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IN FERTILITATEM[1] SIBI IPSI
DAMNOSAM.
Fruitfulness bringing its own destruction
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Ludibrium pueris lapides iacientibus hoc me,
In trivio posuit rustica cura nucem.
Quae laceris ramis perstrictoque ardua libro,
Certatim fundis per latus omne petor.
Quid sterili posset contingere turpius? eheu,
Infoelix fructus in mea damna fero.[2]
A countryman’s care placed me, a nut tree, at this cross-roads, where I am the butt of stone-throwing boys. I have grown tall, but my branches are broken, my bark bruised, I am attacked with sling-stones, competing on every side. What worse fate could befall a barren tree? Alas, cursed tree that I am, I bear fruit to my own destruction.
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- fruits: nuts [25G21(WALNUTS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (with NAME) (+ stem, trunk) [25G3(WALNUT-TREE)(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (with NAME) (+ bearing fruit) [25G3(WALNUT-TREE)(+34)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward (+ holding something) [31A2511(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other (+ standing) [31A2621(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking upwards [31B6211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- child (+ two persons) [31D112(+72)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boy (child between toddler and youth) [31D11221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fence, wall, paling [41A54] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dress, gown (+ children's clothes) [41D211(+83)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- the naughty child [42B832] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sports, games and physical performances (+ requirements, necessaries ~ sports and games) [43C(+4)(STICK)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- child with plant (games and plays) (+ variant) [43C735(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- vandalism (mischief-making play) [43C755] Search | Browse Iconclass
- casting weapons (with NAME) [45C11(SLING)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- public road [25I14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Damage, Disservice; 'Danno' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54BB31(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Fruitfulness, Productiveness, Fertility, Fecundity; 'Feconditą' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [58A3(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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CUSTODIENDAS VIR-
gines.
Girls must be guarded
Vera haec effigies[1] innuptae est Palladis, eius
Hic Draco, qui dominae constitit ante pedes.
Cur divae Comes hoc animal? custodia rerum
Huic data, sic lucos, sacraque templa colit,[2]
Innuptas opus est cura asservare puellas,
Pervigili laqueos undique tendit amor.[3]
This is the true image of virgin Pallas. Her snake is here, positioned at his mistress’s feet. Why does this creature accompany the goddess? The task of guarding things was entrusted to it, and so it looks after groves and sacred temples. It is necessary to guard unmarried girls with ever-watchful care - Love lays his snares on every side.
1. ‘Image of virgin Pallas’. Pallas Athene, virgin goddess and protectress of the city of Athens, represented with helmet, spear and aegis. Pallas Athene was equated with Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. Pausanias, Periegesis 1.24.7 mentions such a statue with a snake.
2. See Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.20.3: ‘the snake with its keen and ever-watchful sight has assigned to it the custodianship of temples, shrines, oracles and treasures.’ Ancient Greek holy sites often housed a snake.
3. ‘Love lays his snares on every side’ - a proverbial saying.
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- dragon (large fabulous serpent, sometimes with wings and legs) [25FF422] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards [31A2513] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult woman [31D15] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coat, cape [41D212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- drapery, draped garment, 'Gewandgebung' [41D27] Search | Browse Iconclass
- helved weapons, polearms (for striking, hacking, thrusting): lance [45C14(LANCE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Minerva as patroness [92C271] Search | Browse Iconclass
- attributes of Minerva (with NAME) [92C28(DRAGON)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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- 'Verginitą' (Ripa) [31A72110] Search | Browse Iconclass
- snare «« KEY (4141) TO 43C1 sports, games ~ animals [43C1(+4141)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Protection; 'Custodia', 'Difesa contra nimici, malefici & venefici', 'Difesa contra pericoli', 'Riparo da i tradimenti' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54E42(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Cupid, Amor (Eros) [92D1] Search | Browse Iconclass
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