Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) is a particular hero of mine. The quintessential Renaissance Man, his humane and reasonable philosophy appeals greatly.
The good and happy life, vivere bene e lodati or ad bene beateque vivendum, is the key to Alberti's philosophy.
‘Be agreeable to yourself, welcome to others, and useful to many’. Profugiorum ab aerumna.
‘Go forth from your nest, try yourself at arms, take to the sea, seek elsewhere in any occupation whatsoever to live honourably. Who does not seek his own good cares not for it; who cares not for it, deserves it not.’ De iciarchia.
‘Man was born to be useful to himself and others; and our primary and proper use is to turn the powers of the soul toward virtue, to recognise the causes and order of things, and thereby to venerate God’. De iciarchia.
‘With the forethought that we are mortal, and that every adversity can befall us, let us do what the wise have so highly praised: let us work so that past and present will contribute to the times that have not yet come’. Profugiorum ab aerumna.
‘Nature, that is God, formed man in part heavenly and divine, in part more beautiful and nobler than any mortal thing…Be certain, then, that man was not born to waste away in idleness but to work at great and magnificent tasks by which he can, first of all, please and honour God, and also bring about within himself the habit of virtue and thereby the fruit of happiness’. Della famiglia.
‘Shall I not deem it my duty, by exercising myself in important and noble undertakings, to cultivate my “self” and become more worthy by my industry and virtue?... These two things which Seneca said were more valuable than all the things given by God, reason and society, shall I extinguish them by my sloth and inertia, and let them mean nothing to me?’. Profugiorum ab aerumna.
Alberti's work emphasizes that the potential for strength, endurance, courage, inventiveness, and creativity exists in every human being God created.
Accounts of his life may be found at
http://www.jrank.org/literature/pages/14977/Leon-Battista-Alberti.html
and
http://serdar-hizli-art.com/great_artists/leon_battista_alberti_biography_art.htm
The good and happy life, vivere bene e lodati or ad bene beateque vivendum, is the key to Alberti's philosophy.
‘Be agreeable to yourself, welcome to others, and useful to many’. Profugiorum ab aerumna.
‘Go forth from your nest, try yourself at arms, take to the sea, seek elsewhere in any occupation whatsoever to live honourably. Who does not seek his own good cares not for it; who cares not for it, deserves it not.’ De iciarchia.
‘Man was born to be useful to himself and others; and our primary and proper use is to turn the powers of the soul toward virtue, to recognise the causes and order of things, and thereby to venerate God’. De iciarchia.
‘With the forethought that we are mortal, and that every adversity can befall us, let us do what the wise have so highly praised: let us work so that past and present will contribute to the times that have not yet come’. Profugiorum ab aerumna.
‘Nature, that is God, formed man in part heavenly and divine, in part more beautiful and nobler than any mortal thing…Be certain, then, that man was not born to waste away in idleness but to work at great and magnificent tasks by which he can, first of all, please and honour God, and also bring about within himself the habit of virtue and thereby the fruit of happiness’. Della famiglia.
‘Shall I not deem it my duty, by exercising myself in important and noble undertakings, to cultivate my “self” and become more worthy by my industry and virtue?... These two things which Seneca said were more valuable than all the things given by God, reason and society, shall I extinguish them by my sloth and inertia, and let them mean nothing to me?’. Profugiorum ab aerumna.
Alberti's work emphasizes that the potential for strength, endurance, courage, inventiveness, and creativity exists in every human being God created.
Accounts of his life may be found at
http://www.jrank.org/literature/pages/14977/Leon-Battista-Alberti.html
and
http://serdar-hizli-art.com/great_artists/leon_battista_alberti_biography_art.htm
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