
Benignitas.
Kindness
Ad Georgium Drascovithum Episcopum
Quinquecclesiensem.[1]
Quanto plus terrae effoditur, scrobs crescit hiatu:
Et tumulus maior prominet indicio.
Divitias aliis si quis communicat amplas,
Non fit pauperior, statque benigna manus.
Dispereant quorum numi pro numine[2] habentur,
Vicinisque negant omine fontis aquas.
In tenebris cur non capiat sibi lumen egenus,
Num fit flamma minor? num quoque terra satis?
Κοινὰ φίλων dicas si Croesi ingentia tractes,
Aut bona Pactoli,[3] possideasve Tagum[4].[5]
The more earth one digs, the bigger the pit becomes in its opening, and the higher the pile sticks out as evidence. If someone shares extensive riches with others, he does not become poorer, and the generous hand maintains his position. May those be ruined who regard their money as god, and refuse their neighbours the water of their spring because of an omen. In darkness, why does the needy not take light for himself: Will the flame become weaker? Is there not enough earth either? Say ‘Friends hold all in common’ when you have the wealth of Croesus, or the goods of Pactolus, or when you own the Tagus.
1. Georgius Drascovithus (György Draskovith in Hungarian, Draskovic in Croat): Hungarian humanist and statesman (of a Croatian family). He was vice-chancellor of Hungary before becoming successively Bishop of Pécs (Quinquecclesiensis), then of Györ, and finally Archbishop of Kalocsa and Cardinal in 1586 (d. 1587).
2. Pun on nummi and numen, ‘money as god’.
3. A river in Lydia with gold sands. Midas washed away his power to convert all he touched to gold in this river after he discovered it wouldn’t make him happy.
4. The river in Spain, once abounded with gold and precious stones.
5. For Sambucus’ extensive borrowings from Cicero and other sources, Arnoud Visser, Joannes Sambucus and the Learned Image: The Use of the Emblem in Late-Renaissance Humanism (Leiden, 2005), pp. 174-179.
Related Emblems
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- adult man (+ three persons) [31D14(+73)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something) [31AA2515(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ holding something) [31A2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ reaching for somebody or something, seizing something, touching) [31A2512(+934)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beard [31A534] Search | Browse Iconclass
- digging for or finding of treasure [46A1612] Search | Browse Iconclass
- dress, gown [41D211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head bent forward; bowing [31A244] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head-gear [41D221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- leaning forward [31A2321] Search | Browse Iconclass
- money-chest, treasure-chest, money-box [46A1632] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ruin of a building ~ architecture [48C149] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- (story of) Croesus king of Lydia [98B(CROESUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- candle [41B31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- flame [41B121] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Friendliness, Gentleness, Affability; 'Affabilità, piacevolezza, amabilità', 'Animo piacevole, trattabile & amorevole', 'Benignità' (Ripa) [57A77] Search | Browse Iconclass
- friends [33A5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Generosity, Liberality; 'Generosità', 'Liberalità' (Ripa) [55C21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- geographical names of countries, regions, mountains, rivers, etc. (names of cities and villages excepted) (with NAME) [61D(TAGUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- historical person (with NAME) other representations to which the NAME of a historical person may be attached (with NAME of person) [61B2(DRASCOVIC, György)3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- light [22C] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Midas washes away the fatal gift in the river Pactolus [97O71] Search | Browse Iconclass
- money [46B31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- neighbour [33A7] Search | Browse Iconclass
- spring, source of river or stream [25H211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Wealth, Opulence; 'Opulenza', 'Richezza' (Ripa) [55B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
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