Erasmus of Rotterdam: Draft of the collection of proverbs Adagia.
GkS 95 2º

Fol. 137v: The proverb Iocandum ut seria agas is discussed (in the middle of the page)	Fol. 139r: The proverb Hodie nihil succedit is discussed (at the top)

Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466-1536) was a contemporary of Luther and the most important North European Renaissance figure. The Royal Library manuscript GkS 95 contains several of his personal drafts, among them some fragments of his large collection of proverbs Adagia, in which he discusses the origin and meaning of a number of proverbs and phrases. Shown above is Erasmus’s interpretation of the phrases “Iocandum ut seria agas” (Without jesting nothing serious is accomplished) (ill. 1) and “Hodie nihil succedit” (Today nothing turns out well) (ill. 2).

34.5 x 21.3 cm.

© Det Kongelige Bibliotek 2003