Zukommen Versuchte. in Einem Nicht Ge- Rade Eingängig Strukturierten
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Buchbesprechungen zukommen versuchte. In einem nicht ge- logie im engeren Sinne konstatiert Mar- rade eingängig strukturierten Beitrag tin Peter Schindler bei Vadian nur ein wendet sich Renate Frohne dem schwie- geringes Interesse, obwohl er auch Beob- rigen Feld der Etymologien in Vadians achtungen archäologischer Art in seine Scholien zum Werk «De chorographia» Darstellung einbaute, worunter sich des Pomponius Mela zu. Im Gegensatz auch eigentliche Fundmeldungen befin- zu seinen in deutscher Sprache verfassten den. Abschließend zieht Christian Sieber Chroniken begnügte sich Vadian hier in sehr kompetenter Art und Weise die nicht mit der bloßen Wiedergabe von Linien weiter und wagt auf der Grundla- früheren etymologischen Erklärungen, ge der in diesem Sammelband präsentier- sondern behandelt sie mehr oder weniger ten Ergebnisse einen Vergleich des Ge- ausführlich und versucht sie damit für schichtsschreibers Vadian mit Ägidius den Leser nachvollziehbar zu machen, Tschudi und Heinrich Bullinger. Es ist zu wenn Vadian auch eine gewisse Ober- wünschen, dass dieser gelungene Band flächlichkeit anzulasten ist. Benedikt mit seiner thematischen Fokussierung Zäch widmet sich der Numismatik, ein und in seiner interdisziplinären Ausrich- Gebiet, mit dem sich Vadian nicht inten- tung gleichsam als Modell für die Erfor- siv und auch nicht systematisch beschäf- schung von weiteren Aspekten von Va- tigt zu haben scheint. Gleichwohl kann dians Leben und Werk dienen wird, denn Zäch Vadians Lektüre von Guillaume der St. Galler Reformator und Bürger- Budés grundlegender Arbeit «De asse et meister hat der Wissenschaft noch viel zu partibus eius» nachweisen. Zudem hatte bieten! Lob gebührt dem Herausgeber sich Vadian als Bürgermeister mit prakti- und dem Verlag für das schöne Layout schen Fragen der Münzpolitik auseinan- des Bandes und die gelungene Typogra- derzusetzen, während ab den 1530er Jah- phie, die jedem Bücherliebhaber das ren Münzfunde und die Münzgeschichte Herz höher schlagen lässt. auch als historische Quellen in sein Be- wusstsein traten. Bezüglich der Archäo- Christian Moser, Zürich Peter Martyr Vermigli, Commentary left for Zurich in July 1556, he had cover- on Aristotle’s Nichomachean Ethics, ed only Books 1 (Happiness) and 2 (Vir- edited by Emidio Campi and Joseph tue) and the initial chapters of Book 3 C. McLelland; introduction and anno- (Will), and the commentary was never tations by Joseph C. McLelland; trans- completed. On Vermigli’s death in 1562, lated by Kenneth Austin, Stephen Beall, his colleagues published the extant notes and Leszek Wysocki (Peter Martyr Ver- – some in his own hand and some in a migli Library, vol. 9; Sixteenth Century student’s – appointing Guilio Santeren- Essays and Studies vol. 73; Kirksville Mis- ziano as editor. The work appeared in souri 2006); ISBN 1 931112 55 X; pp. xxxii Zurich in 1563. Vermigli’s commentary + 438; indices. offers an excellent example of the recep- tion of Aristotelian thought in reforming This volume offers an English translation circles during the sixteenth century. of Peter Martyr Vermigli’s lectures on Charles Lohr has noted that the number Aristotle’s Ethica Nichomachea, given of Latin commentaries on Aristotelian at Strasbourg on his return from Oxford works composed between 1450 and 1650 in October 1553. By the time Vermigli exceeds that of the entire preceding mil- 228 Zwingliana XXXIII, 2006 Buchbesprechungen lennium [«The Seventeenth Century «physicist» [p. 191] and the more usual Calvinist Theory of Scientific Method,» «natural philosopher» being, one as- in: Daniel DiLiscia et al (eds), Method sumes, translations of physicus), but and Order in Renaissance Philosophy of sometimes more difficult to disentangle. Nature (Ashgate: Aldershot 1998), We are told at one stage, for instance, that p. 372]. A good number of these were by «knowledge» is being used to translate Protestant authors, for despite Luther’s scientia, but what term, then, does devastating critique of Aristotle, the Ar- «science» translate? Is «science and art» a istotelian corpus continued to form the rendering of disciplina et ars, or of scien- basis for the arts curriculum in all Prot- tia et ars, or of something different estant universities, both Lutheran and again? Although the translation is fluent Reformed. and accessible, the decision to include McLelland’s introduction to this volume neither an edition of the Latin text nor a offers a useful biographical sketch of more precise terminological introduc- Vermigli, an account both of the com- tion to the translation could restrict this mentaries he used and of the editions of volume’s usefulness to historians of phil- the Ethica Nichomachea available to osophy and method. him, a consideration of scholastic in- Nonetheless, Vermigli’s commentary fluences on the Paduan-trained scholar, a offers a fascinating insight into Reform- discussion of his methodology, and a re- ed use of Aristotelian thought. Vermigli flection on the relationship between begins his work with an introduction in theology and philosophy in his thought. which he expounds the relationship be- McLelland comments that Vermigli’s tween philosophy and theology, con- work «belongs to the tiny group of six- cluding that «the goal of philosophy is teenth-century Protestant theologians that we reach that beatitude or happiness who wrote a commentary on Aristotle’s that can be acquired in this life by human Ethica Nichomachea» [p. xi], but the list powers, while the goal of Christian de- he offers is by no means exhaustive, votion is that the image in which we are seeming to downplay the continuing im- created in righteousness and holiness of portance of the Nichomachean Ethics truth be renewed in us, so that we grow for Protestant academic training. Al- daily in the knowledge of God until we though Vermigli cites no contemporary are led to see him as he is, face to face» author, his commentary on the ethics [p. 14]. This defines the possibilities and forms part of a developing Protestant limits of Aristotle’s work; in treating Ar- tradition, and it would have been useful istotle’s text, Vermigli’s method includes to place him within it. an explication of the text and of the terms A very brief introduction to text and used, concluding with a discussion of the translation traces the publication history extent to which the text accords with of Vermigli’s work and of the editions of Scripture. Thus the happiness discussed Aristotle he used. What it does not do is by Aristotle in Book 1 is that which can give an indication of the problems en- be attained in this life, and does not per- countered in the translation, or of the tain to salvation. Virtue (Book 2), Ver- decisions made in translating key terms. migli asserts against Aristotle, is not only This is somewhat problematic, for the a matter of learning, since the saints may translation itself shows some termino- be granted virtue by God, but nonethe- logical inconsistency, which is some- less learning is beneficial for many. The times trivial (both the anachronistic discussion of the will (Book 3), which Zwingliana XXXIII, 2006 229 Buchbesprechungen might promise to be the most interesting, ogy in the later Reformation, and the unfortunately breaks off after chapter 2. editors are to be congratulated for mak- Despite its limitations, this volume offers ing it available in English. a rich resource for the consideration of the relationship of philosophy and theol- Charlotte Methuen, Oxford Bullinger, Heinrich, Briefwechsel. the first half of the year. In addition to Bd. 11: Briefe des Jahres 1541, bearb. second-hand accounts channeled von Rainer Henrich, Alexandra Kess through Basel and Constance, Bullinger und Christian Moser. Zürich: Theolo- also received direct reports from Regens- gischer Verlag 2005 (Heinrich Bullinger burg, most notably from Rudolf Werke, Abt. 2, Bd. 11), 385 S., ISBN 3- Gwalther, who attended the colloquy in 290-17339-9 the train of the Landgraf of Hesse, as well as from the Hessian theologians In 1541 Heinrich Bullinger completed who participated in the colloquy. As the his first decade as Zurich’s Antistes. The editors point out, these letters provide a latest volume in the critical edition of valuable supplement to the ongoing Bullinger’s correspondence presents the critical edition of documents related to reformer not only as an active force in the colloquies. shaping ecclesiastical and educational Closer to home, the prospect of Calvin’s policy at home but also as an engaged return to Geneva, as well as Farel’s diffi- observer of ecclesio-political develop- culties in Neuchâtel, bring the Fran- ments outside of Zurich. cophone reformers back to Bullinger’s Bullinger’s correspondence from this attention, and readers can watch the year reveals a communication network spread of the plague and its devastating centered in Switzerland and southern consequences via the letters sent to the Germany but that extended to East Fri- Zurich Antistes. The letters of students sia and, through the mediation of the sent to study in the Empire attest to Bul- merchant Richard Hilles, into England. linger’s leading role in determining Zu- Basel and Constance continue to provide rich’s educational policies, and corre- the bulk of Bullinger’s correspondence: spondence with Biel concerning the boys thirty of the 144 letters exchanged during sent from that city to study in Zurich this year are with the Baslers Oswald shed light on Bullinger’s influence there Myconius and Simon Grynaeus, and an- as well. other twenty-five are to or from the In comparison with earlier years, theo- Constance reformers Ambrosius Blarer logical topics take up a smaller share of and Konrad Zwick. Bullinger in turn Bullinger’s correspondence. Most note- passed on information to Johannes worthy are a lengthy letter dealing with Comander and Johannes Travers in Christology and the Lord’s Supper, ad- Graubünden, continued to correspond dressed to the Stuttgart jurist Nicolaus with Joachim Vadian in St. Gallen, and Müller/Maier and an equally detailed re- received occasional reports from Eras- sponse to a treatise by Simon Grynaeus mus Ritter in Bern.