The Colloquies of Erasmus, Volume I. — A Closer Reading

Bailey's Idiomatic Choices

Bailey's translation is marked by its use of homely English phrases. For instance, when Eubulus describes a monk as "so arrant a Sot, that if he were not ty'd up to the Habit of his Order, he would walk the Streets in a Fool's Cap with Ears and Bells at it," the vividness comes from Bailey's choice of "Fool's Cap" over a more literal rendering. The editor praises Bailey's "command of homely and colloquial English," noting that his phrases often have "not less piquancy than the original." This approach preserves the satirical edge while making the text accessible to English readers.

Dialogue as Character Revelation

In the excerpt from "The Virgin Averse to Matrimony," the dialogue between Eubulus and Catharine reveals character through conversational turns. Catharine's repeated assertions that monks are "very good Men" are met with Eubulus's blunt corrections: "I know 'em better than you do." Erasmus uses this back-and-forth to show Catharine's naivety and Eubulus's worldly experience. The dialogue also employs rhetorical questions and exclamations, such as "A sweet Fellowship to renounce Father and Mother, Friends, and a worthy Family for!" which heighten the satirical tone without direct authorial commentary.

Recurring Motifs of Deception and Disillusionment

A recurring pattern in the colloquies is the contrast between appearance and reality. Eubulus warns Catharine that "They are not all Virgins that wear Vails" and speaks in "Cypher" to avoid being understood. This motif of hidden truths is reinforced by the structure of the dialogues, where one character gradually exposes the flaws in another's idealistic views. The use of proverbial sayings, like "He that would avoid every Thing that offends him, must go out of the World," grounds the satire in common wisdom, making the critique more pointed.

The Role of the Translator's Preface

Bailey's own preface, quoted in the editor's note, states his aim: to give a translation that "might in the general, be capable of being compar'd with the Original, endeavouring to avoid running into a paraphrase." This self-awareness about translation choices is rare and provides insight into the text's linguistic texture. The editor also notes that Bailey's version reproduces "the idiomatic and proverbial Latinisms" in English forms, which means that readers encounter Erasmus's wit through a filter that is both faithful and creatively adaptive.

Readers approaching this volume should attend to the interplay between Erasmus's original satire and Bailey's English idiom. The dialogues reward close reading for their verbal play and layered meanings. The editor's notes and Bailey's preface offer valuable context, but the primary pleasure lies in the conversational sparring itself.

The rain kept me inside with Erasmus’s sharp-edged dialogues for hours, watching how Bailey’s old phrasing could twist a joke into a gentle critique. Later, drying off, I stumbled upon Bill Nye's Red Book New Edition — Context and Discussion and felt the same playful sting under warmer, plainer words. Strange how wit survives across centuries.