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Prudentes.
The Wise.
VIII.
Iane bifrons, qui transacta futuraque calles,
Quique retro sannas sicut & antè vides,
[1]
Tot te cur oculis, tot fingunt vultibus? an quòd
Circunspectum hominem forma fuisse docet?
Two-headed Janus, you know about what has already happened and what is yet to come, you see the jeering faces behind just as you see them in front. Why do they represent you with so many eyes, why with so many faces? Is it because this form tells us that you were a man of circumspection?
1. quique retro sannas, sicut et ante, vides, ‘you see the jeering faces behind just as you see them in front’, a line based on Persius, Satirae, 1.58-62.
Related Emblems
Hide related emblems- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: PRUDENTES. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: Prudentes. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libellus (1546), Venice: Prudentes. | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: Los prudentes. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: Prudentes. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: Prudentes. | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: Les sages. | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: Prudentes. Von den Weisen ein heimliche Frag. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: Prudentes. | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Da capo quel, chapportiene | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: Les sages. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: Prudentes. LES PRUDENS ET bien-advisez. | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: Les prudents. | Open in other pane
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Relating to the text:
- Prudence, 'Prudentia'; 'Prudenza' (Ripa) ~ one of the Four Cardinal Virtues [11M41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Precaution (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A24(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Janus' head, two-faced head [96A128(JANUS' HEAD)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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Link to an image of this page [I1r f65r]
QUID EXCESSI? QUID
Admisi?
Where have I transgressed? What have I committed?
Emblema. 17.
Italicae Samius sectae celeberrimus auctor[1]
Ipse suum clausit carmine dogma brevi.
Quò praetergressus? quid agis? quid omittis agendum?[2]
Hanc rationem urgens reddere quenque sibi.
Quod didicisse gruum volitantum ex agmine fertur,
Arreptum gestant quae pedibus lapidem.[3]
Ne cessent, neu transversas mala flamina raptent.
Qua ratione hominum vita regenda fuit.
The famous Samian founder of the Italian sect himself put his essential teaching into a short verse: Where have you overstepped the mark? What are you doing? What are you leaving undone that ought to be done? - urging each man to make this reckoning in his own mind. He is said to have learnt this from a skein of flying cranes, which seize a stone and carry it in their claws, to prevent themselves from making no headway, and to stop adverse gusts of wind carrying them off course. Man’s life was ever to be lived on this principle.
1. Italicae Samius sectae...autor, ‘Samian founder of the Italian sect’, i.e. Pythagoras. Born in Samos, he emigrated in 531 BC to Croton in South Italy, where he founded a religious/philosophical sect.
2. This is a version of the Greek text in the motto, which is recorded in Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Philosophers, 8.20.
3. Cranes wisely carrying stones as ballast are likened to men of foresight in Suidas (i.e, the Suda), s.v. geranos. Other reasons were suggested by ancient writers for this habit.
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- Emblematum libellus (1546), Venice: Pe^ parebe^n; ti derexas; ti moi deon, ouk etelesthai; | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: Que se ha de considerar lo que se obra en error, ò en falta, ò en demasia. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: Pe^ parebe^n? ti derexa? ti moi deon, ouk etelesthe^? Quid excessi? quid admisi? quid omisi? | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: Pe^ parebe^n? ti de erxea? ti moi deon, ouk etelesthe^? Quid excessi? quid admisi? quid omisi? | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libri II (Stockhamer) (1556), Lyon: Pe^ parebe^n; ti derexas; ti moi deon, ouk etelesthai; | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: Qui semende dict en ce point. Quay je faict trop, ou peu, ou point ? | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: Pe^ parebe^s; ti derexas; ti soi deon ouk etelesthe^s; Wo gehstu her, was hastu gthon, wz hastu Rechts zu thun underlohn. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: Pe^ parebe^n? ti derexa? ti moi deon, ouk etelesthe^? | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Che lhuomo dee cosiderar quello, chegli ha operato, & quello cha lasciato doperare | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: Qui s'emende dict en ce point. QU'AY JE FAICT TROP, OU PEU, OU POINT? | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: Pe^ parebe^n; ti d'erexa; ti moi deon ouk etelesthe^ Qu'ay-je fait trop? que fay-je, ou ne fay pas? | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: En quoy ay-jeoutrepassé? quay-je faict? qu'ay-je laissé à faire? | Open in other pane
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- kinds of non-precious stone [25D12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shore-birds and wading-birds: crane (+ animal(s) holding something) [25F37(CRANE)(+5245)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shore-birds and wading-birds: crane (+ postures, positions of animal(s)) [25F37(CRANE)(+53)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boulder, stone [25H1124] Search | Browse Iconclass
- prospect of city, town panorama, silhouette of city [25I12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other (+ standing) [31A2621(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward - AA - both arms or hands (+ indicating, pointing at) [31AA2512(+931)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking upwards [31B6211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dress, gown (+ men's clothes) [41D211(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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Relating to the text:
- Europeans (with NAME) [32B311(ITALIANS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Self-knowledge (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A53(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Intemperance, Immoderation [54AA43] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Sense of Duty, Devotion to Duty (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57A2(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Evasion of Duty, Dereliction of Duty (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57AA2(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Human Life; 'Vita humana', 'Vita inquieta', 'Vita e l'animo' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [58B21(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Pythagoras, the philosopher [98B(PYTHAGORAS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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