Link to an image of this page [T11r f203r]
Opulentia tyranni, paupertas subiectorum.
A wealthy ruler means poor subjects
Emblema cxlvi.
Humani quod splen est corporis, in populi re
Hoc Caesar[1] fiscum dixerat esse suum.
Splene aucto, reliqui tabescunt corporis artus:
Fisco aucto, arguitur civica pauperies.
It was a saying of Caesar that the imperial treasury has the same relation to the people as the spleen has to the human body: if the spleen is enlarged, all the other members of the body waste away. A swollen treasury is proof of poverty among the citizens.
HOc fuit Traiani Caesaris Apophthegma, qui fiscum
lienem appellabat, quòd eo crescente reliqua
membra tabescerent. Gravi certè malo Reipublicae
Princeps avarus nascitur, qui vectigalibus immen-
sis, aliisque exactionibus plebeculam coniiciat in
summam inopiam, ex quo publicae rei corpus tabi-
dum languet, penéque emoritur.
Link to an image of this page [T11v f203v]
La richesse d’un tyran, est argument de
la pauvreté des subjects.
TRajan disoit, le fisc sien ainsi estre
Comme est au corps nostre rate: car croistre
Quand on la sent, les autres membres sont
Tous dessechez, ou moins de vigueur ont
Donq’ quand le fisc du Prince trop s’augmente,
Le pauvre peuple en souspire & lamente.
C’A esté le propos remarquable de l’Em-
pereur Trajan, qui appelloit le fisc, la
rate, d’autant que la rate croissant au corps,
les autres membres se dessechent, & en de-
viennent tabides. C’est un fort grand mal à
la Republique, quand il y a un Prince avare,
qui reduit en extreme pauvreté, son peuple
par daces, imposts & subsides desraisonna-
bles, dont vient que tout le corps de la cho-
se publique en est languissant, & presque en
meurt.
1. The Emperor Trajan (as clarified in the commentary), one of the five ‘Good Emperors’. See Aurelius Victor, Epitome de Caesaribus, 42.21; Erasmus, Apophthegmata, 8.
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Relating to the image:
- (high) hill [25H113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult woman [31D15] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arcade ~ architecture [48C1621] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards (+ holding something) [31A2513(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- diseases affecting parts of the body [31A463:31A22323] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dress, gown [41D211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- façade (of house or building) [41A31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head held in the hand(s), with elbows leaning on an elevation or on the knees [31A25312] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear (+ women's clothes) [41D221(+82)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- landscape with tower or castle [25I5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- lying on the back with uplifted upper part of the body - AA - female human figure [31AA2361] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tower (of house or building) [41A361] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- bad government [44B620] Search | Browse Iconclass
- official acts of rulers, e.g. royal acts (ruler giving audience, granting mercy, etc.; ruler and his subjects) [44B12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Poverty; 'Povertà ', 'Povertà del doni', 'Povertà in uno ch'habbia bell'ingegno' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55BB1(+4):44C1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruler and his subjects [44B1270] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruler, sovereign [44B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- the story of the justice of Trajan [98B(TRAJAN)51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Wealth, Opulence; 'Opulenza', 'Richezza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55B1(+4):44B119] Search | Browse Iconclass
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