
L’inconstant perit.
Si je me fusse bien tenue
Debout sans me laisser aller,
Le feu ne me povoit brusler
Et ne feust ma perte advenue.

CElluy qui est ferme & constant
Ne crainct poinct les tours de fortune
A tout malheur va resistant,
Chose qui soit ne l’importune,
Vienne bon heur, vienne infortune
Sans tomber debout il se tient
Et en sa vertu se maintient
Sans changer en riens son vouloir,
Et quand ainsi se faict valloir
Par la force de sa constance
Il ne se peult jamais doulloir,
Pourveu qu’il ait perseverance.
★ Constance est ung baston puissant,
Sur qui on se doibt appuyer,
Il n’est poinct foyble ne glissant,
Il ne peult rompre ne ployer.
Il le fault doncques essayer,
Et se garder de tomber bas,
Qui chet il seuffre grandz debatz
Il se destruict & se ruyne,
Sur luy pleut maulvaise bruyne
Par le moyen de maugouverne,
Comme le feu qui extermine
Et brusle la pauvre lanterne.
1. Oil, and by association, the lantern, symbolise diligence. Cf. Erasmus, Adagia, 1.7.71 (Olet lucernam) and 1.7.72 (Aristophanis et Cleanthis lucerna). The reversed lantern would symbolise therefore the contrary, inconstance, the lack of perseverance. This image possibly also recalls the story of the foolish virgins who, when the master arrives, do not have any oil to illuminate their lamps (Matthew 25). Corrozet makes use of this story in emblem 92 ([FCGa092]).
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- (high) hill [25H113] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Danger; 'Pericolo' (Ripa) [54DD51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- lantern [41B33] Search | Browse Iconclass
- on fire, ablaze [41B4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- river [25H213] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees (+ bare plant) [25G3(+351)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- winds [26C] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Constancy, Tenacity; 'Costanza', 'Tenacitą' (Ripa) [53A21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Destruction [58AA1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Fearlessness, Intrepidity; 'Intrepiditą & Costanza' (Ripa) [54A81] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Inconstancy; 'Incostanza', 'Instabilitą', 'Instabilitą overo Incostanza' (Ripa) [53AA21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Strength, Power; 'Fortezza', 'Fortezza d'Animo e di corpo', 'Fortezza del corpo congiunta con la generositą dell'animo', 'Fortezza & valore del corpo congiunto con la prudenza & virtł del animo', 'Forza' (Ripa) [54A7] Search | Browse Iconclass
- stumbling [31A27321] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Vicissitudes of Life [54F122] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Virtuousness; 'Amor di Virtł', 'Attione virtuosa', 'Guida sicura de' veri honori', 'Virtł', 'Virtł insuperabile' (Ripa) [57A6] Search | Browse Iconclass
- walking-stick, staff [41D263] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.