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IMPOSSIBILE.
The impossible
Abluis Aethiopem quid frustra? ah desine, noctis
Illustrare nigrae nemo potest tenebras.[1]
Why are you washing an Ethiopian in vain? Oh, do stop. No one can turn the shades of black night into light.
1. This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 11.428. See also Aesop, Fables 11; Erasmus, Adagia 350, Aethiopen lavas.
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- water (one of the four elements) [21D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- stretched forward (+ holding something) [31A2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gripping someone by the arm [31A2541] Search | Browse Iconclass
- brush, sponge, etc. (toilet articles) [31A5462] Search | Browse Iconclass
- washing and bathing - AA - in the open air [31AA54] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking downwards [31B6212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ three persons) [31D14(+73)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- white races and peoples (+ men) [32B31(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- African negroes (with NAME) (+ men) [32B321(ETHIOPIAN)(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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- jug and basin; wash-basin [41A2415] Search | Browse Iconclass
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- sheet [41A7633] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear [41D221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body (+ men's clothes) [41D223(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the lower part of the body [41D23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (showing oneself) undressed, quasi-nude [41D9] Search | Browse Iconclass
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- (personifications of) 'Vanitas', the vanity of human life; Fragilit� humana, Fugacit� delle grandezze & della gloria mondana, Meditatione della morte, Opera vana, Piacere vano, Vana gloria, Vanit� (Ripa) [11R5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- day and night [23R] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Impossibility (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52BB42(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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DIVES INDOCTUS.
The stupid rich man
Tranat aquas residens precioso in vellere Phrixus,
Et flavam impavidus per mare scandit ovem.
Ecquid id est? vir sensu hebeti, sed divite gaza,
Coniugis aut servi quem regit arbitrium.[1]
Phrixus traverses the waters astride the precious fleece and fearlessly rides the golden sheep across the sea. - Whatever can this be? - A man dull of sense, but with rich coffers, whom the whim of wife or servant rules.
1. For the story of Phrixus and the Golden Fleece see Ovid, Fastii 3.851ff.
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- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- man (showing himself) undressed, quasi-nude [41D91] Search | Browse Iconclass
- riding on animal other than horse, ass, or mule [46C132:47I2131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ram [47I2131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Phrixus and Helle escape on the ram (+ variant) [95A(PHRIXUS)32(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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- minerals and metals: gold [25D13(GOLD)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- servant [31A56] Search | Browse Iconclass
- marriage, married couple, 'matrimonium' [42D3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- the rich [46A16] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Ignorance; 'Ignoranza', 'Ignoranza di tutte le cose', 'Ignoranza in un ricco senza lettere' (Ripa) [52AA5] Search | Browse Iconclass
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