Wim Daniëls from Aarle-Rixtel is a well-known writer, linguist and comedian. He is a lover of dictionaries and wrote one himself. He was therefore overjoyed when he was able to pick up an ancient Greek-Latin dictionary in Italy, which had been written by a fellow townsman. Sending it was not an option, so he traveled to Florence with a colorful group. They are now on their way back: “We are bringing the writer home with his 500-year-old book.”
Arnout van Eyshouts wrote the dictionary in 1546. Daniëls bought it for 900 euros from an antiquarian bookshop in the Italian city of culture.
At a young age, Arnout van Eynshouts, also known as Arlenius, went to the Latin school in Den Bosch. He wanted to study at a university, but there was not yet one in the Netherlands. And so he went to Italy where he proved to be an exceptionally good student of Greek literature. In Venice he worked as a librarian and translated important ancient documents. There he also wrote this dictionary.
Now Daniels, along with thirty others, is following in his footsteps. Like him, most travelers come from Aarle-Rixtel. “They want to relive its history and bring it back to the village they came from.”
“We have to go get him personally”
Daniels tracked down the book around Christmas. “I could also have it sent to you, but the book is so special and the man was so special that we feel we have to get him in person.”
According to Daniëls, the highlight of the trip was the transfer of the book to the antiquarian bookshop in Florence, where they bought it. “It was fantastic. There were musicians and one of us wrote a song especially for the transfer.”
“I will defend it with my body and limbs”
And now Daniels has this book in his hands. “It exceeded all expectations. It was written 500 years ago, but it was still in very good condition. I will defend it with my life and limb.”
That statement was immediately put to the test during the trip: “We had to keep it properly, but we didn’t have a safe during the trip. We put it in a cupboard and put a bed in front of it with the loudest snorer,” Daniëls laughs.
The book cost 900 euros. The money came together thanks to the municipality of Laarbeek, the local history circle and sixteen donors. Daniels does not keep the book himself, but it goes to the local history circle. “There is room in the heem room. Preferably in a display case that protects against sunlight.”
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