De inventoribus rerum
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Polydore Vergil's De Inuentoribus Rerum was written in only three months in 1499. It described in three books the 'first begetters' of all human activities. In book I, the origin of the gods and the word 'god' was investigated. Furthermore, it discussed matters such as the creation, marriage and religion. The second book covered, amongst other topics, law and military science, but also money and precious metals. The third book went on about business for farmers, architects and commercial activities. Since the book was immensely popular, Vergil added five more books devoted to the initia institorum rei Christianae. Vergil thought that this addition would probably be a popular one, but it served another, perhaps more important purpose: it was a concession towards the Christian community who had labelled the De Inuentoribus Rerum a work of heretics and depravity. The most interesting thing about Vergil’s work is not the criticism of indulgences or the scholasticism; it is the immense industry that went into the compilation and Vergil's way of anticipating modern developments, such as the scientific approach to religion; this shows that Vergil was ahead of other writers in his time. Vergil himself regarded the Inuentoribus Rerum and the Adagia as his masterpieces. It is these two works, rather than the Anglica Historia, that made Vergil a celebrity in both England and the continent. His later fame is also based on these two works.
