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Iusta ultio.

Just revenge

Emblema clxxii.

A raven on the branch of a tree holding a scorpion in its beak.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Raptabat volucres captum pede corvus in auras
Scorpion, audaci praemia parta gulae.
Ast ille infuso sensim per membra veneno,
aptorem in Stygias compulit ultor aquas.
O risu res digna! aliis qui fata parabat,
Ipse perit, propriis succubuítque dolis.[1]

A raven was carrying off into the flying winds a scorpion gripped in its talons, a prize won for its audacious gullet. But the scorpion, injecting its poison drop by drop through the raven’s limbs, despatched the predator to the waters of the Styx and so took its revenge. - What a laughable thing! The one who was preparing death for others himself perishes and has succumbed to his own wiles.

SImile apud Aesopum de corvo cibum quaeritáte,
convertitur in id quod vulgò dici solet, captores
capi, raptores etiam à raptoribus abripi & illaquea-
ri: ut cùm à veneficis falsarii, calumniatores, & id
genus alii tolluntur de medio, vel etiam latrones
à praedonibus spoliantur.

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [Y8v f236v]

Vengeance à bon droit pratiquee.

LE corbeau ravisseur avoit prins pour sa proye
Un petit Scorpion: mais en n’y pensant point,
Il sent son ennemy qui l’attaque & le point.
Emprisonné qu’il est, si bien & beau essaye
L’oultrager dans le corps qu’il le rend roide mort.[2]
Cela n’est il pas bien digne de mocquerie?
“Celuy qui estoit plein de fraude & tromperie,
“Luy mesme s’est donné la cause de sa mort.

LE semblable est dans les fables d’Esope,
du corbeau cherchant sa pasture, ce que
se rapporte au dire commun, Les preneurs sont
prins: & les ravisseurs sont aussi arrestez aux
laqs d’aussi fins qu’eux: comme quand des
faulsaires sont happez & despechez par des
empoisonneurs, calomniateurs, & autres sem-
blables manieres de gens: ou quand les bri-
gans sont desvalisez par les volleurs.

Notes:

1.  This is a fairly free translation of Anthologia graeca 9.339. See Erasmus, Adagia 58, Cornix scorpium, where the Greek epigram is again translated.

2.  Corrected from the Errata

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IUSTA ULTIO.

Just revenge

Link to an image of this page  Link to an image of this page  [D7v]

A bird carrying off a scorpion.
[Click on image to enlarge]

Raptabat volucres captum pede corvus in auras,
Scorpion, audaci praemia parta gulae.
Ast ille infuso sensim per membra veneno,
Raptorem in stygias compulit ultor aquas.
O risu res digna, aliis qui fata parabat,
Ipse perit, propriis sucubuitque dolis.[1]

A raven was carrying off into the flying winds a scorpion gripped in its talons, a prize won for its audacious gullet. But the scorpion, injecting its poison drop by drop through the raven’s limbs, despatched the predator to the waters of the Styx and so took its revenge. What a laughable thing! The one who was preparing death for others himself perishes and has succumbed to his own wiles.

Notes:

1.  This is a fairly free translation of Anthologia graeca 9.339. See Erasmus, Adagia 58, Cornix scorpium, where the Greek epigram is again translated.

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