The Spinoza Problem Read Online Free PDF Page B

drama—women of steel who were protagonists of the greatest tragedies of Sophocles and Euripides. Let me describe briefly three of the most formidable characters in all of literature: Antigone, Phaedra, and Medea.”
    After his presentation, during which he asked Clara Maria to read several of Antigone’s most powerful passages in both Greek and Dutch, he asked Bento to stay for a few minutes after the others had left.
    “I have a couple of issues to discuss with you, Bento. First, you remember my offer at our initial meeting in your shop? My offer to introduce you to kindred thinkers?” Bento nodded, and van den Enden continued, “I haven’t forgotten, and I shall begin to fulfill that promise. Your progress in Latin has been superb, and we shall now turn to the language of Sophocles and Homer. Next week Clara Maria will begin instruction in the Greek alphabet. Moreover, I’ve chosen texts that should be of special interest to you. We’ll work on passages from Aristotle and Epicurus that pertain to the very issues in which you expressed interest during our first encounter.”
    “You refer to my journal entries about perishable and imperishable goals?”
    “Precisely. As a step toward perfecting your Latin, I suggest you now begin writing your entries in that language.”
    Bento nodded.
    “And one more matter,” van den Enden continued. “Clara Maria and I are ready to commence our Hebrew training under your tutelage. Are you agreeable to beginning next week?”
    “Gladly,” responded Bento. “It would give me much pleasure and also allow me to repay my great debt to you.”

    “Perhaps, then, it is time to think about pedagogical methods. Have you teaching experience?”
    “Three years ago Rabbi Mortera asked me to assist him in teaching Hebrew to the younger students. I have jotted down a great many thoughts about the intricacies of Hebrew and hope, someday, to write a Hebrew grammar.”
    “Excellent. Rest assured you will have eager and attentive students.”
    “By coincidence,” Bento added, “I had an odd request for pedagogy this afternoon. Two distraught men sought me out a few hours ago and attempted to engage me as an advisor of sorts.” Bento proceeded to relate the details of the encounter with Jacob and Franco.
    Van den Enden listened intently and, when Bento finished, said, “I’m going to add one more word to your Latin vocabulary homework tonight. Please write down caute . You can guess the meaning from the Spanish cautela. ”
    “Yes, ‘caution’— cuidado in Portuguese. But why caute ?”
    “Latin, please.”
    “ Quad cur caute? ”
    “I have a spy who tells me that your Jewish friends are not pleased that you study with me. Not pleased at all. And they are not pleased with your growing distance from your community. Caute , my boy. Take care to give them no further grievances. Trust no strangers with your deeper thoughts and doubts. Next week we will see if Epicurus may offer useful counsel to you.”

CHAPTER FOUR
    ESTONIA—MAY 10, 1910
    A fter Alfred left, the two old friends stood and stretched while Headmaster Epstein’s secretary laid a plate of apple and walnut strudel on the table. They sat down and quietly nibbled at it as she prepared their tea.
    “So, Hermann, this is the face of the future?” said Headmaster Epstein.
    “Not a future I want to see. I’m glad for the hot tea—it’s chilling to be with him.”
    “How worried should we be about this boy, about his influence upon his classmates?”
    A shadow passed by—a student walking by in the hallway—and Herr Shäfer stood to close the door, which had been left ajar.
    “I’ve been his adviser since he started, and he’s been in a number of my classes. Strangely, I don’t know him at all. As you see, there’s something mechanical and remote about him. I see the boys engaged in animated conversations, but Alfred never joins in. He keeps himself well hidden.”
    “Hardly hidden the last few minutes,