
Esperance conforte l’homme.
Si fortune soustiens & porte,
Qui m’a faict ung tour inhumain,
Je tiens esperance en la main,
Qui me conduict & me conforte.

IL ne se fault poinct contrister
Pour fortune qui nous advienne,
Mais sagement y resister,
Quelque fascherie qui vienne,
Il fault qu’esperance soustienne
Noz faictz & tribulations.
Je conseille doncq qu’on la tienne
Pour reigler noz affections.
★ Que gaignons nous de nous marrir,
Ny d’avoir douleur ou tristesse,
Pour veoir quelque chose perir
Qu’avons acquis en grand liesse?
Il est vray que cela nous blesse
Et poingt au cueur, mais toutesfoys
Bonne esperance nous radresse
Et nous guerit aulcunesfoys.
★ Esperance paist les chetifz,
Ce dit le proverbe ancien,
Et fussent prisonniers captifz,
Chascun dit l’espoir estre sien,
Parquoy j’ose dire, & soustien
Qu’il n’est si malheureux sur terre
Qui n’espere avoir quelque bien
Avant que mort le vienne querre.
1. For the proverb, see Erasmus, Adagia, 4.4.63 (Spes servat afflictos); and 3.1.92 (Spes alunt exules). The latter of these is cited by Gabriel Meurier, Recueil de sentences... (Antwerp, 1568), fol. 127 (“Vaine espérance mourrit les chétifs”). For Fortune, see emblem 40 ([FCGa040]); for the Celestial Sphere, see emblem 41 ([FCGa041]).
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- (high) hill [25H113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- carrying something on the head or on the shoulders [46C1215] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clothing for the upper part of the body [41D223] Search | Browse Iconclass
- gear for legs and feet [41D233] Search | Browse Iconclass
- globe [25A13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- holding something [31B6(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- landscape with tower or castle [25I5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- leaning forward [31A2321] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking over the shoulder [31A247] Search | Browse Iconclass
- road, path [46C11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- star-globe [49E121] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ stem, trunk) [25G3(+21)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (with NAME) [25G3(PALM-TREE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trousers, breeches [41D231] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Turn of Fate, Wheel of Fortune [54F121] Search | Browse Iconclass
- walking [31A2711] Search | Browse Iconclass
- walking-stick, staff [41D263] Search | Browse Iconclass
- wheel (of vehicle) [46C19] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Consolation [56BB19] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Cruelty, Ferocity; 'Crudeltà', 'Ferocità' (Ripa) [57AA91] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Hope; 'Speranza', 'Speranza delle fatiche' (Ripa) [56D1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- infections and wounds [31A4632] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Pain, Sorrow, Sadness; 'Dolore', 'Dolore di Zeusi' (Ripa) [56BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- proverbs, sayings, etc. (with TEXT) [86(ESPERANCE PAIST LES CHETIFZ)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Tolerance, Long-suffering; 'Longanimità', 'Toleranza' (Ripa) [57A72] Search | Browse Iconclass
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