
DULCIA QUANDO-
que amara fieri.
Sweetness turns at times to bitterness

Matre procul licta paulum secesserat infans,
Lydius[1], hunc dirae sed rapuistis apes.
Venerat hic ad vos placidas ratus esse volucres,
Cum nec ita immitis vipera saeva foret.
Qua [=Quae]
datis ah dulcia [=dulci]
stimulos pro munere mellis,
Proh dolor, heu sine te gratia nulla datur.[2]
A Lydian babe had strayed some way off, leaving his mother at a distance, but you made away with him, you dreadful bees. He had come to you, thinking you harmless winged creatures, yet a merciless viper would not be as savage as you. Instead of the sweet gift of honey, ah me, you give stings. Ah pain, without you, alas, no delight is granted.
1. This is based on Anthologia graeca 9.548 , where a baby, called Hermonax, is stung to death. See also Anthologia graeca 9.302 for another epigram treating the same incident.
Related Emblems

- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: DULCIA QUANDOQUE AMAra fieri. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (28th February, 1531), Augsburg: DULCIA QUANDOque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (6th April, 1531), Augsburg: DULCIA QUANDOque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libellus (1534), Paris: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Les Emblemes (1539), Paris: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. Doulceur porte bien amertume. | Open in other pane
- Les Emblemes (1542), Paris: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libellus (1542), Paris: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. Suesse wird etwo verbittert. | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: Que à las vezes las cosas dulçes se buelven amargas. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libri II (Stockhamer) (1556), Lyon: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: Les choses doulces quelquefois deviennent ameres. | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. Süß wirt offt sauwer. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Chel dolce alle volte diviene Amaro. | Open in other pane
- Livret des emblemes (1536), Paris: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. Doulceur porte bien amertume. | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: Les choses doulces quelque fois deviennent ameres. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: Dulcia quandoque amara fieri. Ce que semble bien doux, est quelquefois amer. | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: Douceur porte bien amertume. | Open in other pane
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Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- animals (+ wings of an animal) [25F(+342)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- insects: bee (+ postures, positions of animal(s)) [25F711(BEE)(+53)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ holding something) [31A2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ reaching for somebody or something, seizing something, touching) [31A2512(+934)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- blindfold [31A3191] Search | Browse Iconclass
- pain [31A4610] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boy (child between toddler and youth) (+ nude human being) [31D11221(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult woman (+ nude human being) [31D15(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- flight, running away; pursuing [33B9] Search | Browse Iconclass
- animals threatening man [34F1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- flame [41B121] Search | Browse Iconclass
- barefoot [41D2339] Search | Browse Iconclass
- childhood sorrows comforted [42A551] Search | Browse Iconclass
- archer's weapons (with NAME) [45C15(ARROW)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bee-hive [47I242] Search | Browse Iconclass
- swarm ~ bees [47I243] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Venus (Aphrodite) [92C4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Cupid, Amor (Eros) [92D1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- crying Cupid, surrounded by bees, runs or clings to his mother Venus to be soothed (+ variant) [92D1621(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- attributes of Cupid (with NAME) [92D18(ARROW)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- snakes [25F42] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sweet (taste) [31A3420] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bitter (taste) [31A345] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Pleasure, Enjoyment, Joy; 'Allegrezza', 'Allegrezza da le medaglie', 'Allegrezza, letitia e giubilo', 'Diletto', 'Piacere', 'Piacere honesto' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [56B1(+4):56F2(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Pain, Sorrow, Sadness; 'Dolore', 'Dolore di Zeusi' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [56BB1(+4):56F2(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Heartache, Heart-break; 'Affanno', 'Cordoglio' (Ripa) [56BB13] Search | Browse Iconclass
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