Insignia Poëtarum.

Insignia of poets

Gentiles clypeos sunt qui in Iovis alite gestant,
Sunt quibus aut serpens, aut leo signa ferunt.
Dira sed haec vatum fugiant animalia ceras,
Doctaque sustineat stemmata pulcher Olor.
Hic Phoebo sacer[1], & nostrae regionis alumnus:
Rex, olim[2], veteres servat adhuc titulos.

Some have a family crest distinguished by the bird of Jove, for others the serpent or the lion provides the sign. But let these dread beasts flee from poets’ images; let the lovely swan support their learned clan. This bird is sacred to Phoebus and is a nursling of my homeland. A king once, it still preserves its ancient titles.

CYcnus, poëtarum stemma, Phoebo sacer, candi-
dus, pro Rege habitus repraesentat conditionem
poëtarum, qui suos labores omnes ad literarum
praesidem Phoebum, id est disciplinarum liberalium
principatum referunt: quorum pura & candida de-
bet esse Musa, aliena ab omni fuco & spurcitie: qui
non minùs ordinatis beneque cultis versibus in a-
nimos hominum imperium obtinent, quàm reget
ipsi armatis copiis.