Section: FORTITUDO (Fortitude). View all emblems in this section.
Link to an image of this page [C6r p43]
Obdurandum adversus
urgentia.
Stand firm against pressure.
Nititur in pondus palma, & consurgit in arcum,
Quo magis & premitur: hoc mage tollit onus.[1]
Fert & odoratas bellaria dulcia glandes,[2]
Queis mensas inter primus habetur honos.
I puer, & reptans ramis has collige, mentis
Qui constantis erit, praemia digna feret.
The wood of the palm-tree counteracts a weight and rises up into an arch. The heavier the burden pressing it down, the more it lifts it up. The palm-tree also bears fragrant dates, sweet dainties much valued when served at table. Go, boy, edge your way along the branches and gather them. The man who shows a resolute spirit will receive an appropriate reward.
1. The reaction of palm to a heavy weight is mentioned in various ancient sources, e.g. Pliny, Natural History 16.81.223; Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 3.6. See also Erasmus, Parabolae p.263. It probably refers to a plank of palm-wood, rather than a branch of the living tree.
2. See Erasmus, Parabolae p.241: ‘the palm-tree, having bark with knife-sharp edges, is difficult to climb, but it bears delicious fruit’.
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:
- groups of birds (+ flying animal(s)) [25F31(+5262)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees: palm-tree [25G3(PALM-TREE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rocks [25H112] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (high) hill [25H113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- cave, grotto [25H119] Search | Browse Iconclass
- forest, wood [25H15] Search | Browse Iconclass
- river [25H213] Search | Browse Iconclass
- river bank [25H217] Search | Browse Iconclass
- landscape with tower or castle [25I5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hanging by the arms [31A2371] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something) [31AA2511(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boy (child between toddler and youth) (+ nude human being) [31D11221(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- drapery, draped garment, 'Gewandgebung' (+ children's clothes) [41D27(+83)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- climbing up a tree (+ variant) [43B411(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- picking fruit [47I4131] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- bearing fruit [25G(+34)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- celebration meal, feast, banquet [41C5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Constancy, Tenacity; 'Costanza', 'Tenacità' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [53A21(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Opposition, Counteraction, Resistance (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54EE11(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Reward, 'Praemium'; 'Premio', 'Remuneratione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55A12(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.
