
In temerarios.
The reckless
Emblema lvi.
Aspicis aurigam currus Phaëthonta[1] paterni
Ignivomos ausum flectere Solis equos?
Maxima qui postquàm terris incendia sparsit,
Est temerè insesso lapsus ab axe miser.
Sic plerique rotis fortunae ad sidera Reges
Evecti, ambitio quos iuvenilis agit;
Post magnam humani generis cladémque suámque,
Cunctorum poenas denique dant scelerum.
You see here Phaethon, driving his father's chariot, and daring to guide the fire-breathing steeds of the Sun. After spreading great conflagrations over the earth, the wretched boy fell from the car he had so rashly mounted. - Even so, the majority of kings are borne up to heaven on the wheels of Fortune, driven by youth's ambition. After they have brought great disaster on the human race and themselves, they finally pay the penalty for all their crimes.

PHaëthontis casus in eos principes traducitur, qui
recta mente consilióque destituti, & audacia iu-
venili exsultantes, multis variisque difficultatibus
sese implicant, adeò ut post labores inexhaustos tan-
dem se & suos in praecipitium miserè coniiciant.
Ferè sit enim ut principes illi fatui & excordes, eo
quod habent in alios imperii & potentiae pro sua
libidine abutantur, & quasi prodigant in publicae
rei summam perniciem.

Contre les temeraires.
VOicy un Phaëton plein de presumption,
Et par trop hazardeux, qui eut affection
Des chevaux du Soleil la conduite entreprendre:
Mais quand il fut dessus, les voyant trop haster,
Ne les pouvant de force aucunement domter,
Il embrasa la terre, & la mit toute en cendre.
Ainsi maints jeunes Roys, & nouveaux Gouverneurs,
Jeunes d’entendement, parvenus aux honneurs,
Ambitieux qu’ils sont, & d’ardeur trop soudaine.
Apres qu’ils ont un temps leurs pays ravagez,
Et tant d’hommes perdus, meurtris, & saccagez,
Ils sont payez en fin, & en portent la peine.
LA cheute de Phaëton est accommodee
contre les Princes qui destituez de ju-
gement rassis & bon conseil, conduits d’une
promptitude de jeunesse folle, se donnent de
la peine en plusieurs & diverses façons: de
maniere qu’apres infinies fatigues, ils se pre-
cipitent miserablement en ruyne & leurs
gens aussi. Car comme il se voit coustumie-
rement tels Princes[2] fols & escervelez abusent
desbordément du pouvoir & puissance qu’ils
ont envers leurs subjets, & s’y portent à l’a-
bandon au grand detriment de la chose pu-
blique.
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- accident with two-wheeled vehicle, drawn by two animals [46C14922] Search | Browse Iconclass
- armour [45C22] Search | Browse Iconclass
- barefoot [41D2339] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fall of Phaethon; he is struck by a thunderbolt of Jupiter (+ variant) [92B39117(+0)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- falling through the air [31A2764] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rearing (horse in motion) [46C13185] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sun represented as face, wheel, etc. [24A6] Search | Browse Iconclass
- two-wheeled vehicle drawn by two animals [46C1422] Search | Browse Iconclass
- youth, adolescent [31D12] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Audacity, Temerity; 'Audacia' (Ripa) [54A82] Search | Browse Iconclass
- falling [31A2731] Search | Browse Iconclass
- king [44B113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Phaethon drives the chariot of the sun; the earth is threatened with conflagration [92B39116] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Punishment; 'Castigo', 'Pena', 'Punitione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [57BB13(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Rashness, Imprudence, Recklessness (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52AA21(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruler and his subjects [44B127] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Turn of Fate, Wheel of Fortune [54F121] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Youth, Adolescence, 'Iuventus'; 'Adolescenza', 'Gioventù' (Ripa) [31D120] Search | Browse Iconclass
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