In Praise of Folly

In Praise of Folly is the witty satire Erasmus wrote in 1509, reportedly during a week of rest at the house of his friend Thomas More. The goddess Folly steps up to deliver a mock oration in her own honour, and as she boasts she exposes the vanity, greed, and self deception of every rank of society. Scholars, courtiers, merchants, and above all corrupt churchmen come under her cheerful lash. What begins as comic performance turns into a serious plea for humility and honest Christian faith. The little book became one of the most influential works of the northern Renaissance and helped prepare the ground for the Reformation. This free PDF and EPUB carries the full English translation.