
Semper praesto esse infortunia.
Misfortune is always at hand
XLVII.
Ludebant parili tres olim aetate puellae
Sortibus, ad Stygias quae prior iret aquas.
Ast cui iactato malè cesserat alea talo,
Ridebat sortis caeca puella suae:
Cùm subitò icta caput labente est mortua tecto,
Solvit & audacis debita fata ioci.
Rebus in adversis mala sors non fallitur: ast in
Faustis, nec precibus, nec locus est manui.[1]
Once three girls of the same age were amusing themselves, casting lots to see which of them would be the first to go to the waters of the Styx. When the dice were cast, the throw fell out unluckily for one of them, but she laughed with blind contempt at the fate predicted for her. Then suddenly she died, struck on the head as the roof fell in, and so paid the fated penalty for her bold mockery. In misfortune, a bad omen cannot be eluded, but even in prosperity neither prayers nor action have any place.

Ungluck ist alweg gegenwertich.
XLVII.
Es losten gleicher gspilen drey,
Woelch vor solt leyden todes gwalt:
Die verlur achts fur spotterey,
Ward ier doch gleich ier loß bezalt:
Dann wie das dach des hawß einfalt,
Sie nur allein erschlagen ward:
Wie kumbt ungluck so gwiß und bald,
So sich gluck falt, oder lang hart.
1. This is a translation of Anthologia graeca 9.158.
Related Emblems

- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: SEMPER PRAESTO ESSE INfortunia. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: Semper praesto esse infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (28th February, 1531), Augsburg: SEMPER PRAESTO ESSE infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (6th April, 1531), Augsburg: SEMPER PRAESTO ESSE infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (1534), Augsburg: SEMPER PRAESTO ESSE infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libellus (1534), Paris: Semper praesto esse infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Les Emblemes (1539), Paris: Semper praesto esse infortunia. Infortunes tousjours prochaines. | Open in other pane
- Les Emblemes (1542), Paris: Semper praesto esse infortunia. Infortunes tousjours prochaines. | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: Que la desventura siempre està aparejada. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: Semper presto esse infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: Semper presto esse infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libri II (Stockhamer) (1556), Lyon: Semper presto esse infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: Tousjours malheur est prest. | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: Semper praesto esse infortunia. Unglück ist stäts vor der Thür. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: Semper praesto esse infortunia. | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Che sempre le disaventure sono apparecchiate. | Open in other pane
- Livret des emblemes (1536), Paris: Semper presto esse infortunia. Infortunes tousjours prochaines | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: Tousjours malheur est prest. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: Semper praesto esse infortunia. Tousjours le malheur est prest. | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: Les malheurs tousjours prochains. | Open in other pane
Hint: You can set whether related emblems are displayed by default on the preferences page
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- divination with crystal sphere [13E219(DICE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- accidental death by falling objects [3.10E+225] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward [31A2512] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ addressing) [31A2512(+932)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards [31A2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- index finger forwards, pointing, indicating [31A25552] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sitting on an elevation - AA - female human figure [31AA2352] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other - AA - female human figure (+ sitting) [31AA2621(+53)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking downwards [31B6212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult woman (+ three persons) [31D15(+73)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- living-room, parlour, sitting-room [41A221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- table [41A711] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bench [41A7231] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dress, gown (+ women's clothes) [41D211(+82)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear (+ women's clothes) [41D221(+82)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dice-games [43C55] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dice [43C552] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tiles, bricks ~ building material [47G532] Search | Browse Iconclass
- collapsing building (+ variant) [47G91(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- (private) prayer; 'Oratione', 'Preghiere', 'Preghiere a Dio' (Ripa) [11Q2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Weakness, Powerlessness, Helplessness; 'Infermità' (Ripa) [54AA7] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Luck, Fortune, Lot; 'Fato', 'Fortuna', 'Fortuna aurea', 'Fortuna buona', 'Fortuna pacifica overo clemente', 'Sorte' (Ripa) [54F12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Turn of Fate, Wheel of Fortune (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54F121(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Adversity, Misfortune, Bad Luck; 'Fortuna infelice', 'Infortunio' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)§ [54FF11(+4):51A4(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.