
Prudentes.
The Wise.
VIII.
Iane bifrons, qui transacta futuraque calles,
Quique retro sannas sicut & antè vides,
[1]
Tot te cur oculis, tot fingunt vultibus? an quòd
Circunspectum hominem forma fuisse docet?
Two-headed Janus, you know about what has already happened and what is yet to come, you see the jeering faces behind just as you see them in front. Why do they represent you with so many eyes, why with so many faces? Is it because this form tells us that you were a man of circumspection?
1. quique retro sannas, sicut et ante, vides, ‘you see the jeering faces behind just as you see them in front’, a line based on Persius, Satirae, 1.58-62.
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- Prudence, 'Prudentia'; 'Prudenza' (Ripa) ~ one of the Four Cardinal Virtues [11M41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Precaution (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A24(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Janus' head, two-faced head [96A128(JANUS' HEAD)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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Section: PRUDENCE. View all emblems in this section.

Les sages.
Probleme.
Jan a deux chefz, temps passé, & suyvant
Voyant derriere, ainsi comme devant.
Pourquoy has tu quatre yeux, double visage?
Est ce pourtant que tu fuz homme sage?
La Sapience est au chef, & Pource l’homme a deux
testes, represente le sage: qui ha memoire du pas-
sé, & providence de l’advenir.
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- groups of birds (+ flying animal(s)) [25F31(+5262)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- plants and herbs [25G4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- floating in the air (+ variant) [31A2763(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- anthropomorphic beings with parts in greater number than normal (+ head, face) [31A442(+41)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beard [31A534] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Janus' head, two-faced head [96A128(JANUS' HEAD)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Prudence, 'Prudentia'; 'Prudenza' (Ripa) ~ one of the Four Cardinal Virtues [11M41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Precaution (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A24(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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