Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1957, Blaðsíða 68

48
INTRODUCTION
The first two points in AJ’s and Vedel’s programmes are so
similar that it can scarcely be doubted that AJ has simply mod-
elled his phrases on Vedel’s—especially when we know he had
already used the Saxo-translation in Rer. Dan. fragm. and in
Supplementum (see e.g. notes to I 16933-34 and 3506). Vedel’s
third point, which voices one of the Cardinal humanistic prin-
ciples, does not on the other hånd appear so clearly in AJ’s pro-
gramme. Later in his preface to Saxo Vedel develops the thought
in this way: it is always the same play which is being acted in the
world, only the characters are changed, but just as human nature
never alters, so also events return and complete their cycle in
new generations* 1. The same point of view is no less evident in
Huitfeldt’s words, who approaches the matter, however, with
the practical view-point of the statesman and places chief em-
phasis on the lessons which all men, but first and foremost prin-
ces and royal persons, can learn from the historical cycle2.
These theories—that history is continually repeating itself and
that it should be the teacher of kings and princes—are indeed
thoroughly characteristic of the historical writings of the human-
ists. We must certainly ascribe it to a certain modesty in AJ when
he is not bold enough to declare openly that his work is to be a
pattern for kings and persons of rank. There was also undeniably
1 „Thi det gaar io saaledis til, at det er alt it Spil, som altid driffuis vdi denne
Verden. Personerne oc Folcket forandris alene. Men ligeruis som Menniskelig natur,
den er en, oc sig selff altid lig, paa sin art oc skick, saa ocsaa met all handel oc
vandel, Raad, Anslag, Lycke, Modgang, Metgang, hendelse, fald oc fremgang, vdi
all bestilling. De siunis vel at gaa bort, men de komme dog op igien oc giøre deris
Omløb, met it nyt oc ferskt Folck, naar som den ene Alder er affdød, oc den anden
arffuer Stæden igien“ (Den Danske Kronicke .. 1575, p. [14]).
1 „Altid føres det samme tilsiune, som før skeed er, Personerne, Tiden, Stædet oc
Omstenderne forandrede, oc seendis heden til hues som skeed er, kand wi lætteligen
døme, om hues skee skal. Derfaare skieppis og tagis aff Histori læsning it stort
Gaffn“ (A. Huitfeldt, Den anden Part Chronologiæ, 1601, fol. a II v).—And else-
where: „Sandeligen da bør alle Førster oc Herrer at læse Historier, serdelis deris
egne Landes, Thi der aff fødis weltlig Forfarenhed oc forstand; huad som er skeed
tilforne, skeer endnu, altid lægis den same Læg oc Tragoedi ved andre Personer,
huad som er skeed for tusinde Aar skeer endnu" (En Kaart Chronologia .. I. Part,
1600, fol. ):( ivr).—Similar views are extremely common in the humanistic litera-
ture of the period, e.g. in the preface to Jean Bodin’s Methodus ad facilem historia-
rum cognitionem, which was used by AJ, see below.