V The Library
Let us enter. I will show you the public library of this school. It looks, according to the precept of great men, to the east.
Tyro. Wonderful! How many books, how many good authors, Greek and Latin orators, poets, historians, philosophers, theologians, and the busts of authors!
Spud. And indeed, as far as could be done, delineated to the life and so much the more valuable! All the book-cases and book-shelves are of oak or cypress and with their own little chains. The books themselves for the most part are bound in parchment and adorned with various colours.
Tyro. What is that first one with rustic face and nose turned-up?
Spud. Read the inscription.
Tyro. It is Socrates and he says: “Why do I appear in this library when I have written nothing?”
Spud. Those who follow him, Plato and Xenophon, answer: “Because thou hast said what others wrote.” It would take long to go through the things here, one by one.
Tyro. Pray what are those books thrown on a great heap there?
Spud. The Catholicon, Alexander, Hugutio, Papias, disputations in dialectics, and books of sophistries in physics. These are the books which I called “worthy of condemnation.”
Tyro. Nay rather, they are condemned to violent death!
Spud. They are all thrown out. Let him take them who will; he will free us of a troublesome burden.
Tyro. Oh, how many asses would be necessary for carrying them away! I am astonished that they have not been taken away, when there is so great an assembly of asses everywhere. Somewhere in that heap the books of Bartolus and Baldus are lying together and others of that quality (hujus farinae).
Spud. Say rather of that coarseness (furfuris). The loss would not be hurtful to the tranquillity of mankind.
Tyro. Look, who are those with those flowing hoods?