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EMBLEMA II.

Tumulus Ioannis Galeatii vicecomitis,
primi ducis Mediolani.[1]

The tomb of Gian Galeazzo Visconti, first Duke of Milan

Map of part of Italy with figure of man holding a long curving banner and a sword.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Pro tumulo pone Italiam, pone arma ducesque[2]
Et mare, quod geminos mugit adusque sinus.
Adde his Barbariem[3] conantem irrumpere frustra,
Et mercede emptas in fera bella manus.
Anguiger ast[4] summo sistens in culmine dicat:
Quis parvis magnum me super imposuit?

Instead of the tomb, put Italy, put weapons and leaders, and the sea which roars right up to the twin curving coasts. Add to these the barbarian host, trying in vain to burst in, and forces hired with money for savage wars. But the one holding a snake, standing on the roof of the tomb, may well say: Who has put me, great as I am, on top of little things?

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [B8r f3r]

Das II.

An den Durchleuchtigen, Hochgebornen
Fürsten und Herrn, Herrn Johannis Galeatii
Viceconten und ersten Hertzogen
zu Meyland.

Für das Grabmal setz das Welschlandt
So Italia wirt genannt
Darzü die Wappen und Fürsten zgleich
Die beyde Meer so lauffen umbs Reich
Darzu setz auch die rauwe leut
Die vergebenlich suchen ein beut
Und die umb Gold ir Leib und Leben
In dem Krieg verkauffen und geben
Zu oberst aber soll da stahn
Der Fürst so ein Schlangen thut han
In seim Wappen mit diesem Rheim
Wer hat mich Herrn gsetzt ubers klein.

Notes:

1.  Gian Galeazzo Visconti (1351-1402), created first Duke of Milan in 1395. Noted for his ruthlessness, he united most of the Po valley under the rule of Milan for the first time, defeated Bologna, and set his sights on Florence until his death saved that city.

2.  This epigram is based on Anthologia graeca 7.73 (by Geminos, but wrongly attributed to Germanicus in the sixteenth century). The Greek epigram is concerned with what would be a worthy tomb for the Greek hero Themistocles, who was buried in a very simple grave. It suggests one with representations of Salamis and the Persians, recalling the hero’s most famous exploit, the victory over the Persians at the battle of Salamis. Likewise, memorials of Visconti’s achievements are proposed here.

3.  ‘the barbarian host’, i.e. the ‘barbarian’ French, who were induced to become involved in the Milan/Florence conflict and were defeated by Visconti. The French are mentioned specifically in the version of this poem found in Selecta epigrammata p.254, where 1.4 reads: Gallus ut et Theuton Alpe et Hyberus aquis, ‘like the Gaul and the Teuton via the Alps and the Spaniard via the sea’. In Alciato’s day, the French continued to overrun the Italian peninsula and attempt to dictate its internal affairs.

4.  This is presumably a figure of the Duke of Milan, whose arms included a snake; see [A67a001]. In the accompanying woodcut, we have written on a snaking ribbon held by a figure the Greek version (taken from the original Greek epigram) of the Latin words quoted in l.6.

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