
EMBLEMA XIIII.
Sectantes velut umbra fugit, fugientibus instat,
Addita corporibus scilicet umbra comes,
Sic fugit immeritae captantes praemia laudis,
Demissis contra gloria iuncta comes.
Et tamen haud falso trutinata examine, quidnam
Laus haec omnis erit? scilicet umbra levis.
Just as a shadow flees those who follow it, and it pursues those who flee it - the shadow is undoubtedly the companion associated to [all] bodies - so likewise glory, the companion linked to the humble, flees those trying to grasp the rewards of undeserved praise. And yet all this praise, if it is balanced with true [lit. not false] consideration, what, pray, will that amount to? Undoubtedly an insubstantial shadow.
1. The inspriation for this emblem certainly comes from Bocchi, Symbolicarum Quaestionum libri quinque (Bologna, 1555), 4.99: ‘Non appeti debere gloriam, at sequi veram’ (One should not strive after glory, but pursue true [glory]).
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- (high) hill [25H113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward [31A2511] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward [31A2512] Search | Browse Iconclass
- city-view in general; 'veduta' [25I1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fingers spread out [31A25512] Search | Browse Iconclass
- running [31A27112] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shadow [22C8] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sun as celestial body [24A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees [25G3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- two persons [31A(+72)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Honour, Glory; 'Ampiezza della Gloria', 'Gloria', 'Gloria de prencipi', 'Gloria & Honore', 'Honore', 'Sublimat… della Gloria' (Ripa) [59B31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Humility; 'Humilt…' (Ripa) [57A64] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Pride, Loftiness; 'Alterezza in persona nata povera civile' (Ripa) [57AA64] Search | Browse Iconclass
- scenes symbolizing 'Vanitas' [11R51] Search | Browse Iconclass
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