In astrologos.

Against astrologers

Icare per superos qui raptus & aëra, donec
In mare praecipitem cera liquata daret,[1]
Nunc te cera eadem fervensque resuscitat ignis,[2]
Exemplo ut doceas dogmata certa tuo.
Astrologus caveat quicquam praedicere, praeceps
Nam cadet impostor dum super astra vehit[3].

Icarus, you were carried through the heights of heaven and through the air, until the melted wax cast you headlong into the sea. Now the same wax and the burning fire raise you up again, so that by your example you may provide sure teaching. Let the astrologer beware of prediction. Headlong will the imposter fall, as he flies beyond the stars.

Icarus filius fuit Daedali, qui una cum patre
se volatilem fecit, alis ex cera & pennis com-
pactis, sed cùm ultra patris iussa nimium su-
blime volans, à solis calore, cera qua pennae
continebantur liquefacta, alaeque fictitiae ruptae
  Link to an image of this page  [f6v p92]fuissent, in mare decidit, ibique periit, sic ab eo
Icarium mare appellatur, ut Ovidius lib. 1. de
Tristibus.

Dum petit infirmis nimium sublimia pennis,
Icarus, Icariis nomina fecit aquis.

Eius itaque tristis casus, omnibus etiam in poste-
rum Astronomis exemplo esse debet, ut à fi-
ctitiis atque incertis caveant, nedum imposto
res futura imprudenter praedicere ac nimium
alta petere volentes, simili modo cadant. Dae-
dali verò & Icari ex Creta fuga, causa, & exi-
tus legitur apud Ovidium lib. 2. de arte amandi &
lib. 8. Metamorphoseon Syl[4]. lib. 14. & Diodorum lib. 5.

Parem delinquentis & suasoris cul-
pam esse.

The one who urges wrongdoing is as guilty as the one who does the wrong

Praeconem lituo perflantem classica victrix
Captivum in tetro carcere turma tenet.
Queis ille excusat, quòd nec sit strenuus armis.
Ullius aut saevo laeserit ense latus.
Huic illi, Quin ipse magis timidissime peccas,
Qui clangore alios aeris in arma cies.[1]

The victorious troop holds captive in a foul dungeon a herald, who sounds military commands on his trumpet. To them he makes his excuses - he is no strong fighting man and has wounded no one’s side with a cruel sword. They reply: You abject coward, you are in fact more guilty, for you with the sound of your trumpet stir up others to fight.

Victores in bello tubicinem adversae partis
ceperant, quem cùm vinctum uti hostem tene
rent & fortè plecterent ille se excusationibus
defendere conabatur, dicens neminem laesisse
nec contra quenquam pugnasse, nec etiam
unquam aliis armis praeter solam tubam usum
fuisse. Cui illi vicissim dixerunt, O timide, hoc
  Link to an image of this page  [f8r p95]magis peccasti, caeteros nanque milites tuhae [=tubae] so-
no ad arma incitasti. Pariter apud Aesopum
in fabula de Buccinatore. Ostenditur non mi-
nus eos qui ad delicta alios instigant & per-
suadent, quàm ipsosmet delinquentes punien
dos esse. Hoc ipsum etiam iure cavetur, & in
Lege Si quis servo. Codex de furtis.[2]