Lecture III.
Note 20. p. [89]. On The Legendary Work, Entitled “De Tribus Impostoribus.”
Full particulars concerning the chapter in literary history which relates to this work, will be found in Prosper Marchand's Dictionnaire Historique, 1758 (vol. i. pp. 312-319), and more briefly in F. W. Genthe's De Imposturis Religionum breve Compendium, 1833. Both give lists of the earlier writers who have treated of the subject; among which the most useful will be found to be B. G. Struve, Dissertatio de Doctis Impostoribus, 1703 (§ 9-23); De La Monnaie, Lettre sur le Prétendu Livre; and Calmet, Dictionnaire, article Imposteur.
The rumours concerning the existence of a book with the title “De Tribus Impostoribus” commence in the thirteenth century. About the sixteenth, more definite but still unsatisfactory statements appear respecting its existence. Its authorship has been attributed to above twenty distinguished persons; such as Frederick II, Boccaccio, Pomponatius, Bruno, Vanini, &c.; the reasons for which in each case are explained in Marchand. De La Monnaie however wrote, questioning the existence of the book. A reply to his letter respecting it was published in French at the Hague in 1716, which pretended to offer an analysis of the ancient work; the falsehood of which however is shown by the Spinozist philosophy contained in it. Genthe in his tract, besides a literary introduction in German, republishes the French tract just named; and also a second tract in Latin, equally a fabrication, bearing a slightly different title, De Imposturis Religionum, Lucianlike in its tone, which, by an allusion to Loyola (§ 20), cannot be older than the sixteenth century, and is probably of German origin. Both writers conclude that the existence of the book in the middle ages was legendary. Renan (Averroes, pp. 280, and 272-300), and Laurent (La Reforme, pp. 345-8), coincide in this conclusion. The title was a mot, not a fact.
It is hardly necessary to state that the numerous writers who, like Kortholt, have adopted the title “De Tribus Impostoribus” for their books, have merely used the name in irony, and do not profess to give transcripts of the old work.