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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [Xx2r p691]

In detractores.

Against his detractors

EMBLEMA CLXIV.

Two disembodied hands, one holding a flag, surrounded by flying insects.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Audent flagriferi matulae, stupidique magistri
Bilem in me impuri pectoris evomere.
Quid faciam? reddamne vices? sed nonne cicadam
Ala una obstreperam corripuisse[1] ferar?
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [Xx2v p691]Quid prodest muscas operosis pellere[2] flabris?
Negligere est satius, perdere quod nequeas.

Those cane-wielding, empty-headed, thick-skulled teachers dare to spew out on me the bile of their foul minds. What am I to do? Return like for like? But surely I would then be said to have seized the dinning cicada by the wing. What is the good of driving flies away with tiresome swipes? It is better to ignore what you cannot get rid of.

Notes:

1.  cicadam / Ala una...corripuisse, ‘to have seized the...cicada by the wing’. See Erasmus, Adagia, 828 (Cicadam ala corripuisti): if you hold a cicada by the wing, it will only chirp more loudly.

2.  muscas...pellere, ‘driving flies away’. See Erasmus, Adagia, 2660 (Muscas depellere): driving flies away is a waste of effort as they simply return.

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Section: INIMITIE. View all emblems in this section.

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [N7r p205]

Contre les Detracteurs.[1]

Man with fly-swatter surrounded by flying insects.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Trainebaletz, & sotz Maistre d’eschole
Osent sur moy vomir leur chaulde chole,
Que feray je? rendray je la pareille?
Prendre seroit la Cigale par l’aile.[2]
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [N7v p206] Car que vault il males mousches chasser?[3]
Ce qu’on ne peult abolir: faut laisser.

Cecy est escript d’affection indignée à
l’occasion de quelque Maistre d’eschole, qui
avoit osé detracter de l’Alciat, dond se sen
tant irrité luy si grand, par si peu & vil (co
me [=comme] il dict:) sagement se abstient de respon-
dre. Car le jurisperit prise trop peu le Gra-
mmairien, ou literateur humain.

Notes:

1.  In the 1549 French edition, this emblem has no woodcut.

2.  ‘to have seized the...cicada by the wing’. See Erasmus, Adagia, 828 (Cicadam ala corripuisti): if you hold a cicada by the wing, it will only chirp more loudly.

3.  ‘driving flies away’. See Erasmus, Adagia, 2660 (Muscas depellere): driving flies away is a waste of effort as they simply return.

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