![]() ![]() Most part devoted to writing and occasional visits to his humanist friends in Sevilla. Ga naar voetnoot 5 Nonetheless, in the summer of 1582 he had to leave his haven of peace to oblige cardinal Quiroga and participate at the provincial Council of Toledo (8 Spetember 1582-12 March 1583), from whence he proceeded to the Escorial and resumed his task at the royal library, until he received the permission to return to Peña de Aracena in 1586. Far from the intrigues and animosities at the royal court and far from theological disputes, he enjoyed a life of tranquillity surrounded by books, engravings and a garden embellished with plants sent by his friends. In February 1578 he was sent to Lisbon, but after his return in April 1579 he was allowed to retire at least partly to the seclusion of Peña de Aracena, where he had acquired a small estate. Ga naar voetnoot 4 Montano's letters reveal his dissatisfaction with this position and his longing to be relieved from all court duties. The first testimony of Montano's arrival in Spain occurs in a letter from the abovementioned Gabriel de Zayas to Philip ii, dated 25 July. Finally he returned to Spain in 1576 to assume his task as curator of the Royal Library at the Escorial, where he was responsible for classifying and expurgating recent acquisitions. Montano was so disappointed by the vehement opposition against his Biblia regia that he begged the royal secretary Gabriel de Zayas to persuade the king to entrust him with another mission in Flanders. ![]() In the second half of 1574 Montano was called back to his native country, but instead of returning immediately to Spain, he set out for Rome at the beginning of May 1575 in an attempt to reconcile the conservative Cardinals with the Biblia regia, unfortunately to no avail. Ga naar voetnoot 3 Meanwhile Montano in close collaboration with leading theologians from Leuven edited an amended text of the Vulgate. In 1572 a collection of religious poems, Humanae salutis monumenta came from Plantin's press, followed by a metrical, Latin translation of the Psalms, Davidis Regis ac Prophetae aliorumque sacrorum vatum Psalmi in 1573 and three pious books, illustrations in verses of engravings from Philip Galle, ![]() Moreover, his new surroundings had a stimulating effect and resulted in a number of publications once the Polyglota was completed and sent to Rome for papal approval. Writing a number of treatises on biblical philology, geography and history, which were to form the last volume of the Polyglota, the Apparatus. The collaboration on the Biblia polyglota proved to be more successful than anyone had dared to expect - Montano set himself the task of checking proof sheets and The ‘guest from abroad’ was cordially introduced to the numerous scholars who visited Plantin's press at the Vrijdagmarkt and he became a member of a wide-ranging circle of humanist friends. Ga naar voetnoot 2 Although Plantin was at first rather suspicious about having a Spanish theologian invested with an Inquisitorial mission looking over his shoulder, the initially awkward contacts soon grew into deference culminating in trust and sincere friendship. Ga naar voetnoot 1 King Philip II had appointed the theologian as supervisor of what was to become Christopher Plantin's masterpiece par excellence, the edition of the Biblia polyglota or Biblia regia, a project on which the Antwerp printer had already been working for several years before Montanus's arrival in Antwerp. Benito Arias Montano and the friends from his Antwerp sojourn Ga naar voetnoot *įrom May 1568 until May 1575 Benito Arias Montano stayed in Antwerp at the explicit wish of his sovereign. ![]()
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