第 十四 章 · How Gargantua was taught Lat

Chapter 1.XIV.

How Gargantua was taught Latin by a Sophister.

The good man Grangousier having heard this discourse, was ravished with

admiration, considering the high reach and marvellous understanding of his

son Gargantua, and said to his governesses, Philip, king of Macedon, knew

the great wit of his son Alexander by his skilful managing of a horse; for

his horse Bucephalus was so fierce and unruly that none durst adventure

to ride him, after that he had given to his riders such devilish falls,

breaking the neck of this man, the other man’s leg, braining one, and

putting another out of his jawbone. This by Alexander being considered,

one day in the hippodrome (which was a place appointed for the breaking and

managing of great horses), he perceived that the fury of the horse

proceeded merely from the fear he had of his own shadow, whereupon getting

on his back, he run him against the sun, so that the shadow fell behind,

and by that means tamed the horse and brought him to his hand. Whereby his

father, knowing the divine judgment that was in him, caused him most

carefully to be instructed by Aristotle, who at that time was highly

renowned above all the philosophers of Greece. After the same manner I

tell you, that by this only discourse, which now I have here had before you

with my son Gargantua, I know that his understanding doth participate of

some divinity, and that, if he be well taught, and have that education

which is fitting, he will attain to a supreme degree of wisdom. Therefore

will I commit him to some learned man, to have him indoctrinated according

to his capacity, and will spare no cost. Presently they appointed him a

great sophister-doctor, called Master Tubal Holofernes, who taught him his

ABC so well, that he could say it by heart backwards; and about this he was

five years and three months. Then read he to him Donat, Le Facet,

Theodolet, and Alanus in parabolis. About this he was thirteen years, six

months, and two weeks. But you must remark that in the mean time he did

learn to write in Gothic characters, and that he wrote all his books--for

the art of printing was not then in use--and did ordinarily carry a great

pen and inkhorn, weighing about seven thousand quintals (that is, 700,000

pound weight), the penner whereof was as big and as long as the great

pillars of Enay, and the horn was hanging to it in great iron chains, it

being of the wideness of a tun of merchant ware. After that he read unto

him the book de modis significandi, with the commentaries of Hurtbise, of

Fasquin, of Tropdieux, of Gualhaut, of John Calf, of Billonio, of

Berlinguandus, and a rabble of others; and herein he spent more than

eighteen years and eleven months, and was so well versed in it that, to try

masteries in school disputes with his condisciples, he would recite it by

heart backwards, and did sometimes prove on his finger-ends to his mother,

quod de modis significandi non erat scientia. Then did he read to him the

compost for knowing the age of the moon, the seasons of the year, and tides

of the sea, on which he spent sixteen years and two months, and that justly

at the time that his said preceptor died of the French pox, which was in

the year one thousand four hundred and twenty. Afterwards he got an old

coughing fellow to teach him, named Master Jobelin Bride, or muzzled dolt,

who read unto him Hugutio, Hebrard[‘s) Grecism, the Doctrinal, the Parts,

the Quid est, the Supplementum, Marmotretus, De moribus in mensa servandis,

Seneca de quatuor virtutibus cardinalibus, Passavantus cum commento, and

Dormi secure for the holidays, and some other of such like mealy stuff, by

reading whereof he became as wise as any we ever since baked in an oven.