Section: VINDICTA (Retribution). View all emblems in this section.

Iusta ultio.
Just revenge
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 succubuitque 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.
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.
Related Emblems

- Emblematum liber (28th February, 1531), Augsburg: IUSTA ULTIO.
- Emblematum liber (6th April, 1531), Augsburg: IUSTA ULTIO.
- Emblematum liber (1534), Augsburg: IUSTA ULTIO.
- Emblematum libellus (1534), Paris: Iusta ultio.
- Livret des emblemes (1536), Paris: Iusta ultio. Juste vengence.
- Les Emblemes (1539), Paris: Iusta ultio. Juste vengence.
- Les Emblemes (1542), Paris: Iusta ultio. Juste vengence.
- Emblematum libellus (1542), Paris: Iusta ultio. Gerechte rhach.
- Los Emblemas (1549), Lyon: Que el que en mal anda en tal acaba.
- Emblemes (1549), Lyons: Vengence Juste.
- Emblemata (1551), Lyon: Iusta ultio.
- Diverse imprese (1551), Lyon: Vendetta giusta.
- Emblematum libri II (Stockhamer) (1556), Lyon: Iusta ultio.
- Toutes les emblemes (1558), Lyon: Vengence Juste.
- Liber emblematum ... Kunstbuch (1567), Franckfurt am Main: Iusta ultio. Billiche verdiente Rach.
- Emblemata / Les emblemes (1584), Paris: Iusta ultio. Vengeance à bon droit pratiquee.
- Emblemata (1591), Leiden: Iusta ultio.
- Declaracion magistral sobre las Emblemas de Andres Alciato (1615), Najera: IUSTA ULTIO.
- Les emblemes (1615), Geneva/Cologny: Juste vengeance.
- Emblemata (1621), Padua: Iusta ultio.
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Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dale, valley [25H12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- plants and herbs [25G4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- prospect of city, town panorama, silhouette of city [25I12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- scorpions (+ animal(s) attacking) [25F715(+512)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- scorpions (+ animal(s) being hit, shot, caught) [25F715(+621)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- song-birds: raven (+ animal with prey) [25F32(RAVEN)(+452)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- song-birds: raven (+ animal(s) being wounded) [25F32(RAVEN)(+62)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ stem, trunk) [25G3(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ stump, stub) [25G3(+211)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Cunning, Slyness; 'Astutia ingannevole' (Ripa) [57AA613] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mockery, Derision, Irreverence; 'Derisione', 'Dispreggio della Virtù' (Ripa) [57BB2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Revenge, Requital, Retaliation; 'Vendetta' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57AA741(+4):52B5111(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- scorpions (+ poison ~ product of animal) [25F715(+92)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Styx (river of Hades); 'Stige' (Ripa) [9.30E+22] Search | Browse Iconclass
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