Chapter 16 Chapter Fourteen

How Gao Kangda learned Latin from Sophists ① Good old man Gao Lang Gujie was amazed and delighted to see his son Gao Kangda's high intelligence and astonishing comprehension ability after hearing these words.He said to the nurses: "Philip, King of Macedon, saw his cleverness from his son Alexander's ability to ride a horse. That horse was so fierce that no one dared to ride it. Anyone who rode it in the past was thrown off, and some fell. Some broke their necks, some broke their thighs, some smashed their heads, and some broke their jaws. Alexander saw in the racetrack (a place where horses were walked and rode) that the horse was so irritable because it was afraid of its own shadow Therefore, when he got on his horse, he let him run towards the sun, leaving the shadow behind him, so that the horse was tame and obeyed him. From this, his father saw that his son really He was very clever, so he hired Aristotle, who was well-known in the Greek philosophy circle at that time, to teach him well.

"Let me tell you now, just after talking with my son Gao Kangda in front of you this time, I can see that his comprehension ability is so sharp, shrewd, profound, and intelligent. This must be the power of innate talent. If he is properly educated, he will surely reach the pinnacle of knowledge. Therefore, I will entrust him to a learned man to teach him in accordance with his aptitude, and I will spare no effort to do this.” Sure enough, someone recommended to him a great doctor of sophisms, Master Tuba Helufei ③, who spent five years and three months teaching Gao Kang to read the square alphabet ①, and he has been able to read You can recite it backwards.Then, it took another thirteen years, six months and two weeks to teach him to read "Dona"②, "Fachai"③, "Theodore"④ and the fables of Aranus⑤.

It should also be explained that he taught Gao Kangda to write in cursive script, and he had to copy all the textbooks he read, because printing was not yet popular at that time. Gao Kangda often carried a large stationery box with a weight of more than 7,000 quintals. Inside was a pen holder as thick as the pillars of the Ainai Seminary⑥, and an ink bottle with a capacity of a ton. After that, it took another eighteen years and eleven months to teach him to read De modis signifi-candi⑦, as well as Hutaibis, Fascan, Trodite, Gualeo, John Bull, Billonio, and Bolingandu. Notes from et al. ⑧.Gao Kang recited most of these books by heart, and when asked, he would recite them all backwards, and wrenched his fingers and said to his mother de modis significantandi non eratscientia①.

① In the earlier version, it was a theologian, and in 1542 the author began to change it to a sophist. ② For the story, see Plutarch: Chapter Six of The Biography of Alexander. ③ In the Bible, Tubal is a descendant of Cain, the son of Japheth, and an artisan who invented and made metal products.Hrufe was one of the generals killed by Jupiter.Tuba Helufei is a name invented by the author. ① Alphabets attached to cardboard blocks for children to start learning. ② "Dona": Latin grammar written by Natus, the hometown of philology in the fourth century, is a textbook commonly used in the Middle Ages.

③ "Fachai": the elementary ethics textbook written by Fachaitus. ④ "Theodore": A religious textual research written by Theodoreus in the tenth century. ⑤ Alanus: thirteenth century ethicist. ⑥ Ainai Monastery: The oldest building in Lyon, known as the Athenian building, there are still four thick pillars here, which were moved from Rome. ⑦ Latin: "Encyclopedia of Words and Meanings", a medieval philology textbook, the author is Thomas Aquinas, one is John de Calran, and the other is Albert de Saxon or Duns Scotus , there are different opinions. ⑧ Hutaibis, etc. are all names invented by the author to satirize the ignorant scholars at that time. Hutaibis means wind blowing and shivering, Fascan means shoulders pressing on the road, and Trodite means useless For example, Gualeo is a character in Lancelot's round table novel, John Bull means fool, Bironiu means worthless, and Boringon means effeminacy.

① Latin: "Encyclopedia of Word Meanings" is not a lot of knowledge. Later, it took another sixteen years and two months to read the "Almanac"②. At this time, the teacher died. It was 1420 years, and he returned to heaven with a big sore. Then, another old tuberculosis ghost came, named Master Roblan Breed ③, who taught Gao Kang University to study Ugutio ④, Abelard's "Greek Word Explanation" ⑤, "Selected Works" ⑥, "Eight Laws of Rhetoric" ⑦, "Quid est" ⑧, "Supplementum" ⑨, "Doctrine Notes" ⑩, "De moribusin mensa servantis" (11), Seneca (12) "De quatuor virtutibus cardinalibus" (13 ), "cum Commento" (15) by Basavantus (14), and "Dormi secure" (16) at the festival, etc. and other similar works.After Gao Kang went to university, he became an honest person who couldn't be more honest, and he would never be able to be baked again.

② "Almanac", the author is Anianus, the content is a summary of astronomy. ③ Roblan means stupid, and Breed means like a goose. ④ Urgutio: Bishop of Ferrara, Italy in the 13th century, author of "Latin Glossary". ⑤ Latin vocabulary from Greek written by Abelard de Beduna in the thirteenth century. ⑥ "Selected Works": the works of Alexander de Verdieu in the thirteenth century. ⑦ Readers for training children's rhetoric and eloquence, divided into eight parts. ⑧ Latin: "Questions and Answers", a textbook in question and answer style. ⑨ Latin: "Addenda": Philippe de Bercamo's "Chronicle" continuation.

⑩ Fifteenth-century learning catechesis, especially commentary on Psalms and Acts.