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Letter #79

Iacobus ROBBIUS Aldenardus to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Ghent (Gandavum), [1531-11-28?]

English register:

In a hilarious way, Robbius pretends to be very angry, because he apparently is the only one of Dantiscus’ companions who did not receive a copy of his Victoria Serenissimi Poloniae Regis. Did Robbius do something wrong? Does Dantiscus consider him so stupid and void of literacy as to be unable to add to Dantiscus’ glory? It may well be that Robbius’ parents educated a rude, stupid and even lazy son, lacking any distinctive character, but they did give him the ability to admire what he was unable to praise in accordance with its worth. Perhaps Dantiscus may think that Robbius would not have praised him enough, but had he had a copy of his Victoria, then he would have shown it to his friends, which would have greatly benefitted his reputation. Dantiscus may defend himself by saying he gave Karel Uutenhove three or even four copies, one of which was destined for Robbius. But he should have known the character of the people of Ghent, who make money out of absolutely everything! In place of the copy he never received, Robbius will write a pagella of his own, by which Dantiscus may obtain forgiveness for his wrongdoing. After that Robbius will have a fresh opportunity to send him a much longer letter, for his company is very dear to him.




Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, AAWO, AB, D. 6, f. 131 + f. [1] missed in numbering after f. 131
2register with excerpt in Latin, English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 31, No. 380

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8246 (TK 8), f. 463

Prints:
1DE VOCHT 1961 No. DE, 180, p. 117 (English register)
2CEID 2/2 (Appendix No. 10) p. 615-617 (in extenso; English register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

AAWO, AB, D. 6, f. 131r

Egon tale aliquid commerui, doctissime Orator, ut cf. Ioannes Dantiscus (Jan Dantyszek), Victoria Serenissimi Poloniae Regis contra Vayeuodam Muldauiae Turcae tributarium et subditum 22 Augusti parta 1531, Lovanii, ex officina Rutgeri Rescii, An(no) M.D.XXXI. XII Cal(endas) Novemb(res), Leuven, Rutgerus Rescius, 1531-10-21 ⌊paginam tuam victoriarumcf. Ioannes Dantiscus (Jan Dantyszek), Victoria Serenissimi Poloniae Regis contra Vayeuodam Muldauiae Turcae tributarium et subditum 22 Augusti parta 1531, Lovanii, ex officina Rutgeri Rescii, An(no) M.D.XXXI. XII Cal(endas) Novemb(res), Leuven, Rutgerus Rescius, 1531-10-21 ⌋ invictissimi Sigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌊regis PoloniaeSigismund I Jagiellon (Zygmunt I) (*1467 – †1548), King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (1506-1548); Duke of Głogów (Glogau) (1499-1506), Duke of Opava (1501-1506), Governor of Silesia (1504-1506); son of King Kazimierz IV Jagiellon and Elisabeth of Austria⌋ nuntiam singulis, quasi lampada, tradi et multorum manibus teri viderem, solas autem meas avolarent et fugerent, ut Priapi falcem? Huccine rediit aequitas tua? Hoccine est humanum factum? Ecquid, obsecro, facies ei, qui damnum dederit aut malum? Solus ego dignus fui, ut de te mihi persuasam exspectationem adimeres? Ille ego tibi visus sum, qui ob ingenii inopiam et blaesae linguae defectum Dantisci nomen nullis praeconiis celebrare potuissem neque quicquam per Robbium accessurum tibi gloriae atque etiam incrementi? Enimvero tametsi rudem, ignavum et plane inertem me educarunt parentes et naturalis iudicii protinus expertem, habeo tamen diis gratias, quod hoc dono me dignati sunt, ut sciam admirari, quod pro merito nequeo laudare.

Proinde si labori tuo debitas non tribuissem laudes, apud me nihilominus cum primis honorifica vocalibus latuisset pagella cum summa admiratione intrantibus conclave meum frequenter obiecta et visa tui memoriam inculcasset. cf. Verg. A. 1. 33 tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem ⌊Tantae molis opus eratcf. Verg. A. 1. 33 tantae molis erat Romanam condere gentem ⌋ in cf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Karel UUTENHOVE [1531, end of October], CIDTC IDL 6927, letter lost⌊epistolacf. Ioannes DANTISCUS to Karel UUTENHOVE [1531, end of October], CIDTC IDL 6927, letter lost⌋ Karel Uutenhove (Karel Utenhove) (*before 1524 – †after September 1577)⌊UtenhovioKarel Uutenhove (Karel Utenhove) (*before 1524 – †after September 1577)⌋ data cum pagellis: “Robbium nostrum cum egregio saluta poculo”. Illa ferme verba fuerunt tua et dixisse cf. Vulg. Io 19:23:2-5 acceperunt vestimenta eius et fecerunt quattuor partes unicuique militi partem et tunicam erat autem tunica inconsutilis desuper contexta per totum ⌊unicuique partem et tunica written over u⌈uaa written over u⌉m.cf. Vulg. Io 19:23:2-5 acceperunt vestimenta eius et fecerunt quattuor partes unicuique militi partem et tunicam erat autem tunica inconsutilis desuper contexta per totum ⌋ Ego sane omnibus modis meam singulis commendare probitatem non desino. Tu interim mihi duplicas malum, non enim quod a te volo, hoc habeo, sed quod nolo, accipio. Pro pagella scilicet scommata, quibus passim rideor, aiunt me cf. Juv. 9.115-117 sed prodere / arcanum quam subrepti potare Falerni / pro populo faciens quantum Saufeia bibebat ⌊Laufellae(!)cf. Juv. 9.115-117 sed prodere / arcanum quam subrepti potare Falerni / pro populo faciens quantum Saufeia bibebat ⌋ aut cf. Juv. 12.44-45 urnae cratera capacem / et dignum sitiente Pholo ⌊Pholicf. Juv. 12.44-45 urnae cratera capacem / et dignum sitiente Pholo ⌋ (quorum meminit Juvenal (Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis), Roman poet, author of the Satires⌊IuvenalisJuvenal (Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis), Roman poet, author of the Satires⌋) congiorum potorem Dantisco attestante. Sed ad pagellam redeo. Dices forte: Karel Uutenhove (Karel Utenhove) (*before 1524 – †after September 1577)⌊CaroloKarel Uutenhove (Karel Utenhove) (*before 1524 – †after September 1577)⌋ ternas aut quaternas dedi. Ea lege et me(n)te, ut te faceret participem. Immo, hercle, participem! Postquam AAWO, AB, D. 6, f. 131v numerassem eo usque singrapho obseratas, retinuit, ut ne characterem viderem. Adhuc ignoras The Germans ⌊TeutonicosThe Germans ⌋ nostros praesertim Citizens of Ghent ⌊GandavensesCitizens of Ghent ⌋, qui tam sunt rapaces, ut etiam pulveres platearum, lutum et sterquilinia venalia exponunt. Verum dum pro pagella tua mihi detenta ego tibi pagellam reddam, non epistolam, hanc missam facio addito, si cupias, delicti tui veniam impetrare. Dabis quamprimum in lucem, emergant commentarios illos poenitentiales, quorum dedisti mihi videndi exemplaris copiam prandio illo heroico, dum ultimo apud te divertebam. Rursum mihi prolixioris epistolae conscribendae nascitur occasio, quod tanto tempore nobiscum os et conspectum convictum et colloquium tuum, quo plerisque ex nostratibus nihil contingere posset optabilius. Nobis dii invident. Est, quod queror. Ceterum cf. Adagia 3339 Aetna, Athos: De Aetna, Siciliae monte, dictum est quod gigantem sua mole premat, iuxta poetarum fabulas ⌊nolo cum diis c more gigantum congredi, ne tandem Mount Etna (Aetna), volcano in Sicily, Italy⌊AethnamMount Etna (Aetna), volcano in Sicily, Italy⌋ sentiamcf. Adagia 3339 Aetna, Athos: De Aetna, Siciliae monte, dictum est quod gigantem sua mole premat, iuxta poetarum fabulas ⌋.

Igitur vale, Honorandissime Praesul, et me ut deditissimo famulo utere.