Luther's Aesop

264 Pages·2011·9.76 MB·English

by  Aesop

Luther’s Aesop
Habent sua fata libelli
Early Modern Studies Series
General Editor
Michael Wolfe
St. John’s University
Editorial Board of Early Modern Studies
Elaine Beilin Helen Nader
Framingham State College University of Arizona
Christopher Celenza Charles G. Nauert
Johns Hopkins University University of Missouri, Emeritus
Barbara B. Diefendorf Max Reinhart
Boston University University of Georgia
Paula Findlen Sheryl E. Reiss
Stanford University University of Southern California
Scott H. Hendrix Robert V. Schnucker
Princeton Theological Seminary Truman State University, Emeritus
Jane Campbell Hutchison Nicholas Terpstra
University of Wisconsin–Madison University of Toronto
Mary B. McKinley Margo Todd
University of Virginia University of Pennsylvania
Raymond A. Mentzer James Tracy
University of Iowa University of Minnesota
Merry Wiesner-Hanks
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
LLuutthheerr’’ss
AAeessoopp
Carl P. E. Springer
Early Modern Studies 8
Truman State University Press
Kirksville, Missouri
Copyright © 2011 Truman State University Press, Kirksville, Missouri 63501
All rights reserved
tsup.truman.edu
Cover art: Woodcut of Aesop from the Nürnberg Chronicle, first published in Latin (Liber Chroni-
carum) in 1493 and shortly thereafter in German (Die Schedelsche Weltchronik).
Cover design: Teresa Wheeler
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Springer, Carl P. E.
Luther’s Aesop / Carl P. E. Springer.
p. cm. — (Early modern studies series, vol. 8)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 978-1-61248-000-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-61248-068-8 (ebook)
1. Luther, Martin, 1483–1546—Knowledge—Fables, Greek. 2. Aesop—Appreciation—Germany.
3. Aesop’s fables. I. Title.
BR332.5.S67 2011
398.24'52—dc23
2011033532
No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any format by any means without written
permission from the publisher.
The paper in this publication meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of the American National
Standard for Information Sciences— Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI
Z39.48– 1992.
To Ransome, Noah, Luke, and Anna,
who listened so patiently to their father’s fables

In short, after the Bible, the writings of Cato and Aesop are in my judgment the best, better
than the harmful opinions of all the philosophers and jurists. [WA TR 3:353]
So Aesop speaks and does not just prattle. He sets forth the reality of the truth in the guise
of a stupid fool. And still he has to be persecuted for that. [WA TR 4:126]
How could one prepare a finer book of worldly pagan wisdom than that common, simple
children’s book called “Aesop”? Indeed, because children learn it and it’s so very common,
it’s not supposed to be taken seriously; and some who have not yet understood a single
fable in it think they are probably worth four doctors. [WA 51:243]

Contents
Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .x
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
1 . Wittenberg and Athens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2 . “The Best after the Bible” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
3 . Luther the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
4 . A Lutheran Fable Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .103
5 . Luther as Aesop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Appendix A Other Versions of the Coburg Fables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .197
Appendix B Selected Latin Poems of Luther . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Appendix C Varia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217
Works Cited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .221
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .241
Index of Scriptural References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .249