Link to an image of this page [B3v p22]
Virtuti fortuna comes.
Good fortune attendant on virtue
Anguibus implicitis geminis caduceus[1] alis,
Inter Amalthaeae cornua[2] rectus adest.
Pollentes sic mente viros, fandique peritos
Indicat, ut rerum copia multa beet.
The caduceus, with entwined snakes and twin wings, stands upright between the horns of Amalthea. It thus indicates how material wealth blesses men of powerful intellect, skilled in speaking.
1. This was the herald’s staff, attribute of Mercury, god of eloquence, intellectual pursuits and financial success. The entwined serpents are a symbol of peace. See Pliny Natural History 29.12.54. The caduceus was Alciato’s personal device and was carved on his tomb at Pavia.
2. Amalthea was the she-goat that suckled the infant Jupiter. Her horn became the cornucopia, the horn of plenty. See Erasmus, Adagia 502, Copiae cornu.
Related Emblems
Show related emblemsHint: You can set whether related emblems are displayed by default on the preferences page
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- animals (+ wings of an animal) [25F(+342):25F(+154)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- snakes (+ symmetrically placed ornamental animals, divided by a (human) figure or an object) [25F42(+154)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- snakes (+ animal with tongue stuck out) [25F42(+57321)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fruits [25G21(+154)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear (with NAME) (+ men's clothes) [41D221(HAT)(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sceptre, staff (symbol of sovereignty) [44B192] Search | Browse Iconclass
- 'Cornucopia', Horn of Plenty [92B11221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- caduceus (staff with two snakes, attribute of Mercury) [92B58(CADUCEUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- attributes of Mercury: petasus [92B58(PETASUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Eloquence; 'Eloquenza', 'Fermezza & Gravitàdell'Oratione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52D3(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Success; 'Evento buono' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54F1(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Luck, Fortune, Lot; 'Fato', 'Fortuna', 'Fortuna aurea', 'Fortuna buona', 'Fortuna pacifica overo clemente', 'Sorte' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54F12(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Virtuousness; 'Amor di Virtù', 'Attione virtuosa', 'Guida sicura de' veri honori', 'Virtù', 'Virtù insuperabile' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57A6(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.
Link to an image of this page [A8v p16]
Amicitia etiam post mor-
tem durans.[1]
Friendship lasting even beyond death
Arentem senio, nudam quoque frondibus ulmum,
Complexa est viridi vitis opaca coma.[2]
Agnoscitque vices naturae, & grata parenti
Officii reddit mutua iura suo.
Exemploque monet, tales nos quaerere amicos,
Quos neque disiungat foedere summa dies.
A vine shady with green foliage embraced an elm tree that was dried up with age and bare of leaves. The vine recognises the changes wrought by nature and, ever grateful, renders to the one that reared it the duty it owes in return. By the example it offers, the vine tells us to seek friends of such a sort that not even our final day will uncouple them from the bond of friendship.
Related Emblems
Show related emblemsHint: You can set whether related emblems are displayed by default on the preferences page
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- trees: elm (+ stem, trunk) [25G3(ELM)(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees: elm (+ dead, withered plant) [25G3(ELM)(+371)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- vine [47I422] Search | Browse Iconclass
- vine-tendril, leaf [47I4221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bunch of grapes [47I4222] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- young versus old age; young and old [31D5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- life versus death [31E5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Necessity of Mutual Co-operation [54E11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Fidelity in Friendship; 'Confermatione dell'Amicitia', 'Fede nell'Amicitia' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [56F231(+4):31E] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.
