Section: FORTUNA (Fortune, good or bad). View all emblems in this section.
Link to an image of this page [I5r as I4 p137]
Ex damno alterius, alterius utilitas.
One man’s loss is another man’s gain
Dum saevis ruerent in mutua vulnera telis,
Ungue leaena ferox, dente timendus aper,
Accurrit vultur spectatum, & prandia captat.
Gloria victoris, praeda futura sua est.[1]
While a lioness, vicious in claw, and a boar, fearsome for its tusks, were setting upon each other, inflicting mutual wounds with their savage weapons, a vulture hurried up to watch, lurking in expectation of a meal. The victor’s glory will belong to the one that gets the spoil.
1. Cf. Aesop 200 and 203.
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Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- animals (+ relationship between animals) [25F(+44)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fighting animals; aggressive relations [25F(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: lion (+ silent means of communication of animal(s): wagging of tail etc.) [25F23(LION)(+491)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: lion (+ fighting animals; aggressive relations) [25F23(LION)(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: lion (+ animal gripping another animal, human figure, or object) [25F23(LION)(+5571)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hoofed animals: boar (+ fighting animals; aggressive relations) [25F24(BOAR)(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- predatory birds: vulture (+ animal with forelegs stretched sidewards) [25F33(VULTURE)(+553)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- predatory birds: vulture (+ animal looking downwards) [25F33(VULTURE)(+5712)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ stem, trunk) [25G3(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rocks [25H112] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (high) hill [25H113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- forest, wood [25H15] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fighting [33B3] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Waiting for an Opportunity (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54B1211(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Advantage (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54F14(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Disadvantage (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54FF14(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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Link to an image of this page [M6r p187]
Il faut commencer par bon encon-
tre.
XXIIII.
Qui bien commence, à bonne fin il vient:
Commençans mal, tout malheur nous advient.
La belette est de fort mauvais presage:
La rencontrant, quitte tout, si es sage.[1]
Commentaires.
Qui bien commence, a faict la moitié de sa
beson-
gne. Il faut bien commencer, & bien poursuyvre, jus-
qu’à ce que nous soyons parvenus à une heureuse fin.
Qui fait autrement, à grand’ peine parvient-il jamais
où il desire. La belette, le
lievre, & plusieurs autres
semblables animaux, ont tousjours esté tenus pour
malencontreux. Qui voudra voir les estranges dan-
Link to an image of this page [M6v p188]
gers & calamités qu’ont encouru ceux qui ont me-
sprisé tels prognostics, qu’il lise Valere le Grand.
1. For the weasel as a creature of ill omen, see Erasmus, Adagia, 173, (Mustelam habes).
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- beasts of prey, predatory animals: weasel (+ animals used symbolically) [25F23(WEASEL)(+1)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Bad Omen; 'Augurio cattivo' (Ripa) (+ symbolical representation of concept) [52E22(+3)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Start (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54DD3(+4):52E21(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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