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Hic pessima, hic optima servat [20]
XX.
Hic pessima, hic optima seruat.
MIllenis Salomon ad ahena altaria donis
In sua cœlestem vota vocarat opem:
Cùm Deus haud dubiâ, visus sub imagine somni
Opta ait, optatis Rex potiêre tuis.
Si te dona iuuent prædiuitis aurea venæ,
Copia te flauo nutriet in gremio.
Bellica si stimulis fodicet tibi gloria pectus,
Sub pedibus victor colla inimica premes.
Tempora viuendo priscorum æquabis Auorum,
Soles innumeros si numerare voles.
Ad Sophiæ sacros amor est accedere fontes?
Hæc tibi se plenis impluet vberibus.
Ille, probante Deo, Cœli mox dona poposcit,
Et Sophiam toto strenuus ore bibit.
Si Deus arbitrium faciat tibi muneris huius,
Dic mihi, quæ voti summa futura tui est?
Quidquid contigero, fulvum vertatur in aurum
Saucius obryzo dicet amore Midas.
Da mihi Tithoni duplices, da Nestoris annos,
Euclio congestas grunniet inter opes:
Par mihi sit nemo, tua, Magne, superbia dicet,
Sit me nemo prior, Cæsaris ambitio.
Regna Iouis coniux, Virtutem filia iactet,
Tyndaridis mœchæ vir volet esse Paris.
Omnes ducit Amor, nec voto viuitur vno,
Tam varius votum dum sibi fingit Amor.
Turpia stultus Amor, nocituraque munera poscit,
Quæ prosint, Sapiens, castaque curat Amor.
Alter dona vouet suspensi plena timoris,
Alter amat nullo saucia vota metu.
Par vanno sapiens sibi scilicet optima condit,
Par cribro insipiens pessima seruat Amor.
Disce puer, seu vina, dapes, vnguenta, choreas,
Seu Pylios optas, floscule verne, dies;
Siue lubet torui calcatâ Pallade Martis,
Seu Veneris pulso castra pudore sequi;
Nec tibi præ Pluto Christus, præ crimine Virtus
Nec tibi præ vili ridet Olympus humo;
Stultorum veteres augent tua nomina fastos,
Noxia qui veris antetulêre bonis.
Elige Virtutem; dos est pulcherrima Virtus:
Vt sapias, Sophiam cum Sapiente proba.
In sua cœlestem vota vocarat opem:
Cùm Deus haud dubiâ, visus sub imagine somni
Opta ait, optatis Rex potiêre tuis.
Si te dona iuuent prædiuitis aurea venæ,
Copia te flauo nutriet in gremio.
Bellica si stimulis fodicet tibi gloria pectus,
Sub pedibus victor colla inimica premes.
Tempora viuendo priscorum æquabis Auorum,
Soles innumeros si numerare voles.
Ad Sophiæ sacros amor est accedere fontes?
Hæc tibi se plenis impluet vberibus.
Ille, probante Deo, Cœli mox dona poposcit,
Et Sophiam toto strenuus ore bibit.
Si Deus arbitrium faciat tibi muneris huius,
Dic mihi, quæ voti summa futura tui est?
Quidquid contigero, fulvum vertatur in aurum
Saucius obryzo dicet amore Midas.
Da mihi Tithoni duplices, da Nestoris annos,
Euclio congestas grunniet inter opes:
Par mihi sit nemo, tua, Magne, superbia dicet,
Sit me nemo prior, Cæsaris ambitio.
Regna Iouis coniux, Virtutem filia iactet,
Tyndaridis mœchæ vir volet esse Paris.
Omnes ducit Amor, nec voto viuitur vno,
Tam varius votum dum sibi fingit Amor.
Turpia stultus Amor, nocituraque munera poscit,
Quæ prosint, Sapiens, castaque curat Amor.
Alter dona vouet suspensi plena timoris,
Alter amat nullo saucia vota metu.
Par vanno sapiens sibi scilicet optima condit,
Par cribro insipiens pessima seruat Amor.
Disce puer, seu vina, dapes, vnguenta, choreas,
Seu Pylios optas, floscule verne, dies;
Siue lubet torui calcatâ Pallade Martis,
Seu Veneris pulso castra pudore sequi;
Nec tibi præ Pluto Christus, præ crimine Virtus
Nec tibi præ vili ridet Olympus humo;
Stultorum veteres augent tua nomina fastos,
Noxia qui veris antetulêre bonis.
Elige Virtutem; dos est pulcherrima Virtus:
Vt sapias, Sophiam cum Sapiente proba.
Que fais tu Cupidon? ce sont des bagatelles
Que tu recueill'icy, ceruelle sans ceruelle;
Tu sembles au tamis; suiuez ce sage Amour,
Qui garde le meilleur pour s'en seruir vn iour.
Que tu recueill'icy, ceruelle sans ceruelle;
Tu sembles au tamis; suiuez ce sage Amour,
Qui garde le meilleur pour s'en seruir vn iour.
Translations
Literature
Sources and parallels
-
Remake of image, words in motto aranged conform to mirrored image, wings of Amor divinus removed, in: Cribratio Amoris [8] (in: Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629))
[Compare
![[compare]](/static/images/compare2.gif "Compare")
]
-
Compare: Quarles, Emblems, divine and moral
, embl. 2.7
References, across this site, to this page:
- Cribratio Amoris [8] (in: Ludovicus van Leuven, Amoris divini et humani antipathia (1629))
Iconclass
Sacred love pours dust(?) on playing cards from a winnow with a bible and a rosary; Cupid - reversely - drops water(?) from a sieve on a book and a rosary, while opening a trunk- angel(s) represented as child(ren)
[11G191]
- love towards God; 'Amore verso Iddio' (Ripa)
[11Q01]
- scenes symbolizing 'Vanitas'
[11R51]
- water (one of the four elements)
[21D]
- radiance emanating from persons or things
[22C31]
- trees
[25G3]
- trees (+ stump, stub)
[25G3(+211)]
- farm or solitary house in landscape
[25I3]
- drawing, pulling something
[31A2747]
- kitchen-utensils: sieve
[41C27(SIEVE)]
- mug, beaker, goblet
[41C322]
- dish, plate, saucer
[41C341]
- necklace
[41D2661]
- purse, money-bag
[41D267]
- sports, games and physical performances (+ requirements, necessaries ~ sports and games)
[43C(+4)(BALL)]
- sports, games and physical performances (+ requirements, necessaries ~ sports and games)
[43C(+4)(RACKET)]
- playing-cards
[43C512]
- dice
[43C552]
- archer's weapons: bow
[45C15(BOW)]
- money-chest, treasure-chest, money-box
[46A1632]
- tools, aids, implements ~ crafts and industries: scissors
[47D8(SCISSORS)]
- tools, aids, implements ~ crafts and industries: tongs
[47D8(TONGS)]
- book
[49M32]
- Distinction between Good and Bad; 'Distintione del bene & del male' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)
[52B511(+4)]
- Saving, Frugality, Parsimony; 'Parsimonia' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)
[55CC1(+4)]
- (personifications and symbolic representations of) Love; 'Amore (secondo Seneca)' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of
concept)
[56F2(+4)]
- proverbs, sayings, etc. (with TEXT)
[86(HIC PESSIMA, HIC OPTIMA SERVAT)]
- other non-aggressive activities of Cupid
[92D156]
- attributes of Cupid (with NAME)
[92D18(BOW)]