08-20-2008, 11:42 AM
Interesting view. Obviously orientalists have a difficult stand against classicists, although the latter were actually under onslaught from medievalists in the 1950s and 60s (Lynn White's then widely influential thesis of the technological stagnation of antiquity)
I think the idea has been directly transmitted from antiquity, because, as we all know, Latin remained the lingua franca until about the 16th-17th century. Even as late as the 18th century famous men of learning like Leibniz wrote partly in Latin. International publications from Poland at that time were also still written mostly in Latin. In Hungary, Latin remained the state language until 1844. Winckelmann was only one link, one generation more, which propagated the civilising effect of Latin. In retroperspective, he may stood out as an anachronism in a time already dominated by the vernacular languages, but actually he could call on an uninterrupted Latin tradition since the end of antiquity.
Quote:A third factor is that the "cult of Greece and Rome" has led to the idea that a civilized man had to be able to know some Greek and Latin, an idea that goes back to Winckelmann/Von Humboldt, and -before that- the Catholic Church.
I think the idea has been directly transmitted from antiquity, because, as we all know, Latin remained the lingua franca until about the 16th-17th century. Even as late as the 18th century famous men of learning like Leibniz wrote partly in Latin. International publications from Poland at that time were also still written mostly in Latin. In Hungary, Latin remained the state language until 1844. Winckelmann was only one link, one generation more, which propagated the civilising effect of Latin. In retroperspective, he may stood out as an anachronism in a time already dominated by the vernacular languages, but actually he could call on an uninterrupted Latin tradition since the end of antiquity.
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
