Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629)
Table of contents ↑Superbia Amoris [14]
Superbia Amoris.
Osee.7.
Petrar.
Herodot.
Eccl.
Quapropter superbia eius humiliabitur. SEd, ô Amator mundi, quid superbis? qui nisi
terra es & cinis? cur quæso? an non te morta-
lem, an non assidue fatiscentem, an non peccato-
rem, an non mille casibus expositum, an nō morti
obnoxium incertæ, an non denique te miserum
meministi; & nō Homericum illud famosissimum
audiuisti; nihil miserius homine terra nutrit? sci-
re velim quid te horum potissimè ad superbiam
cohortatur, an fragilitas membrorum, an vitæ
breuitas, an cæcitas animi inter spes vanissimas
metusque perpetuos fluctuantis, an præteritorum
obliuio, an ignorantia futurorum ac præsentium,
an hostium insidiæ, an mortes amicorum, an ad-
uersitas perseuerans, an fugitiua prosperitas? hæc
non aliæ tibi sunt ad superbiam quam scalæ qui-
bus ascendis ad ruinam. An ignoras quod Deus
gaudeat eminentissima quæque deprimere? Ille
neminem alium quam seipsum sinit magnificen-
tissime de se sentire.
Si sapis ergo fuge superbiam, initium enim
omnis peccati est.
Quapropter superbia eius humiliabitur. SEd, ô Amator mundi, quid superbis? qui nisi
terra es & cinis? cur quæso? an non te morta-
lem, an non assidue fatiscentem, an non peccato-
rem, an non mille casibus expositum, an nō morti
obnoxium incertæ, an non denique te miserum
meministi; & nō Homericum illud famosissimum
audiuisti; nihil miserius homine terra nutrit? sci-
re velim quid te horum potissimè ad superbiam
cohortatur, an fragilitas membrorum, an vitæ
breuitas, an cæcitas animi inter spes vanissimas
metusque perpetuos fluctuantis, an præteritorum
obliuio, an ignorantia futurorum ac præsentium,
an hostium insidiæ, an mortes amicorum, an ad-
uersitas perseuerans, an fugitiua prosperitas? hæc
non aliæ tibi sunt ad superbiam quam scalæ qui-
bus ascendis ad ruinam. An ignoras quod Deus
gaudeat eminentissima quæque deprimere? Ille
neminem alium quam seipsum sinit magnificen-
tissime de se sentire.
Si sapis ergo fuge superbiam, initium enim
omnis peccati est.
Superbe de l'Amour.
XIV.
L'Amour diuin est humble & debonnaire,
L'Amour mondain superbe, & temeraire;
Mais le diuin est bien le plus puissant;
Car le mondain voulant hausser la creste,
Ces deux amans luy font baisser l'aigrette,
Et de leurs traits le vont humiliant.
XIV.
L'Amour diuin est humble & debonnaire,
L'Amour mondain superbe, & temeraire;
Mais le diuin est bien le plus puissant;
Car le mondain voulant hausser la creste,
Ces deux amans luy font baisser l'aigrette,
Et de leurs traits le vont humiliant.
Translations
|
Pride of love. |
|
Majesty and love are not a good match, and do not dwell in one place. |
|
For this reason his pride will be brought low. But, o lover of the world, why are you so proud? What are you else but earth
and ashes? Why that is so, you ask? Do you not remember that you are mortal, that you are crumbling day after day, that you
are subject to an uncertain death, that finally you are in a state of misery? And have you not heard that most famous Homeric
saying: the earth feeds nothing more wretched than man? I would like to know which of these induces you to feel pride: is
it the fragility of your limbs, the shortness of your life, the blindness of your mind as it fluctuates between utterly futile
expectations and perpetual fear, is it oblivion of the passed, is it that you do not know of what is to be and what is at
hand, or is the ambushes of enemies, the death of friends, lasting adversity, the prosperity that always eludes you. These
are no different to you for being proud than ladders by which you ascend a ruin. are you unaware that God enjoys bringing
down precisely the most eminent? he does not allow anybody else than Himself to feel the grandest self-esteem. If you are
wise, flee away from pride, for it is the beginning of all sin. |
|
His pride will be brought low. |
Sources and parallels
-
Possibly based on, not mirrored, the word 'mvndani' removed from the motto and a blindfolded Cupid standing on peacock's
plumes added, in: Superbia amoris mundani. [4] (in: anonymous, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1628))
[Compare
]
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Same copperplate, slightly altered, in: De liefde verwint altyd [9] (in: Willem den Elger, Zinne-beelden der liefde (1703))
[Compare]
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Porteman 1975, p. 211. The peacock is being trampled by cupid. Superbiam odit [53] (in: Otto Vaenius, Amoris divini emblemata (1615))
[Compare]
References, across this site, to this page:
- Superbia amoris mundani. [4] (in: anonymous, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1628))
- De liefde verwint altyd [9] (in: Willem den Elger, Zinne-beelden der liefde (1703))
- Superbiam odit [53] (in: Otto Vaenius, Amoris divini emblemata (1615))