SUPPLEMENT 7 A LATIN POEM OF HAHNEMANN OF THE YEAR 1775
As a proof of how skilfully Hahnemann had command of the Latin language, the following poem of the twenty-year-old student can be quoted. He was celebrating with it the eminent Professor Zeune of Leipsic.
Mr. Joanni Carolo Zeunio Professori recens creato Vota faciunt tres ejus auditorum Mich. Christ. Justus Eschenbach Johannes Fridericus Eschenbach Christianus Friedricus Samuel Hahnemann, Author.
Quid Cessas hilari Pieridum choro Misceri, Philyrae docta cohors? Age! Celebrate modis hancce diem bonam, Digni Calliope diem.
Alumni, titulos pui debitos diu Jam tandem senior (nobilis o pudor! ) Admittit. Capitum nostrae Academiae Non ignobilium Decus
Penna Fama volans usque agit integra Te Zeuni! Pietas cujus et ingeni Dotes perpoliunt perpoliereque Nostrum nive animum rudem.
Tu recludens opes et Latiae bonus Et Grajae, juvenum languida melleo Minervae recreans munere pectora Formas et Patriae et Deo
A.D. XX. Septembris MDCCLXXV Lipsiae, Ex Officina Buttneria.
To M. Johann Karl Zeune, Professor, From three of his audience.
Mich. Christ. Justus Eschenbach, Johannes Friedrich Eschenbach and Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, Author.
(English translation by M.L.W)
Why waitest thou, Phylyras clever band? Mix with the Muses happy choir Up rejoice to-day with gladness All ye pupils worthy of Calliope.
This festive day, to him who only just has granted (O noble modesty)! His praise to sing Which long belonged to his age and worth What better ornament could our school have found!
Yet Zeune! on mighty wings shall fame Be swiftly carried into all distant parts.
He who through piety and mental vigour The icebound spirit in us melts and moves Thou knowest well how to disclose The treasures of Rome and Hellas Strengthening the weak boy’s bosom With sweet gifts from Minerva Thou buildest and workest for Country and God.
SAPPHO — ODE.
Hahnemann had also acquired an unusual fluency in Greek.
Three years later he translated one of Sappho’s odes for his patron, the Governor of Transylvania, Baron von Brukenthal, and reproduced the Ode in German. This translation gives early evidence of the cleverness of expression and delicacy of feeling, of the twenty-three-year-old youth.
DEO TUTELARI @ D.N. SAMUELIS L.B DE @ BRUCKENTHAL @ SACRUM @ C.F.S. HAHNEMANN @ V.S.L.M. @ @ A.D. VII KAL, SEPT. @ Kal(endas) Sept (embre)
Deo tutelari d(omini) n(ostri) Samuelis l(iberi) b(aronis) de Bruckenthal Sacrum C.F.S. Hahnemann v(otum) s(olvit) l(aetus) or l(ibicus) m(erito a(nte) d(iem) VII= septimum
In English:
His holy vow to the Patron Our Lord Samuel Baron von Bruckenthal has F.S. Hahnemann herewith gladly and in a seemly way fulfilled, on August 26th.
His writing, ” From the Sublime, ” in Chapter X comprises the ” Ode of Sappho ” handed down by Longinus. The poetess describes, in this song, the condition into which she falls at the sight of her beloved. Longinus quotes the poem as an example of the sublime, which is built up by throwing into relief and grouping together the main points of view of the object. As an annotation to this he says:
It is not admirable how the poetess groups together soul and body, hearing, speech, sight and colour — everything, however different — and by uniting the opposites, alternatively growing cold and then coming into a warm glow — losing the senses and returning to consciousness — trembling and being very near to death– she produces not one violent emotion but a conflict of emotions.
The original text here corresponds with the knowledge of the language in those days. In copying, a few important errors have crept in, and several expressions have been used here which no longer apply to Sappho. Also definition by withdrawal of the accent has not been considered as, according to Lesbi ( and generally for Aeolic – Asiatic ) it should be. The German imitation is most probably Hahnemann’s own work. Even to-day it is correct in spite of a different punctuation in Greek, and is a proof of deep, intuitive feeling, which throws a fine light on the human side of Hahnemann as a physician. The mode of expression resembles that of recent date, especially when we read in verse 4, instead of the old-fashioned “quaked,” something like “trembled,” and in verse 9 instead of “quite shaken,” something like “deeply stirred.”
SUPPLEMENT 8
BARON BRUCKENTHAL’S ENTRY INTO THE STATE SERVICE OF TRANSYLVANIA, AND THIS RELATIONS WITH THE EMPRESS MARIA THERESA.
In March, 1753, Bruckenthal came to Vienna as ambassador of his country. Transylvania at the time was striving for two Secretaryships in the Government, one for Protestant Hungary and the other for Catholic Szeckler. The ambassador, Bruckenthal, had from the outset some favourable connections: Emperor Franz I, the husband of the Empress Maria Theresa, was a freemason and also a keen coin collector. Bruckenthal had already a fine collection of coins which he now respectfully presented to his Imperial “brother.” Through another event he became personally acquainted with the Empress Maria Theresa. Mr. Csaki narrates that in an address ( Hermannstadt, printed and published by Krafft, 1903):