Name: Umut Özaslan
Number: 21502990
Assignment: Second short essay
Date: 22.12.2015
A DISCOVERY THAT CHANGED THE EUROPE: “On the Nature of Things”
Poggio Bracciolini was one of the most ardent humanist and talented book- hunter in Medieval Europe. In 1417, Poggio discovered a manuscript of a long- poem of Lucretius, On the Nature of Things which reflects the basis of the ancient philosophy and later suppressed by Christian authorities. Discovery of this poem made huge impact on Renaissance thinkers and thus it started Renaissance age. Poggio and his fellow book hunters had visited many old monasteries such as Fulda in order to recover ancient time manuscripts because in medieval Europe monasteries had been only institution which cared about …show more content…
Primarily, daily life was austere in monasteries. The monastery was a place of rules (Greenblatt 43). Even though monastic rules required that monks must read books monks were not allowed to question readings about Christianity. There were no discussion or debate on readings. Monasteries in medieval Europe avoided curiosity. For instance, rule of the Saint Benedict prohibited commentary on sacred texts which were read aloud every day in monasteries (Greenblatt 27). As another example, according to rule of the Irish monk Columbanus lively debate was forbidden in monasteries (Greenblatt 28). A monk who dared to contradict a fellow monk would encounter heavy penalty. Monks and their life covered with tough principles (Greenblatt 28). Therefore, most of the monks did not intend to recover ancient manuscripts. In addition, a gestural language was invented in monasteries in order to reach some particular and undesirable books. Namely, when a scribe was asking what the Church considered dangerous pagan book, he could put two fingers into his mouth, as if he were gagging (Greenblatt 44). Tough conditions were also valid for book- hunters. When book- hunters visited old monasteries they had been observed by skeptical abbots and librarian. It was impossible to ask abbot or librarian allow a manuscript. You had to give solemn promise to abbot about you had to shortly return this manuscript (Greenblatt 30). Also, geographic conditions were not proper for visiting old monasteries. Their founders had built them in remote places (Greenblatt 29). Book hunters would regard risk of travel if they wanted to reach ancient time manuscripts. However, Poggio Bracciolini accomplished all of these difficult factors. In January, 1417 Poggio arrived the Abbey of Fulda. Abbey of Fulda had the features that could attract interest of
Number: 21502990
Assignment: Second short essay
Date: 22.12.2015
A DISCOVERY THAT CHANGED THE EUROPE: “On the Nature of Things”
Poggio Bracciolini was one of the most ardent humanist and talented book- hunter in Medieval Europe. In 1417, Poggio discovered a manuscript of a long- poem of Lucretius, On the Nature of Things which reflects the basis of the ancient philosophy and later suppressed by Christian authorities. Discovery of this poem made huge impact on Renaissance thinkers and thus it started Renaissance age. Poggio and his fellow book hunters had visited many old monasteries such as Fulda in order to recover ancient time manuscripts because in medieval Europe monasteries had been only institution which cared about …show more content…
Primarily, daily life was austere in monasteries. The monastery was a place of rules (Greenblatt 43). Even though monastic rules required that monks must read books monks were not allowed to question readings about Christianity. There were no discussion or debate on readings. Monasteries in medieval Europe avoided curiosity. For instance, rule of the Saint Benedict prohibited commentary on sacred texts which were read aloud every day in monasteries (Greenblatt 27). As another example, according to rule of the Irish monk Columbanus lively debate was forbidden in monasteries (Greenblatt 28). A monk who dared to contradict a fellow monk would encounter heavy penalty. Monks and their life covered with tough principles (Greenblatt 28). Therefore, most of the monks did not intend to recover ancient manuscripts. In addition, a gestural language was invented in monasteries in order to reach some particular and undesirable books. Namely, when a scribe was asking what the Church considered dangerous pagan book, he could put two fingers into his mouth, as if he were gagging (Greenblatt 44). Tough conditions were also valid for book- hunters. When book- hunters visited old monasteries they had been observed by skeptical abbots and librarian. It was impossible to ask abbot or librarian allow a manuscript. You had to give solemn promise to abbot about you had to shortly return this manuscript (Greenblatt 30). Also, geographic conditions were not proper for visiting old monasteries. Their founders had built them in remote places (Greenblatt 29). Book hunters would regard risk of travel if they wanted to reach ancient time manuscripts. However, Poggio Bracciolini accomplished all of these difficult factors. In January, 1417 Poggio arrived the Abbey of Fulda. Abbey of Fulda had the features that could attract interest of