Section: PRUDENTIA (Wisdom). View all emblems in this section.
Link to an image of this page [B3r p21]
Vigilantia, & custodia.
Vigilance and protection
Instantis quòd signa canens det gallus ëoi,
Et revocet famulas ad nova pensa manus:
Turribus in sacris effingitur, aerea mentem
Ad superos pelvis quòd revocet vigilem,
Est leo. sed custos oculis quia dormit apertis:[1]
Templorum idcirco ponitur ante fores.
Because the cock by its crowing gives the signal of approaching dawn and recalls working hands to fresh tasks, it is placed on top of church towers. A bronze bell (is hung there) because it recalls the waking mind to heaven. But a lion is on guard because it sleeps with its eyes open. For that reason it is placed before church doors.
1. oculis quia dormit apertis, ‘because it sleeps with its eyes open’. See Isidore, Etymologiae, 12.2.5: when lions are asleep, their eyes remain awake. See also Aelian, De natura animalium, 5.39.
Related Emblems
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Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- the Church symbolized [11P15] Search | Browse Iconclass
- church (exterior) [11Q712] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: lion (+ animals used symbolically) [25F23(LION)(+1)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beasts of prey, predatory animals: lion (+ sitting animal) [25F23(LION)(+535)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of birds (+ flying animal(s)) [25F31(+5262)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- landscape with tower or castle [25I5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- weathercock [26C41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on the ground [31A2351] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rotating, twisting (movement of the human body) [31A2753] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards - AA - both arms or hands [31AA2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fowl (cock, hen, chicken, etc.) (+ male animal) [34B232(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fowl (cock, hen, chicken, etc.) (+ animals used symbolically) [34B232(+91)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tower (of house or building) [41A361] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tower sentry [44G211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- guard duty, keeping sentry [45B310] Search | Browse Iconclass
- other ornament derived from animal forms [48A9845] Search | Browse Iconclass
- column, pillar ~ architecture [48C161] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arch, archivolt ~ architecture [48C162] Search | Browse Iconclass
- piece of sculpture, reproduction of a piece of sculpture [48C24] Search | Browse Iconclass
- pedestal of a piece of sculpture (perhaps in the form of a herm) [48C244] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Deity, God (in general) ~ Christian religion [11A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dawn [24A11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- eyes [31A2212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tower (of house or building) [41A361] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruler, sovereign [44B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Labour [46A170] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bell ~ musical instruments [48C73431] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Alertness, Vigilance; 'Guardia', 'Vigilanza', 'Vigilanza per difendersi & oppugnare altri' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A23(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Protection; 'Custodia', 'Difesa contra nimici, malefici & venefici', 'Difesa contra pericoli', 'Riparo da i tradimenti' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54E42(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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