
Expediens impedior Bombyx.
The useful silk-worm’s entrapment
Donec obaeratum expedio, ditesque labore
Pendulus efficio, me impedit istud opus.
Involvor Bombyx opere, infelixque morando
Commorior, sobolem semine linquo tamen.
Haec ignara mali sequitur quoque fata suorum,
Nullus & ob lucrum est qui monuisse velit.
Tantus amor pensi, tantum vos serica nostra
Delectant, vitae parcere nemo potest.
Res nimium dura est multos servire per annos,
Nec retulisse lucrum, se implicitumque mori.
“Even as I free the debtor, and dangling, make men wealthy with my dangling labour, I myself am hindered. I, the silk-worm, am entangled in my labour, I wait frustrated at the delay, and still I leave my offspring in the seed”. Ignorant of evil, she pursues her own fate, and no one for the sake of his profit will wish to warn her. Such is her love of work, and so our silken cloths delight you: no one can spare life. The thing’s just too hard! She serves for many years and takes no profit home; and finally, entangled in herself, she dies.
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- arm stretched forward - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something) [31AA2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- bench [41A723] Search | Browse Iconclass
- burning as process: log [41B12(LOG)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- candle (+ kindling a light; lit, burning light, lamp, candle) [41B31(+1)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- candlestick [41B313] Search | Browse Iconclass
- container of textile material: bag, sack [41A777] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head bent forward; bowing [31A244] Search | Browse Iconclass
- one leg in front of the other [31A2621] Search | Browse Iconclass
- open hearth, fire-place [41B21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- open window [41A3311] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sconce, wall lamp [41B312] Search | Browse Iconclass
- silk (material ~ textile industry) (+ indoors; in laboratory, factory, barn, etc.) [47H13(+11)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- table [41A711] Search | Browse Iconclass
- trees: mulberry-tree [25G3(MULBERRY-TREE)(+331)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- workshop [47A11] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- Adversity, Misfortune, Bad Luck; 'Fortuna infelice', 'Infortunio' (Ripa) [54FF11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Ambuscade, Trap; 'Insidia' (Ripa) [57AA6223] Search | Browse Iconclass
- debit, debt [46B451] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Delay [51FF521] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Difficulty [54DD4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- family lineage, pedigree, genealogical tree or table [42G1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Ignorance; 'Ignoranza', 'Ignoranza di tutte le cose', 'Ignoranza in un ricco senza lettere' (Ripa) [52AA5] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Industriousness, Assiduity; 'Assiduità', 'Industria', 'Zelo' (Ripa) [54A11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Pleasure, Enjoyment, Joy; 'Allegrezza', 'Allegrezza da le medaglie', 'Allegrezza, letitia e giubilo', 'Diletto', 'Piacere', 'Piacere honesto' (Ripa) [56B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- profit (~ commerce) [46B471] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Sacrifice (+ emblematical representation of concept) [55C221(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- silkworm [47H131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Wealth, Opulence; 'Opulenza', 'Richezza' (Ripa) [55B1] Search | Browse Iconclass
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