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Quid Amor quam vera Palestra? [5]


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Quid Amor quam vera Palestra?translation
Quid sævire parant inter se mutuo Amores,
Ad quid blandidulis pugna animosa placet?
Fama est Cyprinis Martem usum amplexibus olim
Hinc miles factus creditur ales Amor. translation

Liefde zonder rust.
Tot vvelcken eynde of de Liefdetjes hier stryen,
En vvorstelen om 't zeerst? vvat is hier of de zin?
Maer datter nimmermeer, gheen rust en is in 't vryen:
Want dat heeft alle daagh zijn strijdt en onrust in.

Amour sans repos.
En fin, ie le vous dis, qu'aimer n'est qu'une guerre
Vn travail, un debat, un discord iournalier,
Au iourdhui deplaira ce que contentoit hier
Et ne fut oncq Amour en repos sur la terre:
Et pourquoy? pource, que Venus en ses esbats
C'est meslee avecque Mars qui ayme les combats.


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Facsimile Images


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Translations

What else is Love than the true wrestling school?
Why do loves prepare to rage against each other?
For what reason is a heated fight agreeable to softies?
The story has it that Mars once enjoyed the embraces of the Cyprian goddess1.
Hence winged Amor is believed to have become a soldier.


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Literature


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    Sources and parallels


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    References, across this site, to this page:


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    Iconclass

    Three pairs of fighting cupids, one cupid trumpetting

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    Comments

    commentary

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    Notes

    1
    Cyprian goddess: Aphrodite. Several localities were believed to be her place of birth. Paphos in Cyprus was one of these.