Section: LUXURIA (Licentiousness). View all emblems in this section.
Link to an image of this page [F4r p87]
Lascivia.
Wantonness
problema.
A Problem.
Delicias, & molliciem mus creditur albus
Arguere, at ratio non sat aperta mihi est.[1]
An quòd ei natura salax, & multa libido est?
Ornat Romanas an quia pelle nurus?
Sarmaticum murem vocitant plerique Zibellum,[2]
Et celebris suavi est unguine muscus Arabs.[3]
The white mouse is supposed to represent self-indulgence and licentiousness, but the reason is not very clear to me. Is it because it is highly sexed and has strong sexual appetities? Or because it adorns Roman women with its fur? Many people call the civet-cat the Sarmatian mouse, and famous for its sweet oil is the Arabian musk.
1. The white mouse was a proverbial example of the effeminate and the promiscuous. See the Suda s.v. mus, and Apostolius, Proverbs, 11,87, who also reports its sexual proclivities.
2. zibellum, ‘civet cat’, one source of musk, an ingredient in many perfumes. Sarmatia was the region north of the Black Sea.
3. murem...muscus, ‘mouse...musk’. The words ‘mouse’ and ‘musk’ (late Latin muscus) are connected, from the mouse-shaped sac of the male animals which produce musk. Some plants have a musky smell. Muscus also means ‘moss’ - Arabia was famous for plants which produced aromatic gums (e.g. incense and nard).
Related Emblems
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Relating to the image:
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: ermine (+ skin, fleece, hide, fur, leather) [25F23(ERMINE)(+351)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: sable (+ movements of animal(s)) [25F23(SABLE)(+52)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rodents: musk-rat (+ movements of animal(s)) [25F26(MUSK-RAT)(+52)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- 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
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coast [25H13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sea (seascape) [25H23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- prospect of city, town panorama, silhouette of city [25I12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward (+ holding something) [31A2511(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm bent behind the back [31A25171] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- castle [41A12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coat, cape (+ fur used for clothes) [41D212(+43)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coat, cape (+ men's clothes) [41D212(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear (+ men's clothes) [41D221(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body (+ men's clothes) [41D223(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trousers, breeches (+ men's clothes) [41D231(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gear for legs and feet (+ men's clothes) [41D233(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sailing-ship, sailing-boat (+ under way, at sea (~ travelling)) [46C24(+63)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Licentiousness, Lasciviousness; 'Lascivia', 'Licenza' (Ripa) (+ abstract concept represented by male figure) [57AA51(+12)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Licentiousness, Lasciviousness; 'Lascivia', 'Licenza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57AA51(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Rome (one of the four world empires) [23S14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult woman [31D15] Search | Browse Iconclass
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