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Forma tibi praestans, oculi cum sidere certant,
Atque habitat toto corpore pulchra Venus.
Sed vitiis animus, mens undique, corpore toto
Atque sinus pleni, mixta venena latent.
Est manus ad caedem prompta, ad periuria lingua,
Lumina, frons meretrix, nec pede tutus ades.
Quąm malč Mercurius dotes cum Cypride iunxit,
ὥστε καλοῦ μήλου nil color intus habet.
Ergo puer multum soli ne fide colori,[1]
Ni probat hunc virtus, quī mihi pulcher eris?
You’re very handsome, your eyes compete in splendour with the stars, and lovely Venus inhabits your whole body. But your soul, your mind everywhere, in your whole body, are full of sin, and the mixed poison of your breast is hidden. Your hand is quick to murder, your tongue to lies; your eyes and brow are a whore; and you stand hardly secure on your feet. How badly Mercury has mixed dowers with the Cyprian goddess: like a fair apple, you have no colour inside. Therefore, lad, do not trust very much in colour alone: unless virtue should prove you, how will you be beautiful to me?
1. A play on the famous line of Vergil, Eclogues, 2.17.
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ holding something) [31A2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards (+ holding something) [31A2513(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bridge in city across river, canal, etc. [25I1451] Search | Browse Iconclass
- curtains [41A421] Search | Browse Iconclass
- drawing, pulling something [31A2747] Search | Browse Iconclass
- farm or solitary house in landscape [25I3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- front faƧade [41A311] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hacking and thrusting weapons: sword (+ handling of weapons) [45C13(SWORD)(+63)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other, walking position (+ standing) [31A26211(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- opening the window [41A331] Search | Browse Iconclass
- packing of products [47F22] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tools, aids, implements ~ crafts and industries: rope [47D8(ROPE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- well [41A3911] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- (story of) Mercury (Hermes) [92B5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- (story of) Venus (Aphrodite) [92C4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Beauty; 'Bellezza' (Ripa) [51D4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- colours, pigments, and paints [22C4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Exterior, Exteriority (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51AA51(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- eyes [31A2212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fruits (with NAME) [25G21(APPLE)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hand [31A2245] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Interior, Interiority (+ emblematical representation of concept) [51A51(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Intrinsic Nature, Essence, Idea (according to Plato) [51A5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Licentiousness, Lasciviousness; 'Lascivia', 'Licenza' (Ripa) [57AA51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Lie; 'Bugia' (Ripa) [57AA6221] Search | Browse Iconclass
- murder [44G5111] Search | Browse Iconclass
- poison ~ product of animal «« KEY (92) TO 25F animals [25F(+92)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- spirit (or soul) versus body [31C] Search | Browse Iconclass
- stars [24D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- tongue [31A22141] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Vice, Evil, Sin; 'Peccato' (Ripa) [11N1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Virtuousness; 'Amor di Virtł', 'Attione virtuosa', 'Guida sicura de' veri honori', 'Virtł', 'Virtł insuperabile' (Ripa) [57A6] Search | Browse Iconclass
- whore, prostitute [33C52] Search | Browse Iconclass
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