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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [n2r p195]

Concordia insuperabilis.

Concord is insuperable

XVIII.

Tergeminos inter fuerat concordia fratres,
Tanta simul pietas mutua, & unus amor:
Invicti humanis ut viribus ampla tenerent
Regna, uno dicti nomine Geryonis.[1]

There was concord between triplet brothers, such mutual care, one love between them all; and so, unconquerable by human force, they held wide realms and were called by the one name of Geryones.

Notes:

1.  This is a rationalisation of Geryones, the unconquerable giant with three heads or three bodies, who dwelt on the island Erytheia of the mythic Hesperides, eventually vanquished and killed by Hercules during his abduction of Geryones’ famous cattle. See Emblem 225 ([A56a225]).


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    Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [B2v f10v]

    Cavendum à meretricibus.

    Beware of whores

    Sole satae Circes tam magna potentia fertur,
    Verterit ut multos in nova monstra viros.
    Testis equus domitor Picus,[1] tum Scylla biformis,[2]
    Atque Ithaci postquam vina bibere sues.[3]
    Indicat illustri meretricem nomine Circe, [4]
    Et rationem animi perdere, quisquis amat.

    So great, we are told, was the power of Circe, daughter of the Sun, that she turned many persons into new monstrous shapes. A witness to this is Picus, tamer of horses, and Scylla with her double form, and the Ithacans who became pigs after drinking the wine. Circe with her famous name indicates a whore and shows that any man who loves such a one loses his reason.

    Notes:

    1.  Picus, an Italian king, a breeder of horses, turned into a woodpecker by Circe. See Ovid, Metamorphoses, 14.320ff.

    2.  Scylla was transformed into a figure that was half girl, half barking dogs. See Ovid, Metamorphoses, 14.51ff.

    3.  Ithacans: See Homer, Odyssey, 10.229ff. for the story of Ulysses’ sailors (from the island of Ithaca), who were turned into pigs by Circe with a magic potion of wine.

    4.  Indicat...meretricem: ‘indicates a whore’. See Anthologia Graeca, 10.50 for this rationalisation of the Circe story.


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    • enchantment ~ potion or herbs [13D4] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • mis-shapen animals; monsters [25F9] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • monsters of mixed human and animal shape; 'Mostri' (Ripa) [31A45] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • whore, prostitute [33C520] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • courtesan, hetaera [33C521] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • Reason versus Amorous Lust; 'Combattimento della ragione con l'appetito' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52B513(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • Danger; 'Pericolo' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54DD51(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • Ulysses' companions are changed into all kinds of animals (+ variant) [97C81(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • Picus changed into a woodpecker: Circe changes Picus into a woodpecker because, faithful to his wife Canens, he spurns the love of the goddess (Ovid, Metamorphoses XIV 386) (+ variant) [97D28(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
    • Scylla changed into a sea-monster: Circe, to whom Glaucus has applied for aid in his love suit, changes Scylla the sea-nymph into a sea-monster (Ovid, Metamorphoses XIV 59) (+ variant) [97EE3(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass

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