
Caussae investigandae.
Scrutinize the causes.
Machina cur obelo fundetur quaeris, amice,
Et velit inversa conspicier facie?
In promptu caussa est, se celsa cacumina propter
Factam, parte tamen sed meliore premi.
Nemo sustineat quid molem pensat ab imo,
Et movet hic tantùm conspiciendus apex.
Vera haec si ignoras, sunt fundamenta laborum,
Hisque vetustatis pòst decus attribue.
Non formae solùm nos, & spectacula vulgò
Commoveant, caussas sed quoque scire velis.
You ask, my friend, why this structure is based on an obelisk, and wishes to be examined upside down. The cause is in front of your nose! It was made for its high peak, but is pressed down by its better part. No man would be concerned with what counterbalances the structure from the bottom. The only thing that concerns him here is the conspicuous apex. If you do not know this truth, this is the foundation of your labours; and to these give the glory of longevity later. It is not only the appearance and the spectacle that are to move us in the ordinary way, but you should want to know the causes, too.
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- (other) ornaments derived from objects (with NAME) [48A9857(CADUCEUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ indicating, pointing at) [31A2512(+931)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Asiatic races and peoples [32B33] Search | Browse Iconclass
- caduceus (staff with two snakes, attribute of Mercury) [92B58(CADUCEUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fence, wall, paling [41A54] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of plants (herbs) [25G13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking over the shoulder [31A247] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- needle, obelisk (marking grave) [42E361] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other, walking position (+ standing) [31A26211(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ornament ~ festoon, garland [48A9875] Search | Browse Iconclass
- prospect of city, town panorama, silhouette of city [25I12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruin of a building ~ architecture [48C149] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sceptre, staff (symbol of sovereignty) [44B192] Search | Browse Iconclass
- snakes (+ symmetrically placed ornamental animals, divided by a (human) figure or an object) [25F42(+154)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Beginning; 'Principio' (Ripa) [51F5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Cause (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51C1(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Heaviness [51G2] Search | Browse Iconclass
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