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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [i3v p134]

ἀντέρως, id est, amor virtu-
tis.

Anteros, that is, love of virtue

LXXXI.

Cupid sitting on the ground holding garlands but minus his bow and arrows.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Dic ubi sunt incurvi arcus? ubi tela Cupido?
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [i4r p135]Mollia queis iuvenum figere corda soles.[1]
Fax ubi tristis? ubi pennae? tres unde corollas
Fert manus: unde aliam tempora cincta gerunt?
Haud mihi vulgare [=vulgari] est, hospes cum Cypride quicquam
Ulla voluptatis nos neque forma tulit.
Sed puris hominum succendo mentibus ignes
Disciplinae, animos astraque ad alta traho.
Quattuor eque ipsa texo virtute corollas.[2]
Quarum quae Sophiae est, tempora prima tegit.

Tell me, where are your arching bows, where your arrows, Cupid, the shafts which you use to pierce the tender hearts of the young? Where is your hurtful torch, where your wings? Why does your hand hold three garlands? Why do your temples wear a fourth? - Stranger, I have nothing to do with common Venus, nor did any pleasurable shape bring me forth. I light the fires of learning in the pure minds of men and draw their thoughts to the stars on high. I weave four garlands out of virtue’s self and the chief of these, the garland of Wisdom, wreathes my temples.

COMMENTARIA.

Alloquitur cupidinem interrogando qua-
re praeter morem solitum hic videatur, ubi re-
liquerit arcum & tela sua quibus mallia iuve-
num corda transfigit, ubi ignis ille vehemens
quo eorum animos accendit, ubi alae celeres
quibus inconstans omnia loca penetrat, quid
imò sibi velint tres illae coronae in brachio,
atque etiam quarta capiti suo imposita? Re-
spondit Amor se non esse cupidinem illum
venereum & voluptatum, quin potius alterum
amorem honestum, alii libidinoso prorsus ini-
micum, sed inflammare se puras hominum men
tes igne disciplinarum & virtutum, illorumque
ingenia ad sydera usque perpetuo nomine eve-
here, hoc ipsum significare coronas illas con
textas, quarum ea quae capiti iniecta est desi-
gnare sapientiam (Philosophia autem com-
paratur) quae primo amplectenda, cui reliquae
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [i4v p136]tres adherent & subsequuntur, ut puta Forti-
tudo, Temperantia, & Iustitia: de quibus ele-
ganter Seneca in libro de quatuor virtutibus
cardinalibus: & Macrobius in libro de somnio
Scipionis, refert Plotini Philosophi elegan-
tem harum virtutum distributionem.

Notes:

1.  This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 16.201.

2.  ‘I weave four garlands out of virtue’s self’, a reference to the four cardinal virtues, justice, temperance, courage and wisdom.

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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [G7v p110]

El Amor de la virtud.

Dialogo. Lettor. Amor.

SONETO.

Cupid crouching on a hillside overlooking a town, holding laurel wreaths.
[Click on image to enlarge]

L. Do està tu flecha y arco di Cupido,
Con que solias clavar el tierno pecho?
Do estan tus alas, y tu fuego hecho
Para abrasar qualquier hombre naçido?
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [G8r p111] Estas coronas tres do te an venido,
Y esotra en la cabeza? A. No ha derecho
En mi la Venus, à quien yo desecho,
Lettor, que no soy de ella conçevido.
Yo soy aquel Amor de virtud santto
Que las almas ençiendo, y las mantengo,
Y à contemplar en alto las levanto.
De virtud las coronas son que tengo,
Y la de la prudençia (por ser tanto
Su honor) en la cabeza la sostengo.[1]

Notes:

1.  This is based on Anthologia graeca 16.201.

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