On the German Gods

[pru]dence, nor to creep into your favor with
turns of phrase; for your Virtue, long since
placed in an illustrious position, and your
Moderation, esteemed among good men,
have no need of me, or any other herald;
and I am one who prefers to set the
noble simplicity of Manly Virtue original: "Masculæ Virtutis"; referring to a vigorous, honest, and stoic moral strength valued by Renaissance and Enlightenment humanists.
against Envy and Calumny,
rather than to worship Fortune or the Purple The "Purple" refers to the traditional color of high-ranking magisterial or imperial robes, symbolizing political power.,
with the most abject humility of mind,
and with superficial words that commonly linger
on the edge of the lips. Far different
are the things I admire in you: not
those which depend upon the whim of Fortune;
but rather that Spirit of yours,
whole in its steadfastness for Truth and Right,
cultivated no less by a distinguished skill in
Civil Affairs, than by the most fertile abundance
of no ordinary Erudition original: "Eruditionis non vulgaris"; meaning deep, classical learning that goes beyond the common level.