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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [D6v]

ΑΝΤΈΡΩΣ AMOR VIRTU-
tis alium cupidinem superans.

Anteros, Love of Virtue, conquering the other Love.

Cupid sitting on the ground holding his arrows with another figure of Love breaking his bow.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Aligerum aligeroque invicem [=inimicum] pinxit amori,
Arcu arcum atque ignes igne domans Nemesis.[1]
Ut quae aliis fecit patiatur, at hic puer olim,
Intrepidus gestans tela[2] miser lachrymat.
Ter spuit inque sinus imos[3] (res mira) crematur,
Igne ignis furias odit amoris amor.

Nemesis has fashioned a form with wings, a foe to Love with his wings, subduing bow with bow and flames with flame, so that Love may suffer what he has done to others. But this boy, once so bold when he was carrying his arrows, now weeps in misery and has spat three times low on his breast. A wondrous thing - fire is being burned with fire, Love is loathing the frenzies of Love.

Notes:

1.  This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 16.251. The punishment of Cupid (Amor) for the hurt he inflicts on men is a common theme in Hellenistic Greek poetry and art. This punishment is often carried out by Nemesis, goddess of retribution. Cupid’s arrows and torch are taken from him and destroyed, and he himself is bound, beaten, burned, and pricked with his own arrows.

2.  ‘when he was carrying his arrows’. The corresponding line of the Greek text reads γευσάμενος βελέων, ‘getting a taste of the arrows’, and Alciato probably wrote here gustans tela, ‘tasting the arrows’, though this reading is not attested in the editions. Velius’ translation of the same poem in Selecta epigrammata reads expertus spicula, ‘experiencing the darts’.

3.  ‘has spat three times low on his breast’. This is a charm to avert the anger of Nemesis for some overbold thought or action. See Erasmus, Adagia 594, In tuum ipsius sinum inspue.

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Section: MARIAGE. View all emblems in this section.

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [Q7v p254]

Sur la statue de pudicité.

A woman covering her eyes being pulled between a young and an old man.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Penelopé suyvre Ulysses vouloit.
Son pere Icar à soy la retenoit.
L’ung offre Itaque, & l’autre Sparte en Grece:
L’amour du pere, & du mary la presse.
Parquoy se siet: les mains devant les yeulx,
Signe pudic à l’ung d’estre aimé myeulx.
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [Q8r p255] Ce qu’entendant Icar: en signe tel
D’honte Pudicque eleva ung autel.[1]

Penelopé est la plus renommée femme en
chasteté, qui soit en toute l’escripture des
Grecz. Et pource son image fut elevée sur
ung autel, entre deux hommes, l’ung vieil,
qui, estoit son Pere Icar Prince de Sparte,
l’autre jeune qui estoit Ulysses son mary
Seigneur d’Itaque, tournée vers Ulysses:
mais toutesfois couvrant ses yeulx de ses
mains, par honte pudicque, de ce que licite-
ment est commandé par Nature: laisser pe-
re & mere, pour suyvre son party en ma-
riage.

Notes:

1.  See Pausanias, Periegesis, 3.20.10, for this statue and the story behind it.

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