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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [B3v p22]

In silentium.

Silence

III.

A scholar with a finger to his lips in front of an open book, in a small room
[Click on image to enlarge]

Cùm tacet, haud quicquam differt sapientibus amens,
Stultitiae est index linguaque voxque suae.
Ergo premat labias, digitoque silentia signet,
Et sese Pharium vertat in Harpocratem[1].

When he is silent, the fool differs no whit from the wise. It is tongue and voice that betray his stupidity. Let him therefore put his finger to his lips and so mark silence, and turn himself into Egyptian Harpocrates.

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [B4r p23]

Von stilschweigen.

III.

Fur witzig einen narn man schetzt
Der schweygt, und er verredt sich bald
So er bey einem weysen schwetzt,
Gleich als ein haff der ubel hald:
Darumb deinn mund beschlossen halt
Mit dem finger, und red nit vil,
Wie der got Harpocras gemalt,
Der dich solch tugent leren wil.

Notes:

1.  Harpocrates, also known as Horus, was the son of the Egyptian divinity Isis. He avenged the murder of his father Osiris by Set/Typhon. He is often represented as an infant with his finger held to his mouth as a sign of silence and economy of words. See Plutarch, De Iside et Osiride 68.

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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [A5r p9]

Du Silence.

III

Quand l’ignorant ne sonne mot,
Il semble à cil qui est sçavant:

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [A5v p10]

A man sits studying an open book on a lectern. There are books on the shelves around the room.
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Et n’est de sagesse remot,
Sinon quand il parle souvent:
Ta bouche ayt donc le doigt devant,
Pour ne parler qu’avec science.
Lors Harpocrate iras suyvant,#[1]
Qui nous figuroit le silence.

commentaires.

Il vaut mieux se taire que de trop parler. Le fol ne
sçauroit mieux monstrer sa folie & son ignorance,
qu’en parlant. Periandre demandoit un jour au Phi-
losophe Solon, pourquoy il demeuroit muet en une
grande assemblee, veu que là tant de gents discour-
oyent de divers affaires: si c’estoit par faute d’avoir
que dire, ou bien qu’il fust fol. Solon respondit, que le
fol ne peut se taire. Le divin Platon interrogue à quoy
on peut connoistre les personnes, Par la parole, dit-il,
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [A6r p11] comme on connoit les pots de terre par le son qu’ils
rendent. Les Egyptiens appelloyent Harpocrate, le
Dieu de silence, lequel, pour ne parler, fermoit sa bou-
che & ses levres avec le doigt.

Notes:

1.  Harpocrates, also known as Horus, was the son of the Egyptian divinity Isis. He avenged the murder of his father Osiris by Set/Typhon. He is often represented as an infant with his finger held to his mouth as a sign of silence and economy of words. See Plutarch, De Iside et Osiride 68.

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  • Wisdom; 'Sapienza', 'Sapienza humana', 'Sapienza vera' (Ripa) [52A51] Search | Browse Iconclass
  • Ignorance; 'Ignoranza', 'Ignoranza di tutte le cose', 'Ignoranza in un ricco senza lettere' (Ripa) [52AA5] Search | Browse Iconclass
  • Folly, Foolishness; 'Pazzia', 'Sciocchezza', 'Stoltitia' (Ripa) [52AA51] Search | Browse Iconclass
  • Taciturnity; 'Secretezza', 'Secretezza overo Taciturnit?(Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52DD3(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass

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