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EMBLEMA IX.
Principis clementia.
Clemency in a ruler
Vesparum quod nulla unquam Rex spicula figet:[1]
Quódque aliis duplo corpore maior erit.
Arguet imperium clemens, moderataque regna.
Sanctaque iudicibus credita iura bonis.
The king of the wasps will never implant any sting and will be twice as big as the rest. This will be a sign of mild dominion, a disciplined kingdom, and inviolable law entrusted to good judges.
Das IX.
Fürstliche Gnad.
Das der Wespen König nimmer
Mit seim Angel sticht, und daß er
An seinem Leib zweymal ist groß
Dann die andern Wespen genoß
Zeigt an ein gnedig Regiment
Und stilles Reich darinn man lendt
All Hendel und sachen nach recht
Wie es vertrauwt ist dem Richter schlecht.
1. According to Pliny, Natural History, 11.21.74, wasps do not have ‘kings’: it is the ‘mother’ wasps that are without stings. On the other hand, the ‘king’ bee (the ancients believed the queen bee to be male) and its lack of sting, or refusal to use its sting, was often mentioned; e.g. Aelian, De natura animalium, 5.10; Pliny, ibid., 17.52. For the analogy with kingship, see e.g. Seneca, De Clementia, 1.19; Erasmus, Adagia, 2601 (Scarabaeus aquilam quaerit).
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Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- insects: wasp (+ animals used symbolically) [25F711(WASP)(+1)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- insects: wasp (+ postures, positions of animal(s)) [25F711(WASP)(+53)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees [25G3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- farm or solitary house in landscape [25I3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on an elevation [31A2352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward [31A2512] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ two persons) [31D14(+72)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear [41D221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body [41D223] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the lower part of the body [41D23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- king [44B113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- throne [44B1212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- crown (symbol of sovereignty) [44B191] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sceptre, staff (symbol of sovereignty) [44B192] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bee-hive [47I242] Search | Browse Iconclass
- pedestal of a piece of sculpture (perhaps in the form of a herm) (+ variant) [48C244(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- poison ~ product of animal [25F(+92)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- virtues of the ruler [44B10] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruler and his subjects [44B1270] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Indulgence, Clemency; 'Clemenza', 'Clemenza & Moderatione', 'Indulgenza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57A73(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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