Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629)
Table of contents ↑Babylon Amoris [5]
Babylon Amoris.
V.
August.
Cicer.
Senec.
F. Petrar.
BAbylonem facit Amor sæculi; interroget igi-
tur se vnusquisque quid amet, & inueniet an
eius sit ciuis. O anima! hanc viā non intres; plena
periculi, plena perditionis est. Amor te allicit, sed
vt te necet. Venus te inuitat, sed vt te vitâ spoliet.
Bacchus te vocat, sed vt te deuoret: vinum propi-
nat, sed vt venenum bibas. Voluptates sunt blan-
dissimæ dominæ quæ maiores partes animi à vir-
tute detorquent. in hoc nos complectuntur vt
strangulent; non aliter ergo quam latrunculi via-
toribus insidiantes eosqueue seducētes ac perimen-
tes, declinandæ sunt. idque facilius fiet si quis a-
criter rei vilitatem, obscænitatem, breuitatem, fi-
nem cogitet, ac longum dedecus; horæqueue fuga-
cis forsitan aut momenti vnius illecebras, multo-
rum pœnitentiâ vel æterno forrasse supplicio pu-
niendas.
BAbylonem facit Amor sæculi; interroget igi-
tur se vnusquisque quid amet, & inueniet an
eius sit ciuis. O anima! hanc viā non intres; plena
periculi, plena perditionis est. Amor te allicit, sed
vt te necet. Venus te inuitat, sed vt te vitâ spoliet.
Bacchus te vocat, sed vt te deuoret: vinum propi-
nat, sed vt venenum bibas. Voluptates sunt blan-
dissimæ dominæ quæ maiores partes animi à vir-
tute detorquent. in hoc nos complectuntur vt
strangulent; non aliter ergo quam latrunculi via-
toribus insidiantes eosqueue seducētes ac perimen-
tes, declinandæ sunt. idque facilius fiet si quis a-
criter rei vilitatem, obscænitatem, breuitatem, fi-
nem cogitet, ac longum dedecus; horæqueue fuga-
cis forsitan aut momenti vnius illecebras, multo-
rum pœnitentiâ vel æterno forrasse supplicio pu-
niendas.
August.
Quisquis amas mundum, tibi prospice. quâ sit eundum;
Hæc via, quâ vadis, via pessima, plenaque cladis.
Quisquis amas mundum, tibi prospice. quâ sit eundum;
Hæc via, quâ vadis, via pessima, plenaque cladis.
Babylon de l'Amour.
V.
Voila pauure mortel, la fin de tant de charmes,
Voila le rendé-vous de ces cruelles armes,
Voila le l'ouure, helas! de ce cruel Amour.
Garde t'en, si tu veux, pour moy ie m'en descharge,
Car si ie t'ay faict veoir, que son chemin est large,
Ie t'ay faict veoir aussy la fin de son sejour.
V.
Voila pauure mortel, la fin de tant de charmes,
Voila le rendé-vous de ces cruelles armes,
Voila le l'ouure, helas! de ce cruel Amour.
Garde t'en, si tu veux, pour moy ie m'en descharge,
Car si ie t'ay faict veoir, que son chemin est large,
Ie t'ay faict veoir aussy la fin de son sejour.
Translations
|
The Babylon of love. |
|
Love of the world produces a Babylon. Therefore, let everybody ask himself what he loves and he will find out if he is a citizen
of it. Oh, soul! Do not enter this way of life: it is full of danger, full of perdition. Amor lures you, but only to finish
you off; Venus invites you, but only to rob you of life; Bacchus call you, but only to devour you; he drinks to your health
with wine, but he does that intending that you drink poison. Sensual desires are enticing mistresses, that wrench the major
parts of the heart away from virtue. In trying to do this they embrace us so as to strangle us. As they in no way different
from muggers ambush travellers, lead them astray and kill them, they have to be fended off. Avoiding them happens so much
easier if you do some sharp thinking about how vile this matter is, how obscene and short, to what end it leads and how long-lasting
the disgrace will be. The attractions that probably last one fleeting hour, belong to one single moment, but will be punished
with regret about many and possibly with eternal damnation. |
|
You, whoever you are, who loves the world, have a look first for yourself to see whereto this path is bound to lead you. This
road along which you are going is the worst and full of disaster. |
|
The gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. |
Sources and parallels
-
Destruction of the tower of Babel in:Quid superest [23] (in: Georgette de Montenay/Anna Roemer Visscher, Cent emblemes chrestiens (c. 1615))
[Compare
]
-
Destruction of Babylon symbolizing earthly love: Conscientia testis [97] (in: Jan Suderman, De godlievende ziel (1724))
[Compare]
-
Parallel for the pictura (exact copy), the same Latin bible quote and French epigram in:Verkies het Beste [5] (in: Jan van Hoogstraten, Zegepraal der goddelyke liefde (1709))
[Compare]
References, across this site, to this page:
- Quid superest [23] (in: Georgette de Montenay/Anna Roemer Visscher, Cent emblemes chrestiens (c. 1615))
- Verkies het Beste [5] (in: Jan van Hoogstraten, Zegepraal der goddelyke liefde (1709))
- Conscientia testis [97] (in: Jan Suderman, De godlievende ziel (1724))