
XI.
HISTORIA VIRTUS FIT SPLEN-
didior.
UT clipeus ex lucido politoque chalibe conflatus, si radiis
exponatur solaribus, suum duplicat splendorem, quem
longè lateque in circuniacentia loca diffundit: haud secus con-
tingit viro virtutibus, ac rebus egregiè gestis illustri: cuius no-
men per se satis clarum, si luci committatur historiae, acquirit
duplices radios, quos undique diffusos historica eloquentia
transmittit ad posteritatem. Multum est hominem dotatum
esse à Deo immortali pietate, iusticia, magnanimitate, tempe-
rantia, prudentia, aliisque virtutibus quae magnos reddunt vi-
ros, eosque Deo similes efficiunt. Qualitates tamen hae multo
redduntur commendatiores, dum sortiuntur historiogra-
phum, tantis dotibus describendis idoneum. Possunt enim
fulgetris & tonitruis coeli comparari, quae certis audiuntur
videnturque momentis, subitò tamen evanescunt, nullo in nu-
bibus sui relicto indicio, quo probentur aliquando effulsisse.
Benè consultum à Diis immortalibus fuisse Achilli dicebat A-
lexander Macedo, qui Homerum praeconem suarum virtutum
nactus esset. Difficilimum est partam retinere fortunam,
ne mutetur. Nec minor est virtus quàm
quaerere, parta tueri.

XI.
Paulo Melisso Comiti Palatino Civi Romano.[1]
HISTORIA VIRTUS FIT SPLENDIDIOR.
Through telling the tale, virtue becomes more sparkling
EGregius frustra virtus se bellica gestis
Inflat. & ad laudes nititur ire suas.
Nî scriptis vulgata eius sit fama per orbem,
Et fiat radiis clarior historiae.
In vain military virtue puffs itself up when honours have been won, and strives to gain the praises due to it, unless its reputation is spread in writing through the world, and it becomes brighter through the rays of history.
1. Paulus Melissus Schedius, Count Palatine, Citizen of Rome, humanist poet, translator of the Psalms, and diplomat (d. 1602). Known as Paul Melisse in French and Paul Schede in German, he was librarian of the court at Heidelberg, Poet Laureate of Emperor Ferdinand I, and diplomat in the service of Emperor Maximilian II. He was a close friend of Boissard, and is also a dedicatee in his 1588 work, both overall (see prefatory material), and in emblem 2 ([FBOa002]). The title ‘Count Palatine’ was granted by the Emperor to certain officials to act as deputies and conferred certain royal privileges and powers (i.e., palatine,‘of the palace’).
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