Ficta Religio.

False religion.

Regali residens meretrix pulcherrima sella,[1]
Purpureo insignem gestat honore peplum,
Omnibus & latices pleno è cratere propinat,
At circum cubitans ebria turba iacet.
Sic Babylona notant, quae gentes illice forma,
Et ficta stolidas relligione capit.

A beauteous harlot reclining on a royal seat wears a robe resplendent with purple, the badge of honour. From a full bowl she passes round the cup of drink to all, and round about the drunken crowd sprawls in stupor. Thus they indicate Babylon, who with her alluring beauty takes in the doltish nations with false religion.

In fraudulentos.

Deceivers

Parva lacerta, atris stellatus corpora guttis
Stellio,[1] qui latebras, & cava busta colit,
Invidiae parvique doli fert symbola pictus,
Heu nimium nuribus cognita zelotypis.
Nam turpi obtegitur faciem lentigine quisquis.
Sit quibus immersus Stellio, vina bibat.[2]
Hinc vindicta frequens decepta pellice vino.
Quam formae amisso flore relinquit amans.

The little lizard, called the ‘starred’ gecko from the dark star-shaped marks sprinkled all over its body, a creature that lurks in holes and hollow tombs, is pictured here and presents symbols of resentment and wicked deception, known only too well to jealous wives. For anyone who drinks wine in which a spotted gecko has been soaked comes out in ugly spots all over the face. This is often a way of taking revenge - the husband’s fancy woman is tricked with wine, and, when the flower of her beauty is gone, her lover abandons her.