In fraudulentos.

Deceivers

Parva lacerta, atris stellatus corpora guttis
Stellio,[1] qui latebras, & cava busta colit,
Invidiae, pravíque doli fert symbola pictus,
Heu nimium nuribus cognita zelotypis!
Nam turpi obtegitur faciem lentigine quisquis,
Sit quibus immersus stellio, vina bibat.[2]
Hinc vindicta frequens decepta pellice vino.
Quam formae amisso flore relinquit amans.

The little lizard, called the ‘starred’ gecko from the dark star-shaped marks sprinkled all over its body, a creature that lurks in holes and hollow tombs, is pictured here and presents symbols of resentment and wicked deception, known only too well to jealous wives. For anyone who drinks wine in which a spotted gecko has been soaked comes out in ugly spots all over the face. This is often a way of taking revenge - the husband’s fancy woman is tricked with wine, and, when the flower of her beauty is gone, her lover abandons her.

PLinius lib. 29 cap. 4. tradit è stellionibus ma-
lum medicamentum fieri. Nam, inquit, cùm
stellio immortuus est vino, eorum qui biberint,
faciem lentigine obducit. ob hoc in unguento ne-
cant eum insidiantes pellicum formae. Stellio ita-
que potest esse symbolum malae mentis, malíque
animi, ut sit hoc tortum in quosdam subdolos &
fraudulentos Sinones, à quibus esse cavendum no-
tae quaedam corporis tacitè videntur praecipere: ut
natura provida fuit, nobísque egregiè cavit, quae
certas malignitatis notas quibusdam animantibus
inditas esse voluerit. Ita vulgò dicimus, cavendum
à signatis.

In fraudulentos.

Deceivers

Parva lacerta, atris stellatus corpora guttis
Stellio,[1] qui latebras, & cava busta colit,
Invidiae, pravique doli fert symbola pictus.
Heu nimium nuribus cognita Zelotypis!
Nam turpi obtegitur faciem lentigine quisquis,
Sit quibus immersus stellio, vina bibat.[2]
Hinc vindicta frequens decepta pellice vino,
Quam formae amisso flore relinquit amans.

The little lizard, called the ‘starred’ gecko from the dark star-shaped marks sprinkled all over its body, a creature that lurks in holes and hollow tombs, is pictured here and presents symbols of resentment and wicked deception, known only too well to jealous wives. For anyone who drinks wine in which a spotted gecko has been soaked comes out in ugly spots all over the face. This is often a way of taking revenge - the husband’s fancy woman is tricked with wine, and, when the flower of her beauty is gone, her lover abandons her.