Section: PERFIDIA (Treachery). View all emblems in this section.
Link to an image of this page [D7r p61]
In adulatores.
Flatterers
Semper hiat, semper tenuem qua vescitur auram,
Reciprocat Chamaeleon[1],
Et mutat faciem, varios sumitque colores,
Praeter rubrum, vel candidum:[2]
Sic & Adulator populari vescitur aura,[3]
Hiansque cuncta devorat.
Et solùm mores imitatur principis atros,
Albi, & pudici nescius.
The Chameleon is always breathing in and out with open mouth the bodiless air on which it feeds; it changes its appearance and takes on various colours, except for red and white. - Even so the flatterer feeds on the wind of popular approval and gulps down all with open mouth. He imitates only the black features of the prince, knowing nothing of the white and pure.
1. This creature was supposed to feed only on air, keeping its mouth wide open to suck it in. See Pliny, Natural History 8.51.122. For the chameleon cf. Erasmus, Parabolae pp.144, 241, 252.
2. ‘except for red and white’. See Pliny, ib.
3. ‘the wind of popular approval’. This is a common metaphor in Latin, e.g. Horace, Odes 3.2.20, ‘at the behest of the wind of popular approval.’
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
- lizards: chameleon (+ animals used symbolically) [25F41(CHAMELEON)(+1)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rocks [25H112] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- colours, pigments, and paints (with NAME) [22C4(BLACK)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- colours, pigments, and paints (with NAME) [22C4(RED)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- colours, pigments, and paints (with NAME) [22C4(WHITE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- lizards: chameleon (+ animal(s) changing colour) [25F41(CHAMELEON)(+4831)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- breathing, respiration [31A22221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- royal household; courtiers, retinue, train [44B152] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Innocence; 'Innocenza', 'Innocenza o purità' (Ripa) [57A631] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Flattery; 'Adulatione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57AA6121(+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 [H8r p127]
Flatteurs.
LXXXVIII.
Chameleon soufflant sans cesse,
Vivant d’air,[1] n’a fixes couleurs.
Ores bleu, verd, ou jaunes, & laisse
Link to an image of this page [H8v p128]
Rouge & blanc, couleurs de valeurs.[2]
Flatteurs de Prince ont tels malheurs,
Mangeans peuple en ville & cité:
Des moeurs du Prince grands parleurs:
Fors de blancheur & purité.
commentaires.
Le chameleon est frequent aux Indes, tousjours
beant, & à gorge ouverte humant l’air, qui est sa seu-
le vie & nourriture. Il se change en diver-
ses couleurs, excepté en rouge & blanc. Ainsi le flat-
teur ne se nourrit & sustante que des nouvelles de la
populace, ouvrant la gueule pour tout devorer. Il imi-
te volontiers les noires & perverses moeurs de son
superieur: mais des blanches & des rouges il n’en a
cure ny souci: c’est à dire de celles qui sont pures &
honnestes, & sans aucune tare.
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
- lizards: chameleon (+ animals used symbolically) [25F41(CHAMELEON)(+1)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ bare plant) [25G3(+351)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rocks [25H112] Search | Browse Iconclass
- landscape with tower or castle [25I5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- goat [47I214] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- colours, pigments, and paints (with NAME) [22C4(RED)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- colours, pigments, and paints (with NAME) [22C4(WHITE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- lizards: chameleon (+ animal(s) changing colour) [25F41(CHAMELEON)(+4831)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- breathing, respiration [31A22221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- royal household; courtiers, retinue, train [44B152] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Prolixity, Verbosity, Loquacity; 'Loquacit�' (Ripa) [52D4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Innocence; 'Innocenza', 'Innocenza o purit�' (Ripa) [57A631] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Flattery; 'Adulatione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57AA6121(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.
