Plate 40 from Hans Holbein the Younger's "Moriae Encomium" ("In Praise of Folly") [Spirit of the Ages]

Plate 40

"The Sophist"

Moriae Encomium

Illustrated by Hans Holbein the Younger

Single Greeting Card (with matching Envelope)

Code: H ME40 SGC
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Reproduction on 8x12" sheet

Code: H ME40 8x12
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Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

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Holbein's illustration shown in Plate 40 from Moriae Encomium is associated with the following text drawn from

John Wilson's 1668 translation:

Add to these our logicians and sophists, a generation of men more prattling than an echo and

the worst of them able to outchat a hundred of the best picked gossips. And yet their

condition would be much better were they only full of words and not so given to scolding

that they most obstinately hack and hew one another about a matter of nothing and make

such a sputter about terms and words till they have quite lost the sense. And yet they are so

happy in the good opinion of themselves that as soon as they are furnished with two or three

syllogisms, they dare boldly enter the lists against any man upon any point, as not doubting

but to run him down with noise, though the opponent were another Stentor.

The associated French text from L'Eloge de la Folie (1728) follows:

Les Logiciens & les Sophistes viennent ici fort à propos. Ces gens-là retentissent plus, que tout

l'airain de Dodone; & il n'y en a pas un qui ne cause plus lui seul, que vingt Femmes ensemble,

quand on les choisiroit tou exprès pour exceller en babil. Il seroit à souhaiter pour eux, qu'ils

n'eussent que le défaut d'avoir trop de langue: mais, comme si'ls étoient pétris de bile, ils

querellent, ils s'échauffent sur un rien; & à force de disputer pour le Vrai, (à ce qu'ils

prétendent,) ils perdent le Vérité. Ces Chicaneurs éternels n'en sont pas moins contens

d'eux-mêmes: au-lieu d'épée, mettant l'argument à la main, ils défient au combat qui que ce

soit, & sur quoi que ce soit. L'opiniâtreté est pour eux un bouclier invincible: ils ne cedent

jamais, quand ils auroient à faire à un Stentor.