
Dum potes vive.
Live while you can
Ad Achillem Bochium, tanquàm paren-
tem, de sepia.[1]
For Achille Bocchi, as a father, about the cuttle-fish.
Dum me venatur, sequitur piscator avarus,
Decipio effuso prompta liquore manus.
Obscuri latices me condunt, cernere tectam
Atramenta vetant, abdita tuta nato.
Sic quibus in promptu modus est defendere vitam,
Cur non effugiunt, seque tuentur ope?
Donec qui caelo hanc animam demisit ab alto
Nos vocet, ac tenebras mutet honore graves.
Link to an image of this page [E7r p77]Displicet immatura Deo mors, nulla potestas
In vitam, supera quod datur arce, tibi.
Polypus evadit, vario dum ad saxa colore
Se induit, atque alias iniicit usque moras.
Tu qui praestiteris tantum, possisque, libenter
Ingenii nobis des monimenta tui.
While he is hunting me, the greedy fisherman follows me, when I’m visible, I deceive the hands by pouring out fluid. Dark waters conceal me, black pigments prevent to see me, the covered fish, and I swim safe and hidden. Thus, why do those who have the capabilities to defend their lifes, not flee and protect themselves with that power? Until He calls us, who sent this soul down from heaven, and replaces the heavy darkness with honour. A premature death offends God, you have no power over life which is given from the high citadel. The octopus escapes by putting on different colours on stones and takes on different throws in different obstacles all the time. You, who have achieved and can do so much, give us willingly the monuments of your talent.
1. Achille Bocchi, a contemporary emblematist (d. 1562).
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- adult man [31D14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ reaching for somebody or something, seizing something, touching) [31A2512(+934)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards (+ holding something) [31A2513(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- barefoot [41D2339] Search | Browse Iconclass
- beard [31A534] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- coast [25H13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fisherman [43C128] Search | Browse Iconclass
- fisherman (+ net) [43C128(+4163)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- harbour [46C223] Search | Browse Iconclass
- kneeling figure [31A233] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking downwards [31B6212] Search | Browse Iconclass
- molluscs (with NAME) [25F72(OCTOPUS)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- molluscs: squid (+ postures of the head ~ animal) [25F72(SQUID)(+54):33B9] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- prospect of city, town panorama, silhouette of city [25I12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sailing-ship, sailing-boat [46C24] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sheep (+ animals eating and drinking) [47I213(+945)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sheep (+ herd, group of animals) [47I213(+9441)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trousers, breeches (+ worn or torn clothes) [41D231(+7)] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- animal(s) changing colour «« KEY (4831) TO 25F animals [25F(+4831)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- colours, pigments, and paints (with NAME) [22C4(BLACK)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Deity, God (in general) ~ Christian religion [11A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Disapprobation, Disapproval, Rebuking [57BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- escape, escape attempts [44G316] 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(BOCCHI, Achille)3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Honour, Glory; 'Ampiezza della Gloria', 'Gloria', 'Gloria de prencipi', 'Gloria & Honore', 'Honore', 'Sublimatà della Gloria' (Ripa) [59B31] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Human Life; 'Vita humana', 'Vita inquieta', 'Vita e l'animo' (Ripa) [58B21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Ingenuity; 'Ingegno' (Ripa) [52A43] Search | Browse Iconclass
- monument, statue [25I152] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mutability; 'Immutatione' (Ripa) [51K2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rocky coast [25H131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- seeking death, suicide [31E238] Search | Browse Iconclass
- swimming (movement in water) [31A2773] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Talent [52A13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- the soul [31G] Search | Browse Iconclass
Hint: You can turn translations and name underlining on or off using the preferences page.