'AS WE WERE SAYING YESTERDAY...", THE STONES RETURN

Fray Luis de León

Today, The Grandma has meet The Stones again in Sant Boi. It has been a wonderful reencounter after six months of being separated. The family stayed in Hogwarts when The Grandma travelled to Barcelona to continue her work with The Watsons.

First, MJ has been talking about the new health rules about COVID19 and later, The Grandma has been talking about how to create and construct little compositions.

The family want to restart the classes again as soon as possible to continue studying English and working in the possibility of do a Cambridge Exam. It is difficult and nowadays we do not know anything about it but they are going to work with this objective on the horizon because they are The Stones and they do not give up.

Finally, The Grandma has explained two stories, one about the Capuchins in Sant Boi de Llobregat and another about Fray Luis de León, one of the most incredible Castilian writers of the 16C.

More information: Writing

Luis de León (Belmonte, Cuenca, 1527-Madrigal de las Altas Torres, Castile, 23 August 1591), was a Castillan lyric poet, Augustinian friar, theologian and academic, active during the Spanish Golden Age.

Luis de León was born in Belmonte, in the Province of Cuenca, in 1527 or 1528. His parents were Lope de León and Inés de Varela, and they had five children. His father practiced law, and it was due to his profession that the family moved to Madrid in 1534, and later to Valladolid.

Luis obtained a very thorough and extensive education, and was devoted to the interpretation and translation of religious texts and ideas. He was proficient in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.

He entered the University of Salamanca at the age of fourteen, in 1541, to study Canon Law under the care of his uncle Francisco. At some point between 1541 and 1543, Thompson states that it was about 5-6 months after beginning his studies, while other authors often claim it was 1543, Luis abandoned his studies and instead entered the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine.

Fray Luis de León's Writings

After a novitiate of uncertain duration he joined the Priory of San Pedro on 29 January 1544. The first record of León as a student of theology is in the matriculation book at the University of Salamanca for 1546-7.

In 1552, Fray Luis graduated with a bachelor's degree in theology from the University of Toledo and continued his education as a student of Hebrew and Biblical interpretation at the University of Alcalá de Henares.

In 1561, he began translating the Song of Songs (Cantar de los Cantares) into Spanish for his cousin, Isabel Osorio, a nun in Salamanca who could not read the Latin text, and wrote an accompanying commentary. This was León's first major translation of a biblical text, and was probably inspired by a commentary his contemporary Arias Montano had lent to him when he passed through Salamanca in 1561.

Translation of biblical texts into Spanish had been banned by the Council of Trent, so there was a certain risk in this undertaking. The manuscript, however, was popular amongst his friends, who copied it and circulated it privately. However, the translations formed part of the accusations levelled against León when he was denounced to the Inquisition in 1572.

Because of the controversial nature of the text, it was not published until 1798.

Having returned to Salamanca the previous year, in 1560 he graduated from the University of Salamanca as a licentiate (7 May) and Master of Theology (30 June), and in the following year he won the election to the Chair of St Thomas, a chair in Theology, at the same university, Salamanca was unusual in that all Chairs were subject to an election for the position. This was a minor Chair, with a limited four-year tenure.

More information: Multimedia English I & II

In 1565, he won the Chair of St Durandus, to which he was re-elected in 1569, he lost it in 1573 because he was in prison while the elections took place. In 1566 he was named administrator of the Augustinian College of San Guillermo in Salamanca, and in 1567 he took on the position of vice rector of the University. In 1571 he attained the Chair of Sacred Letters as well.

While at the university, he translated classical and biblical literature and wrote on religious themes. He was widely known for his works.

In 1571 Dominican professors Bartolomé de Medina and Castro put forth seventeen propositions to the Inquisition documenting Fray Luis' allegedly heretical opinions. His translation into Spanish and commentary of the Song of Solomon (Canto de Salomón) was the biggest evidence presented for their case against him. Another charge touched on his criticizing the text of the Vulgate.

As a result, he was imprisoned at Valladolid from 27 March 1572 until December 1576, fell ill and remained in bad health throughout his imprisonment. Though he suffered greatly from his isolation and less than desirable conditions, Fray Luis continued to actively write and study during his confinement.

At the end of 1576, the tables turned, and on 11 December Fray Luis was cleared of all charges and released from prison with an admonishment to be more careful and reserved in his publications and speech. He returned to Salamanca on 30 December in triumph.

Tradition has it that he began his university lecture on 29 January 1577, his first after returning from four years' imprisonment, with the words Dicebamus hesterna die (As we were saying yesterday...).

He died at the age of 64 on 23 August 1591, in Madrigal de las Altas Torres, Ávila, and is buried in Salamanca in the Priory of San Agustín. Ten days before his death he was elected Vicar General of the Augustinian Order.

More information: The Order of Friar Minor Capuchin in Sant Ramon

There is a lack of words in the language

for the feelings of the soul.

Fray Luis de León