
IN ASTROLOGOS.
Against astrologers
Icare per superos qui raptus & aëra donec
In mare praecipitem caera liquata daret.[1]
Nunc te caera eadem fervensque resuscitat ignis,[2]
Exemplo ut doceas dogmata certa tuo.
Astrologus caveat quicquam praedicere praeceps,
Nam cadet impostor dum super astra vehit[3].
Icarus, you were carried through the heights of heaven and through the air, until the melted wax cast you headlong into the sea. Now the same wax and the burning fire raise you up again, so that by your example you may provide sure teaching. Let the astrologer beware of prediction. Headlong will the imposter fall, as he flies beyond the stars.
1. Cf. Anthologia graeca 16.107, a poem on a bronze statue of Icarus, translated by Alciato at Selecta epigrammata (Cornarius, ed.) p.333. Icarus and his father Daedalus ([A34a008] notes) escaped from King Minos of Crete on wings of feathers and wax. Icarus was over-bold and flew too near the sun; when his wings melted, he crashed into the Icarian Sea and was drowned. See Ovid, Metamorphoses 8.183ff. Icarus, like Phaethon ([A34a065]) was a type of those who do not keep to their proper station.
2. ‘same wax...fire’: a reference to the cire perdue method of casting statues.
3. Textual variant: volat.
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Relating to the image:
- astrology [14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- astrologer at work [14A0] Search | Browse Iconclass
- waxing moon, i.e. facing this way ) [24B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- stars [24D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boulder, stone [25H1124] Search | Browse Iconclass
- walking [31A2711] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking upwards [31B6211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coat, cape [41D212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear [41D221] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- sea (seascape) [25H23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- falling through the air [31A2764] Search | Browse Iconclass
- youth, adolescent (+ nude human being) [31D12(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- violent death by heat (boiling lead, burning coal, etc.) (+ variant) [31E2321(+0):31E225] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Folly, Foolishness; 'Pazzia', 'Sciocchezza', 'Stoltitia' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52AA51(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Prediction, Prophecy; 'Augurio', 'Divinatione', 'Profetia' (Ripa) [52E2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Arrogance; 'Arroganza' (Ripa) [57AA644] Search | Browse Iconclass
- death i.e. the fall of Icarus, without Daedalus [95A(ICARUS)681] Search | Browse Iconclass
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