Link to an image of this page [C8v p48]
Ex pace ubertas.
Prosperity as the result of peace
XIX.
Grandibus ex spicis tenues contexe corollas,
Quas circum alterno palmite vitis eat.
His comptae Alcyones[1] tranquilli in marmoris unda
Nidificant, pullos involucresque fovent.
Laetus erit Cereri, Baccho quoque[2] fertilis annus,
Aequorei si rex alitis instar[3] erit.
From fat ears of corn weave supple garlands, and let the vine encircle them with alternating stems. Decked out with these the halcyon birds build their nests on the wave of the glassy sea, and cherish their unfledged chicks. - The year will be rich for Ceres and fertile for Bacchus too, if the king is the image of the bird of the sea.
Link to an image of this page [D1r p49]
De paix abundance.
XIX.
Sur roc en Mer vray lieu de paix,
Voys Alcyone o ses petiz,
Son nid despicz & vigne espais,
Lá vivant a ses appetitz:
Ce te monstre les bien gentilz,
Qu’on a, quand l’on veult paix poursuyvre.
En bledz & vins sont lieux fertilz,
Ou le Roy scait tel oyseau suyvre.
1. ‘halcyon birds’. For these see Aelian, De natura animalium 1.36; 9.17; Pliny, Natural History. 10.47.89-91; and for the legend of their transformation, Ovid, Metamorphoses 11, 410ff, esp. 728ff. Halcyons were supposed to build a nest and launch it on the sea at a time of calm peaceful weather provided for them about the time of the winter solstice. See Erasmus, Adagia 1552, Halcedonia sunt apud forum.
2. ‘for Ceres...and for Bacchus too’, i.e. rich with crops of corn and wine.
3. ‘is the image of the bird of the sea’, i.e. diffusing peace, love and concord. Before their metamorphosis into seabirds, Alcyone and her husband were a deeply loving royal couple ruling a peaceful country. This love persisted after the change, symbolised by the calm weather associated with their nesting.
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:
- feeding and care of young [25F(+42)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- animals nesting; making nests, lodges, webs, etc. [25F(+4712)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- other birds (with NAME) [25F39(DOVE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- other birds: kingfisher (+ brooding, hatching) [25F39(KINGFISHER)(+412)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- plants and herbs (with NAME) [25G4(WHEAT)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boulder, stone [25H1124] Search | Browse Iconclass
- low hill country [25H114] Search | Browse Iconclass
- island (+ variant) [25H14(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sea (seascape) [25H23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bunch of grapes [47I4222] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- wreath, garland ~ festive activities [43A(+12)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruler, sovereign [44B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- blessings of peace [45A231] Search | Browse Iconclass
- peace and prosperity, 'Pax et Abundantia' [45A232] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Bacchus (Dionysus), Liber [92L1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Ceres (Demeter) [92M1] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.
