Link to an image of this page [h8v p128]
Quà dii vocant eundum.
Go where Heaven calls
LXXVII.
In trivio mons est lapidum, supereminet illi
Trunca Dei effigies, pectore facta tenus.
Mercurii est igitur cumulus[1] suspende viator
Serta Deo, rectum qui tibi monstrat iter:[2]
Omnes in trivio sumus, atque hoc tramite vitae
Fallimur, ostendat ni Deus ipse viam.
At a parting of the ways, there is a hillock of stones. Rising above it is a half-statue of a god, fashioned as far down as the chest. So the hill is Mercury’s. Traveller, hang wreaths in honour of the god who points out the road to you. We are all at the crossroads, and on this track of life we go wrong, unless God himself shows us the way.
COMMENTARIA.
Trivium est locus ubi tres pluresve viae di-
viduntur, ancipitem dubiumque reddentes
ignarum itineris, de quo multa apud Strabonem
lib. 5. in quo fingitur mons ex lapidibus ex-
tructus, unde media Dei effigies apparet. Est
igitur tumulus seu sepulcrum Mercurii inter-
pretis & nuntii Deorum, ut plura Cicero in lib. Link to an image of this page [i1r p129]de Natura deorum qui rectam haesitanti viatori, viam
monstrat, quapropter ei serta, id est, coronae
ex floribus, in honorem suspendendae sunt. Hae
enim olim non nisi Diis dabantur. Plinius lib. 16.
cap. 4. & hoc antiquitus moris fuisse passim
autores prodidere, de quibus etiam Plinius lib. 6.
& Gellus lib. 5. cap. 6. Nos autem omnes in trivio
sumus, facileque fallimur in ambigua & trans-
versa nostrae vitae via, nisi Deus ipse nobis re-
ctum ostendat iter, quod ut faciat enixè rogan
dus, omnique reverentiae conatu venerandus est.
Related Emblems
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Relating to the image:
- the course of life symbolized [11R3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- animals (+ wings of an animal) [25F(+342):25F(+154)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- snakes (+ symmetrically placed ornamental animals, divided by a (human) figure or an object) [25F42(+154)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boulder, stone [25H1124] Search | Browse Iconclass
- low hill country [25H114] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards (+ indicating, pointing at) [31A2515(+931)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm or hand held in front of the body (+ holding something) [31A2516(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- index finger forwards, pointing, indicating [31A25552] Search | Browse Iconclass
- walking [31A2711] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking downwards [31B6212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ two persons) [31D14(+72)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- container of textile material: bag, sack [41A777] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dress, gown (+ men's clothes) [41D211(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear (with NAME) (+ men's clothes) [41D221(HAT)(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sceptre, staff (symbol of sovereignty) [44B192] Search | Browse Iconclass
- cross-roads, bifurcation [46C116] Search | Browse Iconclass
- carrying something on the head or on the shoulders [46C1215] Search | Browse Iconclass
- 'en route', traveller under way [46C513] Search | Browse Iconclass
- caduceus (staff with two snakes, attribute of Mercury) [92B58(CADUCEUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- attributes of Mercury: petasus [92B58(PETASUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- God's perfections [11A23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- anthropomorphic beings with parts missing [31A441] Search | Browse Iconclass
- piece of sculpture, reproduction of a piece of sculpture [48C24] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Guidance (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54E2(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Calling, Vocation, Mission (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57A23(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Herm: pillar with the head of Mercury, patron of travellers [92B572] Search | Browse Iconclass
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