ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE 141fullest consensus and union <strong>of</strong> so many literati <strong>of</strong> value subsequently sowell known? Hence the very enumeration among these academics 100 willdenote a degree <strong>of</strong> notable eminence, <strong>of</strong> greater doctrine, the time, theexercise, the pr<strong>of</strong>it made and the testimony provided by one’s work andone’s colleagues, to whom the common reputation <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Academy</strong> andeach one’s own shall always be so much at heart. This then will alwaysnecessarily be pretended 101 and always give no little amount <strong>of</strong> spirit andardor to the subjects, while the <strong>di</strong>fference in value and merits in scholarshipwill also be well notified.Now, turning our attention to gain and its comforts, we can observethat the desire for it will not constitute any impe<strong>di</strong>ment to stu<strong>di</strong>esaddressed in such a manner. First, for its being by noble and elevatedsouls rather shunned and abhorred. Second, for its being in no smallmeasure provided to these subjects, as has been said above, and for theirbeing much more able to hope for and attain it, both through the utility<strong>of</strong> the sciences themselves, which facilitate and reduce to perfection everyaction, every project, as well demonstrated by Thales, as also by therewards which come to recognized and true doctrine from the just liberality<strong>of</strong> the great. 102 That part which alone is licit, to desire and seek gainfor the necessities <strong>of</strong> living, here ceases altogether; the other is removedboth as vile and unworthy and as in no small measure fulfilled and satisfiedby the above-said fruits and rewards, which, without being aspired toor sought after, come to study and knowledge <strong>of</strong> their own accord.Thus eliminated, therefore, all those obstacles which cooled or extinguishedthe native desire for knowledge, and added the above-mentionedamenities and facilities for its fulfillment, whence its worthiness comes tobe obscured, 103 the more keenly and efficaciously the utility, the sweetness<strong>of</strong> the object presents itself. The more the former grows and the more itimpassions and nourishes us in the works themselves, the easier it is t<strong>of</strong>eel it than to believe it. The assiduous operations render themselves so100 Membership in the Lynceans.101 Academic enrolment will thus necessarily always be aspired to.102 One can hope for and attain gain both because the sciences are useful ins<strong>of</strong>ar asthey facilitate all actions and projects, as the case <strong>of</strong> Thales demonstrates (cf. Aristotle,Politics, I, 11, 1259a 6 ff.), and for the money that the just liberality <strong>of</strong> the powerful <strong>di</strong>stributesto true and recognized eru<strong>di</strong>tion.103 Amenities and facilities are necessary, but the <strong>di</strong>gnity <strong>of</strong> the desire for knowledgeis obscured by them (if, as one seems to understand, is it the scientist himself who is tobe responsible for it).
142DEL NATURAL DESIDERIO DI SAPEREe tanto proprie ci si rendono che ogni rallentamento non che cessatione daesse ci arreca dolore e noia, e tanto maggiori l’opre e frutti ne seguonoquanto (il che è proprio in questa Academia) da niuna forza, 104 ma solo davolontà libera ben sì accesa et innamorata, siamo mossi all’assiduo lavoroo più tosto go<strong>di</strong>mento. <strong>Il</strong> <strong>sapere</strong> stesso è lo scopo, e basta a muovere; et ovequesto più debolmente spingesse alcuni, èvvi il <strong>desiderio</strong> della gloria delvero e lodevole piacere, dell’utile, del commodo, della quiete et altri beniconseguenti senza numero; e chi puol dubitare che non sia per adempirsifelicemente l’intento et ottenersene pienamente il desiderato fine?Habbiamo l’essempi che non poco vagliono ad inanimirci, habbiamobuona caparra della forza de simili unioni; risguar<strong>di</strong>amo ne’ tempi a<strong>di</strong>etro,prima fra li Caldei, Egitii, Greci e Romani, quali e quanti soggetti ne davanoquelle ragunate de filos<strong>of</strong>i, che così ben s’essercitavano e governavanone’ loro continui stu<strong>di</strong>; ammiriamo principalmente la scola <strong>di</strong> Pytagora e <strong>di</strong>Platone, come ben uniti e come pieni <strong>di</strong> dottrina; e che frutti? L’origine dellafilos<strong>of</strong>ia, delle matematiche, li copiosi dogmi <strong>di</strong> quella, le centinaia, lemigliaia <strong>di</strong> compositioni, i Te<strong>of</strong>rasti, i Crisippi e tanti contemplanti 105 escrittori indefessi, le opere de’ quali buona parte, malgrado nostro, venendosolo con i nomi registrate presso Laertio, Plinio et Atheneo, ne riportamosolo <strong>di</strong> gustarle inesplebile appetito, e possiamo conoscere il vantaggionostro ma molto maggiore de’ nostri posteri per le ritrovate stampe; ve<strong>di</strong>amoche bello e ben unito choro de poeti sotto Augusto, che buona lega descrittori sotto Traiano, e più vicino a noi i santi Tomaso e Bonaventura, ecompagni, che, ancorché <strong>di</strong> <strong>di</strong>verse religioni, 106 pur sì unitamente e conamichevoli conferenze filos<strong>of</strong>avano. Più appresso la nobile Academia <strong>di</strong>Fiorenza sotto Lorenzo il Grande, nella quale fiorirono Pico, Politiano,Ficino, Martio, Chalcon<strong>di</strong>le, Gaza, Trapezuntio et altri che trasportarono anoi la litterata Grecia. In<strong>di</strong> la Romana sotto il buon Nicola, 107 la Napolitanade’ Pontani, Sannazari et altri sotto li re aragonesi, e tanti sotto Leone X,104 Nel senso <strong>di</strong> motivazione estrinseca.105 Filos<strong>of</strong>i.106 Or<strong>di</strong>ni religiosi.107 Papa Niccolò V, protettore dell’Accademia Romana fondata da Pomponio Leto.
- Page 1 and 2:
THE PONTIFICALACADEMY OFSCIENCESExt
- Page 3 and 4:
Address:The Pontifical Academy of S
- Page 5 and 6:
ISBN 88-7761-083-2© Copyright 2003
- Page 7 and 8:
Quest’edizione del Proponimento e
- Page 9 and 10:
FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA,
- Page 11 and 12:
10FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 13 and 14:
12FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 15 and 16:
14FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 17 and 18:
16FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 19 and 20:
18FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 21 and 22:
20FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 23 and 24:
22FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 25 and 26:
24FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 27 and 28:
26FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 29 and 30:
28FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 31 and 32:
30FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 33 and 34:
32FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 35 and 36:
34FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 37 and 38:
36FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 39 and 40:
38FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 41 and 42:
40FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 43 and 44:
42FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 45 and 46:
44FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 47 and 48:
46FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 49 and 50:
48FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 51 and 52:
50FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 53 and 54:
52FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 55 and 56:
54FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 57 and 58:
56FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 59 and 60:
58FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 61 and 62:
60FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 63 and 64:
62FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 65 and 66:
64FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 67 and 68:
66FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 69 and 70:
68FEDERICO CESI, LA PRIMA ACCADEMIA
- Page 72 and 73:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 74 and 75:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 76 and 77:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 78 and 79:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 80 and 81:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 82 and 83:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 84 and 85:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 86 and 87:
FEDERICO CESI, THE FIRST ACADEMY, A
- Page 88 and 89:
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTEFederico Cesi (158
- Page 90 and 91:
LYNCEAN RESOLUTION 1That precept, s
- Page 92 and 93: CONDENSED LYNCEAN CONSTITUTIONS 1So
- Page 94 and 95: CONDENSED LYNCEAN CONSTITUTIONS 93h
- Page 96 and 97: CONDENSED LYNCEAN CONSTITUTIONS 95I
- Page 98 and 99: CONDENSED LYNCEAN CONSTITUTIONS 97I
- Page 100 and 101: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 102 and 103: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 104 and 105: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 106 and 107: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 108 and 109: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 110 and 111: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 112 and 113: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 114 and 115: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 116 and 117: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 118 and 119: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 120 and 121: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 122 and 123: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 124 and 125: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 126 and 127: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 128 and 129: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 130 and 131: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 132 and 133: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 134 and 135: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 136 and 137: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 138 and 139: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 140 and 141: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 144 and 145: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 146 and 147: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 148 and 149: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 150 and 151: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 152 and 153: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 154 and 155: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 156 and 157: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE
- Page 158: ON THE NATURAL DESIRE FOR KNOWLEDGE