
Otium sortem expectat.
Laziness waits on fortune.
Colle molendinum parvo statuere parentes,
Ventus ut exagitet, farra terantque molae.
Omnibus ut vitam auxiliis ars protegat, ornetque,
Opprimat incautos ne diuturna fames.
Ast ratio melior quùm[1] suppetit unda perennis,
Flabraque dum desunt ne rota cesset iners.
Ventisona ignavis similes, quibus otia cordi,
Dum sortem sperant, ingenioque vacant.
The parents built the windmill on a small hill, so that the wind should move it, and the millstones grind the grain, that art with all necessary help should protect and advance life, and long hunger need not oppress the imprudent. But reasoning is better when a perpetual stream seeks it, so that, when the wind dies, the wheel should not stand inactive. Windmills are like the reckless good-for-nothings who love laziness, and lack intelligence as they wait for the hand of fate.
1. This has been changed from the Errata (from quàm).
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- adult man (+ two persons) [31D14(+72)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards (+ holding something) [31A2515(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- clouds [26A] Search | Browse Iconclass
- container of textile material: bag, sack [41A777] Search | Browse Iconclass
- farm or solitary house in landscape [25I3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- legs in different position (+ standing) [31A262(+51)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking with the hand above the eyes [31A25341] Search | Browse Iconclass
- low hill country [25H114] Search | Browse Iconclass
- lying face downwards [31A2362] Search | Browse Iconclass
- miller [47B192] Search | Browse Iconclass
- rural housing, e.g. country-house, villa, cottage [41A16] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sleeping on the ground - BB - out of doors [31BB13] Search | Browse Iconclass
- windmill [47D31] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- cereal, grain, corn [47I111] Search | Browse Iconclass
- grinding, milling (industrial processes) [47C37] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Helpfulness [54A6] Search | Browse Iconclass
- hunger [41C119] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Idleness; 'Otio' (Ripa) [54DD2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Intellect, Intelligence; 'Intelletto', 'Intelligenza' (Ripa) [52A1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Luck, Fortune, Lot; 'Fato', 'Fortuna', 'Fortuna aurea', 'Fortuna buona', 'Fortuna pacifica overo clemente', 'Sorte' (Ripa) [54F12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- parents (first degree family relationships) [42G211] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Rashness, Imprudence, Recklessness [52AA21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Sluggishness, Inertia; 'Dapocaggine', 'Pigritia' (Ripa) [54AA11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- watermill [47D41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- winds [26C] Search | Browse Iconclass
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