How to avoid public stupidity

Tips of the Italian humanist Baldasser Castillion

The “court” - the work of the Italian humanist of the 16th century Baldasser Castillo, written almost simultaneously with the “sovereign” of Machiavelli and considered his opposite. Through the efforts of the Publishing House "Hummingbirds" for the first time a full Russian translation of this classical composition comes out. We publish a fragment of the second of the four books that make up a treatise.

Baldasser Castillion. The court. M.: Hummingbird, 2021. Translation from Italian Peter Epifanov. Content

III

When our old people praise the courtyards of the past times for the fact that there were no vicious people like other from the current courtiers, they do not understand that those courtyards did not have such valiant courtiers as they are now. This is not surprising, because not a single evil is as angry as the fact that it will be born from a spoiled seed of good; And now, when nature produces much better talents than then - as those striving for good act much better than the former ones, so striving to evil act much worse.

So, do not say that those who held their evil because they did not know how to do it deserve some praise for this; For evil was done, although a little, they did more than they knew how. And the fact that the talents of those times are much lower than the present, it is quite possible to make sure of all that they produce the current ones: as in literary classes, so in painting, sculpture, architecture and everything else.

Those old people in us also condemn many things that are neither good nor bad in themselves; But they scold them only because they themselves did not do this. And they say that it is not appropriate for young men to ride around the city on horseback, and in extreme cases on a mule; It is not appropriate to wear long clothing in winter, hit by fur; He takes a man if he has not reached the age of eighteen, and the like. And in this they are truly mistaken, because such habitations are not only convenient and useful, but became familiar and everyone likes it - just as they liked to go to Jorné, with open thighs and in polished shoes, or without any sense, for the sake of one slipping, to wear all day on the hand of a falcon, or dance with a woman, without touching her hand, and to do much more now, and to do much more, and to do much more than now It will seem extremely ridiculous, but in those days it was very respected.

So let us be allowed to follow the usual of our time, not afraid of the Pransa from these old people, who often, wanting to praise, say: “I was twenty years old, and I still slept with my mother and sisters, and after a long time I did not know what a woman was; And now the boys who have not yet dried out milk on their lips, know more than any rubbish than before - experienced men ” - and by this, without realizing it, confirm that the current boys have more ingenuity than the old people then had.

Let them stop defeat our times as complete vices; For, having removed vices from it, they will also remove virtues; And let them remember that among the ancients, at a time when the souls bloomed in the world, glorious and truly divine in all valor, there were many of the extremely vicious, which, now they would surpass the evil of the current evil, as those kindly surpass the current good, as evidenced by all historians.

IV

But it seems that we have already responded enough to these old people. So let's leave this speech, perhaps too long, but not at all worthless. And, showing enough that the courtyards of our time are worthy of no less praise than those that these old people are so extolled, we will listen to further discussions about the court, from which it is very easy to understand what steps among other yards the courtyard of Urbino stood, and what were those sovereign and sovereign, who were so remarkable minds, and how happy all those who were with them could call themselves.

V

So, when the next day came, among the knights and ladies the yard continued abundant and various conversations about the dispute, which was the day before, for the most part because the Signor Prefect, wanting to find out what it was said, asked almost everyone about it, and, as always, was answered differently to him. Some praised one, others - the other, and in addition, many did not fully convey the speech of the count, since the memory he said did not preserve the draw in its entirety.

So they talked about this almost the whole day. And as soon as it got dark, the Signor Prefect ordered the table to set the table and led all the noble to dinner, and immediately after the meal he headed with them to the chambers of the Signora Duchess. The same, having seen so many people before the usual time, said:

“You have a large cargo on your shoulders, Messer Federico!” Great expectations that you have to match!

- A large cargo, and what kind of business? - exclaimed Unic Aretino, without waiting for the answer of Messer Federico. - Who is so stupid if, knowing, why it is necessary to do, it does not do this at the right time?

So, exchanging words, everyone settled in places in the same order, with the greatest attention awaiting the upcoming conversation.

VI

And Messer Federico, turning to Unico, said:

- Do not you, Signor Ugiko, that this evening I got a difficult business and a difficult burden: to show how, in what form and at what time should the court qualities show my good qualities and engage in those things that, as it was said, are decent?

“I don’t see anything special about it,” answered UNICO. - I think enough that the courtier is reasonable, about the need for which the count said well yesterday; And, if he is, I think that without other tips can apply what he knows, in the right time and in a suitable form. It would be too difficult to furnish it with detailed rules and, perhaps, unnecessary; For I do not know who will be so stupid that he wants to practice weapons when everyone around is passionate about music; Or he will go along the street, dancing a firma, even if she knows how to do it perfectly: or, wanting to console the mother, who has lost her son, will begin to grace out and witterly. Of course, not a single noble person will reach, of course, if he has not lost his mind.

“You, Signor Unico, somehow fall too much to extremes,” said Messer Federico. -Another person is stupid in such a way that you can’t immediately recognize, and the mistakes are different: for example, he is able to resist the stupidity of public and too obvious, like the same, as you say: walking along the area, dancing the fog-but does not know how to stole, showing a repulsive arrogance, sometimes letting go of some phrase, thinking, but said. Neckrost, it comes out completely unsuccessful and awkward. And often these errors are hidden behind a certain covering that prevents them from finding the one who performs them, unless he peers with zeal; And although there are quite reasons why our gaze distinguishes little, but most of all it is overshadowed by vanity. For everyone loves to show himself in what, in his own conviction, is well versed in, whether it is convinced truly or false. It seems to me that the art of owning himself well in this part consists in a certain carefulness and ability to judge in order to know profit and loss, that is, what you acquire or lose, depending on whether they are timely or not. And if the courtier is even quite reasonable and capable of such a distinction, it will be easier for him to achieve the goal, not only adhering to some common concepts, but if we give several rules to help his thoughts, indicate the right path and, so to speak, the points of the support on which he could be based in his actions.

VII

Since the count yesterday discussed so much and beautifully about court art, I feel a considerable fear and doubt: can I be as good as he is to satisfy the expectations of noble listeners in what I have to keep in question. But in order, as far as in my power, to share with him praise and be sure that I am not mistaken at least in this, I will not say anything against him contrary to.

Agreeing with his opinion, in particular about what are desirable for the court nobility of origin, bodily proportionality, the elegance of habits, I will say this: that the courtier is won praise and respect from everyone and the powdered sovereigns, in my opinion, he must be able to arrange and agree on his life in order to comprehensively, in communication with all people without causing their envy. Rarely someone achieves this, which shows how difficult it is to do. For, truly, we are all by nature more to condemn mistakes than to praise the done well; And many, it seems, according to some innate zero, even clearly recognizing, which is good in this matter, they are trying in every possible way to find a flaw or at least its likeness. Therefore, it is necessary for our court to be careful in any business and everything that he says and does, speak and do with prudence. And not only to educate the excellent aspects and qualities in itself, but also to distribute the image of his life in such a way that in it all these sides and qualities correspond to, never creating anything that he changes himself, but forming a single body for all these good qualities. In order for each of his acts to be both the result and the combination of all virtues - just what the Stoics say about the responsibilities of the one who is wise. Therefore, although in each action one of the virtues is the main one, they are all so connected to one another that they converge together and can contribute together and serve to achieve any goal. And the wise should be able to use them, for comparison and, as it were, contrast with one of them, sometimes putting on display another, just as good painters distinguish and make the light in convex places, and with light-shadows on flat surfaces and combine different colors so that, due to their dissimilarities, both play brighter. Also, the placement of figures relative to each other helps the artist achieve the desired effect.

For example, good -naturedness is very worthy of admiration in the knight of brave and accustomed to weapons; And as his courage seems to be more in combination with modesty, so modesty intensifies and becomes brighter, adjacent to courage. Therefore, if anyone says little, does a lot and does not praise himself for things worthy of praise, but well hides them - this is in a person who can prudently follow this rule, makes both virtue more significant. The same thing happens with all other good qualities.

So, I would advise our courtier in everything that he does or says to use a few general rules, briefly containing everything that I have to say. Both the first and most important of them reminded us of the count yesterday: first of all, let him avoid deliberation. Further, let him think about the essence of what he does or says, takes into account the place where he does it, in whose presence, in what time, remembering the reason he does, his age, the occupation, without losing sight of the goal he is striving for, and the means that can bring it to it. And with such advances, let it prudently approach everything that is going to do or say.