Joke about the doctorate of Cario to Doctor of Astronomy and Medicin by Georg Sabinus.
In Innocent News 1729, p. 877, from Schlicht. Horis subsecivis, P. II, p. 133; then in Strobel-Ranner, p. 244 and in De Wette, vol. IV, p. 598. German in Walch, vol. XXI, 1267.
To the excellent and highly decorated man, Mr. Johann Cario, Doctor of Astronomy and Medicine, his sincerely beloved friend.
Grace and peace in Christ! Your letter was pleasant to me, best Charon, 3) and since
3) Whether Luther calls Cario (Album p. 144: Carion) "Charon" (ferryman into the shadow realm), because he received the privilege to transport people into the underworld through his doctorate?
Letters from the year 1535. No. 2126. 2127.
I can show the good man, of whom you wrote, nothing else than that I showed him my favor and greeted the one who greeted me again, so at the same time that Count Palatine 1) Georg Sabinus was there, who will perhaps also write to you. I certainly do not only wish you happiness that you are glorified by the doctorate, but also that Count Palatine himself that he has graduated such a great and tall and exalted doctor. Believe me, he will henceforth make few doctors of such greatness and sublimity. 2) Charon himself will be surprised (when he sees you coming to his shore one day) and will fear that the greatness of such a great doctor will either break or sink his so frail and shadowy barge (umbratilis). Or surely you will be forced to pay a large ferry fare for the size of such a large doctor. Therefore, you may see to it that the one who made you such a great doctor also obtains such a great salary for you, and, if God wills it, such a great one (but entirely in gold), because you are such a great doctor. Then you will also be quite safe from that Charon, who, by the way, is exceedingly greedy, since you have that with which you can even richly reward him, let alone pay the ferry fare. This I wanted to joke with you, because you also seemed to joke with me in your letter. Commend me to your noble younger prince, for I do not know what kind of wind is blowing for me with his father 3). Fare well in the Lord, my dear Charon, and pray for me. 1535, Tuesday after Misericordiä [April 13]. Martin Luther, D.
1) In the early fifties, the writer heard this on the occasion of a public act at the University of Rostock in a speech of the Dean of the Faculty of Law, "that as long as he administers this office (of a Dean), he has the dignity of a Count Palatine". The same will have been the case at other universities and faculties, and Sabinus may also have boasted of this dignity. - Georg Sabinus became Melanchthon's son-in-law in 1536.
2) "Because of the large body Carionis; stands with it." (Walch.)
3) The Elector Joachim of Brandenburg. - On Cario, see Tischreden, Cap. 73, § 11, St. Louis Edition, Vol. XXII, 1566, Note 1.
The salt fish sent with the letter was received by my Lord Käthe and she was surprised at the quantity and said: D. Speratus, the great bishop, has sent a very large barrel of fish. I said to her: also by one: great: man, the Charon. So then, she said, everything is big today.
No. 2127.