Link to an image of this page [C6v]
Ocni effigies, de his qui meretricibus
donant, quod in bonos usus
verti debeat.[1]
A representation of Ocnus. On those who give to whores what should be turned to good
Impiger haud cessat funem contexere sparto,
Humidaque artificis iungere fila manu:
Sed quantum multis vix torquet strenuus horis,
Protinus ignavi ventris asella vorat.
Foemina iners animal, facili congesta marito
Lucra rapit, mundum prodigit inque suum.
Ocnus never stops busily plaiting rope from broom, joining the damp fibres with a craftsman's hand. But what he manages to spin with great effort in many hours the she-ass, a beast with greedy guts, continuously consumes. - Woman, an idle creature, grabs the accumulated savings from her complaisant husband and squanders it on her own adornment.
Link to an image of this page [C7r]
Leffigie de Ocnus contre ceulx qui
donnent aux garses ce quon
doibt convertir a bon
usaige.
Ung homme avec de joncs despaigne
Faisoit cordes incessamment:
Mais pour quelque peine quil preigne,
Il nen a rien finablement:
Car son anesse hastivement,
Mangeoit pour foin tout son ouvrage,
Maintes femmes pareillement,
Consument tost grand labourage.
1. The painting by Polygnotus depicting this scene is described in Pausanias, Periegesis 29.2. See also Propertius, Elegies 4.3.21; Erasmus, Adagia 383, Contorquet piger funiculum. Ocnus, idleness personified, was a proverbial example of wasted effort.
Related Emblems
- [Alciato, Andrea, 1549: L'image de Ocne. De ceulx qui donnent aulx paillardes: ce que debvoit estre converty en bons usages.]
- [Alciato, Andrea, 1584: Ocni effigies, de iis qui meretricibus donant, quod in bonos usus verti debeat. L'effigie d'Ocnus: de ceux qui donnent aux putains ce qui devoit estre converti en bons usages.]
- [Alciato, Andrea, 1615: L'effegie d'Ocnus, contre ceux qui donnent auxgarses ce qu'on doit convertir à bon usage.]
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- (ball of) yarn (+ reeds, rushes ~ crafts, industries, agriculture) [47H352(+442)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- animals eating and drinking [25F(+45)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards (+ holding something) [31A2513(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ass, donkey (+ animals eating and drinking) [46C13142(+745)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beard [31A534] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body (+ men's clothes) [41D223(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- drawing, pulling something [31A2747] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dress, gown (+ men's clothes) [41D211(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gear for legs and feet (+ men's clothes) [41D233(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear (+ men's clothes) [41D221(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Ocnus, usually twisting a cord which is eaten by an ass as soon as it is being made [9.30E+87] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other, walking position (+ standing) [31A26211(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- pushing something [31A2748] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rope-making [47H41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- spinning (manufacture of yarn) (+ men (labourers)) [47H31(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tools, aids, implements ~ crafts and industries: rope [47D8(ROPE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trousers, breeches (+ men's clothes) [41D231(+81)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- two persons [31A(+72)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- geographical names of countries, regions, mountains, rivers, etc. (names of cities and villages excepted) (with NAME) [61D(SPAIN)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Industriousness, Assiduity; 'Assiduit৬ 'Industria', 'Zelo' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54A11(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- marriage, married couple, 'matrimonium' [42D3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shrubs (with NAME) [25G31(BROOM)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Sluggishness, Inertia; 'Dapocaggine', 'Pigritia' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54AA11(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Squandering, Extravagance, Prodigality, Waste; 'Prodigalitৠ(Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55C11(+4):42D36] Search | Browse Iconclass
- whore, prostitute [33C520] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.
