On this day 500 years ago, Erasmus sent a letter from Basel to the Zürich town council addressing the arrogant behavior of Ulrich von Hutten, a reformed knight and author, and a former friend of Erasmus. He hoped to counter Hutten’s public attack on his persona. Erasmus’ aim was to spread the correct message of the gospel, which Hutten was damaging. Remarkably, the letter only survives in a German translation made from a Latin original for the Zürich councilors. The Latin original is now lost but must have closely resembled a letter to Zwingli (ep. 1378). Toward the end, Erasmus made clear what he wanted from the council members:
“Darumb so ir sin můtwilligkeit ein wenig zemen, werdent ir mir nit as ein grossen dientst vnd nutz, als andren künsten, die er befleckt, bewyssen.” (Allen ep. 1379)
“If therefore you do something to control his arrogance, you will do a great service not so much to me as to the humanities, to which he does so much harm.” (CWE translation)
Raf Van Rooy 