Title: Before Orbis Pictus : some notes on Comenius' Latin textbooks
Source document: Graeco-Latina Brunensia. 2017, vol. 22, iss. 1, pp. 69-79
Extent
69-79
-
ISSN1803-7402 (print)2336-4424 (online)
Persistent identifier (DOI): https://doi.org/10.5817/GLB2017-1-6
Stable URL (handle): https://hdl.handle.net/11222.digilib/136464
Type: Article
Language
License: Not specified license
Notice: These citations are automatically created and might not follow citation rules properly.
Abstract(s)
The authors of the current paper study Latin textbooks written by J. A. Comenius before his Orbis pictus (1658). In attempt to explain book title Janua linguarum reserata they draw reader's attention both to the real history of its composition and to its possible symbolic interpretation. Close attention is paid to Vestibulum, the first textbook of the series Vestibulum – Janua – Atrium, intended for children of six-seven years old. It is argued, that it was a figure of king Solomon and his personified Wisdom that stood behind the general layout of Vestibulum determining its title, its first chapter and more (particularly, a paragraph on numerals is analyzed in details). The authors make a try to find allusions to New Testament in Janua and Vestibulum and to trace indirect influence of some pericopes from Scripture on Comenius' textbooks. Unconsciously, the philosopher of the XVIIth century was bound to biblical tradition coining phrases and verbal images that had implicitly inherited patterns from the Holy Bible.
Note
This article is a result of the research project Some pages of John Amos Comenius' scientific legacy out of reach in Russia: research strategies, texts, investigation which has been supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Department for Humanities and Social Sciences), project number: 17-06-00075.
References
[1] AJAK – Archiv pro bádání o životě a díle J. A. Komenského.
[2] Caravolas, J.-A. (1993). Comenius (Komenský) and the Theory of Language Teaching. Acta Comeniana, 10(34), 141–162.
[3] Comenius, J. A. (1636). Januae Lingvarum Reseratae Aureae Vestibulum, Quo primus ad Latinam aditus Tirunculis paratur: Cum versione interlineari Germanica. Editum à Johan-Amoso Comenio. Nunc verò ipsius Autoris Consensu Revisum multisque in locis auctum. Cum Privilegiô Sac. Caes. Majest. Et Sereniss. Elect. Saxon. Lipsiae: Sumptibus Gotofredi Grosii Bibliopolae.
[4] Comenius, J. A. (1641). Janua linguarum Reserata: ... unà cum Januae Latinitatis Vestibulo. Authore Cl. Viro J. A. Comenio. The Entry – Door of Languages Unlocked … together with a Portall to the Janua. Formerly translated by Th. Horn: now reviewed and enlarged both in the Latin and English, By Joh. Robotham. The fifth Edition//. London, Printed by R. Young, and are sold by T. Slater, at the Swan in Duck-Lane. London: R. Young.
[5] Comenius, J. A. (1657). J. A. Comenii Opera Didactica Omnia. Variis hucusque occasionibus scripta, diversisque locis edita: nunc autem non tantum in unum, ut simul sint, collecta, sed & ultimo conatu in Systema unum mechanice constructum, redacta. Amsterdami, … excuderunt Christophorus Cunradus, & Gabriel à Roy. Amsterdam: Impensis D. Laurentii de Geer.
[6] Corcoran, T. (1872). Studies in the history of classical teaching, Irish and continental, 1500–1700. London: Longmans Green and Co.
[7] Čapková, D. (1987). Myslitelsko-vychovatelský odkaz Jana Amose Komenského. Praha: Academia.
[8] Červenka, J. (Ed.). (1959). Johannis A. Comenii Janua linguarum reserata. Editio synoptica et critica quinque authenticos textus Latinos necnon Janualem Comenii textum Bohemicum continens. Praecedit commentatio de Comenii Janua linguarum reserata. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství.
[9] Čuma, A. (1961). K voprosu o suščestvovanii russkogo pečatnogo izdanija "Preddverija" Komenskogo. AJAK, 20, 169–188.
[10] DJAK – Johannis Amos Comenii Opera Omnia / Dílo Jana Amose Komenského. Praha: Academia.
[11] Mištinová, A. (2000). The Janua lingvarum reserata of Jan Amos Comenius and the Ianua linguarum of William Bathe. Acta Comeniana, 14(38), 53–84.
[12] Nicole, P. (1671). Traitté de l'Éducation d'un Prince. Paris: Charles Savreux.
[13] Ó Mathúna, S. P. (1986). William Bathe, S. J., 1564–1614, a pioneer in linguistics (Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science, Series 3, Studies in the history of the language sciences; Vol. 37). Amsterdam: Benjamins.
[14] Plater, W. E., & White, H. J. (1926). A grammar of the Vulgate: being an introduction to the study of the latinity of the Vulgate Bible. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
[15] Steiner, M. (1987). Ein unbekanntes Vestibulum aus dem Jahre 1641. Acta Comeniana, 7(31), 193–200.
[16] Steiner, M. (2007). Janua lingvarum: Changes and Development of a Textbook. Acta Comeniana, 20–21(44–45), 177–182.
[17] Walde, A., & Hofmann, J. (1954). Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (Bd. 2: M–Z; 3., neubearb. Aufl.). Heidelberg: Winter.
[2] Caravolas, J.-A. (1993). Comenius (Komenský) and the Theory of Language Teaching. Acta Comeniana, 10(34), 141–162.
[3] Comenius, J. A. (1636). Januae Lingvarum Reseratae Aureae Vestibulum, Quo primus ad Latinam aditus Tirunculis paratur: Cum versione interlineari Germanica. Editum à Johan-Amoso Comenio. Nunc verò ipsius Autoris Consensu Revisum multisque in locis auctum. Cum Privilegiô Sac. Caes. Majest. Et Sereniss. Elect. Saxon. Lipsiae: Sumptibus Gotofredi Grosii Bibliopolae.
[4] Comenius, J. A. (1641). Janua linguarum Reserata: ... unà cum Januae Latinitatis Vestibulo. Authore Cl. Viro J. A. Comenio. The Entry – Door of Languages Unlocked … together with a Portall to the Janua. Formerly translated by Th. Horn: now reviewed and enlarged both in the Latin and English, By Joh. Robotham. The fifth Edition//. London, Printed by R. Young, and are sold by T. Slater, at the Swan in Duck-Lane. London: R. Young.
[5] Comenius, J. A. (1657). J. A. Comenii Opera Didactica Omnia. Variis hucusque occasionibus scripta, diversisque locis edita: nunc autem non tantum in unum, ut simul sint, collecta, sed & ultimo conatu in Systema unum mechanice constructum, redacta. Amsterdami, … excuderunt Christophorus Cunradus, & Gabriel à Roy. Amsterdam: Impensis D. Laurentii de Geer.
[6] Corcoran, T. (1872). Studies in the history of classical teaching, Irish and continental, 1500–1700. London: Longmans Green and Co.
[7] Čapková, D. (1987). Myslitelsko-vychovatelský odkaz Jana Amose Komenského. Praha: Academia.
[8] Červenka, J. (Ed.). (1959). Johannis A. Comenii Janua linguarum reserata. Editio synoptica et critica quinque authenticos textus Latinos necnon Janualem Comenii textum Bohemicum continens. Praecedit commentatio de Comenii Janua linguarum reserata. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství.
[9] Čuma, A. (1961). K voprosu o suščestvovanii russkogo pečatnogo izdanija "Preddverija" Komenskogo. AJAK, 20, 169–188.
[10] DJAK – Johannis Amos Comenii Opera Omnia / Dílo Jana Amose Komenského. Praha: Academia.
[11] Mištinová, A. (2000). The Janua lingvarum reserata of Jan Amos Comenius and the Ianua linguarum of William Bathe. Acta Comeniana, 14(38), 53–84.
[12] Nicole, P. (1671). Traitté de l'Éducation d'un Prince. Paris: Charles Savreux.
[13] Ó Mathúna, S. P. (1986). William Bathe, S. J., 1564–1614, a pioneer in linguistics (Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science, Series 3, Studies in the history of the language sciences; Vol. 37). Amsterdam: Benjamins.
[14] Plater, W. E., & White, H. J. (1926). A grammar of the Vulgate: being an introduction to the study of the latinity of the Vulgate Bible. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
[15] Steiner, M. (1987). Ein unbekanntes Vestibulum aus dem Jahre 1641. Acta Comeniana, 7(31), 193–200.
[16] Steiner, M. (2007). Janua lingvarum: Changes and Development of a Textbook. Acta Comeniana, 20–21(44–45), 177–182.
[17] Walde, A., & Hofmann, J. (1954). Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch (Bd. 2: M–Z; 3., neubearb. Aufl.). Heidelberg: Winter.