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Piscatio Amoris [6]


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Piscatio Amoris.translation
VI.
Barrad. Luc.5. Ambros. Ambros.
PEriculosum mare, mundus est, ac procellosum,
in eo pleraqueue corda hominum, veluti pisces,
voluptatibus, diuitijs, sceleribusqueue immersa na-
tant, vnde ab hoc piscatore diuino in lucem gra-
tiæ fœliciter extrahūtur. Laxet igitur retia sua in
capturam Amor diuinus: sed quænam sunt, quæ
laxari iubentur, retia, nisi verborum complexio-
nes, & quasi quidam orationis sinus, & disputa-
tionum recessus, qui, eos quos cœpit, non amit-
tit? & bene hæc amorosa instrumenta piscandi,
quasi retia sunt, quæ non captos perimunt sed re-
seruant; & de profundo ad lumen extrahunt, &
fluctuantes de infernis ad superna perducunt.
Amor mundanus laxat etiam sua retiacula
prædicationis, quibus corda hominum conatur
expiscari; non vt capta reseruet sed vt perimat. translation


Mittam vobis piscatores multos. translation

Quoy que l'amour humain empesche
Le Diuin fait meilleure pesche.

Pesche de l'Amour.
VI.
Petits pescheurs que ie veois à l'enuie
Pescher touts deux, dites moy, ie vous prie,
Qu' el est l'appas pour prendre ces poissons?
Le seul amour en est l'vnique amorce,
Qui les inuite d'vne douce force,
A s'engager dedans nos hameçons.

Para pescar coracones
Quiere el pescador del Cielo
Que sirua el Amor de anzuelo.

Wech eyghen liefde / sotten dwanck/
Godts liefde crijcht al beter vanck.

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Facsimile Images


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Translations

Fishing of love1.
The world is a dangerous sea and ridden by storms: in it the hearts of mankind swim like fish, immersed in sensuality, riches and crime, from where they are luckily drawn by this divine Fisher into the light of grace. Let divine love let out its nets for the catch, but what else are the nets, that are ordered to be deployed, than strings of words, and as it were sinuous speech and deep disputations, that do not let go of those whom they capture? Also it is for the good that the fishing instruments of love are as it were nets, that do not kill those caught but preserves them? And guides them, swept by the tides as they are, from what is down below to what is up above. Worldly love also lets out miserable little nets of its own sermonising, with which it tries to fish for the hearts of man, but not in order to preserve but to kill.
I will send for you many fishermen2.

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Literature


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    Sources and parallels



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    Iconclass

    Human and sacred love are standing on a rock in the sea, both holding a fishing-rod; sacred love, unlike human love not blindfolded, uses hearts for bait
    • God's perfections [11A23] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • radiance emanating from persons or things [22C31] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • island (+ variant) [25H14(+0)] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • sea (seascape) [25H23] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • heart [31A2221] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • blindfold [31A3191] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • heavenly love versus earthly love [33C82] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • Love personified [33C91] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • fishing (sports) (+ fishing-rod) [43C12(+4161)] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • angling [43C121] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • quiver [45C23] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • Strength, Power; 'Fortezza', 'Fortezza d'Animo e di corpo', 'Fortezza del corpo congiunta con la generosité dell'animo', 'Fortezza & valore del corpo congiunto con la prudenza & virtù del animo', 'Forza' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [54A7(+4)] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • (personifications and symbolic representations of) Love; 'Amore (secondo Seneca)' (Ripa) (+ clothed with wings) [56F2(+1331)] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • (personifications and symbolic representations of) Love; 'Amore (secondo Seneca)' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept) [56F2(+4)] Search for this Iconclass notation
    • proverbs, sayings, etc. (with TEXT) [86(PISCATIO AMORIS)] Search for this Iconclass notation

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    Comments

    commentary

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    Notes

    1
    "Fishing of love", as the frase is ambiguous. It can be interpreted as "what the fisher does" and "what is done to the object of the fishing".
    Barrad.: most likely Sebastanus Barradius or Barradas (1542-1615), a Jesuit, who wrote a commentary on the Gospels. The placement of the marginalia makes the reading rather difficult: it is also possible that the references are to Barradius's or Ambrose's commentaries on Luc. 5.
    2
    "I will send for you many fishermen" (KJV): loosely quoting Jer. 16:16; "I am now sending for many fishermen" (NRSV): loosely quoting Jer. 16:16