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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [L4r p167]

SECOND LIVRE DES
Emblemes d’Alciat.

Contre ceux qui s’enrichissent du
dommage publique.

I.

Qui veut aux anguilles pescher,
Ne cherche pas l’eau belle & claire:
Elle luy seroit trop contraire:
Il luy faut l’eau trouble cercher.
Ainsi ces gros loups ravissans,
Qui engloutissent les petits,
En paix ne font pas leurs proffits:
Mais la guerre les rend puissans.[1]

Commentaires.

Cecy est prins de la fable d’Esope, où le pescheur
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [L4v p168] dit, qu’il luy faudroit mourir de faim, s’il ne troubloit
l’eau, à fin que les poissons s’enfuyans, se jectassent plus
facilement dans ses filets. Helas, Combien y a-il de
gents, qui ressemblent à ce pescheur, lesquels pour fai-
re leur proffit, & remplir leurs bourses, sement des trou-
bles & divisions és royaumes & republiques, qui
bien souvent en sont desolees & ruïnees: où aussi
Dieu permet que le troubleur mesme y demeure en-
veloppé.

Notes:

1.  Cf. Erasmus, Adagia, 2579 (Anguillas captare).

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    Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [M2r f77r]

    EMBLEMA CXVII.

    In receptatores sicariorum.

    Those who harbour cut-throats

    Deer with a man's face being attacked by dogs
    [Click on image to enlarge]

    Latronum furumque manus tibi saeva[1] per urbem
    It comes: & diris cincta cohors gladiis.
    Atque ita te mentis generosum prodige censes,
    Quod tua complures allicit olla malos,
    En novus Actaeon, qui postquàm cornua sumpsit,
    In praedam canibus se dedit ipse suis.[2]

    A fierce band of ruffians and thieves accompanies you about the city, a gang of supporters armed with lethal swords. And so, you wastrel, you consider yourself a fine lordly fellow because your cooking pot draws in crowds of scoundrels. - Here’s a fresh Actaeon - he, after he grew his horns, became the prey of his own hunting dogs.

    Das CXVII.

    Wider die so sich zu der Landsknecht und
    Buben Rott gesellen.

    Dich Lurtsch, So du gehst durch dstat
    Volget dir nach ein hauffen drat
    Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [M2v f77v] Der frechen und verwegnen Knecht
    Mit gwerter hand ein unnütz Gschlecht
    Und meinst also seystdu alsdann
    Dester Edler im Gschlecht und Stamm
    Dieweil du hast an dich gehengt
    Ein Gottloß Rott, durch miet und schenck
    Sich an ein neuwen Actean
    Welcher da er die Hörner gewan
    Wurd er von seinen eigen Wind [=Hind]
    Zerrissen und gefressen gschwind.

    Notes:

    1.  Other editions read scaeva, ‘evil-minded’. The capital letter in some editions suggests that the Latin word could be taken as a proper name in the vocative case, i.e addressing one Scaeva.

    2.  For the story of Actaeon turned into a stag and killed by his own hounds, see Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.138ff. Similarly, the hangers-on will destroy the one who has fed them.

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