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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [K2r p147]

In Occasionem.

Opportunity

EMBLEMA CXXI.

Διαλογιστικῶς.

In dialogue form.

A naked woman with winged feet standing on a wheel in the middle of the sea holding a knife in one hand and a scarf in the other.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Lysippi[1] hoc opus est, Sicyon[2] cui patria tu quis?[3]
Cuncta domans capti temporis articulus.
Cur pinnis[4] stas? usque rotor. talaria plantis
Cur retines? passim me levis aura rapit.
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [K2v p148]In dextra est tenuis dic unde novacula? acutum
Omni acie hoc signum me magis esse docet.
Cur in fronte coma? occurrens ut prendar. At heus tu
Dic cur pars calva est posterior capitis?
Me semel alipedem si quis permittat abire,
Ne possim apprenso postmodò crine capi.
Tali opifex nos arte, tui caussa edidit, hospes:
Utque omnes moneam, pergula aperta tenet.

This image is the work of Lysippus, whose home was Sicyon. - Who are you? - I am the moment of seized opportunity that governs all. - Why do you stand on points? - I am always whirling about. - Why do you have winged sandals on your feet? - The fickle breeze bears me in all directions. - Tell us, what is the reason for the sharp razor in your right hand? - This sign indicates that I am keener than any cutting edge. - Why is there a lock of hair on your brow? - So that I may be seized as I run towards you. - But come, tell us now, why ever is the back of your head bald? - So that if any person once lets me depart on my winged feet, I may not thereafter be caught by having my hair seized. It was for your sake, stranger, that the craftsman produced me with such art, and, so that I should warn all, it is an open portico that holds me.

Notes:

1.  Greek sculptor, 4th century BC.

2.  A town west of Corinth.

3.  This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 16.275. See also Erasmus, Adagia 670, Nosce tempus, where Erasmus too gives a verse translation of the Greek epigram.

4.  ‘on points’. Alciato here agrees with Erasmus, who similarly translates the phrase ἐπ’ ἄκρα, ‘on tiptoe’, in the Greek original. Thomas More translates more obviously with summis digitis. See Selecta epigrammata (Cornarius, ed.) p. 372ff.

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  • male persons from classical history (with NAME) representations to which the NAME of a person from classical history may be attached [98B(LYSIPPUS)3] Search | Browse Iconclass

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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [c1v p34]

Virtuti fortuna comes.

Good fortune attendant on virtue

XVIII.

Two snakes entwined round a pole holding a winged hat
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Anguibus implicitis geminis caduceus[1] alis.
Inter Amaltheae cornua[2] rectus adest.
Pollentes sic mente viros fandique peritos
Indicat, ut rerum copia multa beet.

The caduceus, with entwined snakes and twin wings, stands upright between the horns of Amalthea. It thus indicates how material wealth blesses men of powerful intellect, skilled in speaking.

COMMENTARIA.

Mercurius filius Iovis & Maiae, orationis
& eloquentiae Deus, Deorumque interpres &
nuntius habitus fuit. hic virgam ab Apolline
dono acceperat, qua ad dissidia & conten-
tiones tollendas utebatur, eam nanque manu
gerens cùm in Arcadiam proficisceretur, in-
venit duos Dracones simul ligatos & inter
se mutuò pugnantes: ille autem virgam in-
terposuit. Quo facto repentè praelium direm-
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [c2r p35]ptum fuit, hinc illam pacis gratia constitutam
esse dixit, deinde Aegyptii hanc virgam cir-
cundatam duobus Draconibus masculo &
foemella figuraverunt, & Caduceum appella-
runt, iunctis etiam alis & galero eiusdem Mer-
curii, de quo copiosius Perottus,[3] Macrobius lib.
1. Saturnaliae & praeter has plures virtutes enar-
rat Virgilius lib. 4. Aeneidos. Stat autem caduceus
erectus inter cornua Amaltheae, quae fabula à
nonnullis sic narratur. Rhea cùm Iovem pe-
perisset, metu patris illum infantulum in Cre-
ta insula occultavit, ibique duae Nymphae illum
nutricaverunt, lacte cuiusdam caprae cui no-
men erat Amalthea: Iupiter verò iam adul-
tus, ut gratiam referret iis à quibus nutritus
fuerat, ipsam capram inter sydera retulit, quae
etiam nunc capra coelestis appellatur, huius
alterum cornu Nymphis nutricibus dedit, in
praemium officii in eum collati, ea imbutum
virtute ut quicquid illae vellent seu optassent,
id statim ex eo cornu abundanter prosiliret.
Ad hunc ferè modum Erasmus in Chyliadibus Ali-
ter tamen Ovidius lib. 9. Metamorphoseon recitant [=recitat] . Haec
igitur innuit pictura, viris eloquentibus & in-
geniosis qui per Mercurii sceptrum seu Ca-
duceum significantur, Copiae cornu, id est,
felicem & prosperam fortunam omniumque
rerum abundantiam facile adiungi.

Notes:

1.  This was the herald’s staff, attribute of Mercury, god of eloquence, intellectual pursuits and financial success. The entwined serpents are a symbol of peace. See Pliny Natural History 29.12.54. The caduceus was Alciato’s personal device and was carved on his tomb at Pavia.

2.  Amalthea was the she-goat that suckled the infant Jupiter. Her horn became the cornucopia, the horn of plenty. See Erasmus, Adagia 502, Copiae cornu.

3.  Nicolaus Perottus (Niccolo Perotti), 1429-80; humanist and author of grammars for teaching Latin; taught at the University of Bologna. He was also Archbishop of Siponto, 1458, Papal governor of Southern Italy, and secretary and biographer of Cardinal Bessarion.

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  • Eloquence; 'Eloquenza', 'Fermezza & Gravit� dell'Oratione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52D3(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
  • Success; 'Evento buono' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54F1(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
  • Luck, Fortune, Lot; 'Fato', 'Fortuna', 'Fortuna aurea', 'Fortuna buona', 'Fortuna pacifica overo clemente', 'Sorte' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54F12(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
  • Virtuousness; 'Amor di Virt�', 'Attione virtuosa', 'Guida sicura de' veri honori', 'Virt�', 'Virt� insuperabile' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57A6(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass

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