
MENTEM, NON FORMAM,
plus pollere.
Intelligence matters, not beauty
Emblema. 187.
Ingressa vulpes in Choragi pergulam,
Fabre expolitum invenit humanum caput,
Sic eleganter fabricatum, ut spirītus
Solum deesset, caeteris vivesceret [=vivisceret]
.
Id illa cum sumpsisset in manus, ait,
O quale caput est, sed cerebrum non habet.[1]
A fox, entering the store-room of a theatrical producer, found an actor’s mask, skilfully shaped, so finely fashioned that the spirit alone was missing, in all else it seemed alive. Taking it up, the fox addressed it - What a head is this, but it has no brain!
1. See Phaedrus, Fables 1.7 (also in iambic senarii); Aesop, Fables 43.
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- beasts of prey, predatory animals: fox (+ animal(s) holding something) [25F23(FOX)(+5245)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: fox (+ sitting animal) [25F23(FOX)(+535)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ stem, trunk) [25G3(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- forest, wood [25H15] Search | Browse Iconclass
- village [25I2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head (human) [31A221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on an elevation [31A2352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards - AA - both arms or hands [31AA2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rural housing, e.g. country-house, villa, cottage [41A16] Search | Browse Iconclass
- front faƧade [41A311] Search | Browse Iconclass
- workbench (+ tools and appliances ~ crafts, industries, agriculture) [47A211:48(+32)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- piece of sculpture, reproduction of a piece of sculpture [48C24] Search | Browse Iconclass
- stage costume [48C853] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- actor, actress (non-work situations) [48C8322] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Beauty; 'Bellezza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51D4(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Intellect, Intelligence; 'Intelletto', 'Intelligenza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A1(+4):54B6(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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MENTEM NON FORMAM
plus pollere.
Intelligence matters, not beauty
Ingressa vulpes in Choragi pergulam,
Fabre expolitum invenit humanum caput.
Sic eleganter fabricatum, ut spiritus
Solum deesset, caeteris vivesceret,
Id illa cum sumpsisset in manus ait,
Hoc[1] quale caput est, sed cerebrum non habet.[2]
A fox, entering the store-room of a theatrical producer, found an actor’s mask, skilfully shaped, so finely fashioned that the spirit alone was missing, in all else it seemed alive. Taking it up, the fox addressed it - What a head is this, but it has no brain!
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- beasts of prey, predatory animals: fox (+ animal(s) holding something) [25F23(FOX)(+5245)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: fox (+ sitting animal) [25F23(FOX)(+535)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head (human) [31A221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- piece of sculpture, reproduction of a piece of sculpture [48C24] Search | Browse Iconclass
- stage costume [48C853] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- mask [41D283] Search | Browse Iconclass
- workbench [47A211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- actor, actress (non-work situations) [48C8322] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Beauty; 'Bellezza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51D4(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Intellect, Intelligence; 'Intelletto', 'Intelligenza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A1(+4):54B6(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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