
Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse
ne provehantur.[1]
Poverty prevents the advancement of the best of abilities
XV.
Dextra tenet lapidem, manus altera sustinet alas:
Ut me pluma levat, sic grave mergit onus.
Ingenio poteram superas volitare per arces,
Me nisi paupertas invida deprimeret.
My right hand holds a rock, the other bears wings. As the feathers lift me, so the heavy weight drags me down. By my mental gifts I could have flown through the heights of heaven, if malign poverty did not hold me back.

COMMENTARIA.
Adolescentulus cuidam proponitur, cui ma
nu dextra ponderosus dependet lapis, sinistrae
verò eius, alae affixae sunt levissimae. Utique
hae in altum elevant, sic onus illud grave alia
ex parte deprimit. Ostendens plurimos ob
ingenii felicitatem celebres & claros futuros.
nisi paupertas invida depressos retineret. Est
etenim illa molestum pondus, ut plerique nos-
se nollent, plurium nanque quotidianus est
cibus. Et paupertatis unicum incommodum
habere sapientem dixit Archytas Philosophus.
1. For the sentiment cf. Juvenal, Satires 3.164-5: ‘it is hard for people to rise when straitened circumstances stand in the way of their natural abilities.’
Related Emblems

- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: PAUPERTATEM SUMMIS INgeniis obesse, ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse, ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (28th February, 1531), Augsburg: PAUPERTATEM SUMMIS ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (6th April, 1531), Augsburg: PAUPERTATEM SUMMIS ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (1534), Augsburg: PAUPERTATEM SUMMIS ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libellus (1534), Paris: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Les Emblemes (1539), Paris: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. Povrete empesche les grandz esperitz quilz ne soient eslevez. | Open in other pane
- Les Emblemes (1542), Paris: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. Povrete empesche les grandz esperitz qu'ilz ne soient eslevez. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libellus (1542), Paris: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. Armuet verhindert manchen kluegen verstand, das er nit furkumbt. | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: Que la pobreza impide à subir à los ingeniosos. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse, ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse, ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: Povreté empeche les bons espritz de parvenir. | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. Armut verhindert viel gute Köpff daß sie nicht hinfür kommen. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Che la povertà impedisce i sommi ingegni di levarsi ad alto. | Open in other pane
- Livret des emblemes (1536), Paris: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse ne provehantur. Povrete empesche les grandz esperitz quilz ne soient eslevez. | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: Povreté empesche les bons espritz de parvenir. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: Paupertatem summis ingeniis obesse, ne provehantur. Que pauvreté est cause que les bons esprits ne sont advancez. | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: Povreté empesche les grands esprits qu'ils nesoyent eslevés. | Open in other pane
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- God the Father as bearded old man, usually with crown or tiara or sceptre and/or globe [11C23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- blessing (either of things or persons), e.g. by anointing [11Q7562] Search | Browse Iconclass
- kinds of non-precious stone [25D12] Search | Browse Iconclass
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