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Primary sourceBook1878

The Colloquies of Erasmus

Desiderius Erasmus · 1878

A set of Erasmus's Latin dialogues on religion, education and daily life, shown here in an 1878 English translation.

Erasmus wrote these dialogues himself, offering direct insight into his views on religion, education and society.

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The Colloquies of ErasmusPDF · 482 pages
Desiderius Erasmus, The Colloquies of Erasmus, trans. N. Bailey, 1878 edition, vol. II.

About this source

What it is

This is an 1878 English translation of Erasmus's Colloquies, a collection of dialogues originally written in Latin. The translation was made by N. Bailey and edited with notes by Rev. E. Johnson. This volume is part of a two-volume set.

Why it matters

The Colloquies cover many everyday topics, from religious pilgrimage and funerals to grammar and marriage, often with gentle humour or criticism. They show Erasmus's wide-ranging interests and his willingness to question religious practices and social customs of his time, making the work important to understanding Renaissance humanism and the debates leading up to the Reformation.

Look closer

  • Why might Erasmus have used dialogue, with characters arguing different sides, instead of stating his opinions directly?
  • What do the topics chosen—pilgrimage, grammar, marriage—suggest about what mattered to educated people in Erasmus's time?
  • This English version was translated long after Erasmus wrote the original Latin—what might be lost or changed in translation?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Desiderius Erasmus on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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