Dear Darryl, Bernard of Chartres was a great teacher, and his students,
including John of Salisbury, sometimes report on his statements (the most famous
of which is the one that interests you). The word for dwarfs is "nani." Here
is what John says in the passage you cite below:
Dicebat Bernardus Carnotensis nos esse quasi nanos gigantum umeris insidentes,
ut possimus plura eis et remotiora uidere, non utique proprii uisus acumine, aut
eminentia corporis, sed quia in altum subuehimur et extollimur magnitudine
gigantea.
(As quoted in my The World Grown Old, p. 67).
Let me know if there is something else specific that you need.
Jim Dean
Darryl Ogier wrote:
> >From: Rachael Kay Lazenby <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: 'dwarfs on giants' shoulders' quote
> >Date: Mon, Jul 12, 1999, 3:23 pm
> >
>
> > Dear All,
> > A small request on behalf of a friend studying medieval
> > philosophy/authorship with special focus on Abelard. She would like to
> > know where the quote about "dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants"
> > comes from - who, what text etc., or is it just proverbial? I know this
> > is a really famous quote but it's proving very difficult to track down
> > an exact reference. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
> > Rachael Lazenby on behalf of Catherine Clarke
>
> It says here it's quoted as a saying of Bernard of Chartres, in John of
> Salisbury's _Metalogicon_ 3.4 (ed. C.C.J. Webb, Oxford 1929), p. 136.
>
> No doubt others on the list can give a fuller citation - and answer my query
> as to whether "dwarfs" are actually mentioned and if so what are they called
> - but I am so amazed I know the answer I just had to share it ...
>
> Darryl
>
> =====================================================
>
> Dr D.M. Ogier
> Island Archives Service
> 29 Victoria Road
> St Peter Port
> Guernsey GY1 1HU
> British Isles
>
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
> =====================================================
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