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Ambiguities of the Prisca Sapientia in Late Renaissance Humanism
JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. Unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal. You may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use.
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Ambiguities of the Prisca Sapientia in Late Renaissance Humanism
Author(s): Martin Mulsow
Source: Journal of the History of Ideas, Vol. 65, No. 1 (Jan., 2004), pp. 1-13 Published by: University of Pennsylvania Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3654279 Accessed: 27/02/2009 22:00 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=upenn. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. University of Pennsylvania Press is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of the History of Ideas. http://www.jstor.org Ambiguities o f th e P r isc a Sa pientia in L a te Rena issa nc e Huma nism Ma r tin Mulso w Th e wisdo m o f th e a nc ients, sa ys Ma r silio Fic ino , wa s a pio us ph ilo so ph y.1 Bo r n a mo ng th e Egyptia ns with Her mes Tr ismegistus-a nd, a c c o r ding to Fic ino 's la ter wr itings, c o nc ur r ently a mo ng th e P er sia ns with Zo r o a ster -it wa s r a ised by th e Th r a c ia ns under Or ph eus a nd Agla o ph emus. It la ter ma tur ed under P yth a go r a s a mo ng th e Gr eeks a nd Ita lia ns a nd c ulmina ted in P la to . As is well kno wn, th is genea lo gy wa s no t mer ely a h isto r ic a l th esis f o r Fic ino a nd h is f o llo wer s but a lso a pr o gr a m f o r r eviva l, a uto pia a c h ieved th r o ugh r esto r a - tio n. Fo r th e a sser tio n o f a c o nc o r da nc e between th ese ea r ly ph ilo so ph ies a nd th eir a c c o r da nc e with Ch r istia nity-in th e sense o f a Ch r istia n P la to nism- implied th e synth esis o f f r a gementa r y ph ilo so ph emes into a f ully develo ped do c tr ine in th e ser vic e o f a unif o r m a nd timely ph ilo so ph ia pia . Th is pr o gr a m wa s f o r mula ted in a va r iety o f wa ys dur ing th e sixteenth a nd seventeenth c entur ies with dif f er ing pr o ta go nists a nd with diver se a ims. Th us o ne c o uld supplement th e genea lo gy in a c a ba list vein, intr o duc e biblic a l c h a r - a c ter s suc h a s So lo mo n o r Mo ses, o r (a s wa s do ne by Br uno ) use it to c o ntest Ch r istia n do c tr ine. Th e genea lo gy c o uld be r ea d a s c ulmina ting in va r io us no - ta ble mo dem f igur es suc h a s f o r exa mple, P a r a c elsus. Ar isto tle c o uld be in- c luded o r exc luded f r o m it, depending o n wh eth er o ne wa nted to a ssimila te th e Ar isto telia n tr a ditio n o r to dista nc e o neself f r o m it; a nd o ne c o uld lea ve th e end Th is a r tic le wa s tr a nsla ted by Ja nita Ha ma la inen. 1 Ma r silio Fic ino , "L etter to J. P a nno nius," Oper a (Ba sel, 1553), 871 f f . See a lso h is Th eo lo gie pla to nic ienne de l'immo r ta lite des dmes, la t. a nd f r . ed. by Ra ymo nd Ma r c el (3 vo ls., P a r is, 1970), e.g. III, 148; On pr isc a th eo lo gia o r pr isc a sa pientia see Da niel P . Wa lker , Th e Anc ient Th eo lo gy (L o ndo n, 1972); Ch a r les B. Sc h mitt, "P r isc a th eo lo gia e ph ilo so ph ia per ennis: due temi del Rina sc imento ita lia no e la lo r o f o r tuna ," Atti del Co nvegno inter na zio na le di studi sul Rina sc imento e sull' uma nesimo ita lia no (1970), 211-35; Mic h a el J. B. Allen, Syno ptic Ar t: Ma r silio Fic ino o n th e Histo r y o f P la to nic Inter pr eta tio n (Flo r enc e, 1998). 1 Co pyr igh t 2004 by Jo ur na l o f th e Histo r y o f Idea s, Inc . o f th is genea lo gic a l linea ge o pen in o r der to exh o r t th e nec essity o f a sc ientif ic a nd mo r a l r ef o r m. Her e, h o wever , we sh a ll be o c c upied with th e questio n o f wh a t bec a me o f th is pr o gr a m dur ing th e la te Rena issa nc e, wh en two develo pments to o k pla c e simulta neo usly: o n th e o ne h a nd, th e uto pia o f th e pr isc a sa pientia set a bo ut to c o nquer th e f ield f o r mer ly r eser ved to th e Ar isto telia ns, na mely, na tur a l ph i- lo so ph y; o n th e o th er h a nd, th e f ir st do ubts a r o se a bo ut th e o ver a ll va lidity o f th e h isto r ic a l-ph ilo lo gic a l f o unda tio n o f th e pr o gr a m, espec ia lly th e da ting o f th e wo r ks o f Her mes Tr ismegistus. Th e la tter bega n with th e public a tio n o f th e f ir st pa r t o f P a tr izi's Disc ussio nes per ipa tetic a e in 1571, wh ic h a imed to r eh a - bilita te, c o ntr a r y to Ar isto tle's c r itique, o ld pr eso c r a tic na tur a l ph ilo so ph ies, a nd in so do ing it c lea r ed th e wa y f o r inter pr eting th e la test a dva nc ements in no n-Ar isto telia n na tur a l sc ienc es a s r esumptio ns o f th ese ver y ph ilo so ph ies.2 Th is initia ted a per io d o f c o mplex inter a c tio n between la te h uma nist ph ilo lo gy, inno va tive na tur a l sc ienc e, a nd spec ula tive meta ph ysic s. Th is ph a se, h o wever , no t o nly enta iled th e gr a nd synth esizing endea vo r s th a t o ne f inds in P a tr izi's No va de univer sis ph ilo so ph ia ; it a lso intr o duc ed h isto r ic a l c r itique-no do ubt pr o vo ked by P a tr izi-o f th e Her metic pr isc a sa pientia , under sto o d in Fr a nc es Ya tes's sense, wh ic h wa s per f o r med in c a r e- f ul deta il lo ng bef o r e Ca sa ubo n a t th e end o f th e Rena issa nc e.3 Fur th er , it wa s a ph a se c h a r a c ter ized by a n a ttempt to r eeva lua te Ar isto telia n ph ilo so ph y a ga inst its o ppo nents, wh ic h pa r a do xic a lly wa s a lso mo tiva ted by P a tr izi yet wh ic h ma na ged to keep th e ventur e o pen to "eso ter ic " depth s. All o f th ese develo p- ments wer e inter twined, a nd ea c h ef f ec ted th e a r tic ula tio n o f enc yc lo pedic pr o jec ts a t th e beginning o f th e seventeenth c entur y. On th e ba sis o f ma nu- sc r ipts, letter s, a nd so me neglec ted texts, I wa nt to intr o duc e two suc h c o unter - c ur r ents, wh ic h illustr a te h o w th e migr a tio n o f a r guments f r o m o ne c ultur a l c o ntext to a no th er c a n lea d to wh o lly diver gent a nd unexpec ted r esults. Mo r e- o ver , th ese r esults sh o w th e diver se c o nsequenc es th a t a pr isc a sa pientia -uto - pia c o uld h a ve f o r dif f er ent visio ns o f enc yc lo pedic sc h o la r sh ip. I. In th e bo o ksh o p o f P a o lo Meietti in P a dua , Teo do r o Angeluc c i a nd Anto - nio P er sio met a c c identa lly o n a n a utumn da y in 1558. Meietti wa s th e pub- lish er o f Angeluc c i's medic a l textbo o k a s well a s o f texts by P a tr izi a nd h is 2Fr a nc esc o P a tr izi, Disc ussio nes per ipa tetic a e (Ba sel, 1571). 3 See Fr a nc es A. Ya tes, Gio r da no Br uno a nd th e Her metic Tr a ditio n (L o ndo n, 1966), 398, "a nd yet th e da ting by Isa a c Ca sa ubo n in 1614 o f th e Her metic wr itings a s no t th e wo r k o f a ver y a nc ient Egyptia n pr iest but wr itten in po st-Ch r istia n times, is a wa ter sh ed sepa r a ting th e Rena is- sa nc e wo r ld f r o m th e mo dem wo r ld. It sh a tter ed a t o ne blo w th e build-up o f Rena issa nc e Neo pla to nism with its ba sis in th e pr isc i th eo lo gi o f wh o m Her mes Tr ismegistus wa s th e c h ief . It sh a tter ed th e wh o le po sitio n o f th e Rena issa nc e Ma gus a nd Rena issa nc e ma gic with its Her - metic -Ca bba list f o unda tio n, ba sed o n th e a nc ient Egyptia n ph ilo so ph y a nd Ca ba lism. It sh a t- ter ed even th e no n-ma gic a l Ch r istia n Her metic mo vement o f th e sixteenth c entur y." Ma r tin Mulso w 2 Th e P r isc a Sa pientia in Rena issa nc e Huma nism c o llea gue Gia nnini, a nd it is po ssible th a t P er sio wa s o ut to disc uss publish ing po ssibilities f o r h is f o r th c o ming ma nusc r ipt De na tur a ignis. In a ny c a se, th ey wer e th er e f o r business-r ela ted ma tter s, so it wa s quite na tur a l f o r P er sio to inquir e a bo ut th e c ur r ent sta te o f th e c o ntr o ver sy ta king pla c e with in th e c ir c le o f Meietti a uth o r s. Th e c o ntr o ver sy h a d sta r ted f o ur yea r s ea r lier wh en Angeluc c i, a yo ung ma n in h is th ir ties, a tta c ked P a tr izi in a pa mph let. Th e la tter r eplied, a nd f o llo wing a no th er a tta c k by Angeluc c i let h is student, Muti, r eto r t.4 Dur ing th ese f o ur yea r s th e deba te h a d inc r ea singly c enter ed a r o und a ph ilo lo gic a l pr o blem th a t evidently a ttr a c ted th e f o c us o f dissent: th e questio n o f wh eth er th e Her metic dia lo gues, o n wh o se a ge a nd dignity P a tr izi so h ea vily r elied wer e a uth entic in th e f ir st pla c e. Angeluc c i f r esh f r o m h is so jo ur n a s a student in P a r is, under ph ilo lo gist Gilber t Genebr a r d, h a d been th e f ir st to in- tr o duc e in P a dua a nd Venic e th e la tter 's suggestio ns o f a new da ting. Ac c o r d- ing to th ese suggestio ns, th e Her metic wo r ks did no t der ive f r o m Mo ses's times but r a th er a muc h la ter , po st-Ar isto telia n da te. Yet it seems th a t in suggesting th is (f o und in th e new editio n o f h is Ch r o no gr a ph ia o f 1580) Genebr a r d h a d a ppr o pr ia ted ma ny o f th e a r guments o f Ma tth ieu Ber o a lde.5 As a n ultr a -Ca l- vinist, h o wever , Ber o a lde wa s h a r dly so meo ne wh o m th e Ca th o lic Genebr a r d c o uld c ite, a nd th is seems a t lea st to c o nf ir m a n o bser va tio n ma de by Anth o ny Gr a f to n o n Ca sa ubo n, th a t th e o r igina l mo tiva tio n f o r denying Her mes Tr ismegistus h is dignity o f a ge wa s spa r ked by a P r o testa nt desir e to dif f er en- tia te c lea r ly between pa ga n a nd Ch r istia n tr a ditio ns. It wa s a lto geth er una c - c epta ble th a t th e pa ga n Her mes sh o uld h a ve r ec eived a r evela tio n o f th e Ch r is- tia n myster ies bef o r e Ch r ist a nd even bef o r e Mo ses.6 Th is is a po sitio n no t o nly 4Teo do r o Angeluc c i, Quo d meta ph ysic a sint ea dem qua eph ysic a (Venic e, 1584); Fr a nc esc o P a tr izi, Apo lo gia c a lumnia s Th eo do r i Angelutii eiusque no va e sententia e quo d meta ph ysic a ea dem sintph ysic a ever sio (Fer r a r a , 1584); Teo do r o Angeluc c i, Exer c ita tio num Th eo do r iAngelutii c um Fr a nc esc o P a tr ic io liber pr imus, in quo de Meta ph ysic o r um a uth o r e, a ppella tio ne et dispo sitio ne disputa tur , et quo d Meta ph ysic a sint ea dem qua e P h ysic a iter um a sser itur (Venic e, 1585); Fr a nc esc o Muti, Disc epta tio num libr i V c o ntr a c a lumnia s Th eo do r i Angelutii (Fer r a r a , 1588). See Fr eder ic P ur nell Jr ., "Fr a nc esc o P a tr izi a nd th e Cr itic s o f Her mes Tr ismegistus," Th e Jo ur na l o f Medieva l a nd Rena issa nc e Studies, 6 (1976), 155-78, a nd th e vo lume Da s Ende des Her metismus. Histo r isc h e Kr itik und neue Na tur ph ilo so ph ie in der Spa tr ena issa nc e. Do kumenta tio n und Ana lyse der Deba tte um die Da tier ung der h er metisc h en Sc h r if ten vo n Genebr a r d bis Ca sa ubo n (1567-1614), ed. Ma r tin Mulso w (Tiibingen, 2002), esp. Fr eder ic P ur ell Jr ., "A Co ntr ibutio n to Rena issa nc e Anti-Her metic ism: Th e Angeluc c i-P er sio Exc h a nge," 127- 60, a nd Ma r tin Mulso w, "Rea ktio nir er Her metismus vo r 1600? Zum Ko ntext der venezia nisc h en Deba tte iiber die Da tier ung vo n Her mes Tr ismegisto s," 161-85; a lso Ma r ia Muc c illo , "P lo tino nel ta r do Rina sc imento ," Ar c h ivio sto r ic o per la Ca la br ia e la L uc a nia 61 (1994), 37-137, esp. 95-109. 5 See P umell, "A Co ntr ibutio n ... (no te 4)," 139f f , a nd Ma th ieu Ber o a lde, Ch r o nic um, Sc r ip- tur e Sa c r a e a uto r ita te c o nstitutum (Geneva , 1575), 23. 6 See Anth o ny Gr a f to n, "P r o testa nt ver sus P r o ph et: Isa a c Ca sa ubo n o n Her mes Tr ismegisto s" in h is Def ender s o f th e Text: Th e Tr a ditio ns o f Sc h o la r sh ip in a n Age o f Sc ienc e, 1450-1800 (Ca mbr idge, Ma ss., 1991), 145-61, esp. 150, r ega r ding Isa a c Ca sa ubo n, De r ebus sa c r is et 3 h eld by Ca sa ubo n but o ne th a t c a n be seen a lr ea dy in Ber o a lde. Only th r o ugh Ber o a lde's (a lbeit c o ver t) guida nc e did Genebr a r d a nd Angeluc c i c o me to r ea l- ize th e implic a tio ns ma king th e new da ting o f Her mes una vo ida ble. In th e meeting, P er sio quer ied Angeluc c i a bo ut h is o pinio n o n P a tr izi's r eto r ts th r o ugh h is student, Muti. Angeluc c i knew P er sio to be a n o ld f r iend o f P a tr izi a nd h enc e did no t expec t h im to side with h is o wn po sitio n.7 He wa s una wa r e o f th e f a c t-a nd inc identa lly una ble to disc er n it f r o m P er sio 's wo r d- th a t P er sio , to o , h a d been c o nvinc ed by Genebr a r d's a r guments, ma inta ining th a t th e a lleged da te o f th e Her metic wo r ks c o uld by no mea ns be c o r r ec t. Th e enc o unter lef t Angeluc c i c o nf used. Th us, Angeluc c i, upo n r etur ning f r o m th e bo o ksh o p, sa t do wn a t h is desk to wr ite a letter to P er sio wh ic h summa r ized th e ma jo r a r guments a ga inst Muti's def ense o f Her metic ism inc luding th o se o f Genebr a r d, Ber o a lde, a nd Go r o pius Bec a nus.8 Th is unpublish ed letter r epr esents by f a r th e mo st c o nvinc ing piec e o f c r itic ism o n th e a ge o f th e Her metic wo r ks bef o r e Ca sa ubo n. Th e c o nsequenc es o f th is sh o uld no t be o ver lo o ked. Th e letter wa s sur ely a n item o f disc ussio n in th e c ir c les o f liber a l sc ientists in P a dua a s well a s Venic e, i.e., a mo ng P er sio , P inelli, Guila ndini, Aic a r di, P a ter o , a nd o th er s. ec c lesia stic is exer c ita tio nes XVI (Geneva , 1654), 67: "h a ec sa c r a e Sc r iptur a e testimo nia et h is similia , qui sta r e po ssunt, si ver um est, pler a que et ea quidem pr a ec ipua do c tr ina e Ch r istia na e myster ia , etia m a nte Mo sem Gentibus f uisse pr o po sita ? Na m Mer c ur ium Tr ismegistum a nte Mo sem vixisse, siquidem c er ta sunt qua e de eo tr a duntur , nullum est dubium." See a lso J. Ha r r ie, "Duplessis-Mo ma y, Fo ix-Ca nda le a nd th e Her metic Religio n o f th e Wo r ld," Rena issa nc e Qua r - ter ly, 31(1978), 499-514. 7 See th e letter f r o m P er sio to Angeluc c i, Biblio tec a Co r sinia na , Ro ma , Ms. L inc eo 1, f o l. 139r v, edited in Da s Ende des Her metismus (no te 4), 369f . "Dic o dunque c h e se ben V.S. si r ic o r da qua ndo c i a bba tessimo insieme quel di nella libr er ia del Miglietti, c h e io le dima nda ic o me si so disf a va delle r ispo ste del Muti nella c o sa di Her mete, per c h e ivi mi pa r ve c h e se disf ida sse. No n a d a ltr o f ine le f ec i c o ta l dima nda , se no n c h 'io er a di c o ntr a r io pa r er e da l Signo r P a tr itio , la c ui pa r te c o lui dif ende, et mi a c c o sta va a ll' o pinio n del Genebr a r do , il qua l'6 seguita to a nc h e da V.S., il qua le no n so , ne vo r r ei (dissi io ) c h e h a veste muta ta o pinio ne, c h e sa f a tta questa sua c r o no lo gia . Et V.S. mi r ispo se c h e c i6 no n sa ppeva , ma c h e in ta l ma ter ia si tr o va va h a ver sc r itto pur a ssa i, et si h a vesse f er ma ta in P a dua me l'h a ver ebbe mo str a ta , quel po i c h e dic esse il Mutio di buo no no n h a ver a nc o r h a vuto tempo di veder e, ma veder a po i etc . Io le r ispo si di h a ver c i h a vuto a c a r o di veder quello c h e gia h a veva sc r itto , qua ndo vi f o sse sta to quel c o mmo do c h e ella dic ea , per veder se io h o buo n o ppinio n, et no n a ltr o di c io si pa r lo . Ma quell c h e io vedo nella sc r ittur a de VS., ella intese tutto il c o ntr a r io , c io 6 c h e io dic essi c h e m'a c c o sto et mi pia c e l'o ppinio n del P a tr itio , o nde s'h a degna to di sc r iver mi sia dif eso per dissua der mi, et r imo ver mi da quella o pinio ne. Ma io , c o me h o detto , so no c o ntr o il P a tr itio , il qua le c o me a mic io h o r r er ia d'o f f ender lo c o ntr a dic endo li senza pii c h e f o r ti r a ggio ni. P er o h a vendo io questo inter esse in ta l ma ter ia , et h a vendo visto quelle r ispo ste da te da l Muti c o si a ll' c o ntr a le r a gio ni del Genebr a r do , delle qua li io mi ser vo in una mia o pr a , mi na que desider io di dima nda r VS. a quel tempo per h a veme il suo giuditio , il qua le, si c o me pr ima f u c o nf o r me a l mio a seguir il Genebr a r do , c o si h o tr o va to c h e lo dif ende do tta mente in queste sue r ispo ste." 8 See Teo do r o Angeluc c i to Anto nio P er sio , Biblio tec a Co r sinia na , Ro ma , Ms. L inc eo 1, f o l. 13 r -138r , edited in Da s Ende des Her metismus (no te 4), 353-66. Ma r tin Mulso w 4 Th e P r isc a Sa pientia in Rena issa nc e Huma nism Th ese individua ls to geth er with th e c ir c le a r o und P a tr izi in Fer r a r a with wh o m th ey wer e in c lo se c o nta c t wer e keenly a wa r e o f th e wh o le r a nge o f implic a - tio ns f o llo wing f r o m th e a r guments a ga inst Her mes. Indeed, P a tr izi's No va de univer sis ph ilo so ph ia wa s wr itten with th ese ph ilo lo gic a l pr o blems in mind. Yet wh a t impa c t did it h a ve upo n sc ientists' view o n th e pr isc a sa pientia ? One f inds a br o a d spec tr um o f po sitio ns. Fir st o f a ll we f ind th o se f o r wh o m th e pr isc a sa pientia gr o unded a n idea l c o nc o r da nc e. Th e th esis o f c o nc o r da nc e h eld th a t a nc ient wisdo m, Ch r istia n do c tr ine, a nd c o ntempo r a r y na tur a l ph i- lo so ph ies wer e pr inc ipa lly in a c c o r d. Espec ia lly a f ter th e Co unc il o f Tr ent th e th esis seemed well-suited f o r c o mbining a r ef o r med o r ienta tio n with a r ef lec - tio n o n o r igins. Th is a pr isc a sa pientia extr emism wa s o f ten linked with a c er ta in Egypto ph ilia a s well a s a c o nc eptio n o f Her metic ism a s th e o ldest f o r m o f h uma n wisdo m. P a tr izi a sser ted th is po sitio n (a s did Muti) in spite o f so me r eser va tio ns h e h a d c o nc er ning no n-genuine elements in th e c o r pus h er metic um o r th e bo ta nist Guila ndini.9 Th is extr emism, h o wever , wa s h a r dly sh a r ed by a ll c ir c les in P a dua a nd Venic e. It seems th a t Angeluc c i's a c tivities pla yed a r ela - tively signif ic a nt r o le in intr o duc ing a mo r e mo der a te pr isc a sa pientia view a r o und 1590.10 Th is c a n be under sto o d a s a po sitio n th a t-a lth o ugh a r tic ula ted in pa r t a s a quest f o r th e o r igins o f ph ilo so ph y a nd sc ienc e, wh ic h wa s a ssumed to be in pr e-Ar isto telia n a nd pr e-P la to nic times-do es no t tr a c e th ese o r igins ba c k to Her mes Tr ismegistus. P er sio , f o r exa mple, wh o h a d a c c epted Angeluc c i's a r guments, r ema ined r etic ent a bo ut inter pr eting Telesia n ph ilo so ph y in ter ms o f P a r menideism, P yth a go r ea nism, a nd pr isc a sa pientia , a s wa s th e c a se with th e extr emists. P er sio mer ely a dmited th a t th e P yth a go r ea n Oc ellus L uc a nus wa s a pr ec ur so r to th e do c tr ine o f f o ur elements a nd r ec o gnized c er ta in pa r a l- lels between Telesio 's a sser tio ns a nd bo th P yth a go r ea n geo metr y a nd P a r menides's tea c h ings.11 P a ter no a ssumed a simila r po sitio n. Oth er member s o f th ese c ir c les seem to h a ve c h o sen a th ir d po sitio n wh ic h tended to be indif - f er ent to wa r ds th is sea r c h f o r uto pia n o r igins. Fo r th em pr isc a sa pientia wa s no t even a n issue. Henc e th er e existed, a s Na nc y Sir a isi no tes c o nc er ning th e P a dua n P h ysic ia ns, a wide va r iety o f po sitio ns o n th e no tio n o f pr isc a sa pientia , r a nging f r o m extr eme suppo r t to c o o l dissent.12 9 See Anth o ny Gr a f to n, "Rh eto r ic , P h ilo lo gy, Egypto ma nia in th e 1570s: J. J. Sc a liger 's Invec tive a ga inst M.Guila ndinus's P a pyr us," Jo ur na l o f th e Wa r bur g a nd Co ur ta uld Institutes, 42 (1979), 167-94. 0 See Ch a r les B. Sc h mitt, Ar isto tle a nd th e Rena issa nc e (Ca mbr idge, Ma ss., 1983), 95f f . n See Anto nio P er sio , De na tur a ignis et c a lo r is, Biblio tec a Co r sinia na , Ro ma , Ms. L inc eo VII a nd VIII, esp. VII, f o l. 54r sqq.; Mulso w, "P h ilo so ph ia ita lic a a ls r eduzier te pr isc a -sa pientia - Ideo lo gie. Anto nio P er sio s und Fr a nc esc o P a tr izis Reko nstr uktio nen der Elementenleh r e," Da s Ende des Her metismus (no te 4), 253-80; a lso Mulso w, Fr iih neuzeitlic h e Selbster h a ltung. Telesio und die Na tur ph ilo so ph ie der Rena issa nc e (Tiibingen 1998). 12 Na nc y G. Sir a isi, "Her mes a mo ng th e P h ysic ia ns," Da s Ende des Her metismus (no te 4), 189-212. 5 Alth o ugh a ll o f th r ee gr o ups develo ped enc yc lo pedic pr o jec ts, it c a n be seen-a s Ann Bla ir sh o ws f o r th e ventur es f r o m Bo din to Co menius, th a t a r eligio us (a nd, o ne migh t a dd, a myth ic a l o r even pa tr io tic ) ideo lo gy mo tiva ted th e pr o duc tio n o f enc yc lo pedia s.13 Th e r ea so n f o r th is is simple eno ugh : if wis- do m wa s a lr ea dy pr esent in th e ver y beginning, o r , if in its divineness, it h a s a lr ea dy been r evea led th en r esea r c h is in th e po ssessio n o f th e sec ur ed f unda - ment o f th e wh o le. Th e o r igin gua r a nteed th e unity o f kno wledge wh ile a lso dema nding a syno ptic tendenc y in r ec o nstr uc tive r esea r c h , wh ic h , r edisc o v- er ed th is o r igin. If th is c a n be identif ied a s a per va sive mo tive enc o ur a ging th e enc yc lo pedic pr o jec t in gener a l, th en it sh o uld a lso be po ssible to see h o w th e dif f er ent po sitio ns r ega r ding th e pr isc a sa pientia inf lec ted enc yc lo pedic wo r ks. Her e, we c o me a c r o ss a c er ta in dif f ic ulty. Fo llo wing th e enth r o nement o f Clement VIII a s po pe in 1592, Her metic ism, P yth a go r ea nism, a nd P la to nism c o uld o nly be studied in a c la ndestine ma nner , a nd th e r esult wa s th a t ma ny o f enc yc lo pedic pr o jec ts in th is vein r ema ined unf inish ed a nd unpublish ed. Of c o ur se, th e No va de univer sis ph ilo so ph ia by P a tr izi r epr esents a n enc yc lo pe- dic pr o jec t by a pr isc a sa pientia extr emist. It wa s publish ed in 1591 with th e h o pe o f ga ining th e Cur ia 's a c c epta nc e, but by 1594 it h a d a lr ea dy bec o me a vic tim o f c enso r sh ip.14 Oth er pr o jec ts belo nging to th is gr o up wer e th e Her - metic enc yc lo pedia , wh ic h to o k th e f o r m o f a c o mmenta r y by Anniba le Ro sselli, Muti's lo st wo r ks, a nd Zo r o a ster by Jo h a nnes Jessen.15 Wh a t a bo ut th e mo der a tes wh o a r tic ula ted visio n o f uto pia n o r igins with - o ut r elying o n Her mes? One c o uld inter pr et P yth a go r ea nism a nd Elea tic ism- o r mo r e spec if ic a lly th e idea s wh ic h emer ged a r o und 1590 a s a r ef lec tio n o n th e a ntiquissima sa pientia ita lo r um o r th e ph ilo so ph ia ma gna e gr a ec a e-to be a c o mpr o mising r ea c tio n to th e da ting deba tes sinc e Angeluc c i. Alth o ugh th e a dvo c a tes o f th isph ilo so ph ia ita lic a ideo lo gy wer e still led a str a y by a number o f pseudo -epigr a ph s, espec ia lly th o se o f th e a lleged wo r ks o f Tima io s L o kr o s a nd Oc ellus L uc a nus, th ey never th eless r ef r a ined f r o m r ef er r ing to Her mes. Ano th er f a c to r th a t ma de th e mo der a te o r wea kened f o r m o f pr isc a sa pientia pa r tic ula r ly pa la ta ble to na tur a l ph ilo so ph er s o f ma inly So uth er n Ita lia n o r igin (Ca mpa nella , P er sio , Muti, a nd Stellio la a ll c a me f r o m Ca la br ia ) wa s its inh er - ent pa tr io tism. In P er sio 's wo r k o ne f inds no tes to th e tr a ditio n o f So uth er n Ita lia n ph ilo so ph er s; a nd th e yo ung Ca mpa nella , a f ter visiting P er sio in P a dua 13 Ann Bla ir , "Mo sa ic P h ysic s a nd th e Sea r c h f o r a P io us Na tur a l P h ilo so ph y in th e L a te Rena issa nc e," Isis, 91 (2000), 32-58. 14 See Tullio Gr ego r y, "L 'Apo lo gia e le Dec la r a tio nes di Fr a nc esc o P a tr izi," Medio evo e Rina sc imento . Studi in o no r e di Br uno Na r di (Flo r enc e, 1955), I, 150-73. 15 See Ma r ia Muc c illo , "Der sc h o la stisc h e Her metismus des Anniba le Ro sselli und die Tr inititsleh r e," Da s Ende des Her metismus (no te 4), 61-101; see Ro bin B. Ba r nes: "Th e P r isc a Th eo lo gia a nd L uth er a n Co nf essio na l Identity c . 1600: Jo h a nnes Jessen a nd h is Zo r o a ster ," in Spdtr ena issa nc e-P h ilo so ph ie in Deutsc h la nd, ed. Ma r tin Mulso w (f o r th c o ming); Jo h a nnes Jessen, Zo r o a ster (Wittenber g, 1593). Ma r tin Mulso w 6 Th e P r isc a Sa pientia in Rena issa nc e Huma nism in 1593, wr o te a lo st Apo lo gia pr o ph ilo so ph is Ma gna e Gr a ec a e a nd th en in subsequent yea r s, kno wn a s h is "P yth a go r ea n ph a se," th e f ir st extensive wo r ks o n th e subjec t.16 In 1595 th e pr iso ns o f Ro me witnessed sec r et disc ussio ns between Ca mpa nella , Nic o lo Anto nio Stellio la , a nd per h a ps, a lso between Stellio la a nd Br uno . Stellio la a imed to wr ite a n Enc yc lo pedia pyth a go r ic a , wh ic h wa s to a ssimila te a ll inc entives c o ming f r o m Br uno , P a tr izi, Telesio , a nd Ca mpa nella . Th is wa s to be a n Enc yc lo pedia pyth a go r ic a , no t a n Enc yc lo pe- dia h er metic a . Even Stellio la 's pr o jec t, by wa y o f P er sio a nd Ca mpa nella , c a n be r ea d a s a n indir ec t r ea c tio n to th e da ting deba tes in Veneto , but th e wo r k wa s never f inish ed.17 It a ppea r s th a t enc yc lo pedic th inking a mo unted to a n empir ic a lly-o r iented f o r m o f c o llec ting f o r th o se wh o a bsta ined a lto geth er f r o m po stula ting o n o r igina l wisdo m. Fr a nc is Ba c o n under sto o d th e sa pientia veter um a s a f o r m o f po etic a nd a llego r ic wisdo m in th e myth s o f a ntiquity. Simila r ly, Ga lilei a nd th e a c tiv- ists o f th e Ac c a demia dei L inc ei demo nstr a ted o nly a wa ver ing c o mmitment to a h isto r ic a l pr o gr a m.18 Yet th is c o nnec tio n is f a r f r o m being c er ta in. Neith er c a n my tenta tive typo lo gy be gener a lized beyo nd th e milieu o f th e Ita lia n Co unter -Ref o r ma tio n. As so o n a s th e c ultur a l setting c h a nged, th e pa r a meter s sta r ted to sh if t, a nd we enc o unter c o mpletely new c o nstella tio ns between c r iti- c a l ph ilo lo gy a nd th e idea o f a pr isc a sa pientia . II. In a no th er f o r tuito us meeting in a bo o ksh o p, th is time in Venic e in 1601, Er nst So ner , a student o f Medic ine f r o m Altdo r f a nd c ur r ently in P a dua to study, wa s r umma ging th r o ugh th e r ec ent public a tio ns. Ha ving c o me to Venic e eith er to pic k up o r to c h a nge so me mo ney, h e seized th e o ppo r tunity "a s usua l" 16To mma so Ca mpa nella , De Sph a er a Ar ista r c h i; P h ilo so ph ia P yth a go r ic a ; De P h ilo so ph ia Empedo c lis; to th is ph a se see Nic o la Ba da lo ni, To mma so Ca mpa nella (Mila n, 1965), 68f f . A list o f P er sio 's a na lo go us no tes h a s been pr eser ved in Biblio tec a Co r sinia na , Ro me, Ms. L inc eo 1, f o l. 147v. 17 See Nic o la Ba da lo ni, "II pr o gr a mma sc ientif ic o di un br unia no : Co la nto nio Stellio la ," Studi sto r ic i, 26 (1985), 161-75. Stellio la publish ed o nly th e pla n: Enc lo pedia P yth a go r ic a mo str a ta da Nic o l'Anto nio Stellio la L ync eo (Na ples, 1616). "L a Enc yc lo pedia , Do ttr ina a ntic h issima , f i a pp6 li sa pienti di quella eta , in so mma r iver enza : c o me Ma dr e delle Vir tf i h uma ne, & Ma estr a a mministr a tr ic e delle sc ienze tutte, & a r ti.... Gli a ntic h i pensa va no c h e tutte le sc ienze e a r ti der iva sser o da un'unic a f o nte dette So ph ia da a ltr i Ma gia o Sa pienza . I gr ec i l'h a n c h ia ma to Enc yc lo pedia , c ulmine e c o mplemento di tutte. Essi sta bilir o no c h e so lo i miglio r i e pur i di c uo r e vi po tesser o a c c eder e. A c a usa della dec a denza mo r a le, ne e r ima sto so lo il no me, per c ui le pa r tic o la r i pr o f essio ni so n r esta te nel so lo a ppo ggio del c r eder e a lli sc r itti de ma estr i er nell'a ppo ggio della pr o ba bilita di o pinio ni er c o n c i6 mo ltiplic a ndo le diver sita di pa r er i c h e r estino intr iga ti nell'inviluppo de so f ismi." 18 See Silvia de Renzi, "II pr o getto e il f a tto . Nuo vi studi sull'Ac c a demia dei L inc ei," Inter sezio ni, 9 (1989), 501-17; Feder ic o Cesi e la f o nda zio ne dell, Ac c a demia dei L inc ei. Mo str a biblio gr a f ic a e do c umenta r ia (Na ples, 1988); Da vid Fr eedber g, Th e Eye o f th e L ynx (New Ha - ven, Co nn., 2002); a nd th e desc r iptio ns o f th e "L uc r etia n" pr o gr a ms by Vinc enzo Cesa r ini in P ietr o Redo ndi, Ga lilei er etic o (Tur in, 1983), esp. c h . 3. 7 to br o wse in bo o ksh o ps. "In o ne o f th em," So ner wr ites in a letter , "I c a me upo n a P h ysic ia n (...), with wh o m I disc ussed a ll kinds o f medic a l a uth o r s. Cesa lpino , to o , wa s mentio ned. Th er eupo n th e gentlema n a sked me wh eth er I h a d ever enc o unter ed o r wo uld kno w a c er ta in Ger ma n P h ysic ist by th e na me o f Ta ur ellus."19 So ner r eplied th a t h e h a d indeed a lr ea dy met Ta ur ellus o nc e a nd spo ke with h im in pa ssing. In f a c t So ner h a d a c tua lly been a student o f Ta ur ellus in Altdo r f , but it seemed sa f er to th e Ger ma n L uth er a n no t to r evea l h is P r o testa nt identity ("no n er a t tutum, ne h a er eseo s suspic io nem in me c o nc ita r em"). His c a utio n, h o wever , tur ned o ut to be unwa r r a nted a s th e inter - lo c uto r intended o nly to pr a ise Ta ur ellus: "h e h a d never seen a nyth ing, h e sa id, mo r e subtle a nd a stute th a n h is 'Alpes Ca esa e'...." Still, So ner r ema ined a ppr e- h ensive a bo ut mentio ning o th er bo o ks by Ta ur ellus sinc e th ese c o nta ined a dec idedly P r o testa nt meta ph ysic s. Wh a t c o uld h a ve mo tiva ted a no r th er ly ph ilo so ph er po lemic a lly to "tea r do wn th e Alps," to use Ta ur ellus's pun o n th e na me, "Cesa lpino " a nd in a ma nner th a t, a s So ner 's a c qua inta nc e ma inta ined, "even sur pa ssed Sc a liger 's po lemic s with Ca r da no in subtlety?"20 Andr ea Cesa lpino wa s a f a mo us sc ien- tist a nd ph ilo so ph er f r o m Ro me. Th e questio n o f h o w news o f Ta ur ellus's a g- gr essiveness c o uld h a ve been dissemina ted o ver a dista nc e o f a th o usa nd kilo - meter s, f r o m Altdo r f to Ro me, bec o mes even mo r e c o mpelling if c o nsider ed in ligh t o f Sc a liger 's sta nc e to wa r ds th e Mila nese ph ilo so ph er . Of c o ur se Ta ur ellus's inter ventio n h a d no t in f a c t been built up o ver suc h a lo ng dista nc e but r a th er quite a sh o r t o ne, th a t is, to th e neigh bo r ing lec tur e h a ll in Altdo r f , wh er e P h ilipp Sc h er b a da pted Cesa lpino 's idea s f o r Ger ma ny. Th is a da pta tio n by Sc h er b h a s a h igh ly c o mplex ba c kgr o und a nd equa lly c o mplex c o nsequenc es, wh ic h sh if ts f r o m th e Venetia n bo o ksh o p to a Fr a nkf ur t milieu o f publish er s, h uma nists, a nd mer c h a nts. So ner wa s no t th e o nly student o f Ta ur ellus a nd Sc h er b a t Altdo r f . Th er e wa s a lso Melc h io r Go lda st, to da y ma inly kno wn to sc h o la r s o f o ld Ger ma n 9 Er nst So ner to Nic o la us Ta ur ellus, P a dua , "die Vener is sa nc to ," 1601, pr inted in Episto la e c la r iss. Ger ma nia e medic o r um ... ta m quo a d h er metic a et c h ymic a . Qua m etia m Ga lenic a pr inc ipia ..., ed. J. Ho mung (L eipzig, 1661), 353f .: "Cum nuper Venetiis essem nummo r um meo r um c a usa , visita vi, ut so leo , a liquo t Biblio po la r um ta bema s: f o r te f o r tuna inc idi in quenda m Medic um, c ujus ta men no men no ndum sc ir e po tui, quo c um, c um mih i multus ser mo de va r iis sc r ipto r ibus Medic is, inter c a eter a mentio f ieba t Ca esa lpini: h ic ille me inter r o ga ba t, num quid vidissem a ut no vissem quenda m ger ma num Medic um Ta ur ellum: c umque ego a nnuissem & vidisse me illum & a llo quutum in tr a nsitu (disc ipulum enim ejus me ja c ta r e, no n er a t tutum, ne h a er eseo s suspic io nem in me c o nc ita r em) nih il, inquieba t, unqua m vidi subtilius a ut a c ur a tius ipsius Alpibus c a esis, ma gnum ipsum a ntea f ec i ex meth o do pr a esa giendi, qua m mir o o r dine & singula r i er uditio ne c o ntextuit, Wec ker um imita tus: (h a ec enim illius ver ba f uer e) sed h ic vir in Alpibus c a esis, videtur subtilita te super a r e ipsum quo que Sc a liger um c o ntr a Ca r da num." 20 See Nic o la us Ta ur ellus, Alpes Ca esa e, Ho c est: Andr Ca esa lpini Ita li, Mo nstr o sa et super ba Do gma ta , Disc ussa et Exc ussa (Fr a nkf ur t, 1597), a nd o n Ta ur ellus a nd Siegf r ied Wo llga st, P h ilo so ph ie in Deutsc h la nd 1550-1650 (Ber lin, 19932), 148f f . Ma r tin Mulso w 8 Th e P r isc a Sa pientia in Rena issa nc e Huma nism ph ilo lo gy o r h isto r ia ns o f la w, wh o f elt o bliged to a dminister a nd sa f egua r d th e h eir o f Sc h er b a f ter h is dea th in 1605.21 In 1606 Go lda st c a me to Fr a nkf ur t, th e to wn o f publish er s a nd f a ir s, with h a r dly a ny mo ney to wo r k a s a pr o o f -r ea der . One o f th e f ir st publish ing ventur es wa s to edit a nd typeset a new two bo o ks f r o m Sc h er b's sh elves, sma ll wo r ks by th e P a dua n a nd Bo lo gnese ph ilo so ph er Otta via no Fer r a r i, wh ic h Sc h er b h imself h a d br o ugh t a lo ng f r o m h is iter ita lic um in 1578/79. Th ey wer e ph ilo lo gic a l wo r ks o n Ar isto tle, c o nc er ning th e de ser mo nibus exo ter ic is (i.e., th e lo st dia lo gues o f Ar isto tle). L ike Go lda st, Sc h er b f elt th em to be muc h mo r e th a n mer e ph ilo lo gic a l ma r gina lia . Bo th sa w th e dif f er entia tio n between "exo ter ic " a nd "eso ter ic " (o r "a c r o a ma tic ") ph ilo so - ph y a s th e key to o ver c o mimg th e c ur r ent c r isis o f ph ilo so ph y in P r o testa nt Ger ma ny. Th er e, th e Ra mists with th eir r educ tio n o f pr o blems to ma tter s o f r h eto r ic a nd to pic h a d bec o me inc r ea singly inf luentia l in bo th ph ilo so ph y a nd th eo lo gy. Fo r th em meta ph ysic s wa s o utmo ded, a nd even questio ns o f tr a nsub- sta ntia tio n wer e h eld by so me to be mer e ver ba l suggestio ns. On th e o th er h a nd, even in th e sc ientif ic disc iplines P la to nic -Her metic spec u- la tio n a nd inno va tio n wa s winning gr o und a nd exer ting inc r ea sing c o mpetitive pr essur e o n univer sity-tea c h ing. Ar isto telia nism, wh ic h wa s o nly sta r ting to bec o me esta blish ed in Ger ma ny, wa s c a ugh t in th e middle. It seems to me th a t th e ver tic a l sc h ema o f "f la ttening vs. deepening" r epr esented o ne mo de o f per - c eptio n wh ic h o f f er ed o r ienta tio ns in th is intellec tua l situa tio n. Sinc e Ar is- to telia nism wa s c a ugh t in th e middle, a nd th e Ca lvinist a nd L uth er a n o r th o do x- ies (a s Ro bin Ba r nes h a s emph a sized c o nc er ning Jessen) wer e still "plia ble" a nd ea sy to f o r m, o ne c o uld get th e idea o f o pening up Ar isto telia nism to th ese spec ula tive tendenc ies.22 Th us, wh a t Jessen tr ied to do with h is a da pta tio n o f P a tr izi in 1593 in L uth er a n Wittenber g wa s likewise a ttempted o n th e Ca lvinist side with Br uno by Ra ph a el Eglin in Zur ic h in 1595 a nd mo r e c lea r ly in Ma r bur g in 1609. A simila r endea vo r wa s ma de by Eilh a r d L ubin with Br uno a nd Her - metic ism in L uth er a n Ro sto c k in 1598.23 In gener a l th e c o mmo n deno mina to r in a ll th ese c a ses wa s th e a ttempt to pr o ve th e Ar isto telia n do c tr ine to be la r gely c o mpa tible with tendenc ies a sso c ia ted with th e pr isc a sa pientia uto pia . In th is c o ntext a r ef lec tio n o n th e a nc ient dif f er entia tio n between eso ter ic a nd exo ter ic ph ilo so ph y c o uld pr o ve to be h elpf ul in distinguish ing eso ter ic Ar isto telia nism f r o m th e f la ttening exo ter ic mo de o f th e Ra mists, a lth o ugh th is 21 See Ma r tin Mulso w, "Die wa h r e per ipa tetisc h e P h ilo so ph ie in Deutsc h la nd. Melc h io r Go lda st, P h ilipp Sc h er b und die a kr o a ma tisc h e Tr a ditio n der Alten," Fo r der n und Bewa h r en. Studien zur eur o pdisc h en Kultur gesc h ic h te der f r iih en Neuzeit, ed. Helwig Sc h midt-Glintzer (Wiesba den, 1996), 49-78. 22 See Ba r nes, "Th e P r isc a Th eo lo gia a nd L uth er a n Co nf essio na l Identity c . 1600." 23 Elilh a r d L ubinus, P h o sph o r us (Ro sto c k, 1596). See Die P h ilo so ph ie des 17. Ja h r h under ts, IV, Da s Heilige R6misc h e Reic h Deutsc h er Na tio n; No r d- und Ostmitteleur o pa , ed. Helmut Ho lzh ey a nd Wilh elm Sc h midt-Biggema nn (Ba sel, 2001), 24-26. 9 Ma r tin Mulso w did enta il so me c o ntr a dic tio ns. We f ind th a t P a tr izi h a d a lr ea dy in 1571 de- plo yed th e eso ter ic /exo ter ic distinc tio n in o r der to wipe o ut Ar isto tle by ma in- ta ining th a t a ll o f Ar isto tle's eso ter ic a nd substa ntia l a ssets wer e mer ely a ppr o - pr ia ted f r o m P la to nic th inking.24 In Ger ma ny, h o wever , th er e wer e r ea so ns f o r no t simply subsuming Ar isto tle under P la to . Th e existenc e o f a po litic ized Ar isto telia nism, wh ic h pa r tic ula r ly a ttr a c ted men like Go lda st, r epr esents o ne r ea so n, a nd a no th er r ea so n wa s th a t Ar isto telia n lo gic a nd meth o do lo gy wer e c o nsider ed to be institutio na lly ir r epla c ea ble. Go lda st wa nted to o f f er a "deepened" Ar isto tle, just a s Sc h er b h a d do ne in h is pr esenta tio n o f Cesa lpino 's Simplic ia n, h is Neo pla to nist inter pr eta tio n o f Ar isto tle. Go lda st pr o c eeded ph ilo lo gic a lly by intr o duc ing h is new editio n o f Fer r a r i with a n o pen letter to th e Ma r bur g Ar isto telia n Rudo lph Go c lenius en- titled De c r yptic a veter um ph ilo so ph o r um disc iplina . It desc r ibes th e a nc ient pr a c tic e o f distinguish ing in a sma ll c ir c le o f initia tes c er ta in tr a ditio ns f r o m public ly a c c essible wo r ks o r lec tur es, wh er eby th e la tter o nes by no mea ns a ll enta iled a r c a na th a t c o uld be under sto o d o nly by th e h igh ly educ a ted.25 Go lda st, h o wever , f a ils to a dmit th a t la r ge pa r ts o f h is wo r k wer e dir ec t tr a nsc r iptio ns o f P a tr izi's Disc ussio nes per ipa tetic a e.26 Go lda st wa s th us a s muc h a r ea der o f P a tr izi a s Jessen, but h is a ppr o a c h to th e pr o blems wa s explic itly ph ilo lo gic a l. Two f a c ts indic a te h is wish to inter pr et-o r to inf iltr a te Ar isto telia nism in a n "eso ter ic " ma nner in line with h is f o r egr o unding o f P a tr izi: f o r o ne, h e identi- f ied P a r a c elsus a s th e f ir st o f th e mo dems to ta ke up th e a nc ient pr a c tic e o f eso ter ic deliver y,27 a nd sec o ndly, h e wa s a f r iend o f th e Ca lvinist a lc h emist Ra ph a el Eglin, wh o h a d a h a nd in th e editio n Go lda st wa s pr o duc ing a t th e time in Fr a nkf ur t. No r do es it seem to me to be a c o inc idenc e th a t Jessen pub- lish ed a new editio n o f Ca r lo Sigo nio 's bo o k De Dia lo go in 1605, in wh ic h , a s in th e wo r k o f Fer r a r i, th e pr o blem o f eso ter ic ver sus exo ter ic wa s r evisited. 24 See Ma r ia Muc c illo , "L a vita e le o per e di Ar isto tele nelle Disc ussio nes per ipa tetic a e di Fr a nc esc o P a tr izi da Ch er so ," Rina sc imento II.s. 21 (1981), 53-119, esp. 89f f ; M. J. Wilmo t, "Ar isto teles exo ter ic us, a c r o a ma tic us, mystic us: Two Inter pr eta tio ns o f th e Typo lo gic a l Cla ssif i- c a tio n o f th e Co r pus a r isto telic um by Fr a nc esc o P a tr izi da Ch er so ," No uvelles de la Republique des L ettr es (1985), 67-95. 25 Melc h io r Go lda st, "De c r yptic a veter um P h ilo so ph o r um disc iplina episto la a d Rudo lph um Go c lenium P h ilo so ph um Ma r pur gensem," Cla vis ph ilo so ph ia e per ipa tetic a e a r isto telic a e, h o c est: Oc ta via ni Fer r a r ii, Hier o nymi F. Medio la nensis, De ser mo nibus Exo ter ic is, liber unus, et de disc iplina enc yc lic o , liber a lter , nunc pr imum in Ger ma nia editi ex Biblio th ec a Melc h io r is Ha iminsf eldii Go lda sti (Fr a nkf ur t, 1506 [r ec te:1606]), 3-33. 26 See a s well Go lda st's exc er pts f r o m P a tr izi: Sta a ts- und Univer sitdtsbiblio th ek Br emen, Ms. msa 0004/06; a lso Ma r tin Mulso w, "Geleh r te P r a ktiken po litisc h er Ko mpr o mittier ung. Melc h io r Go lda st und L ipsius' Rede De duplic i c o nc o r dia im Vo r f eld der Entsteh ung der pr o testa ntisc h en Unio n," Die P r a ktiken der Geleh r sa mkeit in der Fr iih en Neuzeit, ed. Helmut Zedelma ier a nd Ma r tin Mulso w (Tibingen, 2001), 307-47, esp. 320. 27 Go lda st, "De c r yptic a ," 21: "P a tr um memo r ia exstitit Th eo ph r a stus P a r a c elsus Helvetius, qui a d veter um P h ilo so ph o r um mo r em pr imus in Ger ma nia c o epit a lia disc ipulis tr a der e pr iva - tim et f a milia r ibus, a lia public e pr o f iter i in sc h o lis." 10 Th e P r isc a Sa pientia in Rena issa nc e Huma nism III. We a r e th us ba c k with P a tr izi a nd th e f a milia r disc ussio n o n Her meti- c ism a nd pr isc a sa pientia , o nly no w in a spec if ic Ger ma n milieu. We see h o w th e c o mplex P a dua n deba tes o f 1588 h a d ta ken up-a s a n a f ter -ef f ec t o f th e Disc ussio nes per ipa tetic a e a nd bef o r e th e No va de univer sis ph ilo so ph ia - Fr enc h Ca lvinist skeptic ism r ega r ding th e c la ims to a ntiquity o f no n-biblic a l wisdo m in o r der to dir ec t it a ga inst th e c r itic s o f Ar isto tle. In Ger ma ny c r itic a l deba tes wer e f o c used o n th e "f la ttening" o c c ur r ing a mo ng th e o ppo nents o f meta ph ysic s, so pr o -Ar isto telia n a r guments wer e impo r ted f r o m Ita ly th a t h a d ser ved quite a dif f er ent pur po se th er e. In Ita ly th e Ra mist wo r ks wer e f o r bid- den, a nd th us th e r h eto r ic a l "f la ttening" f a iled to emer ge a s a sa lient issue in th e sa me wa y a s it did in Ger ma ny. Only wh en r ea d a ga inst its c o unter c ur r ent do es it bec o me intelligible, na mely, h o w in Ger ma ny a c r itic a l ph ilo lo gist suc h a s Go lda st-wh o , inc identa lly, sh a r ed th e Ca lvinist c o nf essio n with Ber o a lde a nd wa s a student o f Beza 's in Geneva -c o uld a r gue th e o ppo site o f Angeluc c i. Go lda st suppo r ted th e tr a ditio na l wisdo m o f th e "a nc ients" a nd th eir eso ter ic pr a c tic e, yet with o ut c o nsider ing th e va lidity o f Her metic ism. Th e a c tivities o f Go lda st a nd Eglin a lso belo ng to th e pr elimina r y ph a se o f th e Her bo r enc yc lo pedic ventur es in th a t th ey o pened Ref o r med sc h o o l-ph i- lo so ph y to eso ter ic tendenc ies. If o ne under sta nds "enc yc lo pedia " th e wa y, f o r exa mple, Stellio la did (i.e., in th e sense o f enkyklio s pa ideia ,a n eso ter ic educ a - tio na l pr a c tic e th a t Fer r a r i a ttempted to r ec o nstr uc t), th en it is c lea r th a t a ny enc yc lo pedic ventur e must a uto ma tic a lly be under sto o d a s a n eso ter ic pr o jec t. One h a s to keep in mind, h o wever , th a t th e c h a r a c ter istic s wh ic h ma de pr isc a sa pientia a ttr a c tive a r o und 1600 wer e pr ec isely th e o nes th a t la ter c a me under a tta c k. Th e end o f th e Her metic -P la to nic pr isc a sa pientia r epr esented a n extended pr o c ess enc o mpa ssing numer o us ph a ses: it wa s a pr o c ess o f ma r - gina liza tio n, f r o m th e uto pia o f a n intellec tua l a va nt ga r de to a n eigh teenth - c entur y ideo lo gy o f subc ultur a l a nd subpo litic a l f r inge gr o ups. It h a d ma nif o ld c o nsequenc es due to its va r ied c a uses. Th e ph ilo lo gic a l depr iva tio n o f its h is- to r ic a l ba sis wa s o nly o ne suc h c a use. Th e ph a se o f a c o mplex blend o f ph ilo l- o gy, na tur a l spec ula tio n, a nd Ch r istia n meta ph ysic s o nly c a me to a c o mplete h a lt with th e str ic t develo pment o f c o nf essio na l o r th o do xies. In th e c a se o f P r o testa ntism th is o c c ur r ed dur ing th e f ir st h a lf o f th e seventeenth c entur y but even ea r lier in Ca th o lic ism. Ano th er r esult o f pr isc a sa pientia , wh ic h dif f er ed f r o m th e dispute between Angeluc c i a nd P a tr izi, bega n dur ing P a tr izi's lif etime with in Ca th o lic c ir c les, th a t is, th e emer genc e o f a nti-P la to nism, ma inly a mo ng Jesuits in P a tr izi's Ro me, immedia tely f o llo wing th e public a tio n o f th e No va de univer sis ph ilo so ph ia a nd f o und its mo st po igna nt expr essio n in 1594 (th e sa me yea r th a t witnessed th e denunc ia tio n o f P a tr izi's bo o k) in Gio va nn Ba tista Cr ispo 's De P la to ne c a ute legendo , a text h igh ly esteemed by P o ssevino a nd 11 h is "selec tive" r ea ding-dir ec tives.28 In P r o testa nt Ger ma ny th er e wer e no suc h a uth o r ita r ia n dir ec tives f o r a ppr o pr ia te r ea ding. Never th eless, th e mo tto de eth nic is ph ilo so ph is c a ute legendis guided th e pr o gr a m o f th e h isto r ia n o f ph i- lo so ph y Ja ko b Th o ma sius a nd bec a me a c o nc er n o f ea r ly Enligh tenment h is- to r y o f ph ilo so ph y a nd th eo lo gy; a nd pa ga n ph ilo so ph y wa s to be exa mined o n wh eth er o r no t it wo uld o r a lr ea dy h a d injec ted h er esies into Ch r istia nity.29 Apa r t f r o m Her ma nn Co ming's c o nc ur r ent a c c o mplish ments in setting bo unds- o nc e mo r e with Ca sa ubo n-to th e bur geo ning Her metic ism in th e Ger ma n P a r a c elsia n milieu, o ne c a n sa y th a t th e th eo lo gic a l ver dic t a s suc h wa s o f f o r e- mo st impo r ta nc e a r o und 1700.30 Wh a t wa s a t sta ke wa s th e questio n o f wh eth er P la to nism wa s r uining ea r ly a nd pur e Ch r istia nity. Wh en Jo h a nn L o r enz Mo sh eim in 1725 c ites Go lda st's De c r yptic a veter umph ilo so ph o r um disc iplina , h e do es it with th e intentio n o f disc r editing a s a vic e th a t wh ic h f o r Go lda st h a d been a vir tue, na mely, th e c la ndestine pr a c tic e o f P yth a go r ea n a nd P la to nic a ntiquity.31 Fo r Mo sh eim, th is pr a c tic e r epr esented a mo r a lity o f lies, dec ep- tio n, a nd c o nc ea lment ef f ec ting th e Neo pla to nism o f th e sec o nd a nd th ir d c en- tur ies a f ter Ch r ist. Th is ph ilo lo gic a lly enligh tened th eo lo gia n viewed th e f a br i- c a tio n o f pseudo -epigr a ph s a s mo r a lly disc r editing th e entir e eso ter ic tr a ditio n, a nd Br uc ker f o llo wed h im in th is judgment.32 Th e pr isc a sa pientia wa s, in- deed, dea d; it wa s r ef uted ph ilo lo gic a lly, def ea ted h isto r ic o -c r itic a lly by th e 28 Gio va nni Ba ttista Cr ispo , De eth nic isph ilo so ph is c a ute legendis (Ro me, 1594); c f . Sylva in Ma tto n, "Quelques f igur es de l'a ntipla to nisme de la Rena isa nc e a l'a ge c la ssique," Co ntr e P la to n. 1. L e P la to nisme devo ile, ed. Mo nique Dixsa ut (P a r is, 1993), 357-413, esp. 401 f f : "De Bella r min a Cr ispo : L a r ea c tio n a ntipla to nic ienne po st-tr identine"; Muc c illo , "P lo tino nel ta r do Rina sc imento "; Tullio Gr ego r y, "L 'Apo lo gia e le Dec la r a tio nes di Fr a nc esc o P a tr izi"; Anto nio Ro to nd6, "L a c ensur a ec c lesia stic a e la c ultur a ," Sto r ia d'Ita lia (Tur in, 1973), V, 1399-1492, a nd esp. h is "Cultur a uma nistic a e dif f ic ulti di c enso r i. Censur a ec c lesia stic a e disc ussio ni c inquec entesc h e sul pla to nismo ," L e po uvo ir et la plume. Inc ita tio n, c o ntr o le et r epr essio n da ns l'Ita lie duXVIe siec le (P a r is, 1982), 15-50, a nd see A. Enzo Ba ldini, "Ar isto telismo e pla to nismo nelle dispute r o ma ne sulla r a gio n di sta to di f ine c inquec ento ," Ar isto telismo po litic o e r a gio n di sta to , ed. A. Enzo Ba ldini (Flo r enc e, 1995), 201-26. 29 See Ra lph Ha f ner , "Ja ko b Th o ma sius und die Gesc h ic h te der Ha r esien," Ch r istia n Th o ma sius (1655-1729). Neue Fo r sc h ungen im Ko ntext der Fr iih a uf klir ung, ed. F. Vo llh a r dt (Tiibingen, 1997), 141-64; Ma r tin Mulso w, Mo der ne a us dem Unter gr und. Ra dika le Fr iih a uf - klir ung in Deutsc h la nd 1680-1720 (Ha mbur g, 2002), 29 1 f f . 30 See Her ma nn Co nr ing, De h er metic a Aegyptio r um veter e etpa r a c elsio r um no va medic ina liber unus (Helmstedt, 1648, Helmstedt, 16992). 31 Jo h a nn L o r enz Mo sh eim, De c a ussis suppo sito r um libr o r um inter Ch r istia no s Sa ec uli I etII (Helmstedt, 1725), h er e th e editio n o f th e text in h is Disser ta tio nes a d h isto r ia m ec c lesia stic a m per tinentes, I, 217-65, esp. 254f f . See Ma r tin Mulso w, "Eine Rettung des Ser vet und der Oph iten? Jo h a nn L o r enz Mo sh eim und die h a r etisc h e Tr a ditio n," Jo h a nn L o r enz Mo sh eim (1693-1755). Th eo lo gie im Spa nnungsf eld vo n P h ilo so ph ie, P h ilo lo gie und Gesc h ic h te, ed. M. Mulso w, R. Ha f ner , H. Zedelma ier , a nd F. Neuma nn (Wiesba den, 1997), 45-92. 32 See Br uc ker , Otium vindelic um (Augsbur g, 1729). Ma r tin Mulso w 12 Th e P r isc a Sa pientia in Rena issa nc e Huma nism elimina tio n o f myth s o f o r igin, a nd a s Neo pla to nism it wa s mo r a lly suspec t. And, a s th e o ldest sa pientia , Ch r istia n Th o ma sius wa s inc lined to under sta nd th e unspo iled simplic ity o f th e pr imitives.33 Suc h wisdo m, h o wever , bo r e no mo r e enc yc lo pedic pr o jec ts. Univer sity o f Munic h . 33 See Ma r tin Mulso w, "Gundling vs. Buddeus: Co mpeting Mo dels f o r th e Histo r y o f P h i- lo so ph y," Histo r y a nd th e Disc iplines: Th e Rec la ssif ic a tio n o f Kno wledge in Ea r ly Mo der n Eu- r o pe, ed. D. R. Kelley (Ro c h ester , N.Y., 1997), 103-26. 13