Link to an image of this page [M8v f83v]
EMBLEMA CXXVIII.
Vel post mortem formidolosi.
Terrifying even after death
Caetera mutescent, coriumque silebit ovillum,
Si confecta lupi tympana pelle sonent.
Hanc membrana ovium sic exhorrescit, ut hostem,
Exanimis quamvis non ferat exanimem.
Sic cute detracta Cischas in tympana versus,
Bohemos potuit vincere pontifices.[1]
All others will fall mute, the skin of sheep will be silent, if drums made of wolf-hide resound. The vellum of sheep so fears the wolf-skin, that though dead it cannot endure its dead enemy. Even so Cischas, flayed and turned into a drum, was able to triumph over the priests of Bohemia.
Das CXXVIII.
Auch nach dem Tod zu förchten.
Wann Mann ein Trumm und Baucken rürt
Die von Wolffsheuten ist geführt
So erstummen die andern all
Die gemach seind auß dem Schaffell
Link to an image of this page [N1r f84r]Also erschrickt und fürchten thut
Das Schaffel, die Wolffshaut on mut
Das sich sie also todt entsetzt
Vor dem todten Feind der es letzt
Also vor der abzognen Haut
Gespant uber ein Trumb und Bauck
Deß Hauptmanns Zichas gflohen sind
Deß Bömischen Meßpfaffen gsind.
1. For the story behind this epigram, see the commentary in the Tozzi edition of Alciato’s emblems (Padua, 1621). ‘Cischas’ is Jan Ziska (c.1370-1425), a Bohemian military leader who supported the Hussites, destroying Catholic churches and attacking the clergy. He waged a long and successful military campaign which compelled the Emperor Sigismund to offer the Hussites religious liberty. Ziska died of plague, and is said to have ordered that his corpse be flayed and the skin made into a drum, the sound of which would put the enemy to flight. (His real name was Jan z Trocnova (‘of Trocnov’), Zizka being Czech for ‘one-eyed’, having lost an eye in a skirmish during the Battle of Grunwald in 1410).
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Relating to the image:
Relating to the text:
- priest (Roman Catholic) [11P3121] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: wolf (+ skin, fleece, hide, fur, leather) [25F23(WOLF)(+351)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- military music [45C9] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sheep (+ skin, fleece, hide, fur, leather) [47I213(+9351)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- drum (musical instrument) - CC - out of doors [48CC7341] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Authority, Power; 'Dominio', 'Giurisdittione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [53C11(+4):31E30] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Alarm, Fright; 'Spavento', 'Terrore' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [56DD32(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- historical person (with NAME) other representations to which the NAME of a historical person may be attached (with NAME of person) [61B2(ZIZCA, Jan)3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- geographical names of countries, regions, mountains, rivers, etc. (names of cities and villages excepted) (with NAME) [61D(BOHEMIA)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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