
GRATIAM REFERENDAM.
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Emblema. 30.
Aerio insignis pietate Ciconia nido,
Investes pullos pignora grata fovet.
Taliaque expectat sibi munera mutua reddi,
Auxilio hoc quoties mater egebit anus.
Nec pia spem soboles fallit, sed fessa parentum
Corpora fert humeris, praestat & ore cibos.[1]
The stork, famed for its dutiful care, in its airy nest cherishes its featherless chicks, its dear pledges of love. The mother bird expects that the same kind of service will be shown her in return, whenever she needs such help in her old age. Nor does the dutiful brood disappoint this hope, but bears its parents’ weary bodies on its wings and offers food with its beak.
1. See Pliny, Natural History 10.32.63: cranes care for their parents’ old age in their turn. See also Aelian, De natura animalium 3.23.
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- crucifix ~ personal devotion [11Q651] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of birds (+ flying animal(s)) [25F31(+5262)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shore-birds and wading-birds: stork (+ very old animal) [25F37(STORK)(+24)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shore-birds and wading-birds: stork (+ animal with prey) [25F37(STORK)(+452)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shore-birds and wading-birds: stork (+ postures, positions of animal(s)) [25F37(STORK)(+53)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- worms (+ dying animal; death of animal; dead animal) [25F73(+63)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- plants and herbs (+ bare plant) [25G4(+351)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rock-formations [25H1123] Search | Browse Iconclass
- river [25H213] Search | Browse Iconclass
- city-walls [25I146] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- giving food [41C111] Search | Browse Iconclass
- road, path [46C11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- pedestal of a piece of sculpture (perhaps in the form of a herm) [48C244] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- parental care [42A461] Search | Browse Iconclass
- 'Pietà de figliuoli verso il padre' (Ripa) [42B40] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rescuing parents (in particular carrying on the back) [42B43] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Gratitude; 'Gratitudine', 'Memoria grata de beneficii ricevuti' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57A8(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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