
Le monde instable.
Le monde en une isle porte
Sur la mer tant esmeue & rogue,
Sans seul gouvernal nage & vogue,
Monstrant son instabilité.

QU’est devenu le temps passé,
Et ceulx qui au monde vivoient
Qui tant de biens ont amassé,
Et tant de sciences scavoient?
Ou sont ceulx la qui recevoient
Les dignitez & grans honneurs?
Ou sont les princes qui avoient
Soubz eulx les puissants gouverneurs?
★ Le monde instable & variant,
Voguant sur la mer incertaine,
Sans seureté s’en va riant
Prochain de tempeste soubdaine.
Ainsi nage vertu mondaine,
Comme ceste isle sur la mer,
Ignorant la vague prochaine
Qui ne tasche qu’a l’abismer.
★ Ainsi s’en va à l’adventure
L’homme mondain tout son vivant.
Et n’y a nulle creature
Qu’accident ne soit poursuyvant.
En peril sommes bien souvent,
Tendantz d’arriver à bon port,
Et à la fin vient au devant,
Nous prendre au bricq la noire mort.
1. The image of the sea to symbolise the instability of the world is one of the most natural. It was popularised by the Narrenschiff of Sebastian Brant (see Barbara Tiemann, “Sebastian Brant und das frühe Emblem in Frankreich”, Deutsche Vierteljahresschrift 47 (1973), pp. 598-644. See Alciato, ‘Spes proxima’ (Hope at hand) ([FALa034], and corresponding emblems).
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards [31A2513] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coast [25H13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coat, cape [41D212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- emblematical representation of concept [5(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gear for legs and feet [41D233] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hacking and thrusting weapons (with NAME) [45C13(SWORD)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear [41D221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- holding something [31B6(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Human Life represented by a ship [58B213] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Inconstancy; 'Incostanza', 'Instabilità', 'Instabilità overo Incostanza' (Ripa) [53AA21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- island [25H14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- landscape with tower or castle [25I5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- low hill country [25H114] Search | Browse Iconclass
- orb (symbol of sovereignty; sphere with cross on top) [44B193] Search | Browse Iconclass
- poling, punting [46C2325] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sea (seascape) [25H23] Search | Browse Iconclass
- symbolical representation of concept [5(+3)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees [25G3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ bare plant) [25G3(+351)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trousers, breeches [41D231] Search | Browse Iconclass
- winds [26C] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Danger; 'Pericolo' (Ripa) [54DD51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- decorations, honours (as symbols of the state, etc.) [44A4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- earth, world as celestial body [25] Search | Browse Iconclass
- floating (movement in water) [31A2774] Search | Browse Iconclass
- harbour [46C223] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Knowledge; 'Cognitione', 'Cognitione delle cose' (Ripa) [52A5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- parts of ship's exterior (with NAME) [46C215(RUDDER)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- past [23A31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruler, sovereign [44B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- storm at sea [26C32] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Uncertainty [52BB41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Virtuousness; 'Amor di Virtù', 'Attione virtuosa', 'Guida sicura de' veri honori', 'Virtù', 'Virtù insuperabile' (Ripa) [57A6] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Wealth, Opulence; 'Opulenza', 'Richezza' (Ripa) [55B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Worldliness; 'Appetito' (Ripa) [57AA661] Search | Browse Iconclass
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