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Vis naturae.
The power of nature
LXXVI [=77] .
Pana colunt gentes, (naturam hoc dicere rerum est)
Semicaprumque hominem, semivirumque Deum.
Vir tenus umblico est, hominum quòd propria virtus[1]
Corde oriens celsa verticis arce sedet.
Hinc caper est, quia nos naturam [=natura]
in secla propagat
Concubitu, ut volucres, squamea, bruta, feras.
Quod commune aliis animantibus, est caper index
Luxuriae, Veneris, signaque aperta gerit.
Cordi alii sophian, alii tribuere cerebro.
Inferiora modus, nec ratio ulla tenet.
Pagans worship Pan, that is the force of nature, a man half-goat, a god half-man. Pan is a man down to the navel, because the power that is peculiar to men rises from the heart and has its seat in the high citadel of the head. Below this he is goat, because Nature perpetuates us down the ages by sexual intercourse, as she does birds, fish, brute beasts and wild. This is a thing shared with other living creatures. The goat is a sign of licentiousness, and carries Venus’ standards unconcealed. Wisdom some have assigned to the heart, others to the head. The lower parts neither restraint nor reason governs.
1. Variant reading, Est vir pube tenus, quod nobis insita virtus, ‘Pan is a man down to the loins, because the power that is naturally present in us men rises...’.
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- Prudence, 'Prudentia'; 'Prudenza' (Ripa) ~ one of the Four Cardinal Virtues [11M41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- 'Natura' (allegorical figure or scene; or as Diana of Ephesus, with many breasts); 'Natura' (Ripa) [20] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Human Being, Man in General [30] Search | Browse Iconclass
- chest, bust (+ nude human being) [31A222(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- monsters ~ domestic animals [31A4521] Search | Browse Iconclass
- goat (+ limbs of an animal) [47I214(+934)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Licentiousness, Lasciviousness; 'Lascivia', 'Licenza' (Ripa) [57AA51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Instinct, Natural Disposition; 'Instinto naturale' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [58B6(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Pan [92L5] Search | Browse Iconclass
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Link to an image of this page [o2v p212]
Ars naturam adiuvans.
Art assisting nature
LXXVII [=78] .
Ut Fortuna pilae,[1] cubo sic insidet Hermes:
Artibus hic, variis casibus illa praeest.
Adversus vim Fortunae est ars facta:[2] sed artis
Cùm Fortuna mala est, saepe requirit opem.
Disce bonas artes igitur studiosa iuventus,
Quae certae secum commoda sortis habent.
As Fortune rests on a sphere, so Hermes sits on a cube. He presides over the arts, she over the varied chances of life. Art was developed to counteract the effect of Fortune, but when Fortune is bad it often needs the assistance of Art. Therefore, studious youths, learn good arts, which bring with them the benefits of an outcome not subject to chance.
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- 'Natura' (allegorical figure or scene; or as Diana of Ephesus, with many breasts); 'Natura' (Ripa) [20] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on an elevation [31A2352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- symbolic representations, allegories and emblems ~ art; 'Arte' (Ripa) [480] Search | Browse Iconclass
- symbolic representations, allegories and emblems ~ education; 'Ammaestramento', Dottrina', 'Educatione', 'Istitutione' (Ripa) [49A0:31D12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- student [49B44] Search | Browse Iconclass
- symbolic representations, allegories and emblems ~ science, 'Scientia'; 'Scienza', 'Studio' (Ripa) [49C0] Search | Browse Iconclass
- the liberal arts, 'Artes Liberales' [49C1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hexahedron, cube [49D452] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sphere, globe ~ stereometry [49D48] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Luck, Fortune, Lot; 'Fato', 'Fortuna', 'Fortuna aurea', 'Fortuna buona', 'Fortuna pacifica overo clemente', 'Sorte' (Ripa) (+ abstract concept represented by female figure) [54F12(+11)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Luck, Fortune, Lot; 'Fato', 'Fortuna', 'Fortuna aurea', 'Fortuna buona', 'Fortuna pacifica overo clemente', 'Sorte' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54F12(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- specific aspects, allegorical aspects of Mercury; Mercury as patron [92B57] Search | Browse Iconclass
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