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EMBLEMA IIII.
Nunquam procrastinandum.
Never procrastinate.
Alciatae gentis insignia sustinet Alce[1]
Unguibus & μηδὲν fert ἀναβαλλόμενος.
Constat Alexandrum sic respondisse roganti
Quî tot obivisset tempore gesta brevi?
Nunquam (inquit) differre volens:[2] quod & indicat Alce
Fortior haec dubites, ocyor anne siet.[3]
An elk bears the insignia of the family Alciato - between its hooves it carries (the motto) “Postponing nothing”. Alexander, as is well known, thus answered one who asked him how he had performed so many exploits in a short time: “By never wanting”, he said, “to postpone”. ‘Elk’ in fact indicates this - you may well ask whether it is strong or fast.
Das IIII.
One auffschub und verzug.
Das Alciatisch Gschlecht Wappn ziert
Ein Elend der in klauwen fiert
Diesen Verß und diß Reymen bloß
Midèn Anafallómenos
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Also soll geantwortet han
Der groß Alexander eim Man
Der in fragt wier in kurtzer zeit
So viel außgricht hett grosse streit
Sprach er ich hab verzogen nie
Mit willen nichts, das anzeigt hie
Der Elend an welchem man schwandt
Ob er sterckr odr schneller sey zhandt.
1. An elk, representing the family name, is carved on Alciato’s tomb in Pavia.
2. nunquam...differre volens, ‘By never wanting...to postpone’. The Latin words translate Alexander’s Greek motto, quoted in line 2. See Erasmus, Adagia, 3400 (Nunc tuum ferrum in igne est, ‘Strike while the iron is hot’), where Alexander’s saying is quoted.
3. Alce, ‘Elk’. The Greek word ἀλκή means not only ‘elk’ but ‘strength’. The animal ‘elk’ was famed for its speed: see Pliny, Natural History, 8.16.39.
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- hoofed animals: elk (+ animal(s) holding something) [25F24(ELK)(+5245)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- armorial bearing, heraldry (with NAME of family) device, motto [46A122(ALCIATUS)3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- scroll [49L71] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Delay [51FF521] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Swiftness, Speed; 'Agilità §¬ 'Celerità §¬ 'Velocità § (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51M11(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- historical person (with NAME) other representations to which the NAME of a historical person may be attached (with NAME of person) [61B2(ALCIATUS, ANDREAS)3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- proverbs, sayings, etc. (with TEXT) [86(MHDEN ANABALLOMENOS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Alexander the Great [98B(ALEXANDER THE GREAT)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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