Desiderius Erasmus lived between 28 October 1466 – 12 July 1536. He was a Christian humanist who was one of the most critical influences on the northern renaissance. Among his many other accolades,s Erasmus was also a translator. He wrote in both Latin and Greek, and his translations of the new testament in the bible were pivotal in both Protestant Reformation and Catholic Counter-Reformation. On top of his interpretation of the new testament, Erasmus also wrote and published many controversial works. Some of his writings include, On Free Will, In Praise of Folly, and Handbook of a Christian Knight.
Due to Erasmus’ controversial and critical writings, many did not recognize, respect, or value his views. Although after his sudden death in 1536 he was nevertheless honored with a statue in his home city and his works are studied around the world to this day.
Below you will find 30 timeless quotes from the books of Desiderius Erasmus.
1. money and books
“When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
2. reading is a vacation
“Your library is your paradise.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
3. write so that you may write
“The desire to write grows with writing.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
4. be what you are
“The summit of happiness is reached when a person is ready to be what he is.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
5. love your books
“I consider as lovers of books not those who keep their books hidden in their store-chests and never handle them, but those who, by nightly as well as daily use thumb them, batter them, wear them out, who fill out all the margins with annotations of many kinds, and who prefer the marks of a fault they have erased to a neat copy full of faults.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
6. the hammer of habit
“A nail is driven out by another nail; habit is overcome by habit.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
7. educate the children
“The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
8. Give Light
“Give light, and the darkness will disappear of itself.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
9. read before you sleep
“Before you sleep, read something that is exquisite, and worth remembering.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
10. do, don't think
“If you keep thinking about what you want to do or what you hope will happen, you don’t do it, and it won’t happen.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
11. knock and it will open
“Only a very few can be learned, but all can be Christian, all can be devout, and – I shall boldly add – all can be theologians.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
12. He is there
“Bidden or unbidden, God is present.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
13. more than their nature
“At last concluded that no creature was more miserable than man, for that all other creatures are content with those bounds that nature set them, only man endeavors to exceed them.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
14. all are insane
“I doubt if a single individual could be found from the whole of mankind free from some form of insanity. The only difference is one of degree.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
15. becoming better
“I put up with this church, in the hope that one day it will become better, just as it is constrained to put up with me in the hope that I will become better.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
16. read your books
“Do not be guilty of possessing a library of learned books while lacking learning yourself.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
17. troublesome intellect
“Invite a wise man to a feast and he’ll spoil the company, either with morose silence or troublesome disputes.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
18. prevent do not react
“Prevention is better than cure.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
19. the one-eyed king
“In the kingdom of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
20. learn smarter not harder
“You must acquire the best knowledge first, and without delay; it is the height of madness to learn what you will later have to unlearn.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
21. enjoy your education
“A constant element of enjoyment must be mingled with our studies, so that we think of learning as a game rather than a form of drudgery, for no activity can be continued for long if it does not to some extent afford pleasure to the participant.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
22. you cannot know all
“No Man is wise at all Times, or is without his blind Side.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
23. do not label your self
“I am a lover of liberty. I will not and I cannot serve a party.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
24. The Living truth
“Wherever you encounter truth, look upon it as Christianity.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
25. do not be superstitious
“Most Christians are superstitious rather than pious, and except for the name of Christ differ hardly at all from superstitious pagans.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
26. wisdom is not the best of all things
“This type of man who is devoted to the study of wisdom is always most unlucky in everything, and particularly when it comes to procreating children; I imagine this is because Nature wants to ensure that the evils of wisdom shall not spread further throughout mankind.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
27. speak from the heart
“A speech comes alive only if it rises from the heart, not if it floats on the lips.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
28. study philosophy
“Animals only follow their natural instincts; but man, unless he has experienced the influence of learning and philosophy, is at the mercy of impulses that are worse than those of a wild beast. There is no beast more savage and dangerous than a human being who is swept along by the passions of ambition, greed, anger, envy, extravagance, and sensuality.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
29. do not be indifferent to evil
“He who allows oppression shares the crime.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
30. The Love Of God
“By a carpenter mankind was made and only by a carpenter can mankind be remade.”
― Desiderius Erasmus
