
XLIX.
SPES COELO CERTISSIMA VENIT.
QUicunque in rebus humanis spem collocat, ille, uti dignus
est, saepe fallitur: exitusque incertos suaeque expectationi
contrarios experitur. Nihil firmum, nihil stabile est in hac vi-
ta. Refugium nostrum & praesidium in adversis tutius est,
& loco magis munito repositum, quàm ut ab eo abstrahi aut de-
iici possimus: nempe in coelis, ad quos oculorum mentis acie
nos penetrare docet Sapientia divina: cuius providentia, & cu-
ra vigili ita septi sumus, ut cùm ea nitimur & inhaeremus, nihil
nobis obesse possit. Nulla moenia tam sunt munita, quin ma-
chinis & suffossionibus, aut, ut nihil horum, proditione capian-
tur. Securitas, quam ex Patris coelestis recipimus promissis, tan-
ta est, ut spe ac fide inexpugnabili iam fruamur bonis adhuc
absentibus. Neque est quicquam, quod nos possit divellere
aut separare ab illa charitate, qua nos benignus Deus ample-
ctitur.[1] In rebus humanis ita natura comparatum esse videmus,
ut nihil sit ex omni parte beatum, nihil perpetuum. Novit pau-
cos secura quies: & ideo, quamcunque Deus tibi fortunaverit
horam, grata sume manu.[2] ad immortalia & coelestia con-
fugiendum, quae incertis casibus subiecta
non sunt.

XLIX.
Friderico Sylburgio.[3]
SPES COELO CERTISSIMA VENIT.[4]
Most certain hope comes from heaven
QUisquis in humanis rebus spem collocat, audet
Adriacos lacera scindere lintre sinus.[5]
Si qua tamen restat, nobis certissima coelo
Cernitur, à summis anchora missa Deis.
He who places hope in human things dares to cleave the Adriatic Sea with a broken boat. But if it survives, then a most certain anchor is seen by us in the sky, sent by the gods on high.
1. A partial quotation from Romans 8:35, ‘Quis ergo nos separabit a charitate Christi?’
2. ‘Quamcunque Deus tibi fortunaverit horam, grata sume manu’: Horace, Epodes, 1.2.22 (whatever hour God may bestow, take with a grateful hand).
3. Friedrich Sylburg, or Silburg, German classical scholar. See emblem 21 ([FBOb021]).
4. The Greek letters in the pictura are the normal abbreviations for Jesus, Christ and Redeemer Ι(ΗΣΟΥΣ, ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, ΛΥΤΩΤΡΗΣ).
5. A reference to St. Paul’s difficult crossing of the Adriatic on his way to Rome, Acts 27:27-44.
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- (private) prayer; 'Oratione', 'Preghiere', 'Preghiere a Dio' (Ripa) [11Q2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man (+ three persons) [31D14(+73)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- breaking something [31A2746] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Christ [11D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- city-view in general; 'veduta' [25I1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the lower part of the body [41D23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body [41D223] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- crucifix ~ personal devotion [11Q651] Search | Browse Iconclass
- floating in the air [31A2763] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Greek script [49L13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hail [26D2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- inscription [49L8] Search | Browse Iconclass
- kneeling figure [31A233] Search | Browse Iconclass
- lightning, flash of lightning, thunderbolt [26E2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- low hill country [25H114] Search | Browse Iconclass
- parts of ship's exterior (with NAME) [46C215(ANCHOR)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- parts of ship's exterior (with NAME) [46C215(RUDDER)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ships (in general) [46C21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- shipwreck [46C291] Search | Browse Iconclass
- storm at sea [26C32] Search | Browse Iconclass
- wave [25H2311] Search | Browse Iconclass
- winds [26C] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Certainty [52B41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Despising the World; 'Dispregio del mondo', 'Disprezzo et Distruttione de i piaceri & cattivi affetti' (Ripa) [57BB211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Hope, 'Spes'; 'Speranza divina e certa' (Ripa) ~ one of the Three Theological Virtues [11M32] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Hope; 'Speranza', 'Speranza delle fatiche' (Ripa) [56D1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- representations ~ gods, demi-gods, heroes etc. (Roman religion) [12F13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Safety [54D5] Search | Browse Iconclass
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