveris matrimonium superinscribed⌈matrimoniummatrimonium superinscribed⌉, quod fortassis, ut estis ad libidinem procliviores on the margin⌈ut estis ad libidinem superinscribed in place of crossed-out ...⌈... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉libidinemlibidinem superinscribed in place of crossed-out ...⌉ proclivioresut estis ad libidinem procliviores on the margin⌉ supra aetatem written over ...⌈... illegible⌈...... illegible⌉aetatemaetatem written over ...⌉, iam superinscribed⌈iamiam superinscribed⌉ factum est matrimonium, non deerit tibi et
ms 1 s[uspicari] paper damaged⌈suspicarims 2 3 4 suspicari,
ms 1 s[uspicari] paper damaged⌉ de me ad aliud atque aliud causari possis, rebus et fortunis tuis alias libenter commodaturus. Iterum bene vale sponsaque tua, quam meo nomine salutabis inque superinscribed⌈queque superinscribed⌉ Dei timore et amore fruere. Paulo post illi mittam sponsa tua, quam meo nomine salutabis, fruere. Mittam illi paulo post, quo se et oblectare, meique memoriam ms 2 3 4 habere,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌈haberems 2 3 4 habere,
ms 1 [...] paper damaged⌉ possit[5]. Datum ut in litteris.
[1]
[2] Mandragora is a Mediterranean medicinal perennial plant with a forked root shaped like a human figure; the ancients ascribed narcotic, soporific and magical properties to it; Circe used a mandragora brew to turn humans into animals (cf. KOPALIŃSKI 1990 p. 646 ⌊Kopaliński, p. 646cf. KOPALIŃSKI 1990 p. 646 ⌋; cf. also e.g. cf. Plin. Nat. 25.147.5 mandragoran alii Circaeon vocant ⌊Plinycf. Plin. Nat. 25.147.5 mandragoran alii Circaeon vocant ⌋ and cf. Adagia 1526 No. 3464 Bibere mandragoram (eandem Circeam appellant) ⌊Erasmuscf. Adagia 1526 No. 3464 Bibere mandragoram (eandem Circeam appellant) ⌋.
[3] Elleborum (hellebore), a plant used in ancient medicine as a remedy for mental diseases as well as a reviving tonic and a laxative (cf. e.g. Porph. Com. in Hor. Art. 300.2 Locus est in Achaia Anticyra, ubi elleborum nascitur, quo sumpto dementes sanantur. Hoc etiam sumpto et dolor capitis sanatur.; there are also mentions of madness being treated with hellebore in the works of cf. Pl. Men. 913, 950 ⌊Plautuscf. Pl. Men. 913, 950 ⌋, cf. Mart. ⌊Martialiscf. Mart. ⌋ and cf. Col. ⌊Columellacf. Col. ⌋ .
[4] Dantiscus received letters recommending Gracián from: Juana Dantisca (cf.
[5] Probably the gift in question is a medallion with Dantiscus’ likeness, sent to Juana (cf.cf.