Antiquissima quaeque com-
mentitia.

The oldest things are all invented

Pellenaee senex, cui forma est histrica, Proteu, [1]
Qui modò membra viri fers, modò membra feri.
Dic agè quae species ratio te vertit in omnes,
Nulla sit ut vario certa figura tibi?
Signa vetustatis, primaevi & praefero secli: [2]
De quo quisque suo somniat arbitrio.

Proteus, old man of Pallene, whose outward appearance changes like an actor’s, assuming sometimes the body of a man, sometimes that of a beast, come, tell me, what is your reason for turning into all kinds of shapes, so that you have no permanent form as you constantly alter? I offer symbols of antiquity and the very first times, concerning which everyone dreams up what he will.

Dicta septem sapientum.[1]

Sayings of the Seven Sages

Haec habeas, septem sapientum effingere dicta,
Atque ea picturis, qui celebrare velis.
  Link to an image of this page  [G2r f37r] Optimus in rebus modus est (Cleobulus ut inquit)
Hoc trutinae examen, sive libella docet.
Noscere se Chilon Spartanus quemque iubebat,
Hoc specula in manibus, utraque [=vitraque] sumpta dabunt.
Quod Periander ait, frena adde Corinthius irae
Pulegium[2] admotum[3] naribus efficiet.
Pittacus, at ne quid, dixit, nimis: Haec eadem aiunt,
Contracto qui Gith[4] ore liquefaciunt.
Respexisse Solon finem iubet,[5] ultimus agris
Terminus[6], haud magno cesserit ipse Iovi.
Heu quàm vera Bias, est copia magna malorum:
Musmoni insideat effice sardus eques.[7]
Ne praes esto,[8] Thales dixit, sic illita visco
In laqueos socium [=sociam] parra, meropsque trahit.

If you wish to represent the sayings of the Seven Sages and celebrate them in picture, you may have the following suggestions. - ‘Moderation is best’, as Cleobulus said. This the balance teaches or the plumbline. - Chilon of Sparta bade each man know himself. A mirror or glass taken in the hand will represent this. - The saying of Periander of Corinth, ‘Rein in your wrath’, pennyroyal held to the nostrils will show. - Pittacus said, ‘Nothing in excess’. The same thing is said by those who suck cassia with wry mouth. - Solon bids us look to the end. Set at the field end is Terminus, who would not yield to mighty Jove. - How truly did Bias say, ‘There is great store of evil men’. Make a Sardinian rider sit upon a wild sheep. - ‘Do not stand surety’, said Thales. Even so, smeared with bird-lime, the lapwing or bee-eater draws its fellow-bird into the snare.