Erasmus on His Times: A Shortened Version of the 'Adages' of Erasmus

The Adagia of Erasmus (surely the original best-seller) was first published in 1500. It went through numerous impressions and ten major revisions in the course of Erasmus's life. Its influence was incalculable. It disseminated humanist learning and humanist attitudes among the new reading public to such an extent that it can be claimed as one of the books that contributed most to form the European mind. The adages were proverbs or popular sayings taken from classical literature. Many are pa...