Link to an image of this page [E7v p78]
Impossibile.
The impossible
EMBLEMA LIX.
Abluis AEthiopem quid frustra? ah desine: noctis
Illustrare nigrae nemo potest tenebras.[1]
Why are you washing an Ethiopian in vain? Oh, do stop. No one can turn the shades of black night into light.
1. This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 11.428. See also Aesop, Fables 11; Erasmus, Adagia 350, Aethiopen lavas.
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Relating to the image:
- water (one of the four elements) [21D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- leaning forward [31A2321] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on an elevation [31A2352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head bent forward; bowing (+ standing) [31A244(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward (+ holding something) [31A2511(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward [31A2512] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards [31A2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gripping someone by the arm [31A2541] Search | Browse Iconclass
- standing on one leg, the other leg backwards, bent [31A26252] Search | Browse Iconclass
- brush, sponge, etc. (toilet articles) [31A5462] Search | Browse Iconclass
- towel [31A5463] Search | Browse Iconclass
- washing and bathing - AA - in the open air [31AA54] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ three persons) [31D14(+73)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ nude human being) [31D14(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- white races and peoples (+ men) [32B31(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- African negroes (with NAME) (+ men) [32B321(ETHIOPIAN)(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- well [41A3911] Search | Browse Iconclass
- container of ceramics: jar, jug, pot, vase [41A773] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body (+ men's clothes) [41D223(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trousers, breeches (+ men's clothes) [41D231(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gear for legs and feet (+ men's clothes) [41D233(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- utilitarian, public pump or water fountain [44E14] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- (personifications of) 'Vanitas', the vanity of human life; Fragilit� humana, Fugacit� delle grandezze & della gloria mondana, Meditatione della morte, Opera vana, Piacere vano, Vana gloria, Vanit� (Ripa) [11R5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- day and night [23R] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Impossibility (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52BB42(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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Link to an image of this page [I7v p142]
In formosam fato praereptam.[1]
On a beautiful woman, dead before her time
Cur puerum Mors ausa dolis es carpere Amorem?
Tela tua ut iaceret, dum propria esse putat?
Death, why did you so audaciously and with evil intent steal from the boy Love? - So that he might shoot your weapons, thinking them his own?
Link to an image of this page [I8r p143]
De la belle qui mourut.
Mort, pourquoy es tu tant hardie,
De lenfant amoureux reprandre?
Il fault que pour luy je te die,
Que tort fais a son aage tendre:
Sil cuydoit son plaisant arc tendre,
Et ayt tes traitz noirs transgectes,
Cest par toy, qui las sceu surprandre:
Luy machinant oultraiges telz.
Encor sur lhistoire.
Pourquoy batz tu mort lenfant amoureux
Sil faict mourir en cuydant faire aymer?
Rends luy sa flesche, & prens ton dard amer:
Lors fera il exploix moins dangereux.
Sur ce mesmes.
Mort, qui te faict Cupido battre?
Il faict dessus moy entreprise.
Pourquoy as tu sa flesche prise?
Je men veulx sur les vieux esbatre.
1. The iconography of the emblems ‘De morte et amore’ and ‘In formosam fato praereptam’ is confused in many editions.
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- groups of birds (+ flying animal(s)) [25F31(+5262)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (human) skeleton [31A21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- leaning forward (+ attacking somebody) [31A2321(+9223)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- lying figure [31A236] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ holding something) [31A2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards [31A2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other, walking position (+ standing) [31A26211(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- blindfold [31A3191] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boy (child between toddler and youth) (+ nude human being) [31D11221(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Death as (rotting) corpse [31F25] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Death conquering Life or the living [31F3310] Search | Browse Iconclass
- edifice, e.g.: public building, department store [41A13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- theft [44G544] Search | Browse Iconclass
- archer's weapons: arrow [45C15(ARROW)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- archer's weapons: bow [45C15(BOW)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- quiver [45C23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Cupid, Amor (Eros) (+ variant) [92D1(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sleeping Cupid; possibly signifying a slackening of Love's influence [92D155] Search | Browse Iconclass
- attributes of Cupid (with NAME) [92D18(BOW)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- attributes of Cupid (with NAME) [92D18(QUIVER)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- death of human being [3.10E+01] Search | Browse Iconclass
- female sex; woman [31A72] Search | Browse Iconclass
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