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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [I5v p138]

De le vie humaine.

XCVI.

Two men are sitting. One has his hands raised to his head. The other points an admonishing finger at him.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Plore plus qu’onques tu ne fis,
Heraclite, il en est ta saison.
Les gents sont en tous maux conflits:
Vertus n’ont ça bas plus maison.
Ris, Democrite avec raison:
Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [I6r p139] Car chacun fol veut demeurer:
Tandis penseray l’achoison,
Si je devray rire, ou pleurer.[1]

commentaires.

Le Philosophe Heraclite estoit Ephesien. Il escri-
vit tout expres des livres si obscurs, que les plus do-
ctes n’y pouvoyent mordre: & pource fut il surnom-
mé le tenebreux. Il ploroit tousjours, principalement
quand il sortoit de la maison: car toutes les choses
mondaines ne luy sembloyent que miseres & angois-
ses. Il y avoit un autre Philosophe, qui s’appelloit
Democrite, & estoit de Thrace. Cestuy-cy estoit
merveilleusement bien versé en toute espece de Phi-
losophie: & pour encor plus promptement & subti-
lement recercher les secrets de nature, & discourir
sur iceux, il se priva soy mesme de la veuë. Cestuy-cy
se rioit & mocquoit continuellement de tout ce que
les hommes faisoyent, disant que ce n’estoit autre
qu’inepties & badinages Mais maintenant, ô Hera-
clite, lamente toy & pleure plus amerement que ja-
mais les incommodités de la vie humaine: car, au
temps où nous sommes, elle est farcie de beaucoup plus
de maux & de miseres, que jamais elle ne fut. Mais
plustost toy, Democrite, pren toy à rire plus fort que
jamais: car le monde est devenu plus ridicule & plus
inepte, que jamais il ne fut.

Notes:

1.  This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 9.148. For Heraclitus, cf. [FALe052]. For the contrast between the despairing tears of Heraclitus (who withdrew from human society) and the sardonic laughter of Democritus when faced with the folly of men, see, among many sources, e.g. Juvenal, Satires 10, 28ff.

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Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [R5r f120r]

EMBLEMA CXCII [=191] .

In vitam humanam.

On human life

Plus solito humanae nunc defle incommoda vitae,
Heraclite: scatet pluribus illa malis.
Tu rursus (si quando alias) extolle cachinnum
Democrite: illa magis ludicra facta fuit.
Interea haec cernens meditor, qua denique tecum
Fine fleam, aut tecum quomodo splene iocer.[1]

Weep now, Heraclitus, even more than you did, for the ills of human life. It teems with far more woes. And you, Democritus, if ever you laughed before, raise your cackle now. Life has become more of a joke. Meanwhile, seeing all this, I consider just how far I can weep with you, how laugh bitterly with you.

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [R5v f120v]

Das CXCII [=191] .

Vom Menschlichen Leben .[2]

Two men sitting at a table, one crying, the other laughing.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Heraclite du alter greiß
Thu jetzt beweinen mit mehr fleiß
Deß Menschlichen Lebens unglück
Dann es steckt voller böser tück
Du aber widerumb erschell
Democrite dein glechter hell
Dann lecherlicher zu keiner zeit
Gewesen ist als jetzt die geit
Dieweil ich aber dieses sich
Betracht ich bey mir fleissiglich
Ob ichs mit dir beweinen sol
Oder mit dir verlachen wol.

Notes:

1.  This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 9.148. For Heraclitus, cf. Emblem 37 ([A67a037]). For the contrast between the despairing tears of Heraclitus (who withdrew from human society) and the sardonic laughter of Democritus when faced with the folly of men, see, among many sources, e.g. Juvenal, Satires 10, 28ff.

2.  The German in certain parts of this emblem is particularly puzzling.

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