Single Emblem View

« Previous EmblemNext Emblem »

Section: PUDICITIA (Chastity). View all emblems in this section.

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [D4r p55]

PUDICITIA.

Chastity

A shield bearing a bird, leaning against a tree
[Click on image to enlarge]

Porphirio domini si incestet in aedibus uxor,
Despondetque animum, praeque dolore perit.
Abdita in arcanis naturae est causa. sit index
Syncerae haec volucris certa pudicitiae.[1]

If the wife in its master’s house is unfaithful, the moorhen despairs and dies of grief. The reason lies hidden in the secrets of nature. This bird may serve as a sure sign of untarnished chastity.

Notes:

1.  For this information about the porphyrio (purple gallinule, a kind of moorhen) see Aelian, De Natura animalium, 3.42; Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae, 9,388C: the purple gallinule ... when it is domesticated, ... keeps a sharp eye on married women and is so affected if the wife commits adultery, that it ends its life by strangling and so gives warning to its master.

« Previous EmblemNext Emblem »

Related Emblems

Show related emblems Show related emblems

Hint: You can set whether related emblems are displayed by default on the preferences page

Iconclass Keywords

Relating to the image:

Relating to the text:

Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.

Single Emblem View

« Previous EmblemNext Emblem »
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [H8v f51v]

EMBLEMA LXXVI.

In pudoris statuam.

A statue of Modesty

Penelope desponsa sequi cupiebat Ulyssem,
Ni secum Icarius mallet habere Pater.[1]
Ille Ithacam, hic offert Sparten, manet anxia virgo.
Hinc Pater, inde viri mutuus urget amor.
Ergò sedens velat vultus, obnubit ocellos,
Ista verecundi signa pudoris erant.
Queis sibi praelatum Icarius cognovit Ulyssem,
Hocque pudori aram schemate constituit.[2]

When Penelope was betrothed, she wished to go with Ulysses, except that her father Icarius would have preferred to keep her with him. Ulysses offers Ithaca, her father Sparta. The girl is distressed: on opposite sides her father and the mutual love between her and her man make their claims on her. So she sits and covers her face, veils her eyes - those were the signs of seemly modesty. By them Icarius knew that Ulysses was preferred to himself, and he set up an altar to Modesty in this form.

Das LXXVI.

Der zucht und scham Bildtnuß.

Penelope wolt gern die Braut
Nachziehn Ulyssi dems vertraut
War, wo lieber bey im nicht hat
Icarius ir Vatter ghat
Der bott ir an Sparten sein Reich
Jenr aber Itacam deßgleich
Zweiffelhafftig die Jungfrauw wart
Da sVatters, dort sManns lieb zwang hart
Derhalben sie sitzend ir gsicht
Und Augn bedeckt undersich richt
Das war ein zeichen zu der zeit
Der reinen züchtigen schamheit
Daran Icarius verstöndt
Daß sie Ulyssi bessers göndt
Und richtet auff der scham gar bäld
Ein Altar mit diesem Gemäld.

Notes:

1.  Some editions give a variant reading, Ni secus Icarius ..., ‘except that ... Icarius would have preferred to have it otherwise’.

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

« Previous EmblemNext Emblem »

Related Emblems

Show related emblems Show related emblems

Hint: You can set whether related emblems are displayed by default on the preferences page

Iconclass Keywords

Relating to the image:

    Relating to the text:

    Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.

     

    Back to top