| John Bartlett (1820–1905). Familiar Quotations, 10th ed. 1919. |
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| NUMBER: | 9208 |
| AUTHOR: | Martin Luther (1483–1546) |
| QUOTATION: | Tell your master that if there were as many devils at Worms as tiles on its roofs, I would enter. 1 |
| ATTRIBUTION: | Psalm. Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (trans. by Frederic H. Hedge). |
| BIOGRAPHY: | Columbia Encyclopedia. |
| | Note 1.
On the 16th of April, 1521, Luther entered the imperial city [of Worms]…. On his approach… the Elector’s chancellor entreated him, in the name of his master, not to enter a town where his death was decided. The answer which Luther returned was simply this.—Bunsen: Life of Luther.
I will go, though as many devils aim at me as there are tiles on the roofs of the houses.—Ranke: History of the Reformation, vol. i. p. 533 (Mrs. Austin’s translation). [back] |
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