Collected Works of Erasmus: Controversies, Volume 84

This volume of the Collected Works of Erasmus presents three of Erasmus’ polemic works against Alberto Pio, Prince of Carpi. A leading diplomat of the period, patron of artists and humanists, and conservative Catholic, Pio continually angered Erasmus by criticizing him for his denunciations of church practices and officials, and by accusing him of supporting Luther and holding dangerous opinions. The texts are lucid, passionate, and even vitriolic at times. The introduction by Nelson H. Minnich provides a biography of Pio, an overview of the controversy and related texts, and a bibliographical conspectus of source-texts. The translation is by Daniel J. Sheerin. The annotation by Minnich and Sheerin is wide-ranging and informative, answering questions posed by the text and placing the reader firmly in the 16th-century context of the dispute. This volume follows on from volumes 71-83, which contain Erasmus’ controversies with other critics on theological, political, social, philological, and educational matters.