Dialoge

The Spanish humanist Ludwig Vives (1492-1540) led a precarious life as a Jew from a young age. His father fell victim to the Inquisition. Vives received a good education and was friends with Erasmus. He dedicated his work to education and learning in the broadest sense and wrote a considerable amount of religious and pedagogical writings, including Latin dialogues. Of great importance is his highly progressive endeavor at the time to provide a good education for girls as well. His Latin dialogues aim to familiarize young people with the culture of life in its linguistic (Latin) form. Vives succeeded well in this through his knowledge and the vivid presentation of the subjects, benefiting from both his seriousness and a touch of humor. Particularly successful in some dialogues is the Socratic art of argumentation. The book was a standard Latin work from the 16th to the 18th century and was frequently reprinted. For the modern reader, it also serves as an important cultural and educational source. The language used by Vives is not always easy to understand, which is why a German translation may be desirable.