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Nosce te ipsum [29]


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Nosce te ipsumtranslation
Cum propriam vidit speciem Narcissus in undis,
Ardere insano cœpit amore sui:
Scilicet hoc homines vitio plerumque laborant,
Vt placeat nimium quilibet ipse sibi. translation

Kent u zelven.
Narcissus als hy sach zijn eyghen schoonheyts stralen,
Wert hy van ongheneught en eyghen Liefde blieck:
Hoe menich zietmen in haer selfs behaghen dwaalen:
Want meest een yder mensch gaet an dat evel zieck.

Cognoy toy mesme.
Narcisse qui te fait avoir la coleur blesme?
C'est que ie ayme moy mesme.
Puis que tu as de quoy te contenter,
Qui te fait tourmenter?
C'est que ie porte en moy la flamme & le tourment,
Et l'aymé & l'aymant.
Encor pourrois tu faire quelque grace,
Las ie brusle en ma face
Et ces eaux qui m'ont fait recognoistre si beau,
Me servent d'un tombeau.


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Facsimile Images


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Translations

Know yourself.
When Narcissus saw his own image in the waves,
He began to burn with mad love for himself.
Of course, people in general suffer from this illness,
So that anyone, no matter who, has too high an opinion of himself.


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Literature


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    Iconclass

    Narcissus, gazing in a fountain, falls in love with his own reflection

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