Link to an image of this page [M3v p182]
Impossibile.
The impossible
Abluis Aethiopem quid frustrà? ah desine, noctis
Illustrare nigrae nemo potest tenebras.[1]
Why are you washing an Ethiopian in vain? Oh, do stop. No one can turn the shades of black night into light.
Link to an image of this page [M4r p183]
Impossible.
Il est ung milier de negoces,
Ou lon ne peult remede mettre.
Et quoy que ardemment ten courrouces,
Si nen seras tu ja le maistre.
Parquoy si tu quiers hors blasme estre,
Ne prans peine a blanchir ung More.
En la nuict, ne peult clarte naistre.
Ung vice invetere demoure.
1. This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 11.428. See also Aesop, Fables 11; Erasmus, Adagia 350, Aethiopen lavas.
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- water (one of the four elements) [21D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ornamental fountain [25I151] Search | Browse Iconclass
- leaning forward [31A2321] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on an elevation [31A2352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head bent forward; bowing (+ standing) [31A244(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head bent forward; bowing [31A2445] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward (+ holding something) [31A2511(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward [31A2512] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards [31A2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gripping someone by the arm [31A2541] Search | Browse Iconclass
- brush, sponge, etc. (toilet articles) [31A5462] Search | Browse Iconclass
- towel [31A5463] Search | Browse Iconclass
- washing and bathing - AA - in the open air [31AA54] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking downwards [31B6212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ three persons) [31D14(+73)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ nude human being) [31D14(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- white races and peoples (+ men) [32B31(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- African negroes (with NAME) (+ men) [32B321(ETHIOPIAN)(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- African negroes (with NAME) [32B321(MOOR)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- jug and basin; wash-basin [41A2415] Search | Browse Iconclass
- container of ceramics: jar, jug, pot, vase [41A773] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body (+ men's clothes) [41D223(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- barefoot [41D2339] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- (personifications of) 'Vanitas', the vanity of human life; Fragilit� humana, Fugacit� delle grandezze & della gloria mondana, Meditatione della morte, Opera vana, Piacere vano, Vana gloria, Vanit� (Ripa) [11R5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- day and night [23R] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Impossibility (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52BB42(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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Link to an image of this page [P6r f105r]
EMBLEMA CLXII.
Parvam culinam duobus ganeonibus
non sufficere.
A small kitchen will not satisfy two gluttons
In modicis nihil est quod quis lucretur: & unum
Arbustum geminos non alit Erythacos.[1]
No one can make anything out of small resources. One clump of trees does not feed two robins.
Das CLXII.
In ein kleine Küchen gehören nit zwen
Tellerlecker.
In kleinen gschefft und gwerben hin
Ist nit vil wucher noch gewin
Link to an image of this page [P6v f105v]
Also ein klein gsteud nit wol kan
Zwey Rotkälein ernehren than.
EMBLEMA CLXIII [=162 second part] .[2]
Aliud.
Other.
In tenui spes nulla lucri est unoque residunt
Arbusto geminae[3] non bene Ficedulae.
There is no hope of gain where means are small. Two flycatchers (lit. fig-peckers) don’t lodge well in one clump of trees.
Das CLXIII [=162 second part] .
Auff ein ander weiß.
Zu geniessen vil, ist gering
Die hoffnung in gar kleinem ding
Also auff einem kleinen zweig
Zwo Trostel nit wol sitzen gschmeig.
1. ‘One clump of trees does not feed two robins’. For this proverb, see Apostolius, Proverbs 11.68, where it is said to refer to ‘those who try to turn something small into a source of profit’.
2. Unlike most other editions, the ‘Aliud’ is here separately numbered. To enable ease of cross-reference and comparison between editions, the two texts are here placed together. Cf. Emblems 199-212.
3. Corrected from the errata.
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- birds (+ fighting animals; aggressive relations) [25F3(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- birds (+ falling animal(s)) [25F3(+5231)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- birds (+ animal with head bent forward; bowing animal) [25F3(+544)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of birds (+ flying animal(s)) [25F31(+5262)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- song-birds (with NAME) [25F32(FIG-PICKER)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- song-birds: robin (+ animal(s) attacking) [25F32(ROBIN)(+512)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- song-birds: robin (+ relationship between animals) [25F32(THRUSH)(+512)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ stem, trunk) [25G3(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- farm or solitary house in landscape [25I3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rural housing, e.g. country-house, villa, cottage [41A16] Search | Browse Iconclass
- birds (+ relationship between animals) [5F3(+44)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Gluttony, Intemperance, 'Gula'; 'Gola', 'Ingordigia', 'Ingordigia overo Avidità', 'Voracità' (Ripa) ~ personification of one of the Seven Deadly Sins [11N35] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Competition, Rivalry, Emulation; 'Emulatione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54EE33(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Scarcity; 'Carestia' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55BB2(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Selfishness; 'Interesse', 'Interesse proprio' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57AA65(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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