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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [C3v p38]

Qui s’emende dict en ce point.
Qu’ay je faict trop,
ou peu, ou point?

Man watching flock of birds fly over carrying stones in their claws.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Le noble autheur de la secte Italicque
Mist en brief [=briefs] vers sa doctrine Mysticque.[1]
Qu’ay je faict trop, ou peu, ou point. entendre
Voulant chescun a soy tel compte rendre.
Ce qu’il apprint par les Grues volantes
Qu’en leurs piedz portent pierres pesantes.[2]
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [C4r p39] Pour n’arrester, & n’estre au vent ravies.
Ainsi regir fault des hommes les vies.

Tout vice, & default gist, ou en faire mal,
que est trop faire: ou laisser le bien,
que est, point faire, ou ne faire assez
bien son devoir, que est trop peu fai-
re, dequoy les Grues donnent exemple,
qui en volant portent pierres, pour n’estre
trop arrestan-tes en l’air, ne trop peu pe-
santes à l’arbitre du vent. Et de ces trois cho
ses doibt chescun à la fin du jour rendre
compte à soymesme.

Notes:

1.  ‘Founder of the Italian sect’, i.e. Pythagoras. Born in Samos, he emigrated in 531 BC to Croton in South Italy, where he founded a religious/philosophical sect.

2.  Cranes wisely carrying stones as ballast are likened to men of foresight in Suidas (i.e, the Suda), s.v. geranos. Other reasons were suggested by ancient writers for this habit

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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [A6v f6v]

Prudentes.

The Wise.

Man with two faces sitting on a step in the countryside.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Iane bifrons, qui iam transacta futuraque calles,
Quique retro sannas sicut & ante 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?

Notes:

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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