
Tempestivč cavendum cuique aetati.
In all ages of life, take early precautions
Dum tibi sunt vires, iuvenilia pectora, disce,
Teque operi gnavus nocte, dieque para.
Quod semel elapsum est, nunquam revocatur in ortus,
Tempus, id exigimus more fluentis aquae.
Ni tibi sint messes aestivae, frigora laedent:
Ni studeas iuvenis, pauca senecta feret.
Ostrea sic noctu pascuntur, pinguia Phoebe
Et fiunt plena, temporibusque cavent.
Nudus ara, sere nudus, hyems ignava colono,[1]
Formicisque minus dedecus est sapere.
Young men, as long as you have your strength, you must [still] learn and prepare yourselves night and day for work. For time that is gone can no more be called back to its beginning: we exhaust it like the flowing water. The frosts keep you from harvesting your summer grain, and unless you study in your youth, old age will bring little. Oysters eat thus at night, and grow fat by the full moon, and take care for all eventualities. Plough naked and sow naked; the winter is harsh to the farmer - and wisdom for the ant is the lesser disgrace.
1. Vergil, Georgics, 1.299.
Related Emblems
Iconclass Keywords
Relating to the image:
- adult man (+ three persons) [31D14(+73)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm held downwards [31A2515] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward (+ holding something) [31A2511(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm raised upward (+ punishing) [31A2511(+927)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward (+ holding something) [31A2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched forward - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something) [31AA2512(+933)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- arm stretched sidewards (+ other neutral connotations) [31A2513(+939)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- binding ~ harvest [47I142] Search | Browse Iconclass
- cultivated land [25H18] Search | Browse Iconclass
- farm or solitary house in landscape [25I3] Search | Browse Iconclass
- groups of trees [25G11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head bent forward; bowing [31A244] Search | Browse Iconclass
- head turned to the right [31A2422] Search | Browse Iconclass
- kneeling figure [31A233] Search | Browse Iconclass
- looking over the shoulder [31A247] Search | Browse Iconclass
- mountains [25H11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ox (+ postures of hind leg(s) of animal(s)) [47I21111(+956)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ploughing [47I123] Search | Browse Iconclass
- releasing something [31A27411] Search | Browse Iconclass
- seed [25G2111] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sowing [47I131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sports, games and physical performances (+ requirements, necessaries ~ sports and games) [43C(+4)(STICK)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- walking [31A2711] Search | Browse Iconclass
- yoke [46C14111] Search | Browse Iconclass
Relating to the text:
- allegorical representations of the effects of time [23A4] Search | Browse Iconclass
- animals eating and drinking «« KEY (45) TO 25F animals [25F(+45)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- cereal, grain, corn [47I111] Search | Browse Iconclass
- education, science and learning [49] Search | Browse Iconclass
- frost, freezing weather [26D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- full moon [24B2] Search | Browse Iconclass
- human life and its ages (young, adult, old, etc.) [31D] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Industriousness, Assiduity; 'Assiduitą', 'Industria', 'Zelo' (Ripa) [54A11] Search | Browse Iconclass
- insects (with NAME) [25F711(ANT)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- molluscs (with NAME) [25F72(OYSTER)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Mortality, Extinction of Life [58BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- night [23R14] Search | Browse Iconclass
- nude human being «« KEY (89) TO 31A the (nude) human figure; 'Corpo humano' (Ripa) [31A(+89)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Opportunity, Opportuneness, Seasonableness [54B12] Search | Browse Iconclass
- ploughing [47I123] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Poverty; 'Povertą', 'Povertą del doni', 'Povertą in uno ch'habbia bell'ingegno' (Ripa) [55BB1] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Precaution (+ emblematical representation of concept) [52A24(+4)] Search | Browse Iconclass
- sowing [47I131] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Strength, Power; 'Fortezza', 'Fortezza d'Animo e di corpo', 'Fortezza del corpo congiunta con la generositą dell'animo', 'Fortezza & valore del corpo congiunto con la prudenza & virtł del animo', 'Forza' (Ripa) [54A7] Search | Browse Iconclass
- summer, 'Aestas'; 'Estate' (Ripa) [23D43] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Virtuousness; 'Amor di Virtł', 'Attione virtuosa', 'Guida sicura de' veri honori', 'Virtł', 'Virtł insuperabile' (Ripa) [57A6] Search | Browse Iconclass
- water course [25H21] Search | Browse Iconclass
- winter, 'Hyems'; 'Inverno' (Ripa) [23D41] Search | Browse Iconclass
- Wisdom; 'Sapienza', 'Sapienza humana', 'Sapienza vera' (Ripa) [52A51] Search | Browse Iconclass
- young versus old age; young and old [31D5] Search | Browse Iconclass
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