Link to an image of this page [F7v p94]
Custodiendas virgines.
Girls must be guarded
Vera haec effigies[1] innuptae est Palladis, eius
Hic draco, qui dominae constitit ante pedes:
Cur divae comes hoc animal? custodia rerum
Huic data, sic lucos sacraque templa colit.[2]
Innuptas opus est cura asservare puellas
Pervigili, laqueos undique tendit amor.[3]
This is the true image of virgin Pallas. Her snake is here, positioned at his mistress’s feet. Why does this creature accompany the goddess? The task of guarding things was entrusted to it, and so it looks after groves and sacred temples. It is necessary to guard unmarried girls with ever-watchful care - Love lays his snares on every side.
Link to an image of this page [F8r p95]
Vierges doibt lon bien garder.
Cest ycy de Pallas lymaige,
Que ung dragon garde par grande cure,
Affin quon ny face dommaige.
Ce que nest pas fait sans figure:
Car il monstre que vierge pure,
Se doibt garder soigneusement:
Veu quamour chasse de nature,
La maculer honteusement.
1. ‘Image of virgin Pallas’. Pallas Athene, virgin goddess and protectress of the city of Athens, represented with helmet, spear and aegis. Pallas Athene was equated with Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom. Pausanias, Periegesis 1.24.7 mentions such a statue with a snake.
2. See Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.20.3: ‘the snake with its keen and ever-watchful sight has assigned to it the custodianship of temples, shrines, oracles and treasures.’ Ancient Greek holy sites often housed a snake.
3. ‘Love lays his snares on every side’ - a proverbial saying.
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Relating to the image:
- adult woman [31D15] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards [31A2513] Search | Browse Iconclass
- attributes of Minerva (with NAME) [92C28(DRAGON)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coat, cape [41D212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dragon (large fabulous serpent, sometimes with wings and legs) [25FF422] Search | Browse Iconclass
- drapery, draped garment, 'Gewandgebung' [41D27] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head turned to the left - AA - female human figure [31AA2421] Search | Browse Iconclass
- helved weapons, polearms (for striking, hacking, thrusting): lance [45C14(LANCE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Minerva as patroness [92C271] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees [25G3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- walking-stick, staff [41D263] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- 'Verginità ' (Ripa) [31A72110] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Cupid, Amor (Eros) [92D1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Protection; 'Custodia', 'Difesa contra nimici, malefici & venefici', 'Difesa contra pericoli', 'Riparo da i tradimenti' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54E42(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- snare «« KEY (4141) TO 43C1 sports, games ~ animals [43C1(+4141)] Search | Browse Iconclass
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