
Obdurandum adversus urgentia.
Stand firm against pressure
XXIIII.
Nititur in pondus palma, & consurgit in arcum,
Quo magis & premitur, hoc mage tollit onus.[1]
Fert & odoratas bellaria dulcia glandes,[2]
Queis mensas inter primus habetur honos.
I puer, & reptans ramis has collige, mentis
Qui constantis erit, praemia digna feret.
The wood of the palm-tree counteracts a weight and rises up into an arch. The heavier the burden pressing it down, the more it lifts it up. The palm-tree also bears fragrant dates, sweet dainties much valued when served at table. Go, boy, edge your way along the branches and gather them. The man who shows a resolute spirit will receive an appropriate reward.

Vest halten wider beschwernuß.
XXIIII.
Den Palmenbaum druckt nicht so hart,
Er sich doch in die hoch erschwingt,
Hat auch sunst noch ein schone art,
Das er gar suesse fruchten bringt:
Adlicher knab, das gmêel dier singt,
Das dich in lernung schroeck kayn schwer,
Groß mhue und fleyß alles rch dringt
Und bringt zu loetzt vil guet und ehr.
1. The reaction of palm to a heavy weight is mentioned in various ancient sources, e.g. Pliny, Natural History 16.81.223; Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae 3.6. See also Erasmus, Parabolae p.263. It probably refers to a plank of palm-wood, rather than a branch of the living tree. A similar image is used in La Perriere, Morosophie, no. 83 ([FLPb083]).
2. See Erasmus, Parabolae p.241: ‘the palm-tree, having bark with knife-sharp edges, is difficult to climb, but it bears delicious fruit’.
Related Emblems

- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: OBDURANDUM ADVERSUS urgentia. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum liber (28th February, 1531), Augsburg: OBDURANDUM ADVERsus urgentia. | Open in other pane
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- Les Emblemes (1539), Paris: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. Sendurcir a ce qui resiste. | Open in other pane
- Les Emblemes (1542), Paris: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. S’endurcir a ce qui resiste. | Open in other pane
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: Que se à de resisitir à lo que appremia. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1550), Lyon: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. | Open in other pane
- Emblematum libri II (Stockhamer) (1556), Lyon: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. | Open in other pane
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: Il se fault endurcir contre les adversitez presentes. | Open in other pane
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. Man sol dem bösen ein widerstandt thun. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. | Open in other pane
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Che si deve perseverar nelle imprese malagevoli. | Open in other pane
- Livret des emblemes (1536), Paris: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. Sendurcir a ce qui resiste. | Open in other pane
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: Il se fault endurcir contre les adversitez praesentes. | Open in other pane
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: Obdurandum adversus urgentia. Fault avoir bon coeur contre toutes adversitez. | Open in other pane
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: S'endurcir à ce qui resiste. | Open in other pane
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Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- bearing fruit [25G(+34)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (with NAME) [25G3(PALM-TREE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hanging by the arms [31A2371] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something) [31AA2511(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- boy (child between toddler and youth) (+ nude human being) [31D11221(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- climbing up a tree (+ variant) [43B411(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- picking fruit [47I4131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Opposition, Counteraction, Resistance [54EE11] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- celebration meal, feast, banquet [41C5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Constancy, Tenacity; 'Costanza', 'Tenacità' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [53A21(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Opposition, Counteraction, Resistance (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54EE11(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Reward, 'Praemium'; 'Premio', 'Remuneratione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55A12(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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