Emblem 2

Emblem 2

An old woman selling fruit, warns the young girl that "one bad apple will spoil the barrel".

Pomme pourrie gaste sa compagnieFrench

A rotten apple spoils its company.AI-generated

Description of the imageAI-generated

Within an oval frame set in a square with hatched corner spandrels, a market scene in the open air. At the left an old fruit-seller, a woman in a white head-cloth and dark jacket, sits on a low chair behind her wares; she leans forward and holds up an apple in her right hand. Around her stand wicker baskets heaped with apples, a large round basket of fruit in front of her, and a trestle table with a mound of apples and a bunch of grapes or bundled produce. A few loose apples lie on the paved ground. At the right a young, well-dressed woman with a large ruff, embroidered bodice and long skirt stands facing her, one hand raised in a gesture of speech, the other resting on a wooden pail or bucket with hoops. Behind them a town view with a tall building, gabled houses and a church steeple, a bridge and water at the right, clouds and birds in the sky. Below, a ribbon-like banderole carries the motto in script.

Subscriptio

Facsimile page — Facsimile, page 1 of 4; click a thumbnail to change page; click the page to enlarge

Facsimile, page 1 of 4; click a thumbnail to change page; click the page to enlarge

TranscriptionAI-generated

het Ap- pel-wijf spreeckt SChoon kint, die menigmael hier neerstig komt geloopé Om eenigh boom-gewas van my te mogen koopen, Ick moet nu danckbaer zijn, en brengen aen den dagh Dat u en uws gelijck ten goede dienen magh. Ick ben een oude vrou, en hebbe lange jaren Met fruyten om-gegaen, met fruyten om-gevaren, En onder dit beslagh soo heb ick yet gesien Dat aen de teere jeught ten goeden kan gedien. Daer mach geen rotte peer in onse manden wesen, En watter niet en deught dat dienter uytgelesen, Want isser yet geblutst of andersins besmet 'Tis seker dat het quaet sich veerdich overset. Ist niet een selsaem dingh! veel hondert gave peeren En connen noyt het rot uyt eenen appel weeren; Maer isser slechts een vrucht in eenich deel geschent Die treckt tot haer bederf al watter is ontrent. Een druyf, die vunstigh is, die kan een tros bederven, Een schaep dat vyerigh is, dat doet een kudde sterven; Een brant-aer inden schoof besmet het gantsche saet, So vruchtbaer, weerde maegt, so vruchtbaer is het quaet. Wel, zijt ghy dan geneygt om niet als goet te leeren, Wilt boos en dertel volck van u geselschap keeren, Want hoe dat schoon gewas is van een sachter aert, Hoe dattet lichter smet, en naeuwer dient bewaert.

TranslationAI-generated

The apple-woman speaks: Fair child, who so often comes diligently walking here in order to buy some fruit of the tree from me, I must now be thankful and bring to light what may serve for the good of you and your like. I am an old woman, and for many years I have dealt in fruit and travelled about with fruit, and in the course of this business I have observed something that can serve the tender youth for good. There may be no rotten pear in our baskets, and whatever is no good must be picked out of them; for if anything is bruised or otherwise tainted, it is certain that the harm quickly spreads. Is it not a strange thing! Many hundreds of sound pears can never drive the rot out of one apple; but if only one fruit is damaged in any part, it draws to its own corruption everything that is near it. A grape that is musty can spoil a whole bunch; a sheep that is feverish makes a whole flock die; one burnt ear in the sheaf infects the whole seed: so fruitful, worthy maiden, so fruitful is evil. Well then, if you are inclined to learn nothing but good, keep wicked and wanton folk away from your company; for the finer a growth is and of the more tender kind, the more easily it is stained, and the more carefully it must be guarded.

CommentaryAI-generated

3 passages · original left, translation right (click to fold)

GVicciardijn in sijn boeck het welck hy sijn uyren van vermaeck ghenoemt heeft / seyt datter is een sonderlinghe en vaste kunste om yemants innerlicken aert en eyghen wesen sekerlijcken te kunnen kennen / en dat (soo hy aldaer verklaert) indienmen neerstelick let met wat gheselschap hy veel-tijts ommegaet / Want twee van eenen aert Die zijn terstont gepaert. als Cicero inden persoon van Cato eertijts seyde / dewijle de nature altijt naer haers gelijcke is hellende / en daerom seyt het Spaens spreeckwoort seer wel op dese gelegentheyt Di me con quien iras Dizir te he lo que haras. Seght ons met wie dat ghy verkeert / Soo heb ick uwen aert geleert. Quaet geselschap te schouwen is daerom eene van de noodichste saecken inde op-voedinghe der ionckheyt: en hoe schadelick het selve is can onder andere daer uyt werden afghenomen dat David een man nae Gods herte / en Salomon de wijste van alle Vorsten beyde dese materie de eerste plaetse in hare schriften hebben ghegeven. David in sijnen eersten Psalm / en Salomon in't eerste capittel sijner Spreucken: waer mede de Spreeck-woorden van alle natien over-een-komen / als hier nae te sien is. Nederl. Wie peck aen-grijpt die besmet hem daer mede. Franç. Brebis rongneuse Faict l'autre tigneuse. Engels. One rotten scheepe wil marre a whole flocke. Spaens. La mancana podrida Pierde a su compannia. Lat. Vnica prava pecus inficit omne pecus. Vvaque conspectâ livorem ducit ab uvâ. Lat. Ovid. Dum spectant læsos oculi læduntur & ipsi. Iuvenal. .... grex totus in agris Vnius scabie cadit ... Ital. Chi prattica co' lupo, impara à urlare. Hoogd. Wer unter den Wolffen ist / muß mit ihnen heulen. Ein reudig schaf macht die gantze heerde reudig. Nederl: Een schurft schaep maecktter veel. Die by den kreupelen woont leert hincken. Vuyle gronden bederven de kabels. Daermen by sit Wortmen me besmit. Men acht een man na sijn gesellen. Daermen mee verkeert Wortmen mee ge-eert. Griecx. Κακοῖς ὁμιλῶν κ' αὐτὸς ἐκβήσῃ κακός. Spaens. Allegate a los buenos, y seras vno dellos. Franç. Accoste toi de gens de bien & tu en seras du nombre. Spaens. El herrero y su dinero todo es negro. Franç. Le forgeron & son denier tout est noir. Spaens. En la casa del alboguero, todos son albogueros. .i. Franç. A la maison du fluteur, tous sont ioueurs de flustes. Ital. Chi dorme co' cani, si lieva con le pusci. Franç. Qui se couche avec des chiens se leve avec les puces. Ital. Dimmi con chi tu vai, E sapra quel che tu sai. Lat. Senec. Malignus comes quamvis candido & simplici rubiginem suam affricat. Qui ambulat in sole coloratur etsi aliud agat. Cicer. Tempora & loca semper aliquid contagij aspergunt. Ital. Chi va al mulin, s'infarina. Chi ha mal vicin, ha mal matin. Chi tocca la pece, s'imbrutta le mani. La mala compagnia è quella che mena gli homini alla forca. D. Chrysostomus, in hanc sententiam. Lat. Natura rerum sic est, ut quoties bonus malo conjungitur, non ex bono malus melioretur, sed ex malo bonus contaminetur. Sic unum pomum malum facilè centum bona corrumpit. At centum bona nunquam unum corruptum efficient bonum. Siet van dese materie meer / als dese na-volgende: Prov. Sal. 13. 20. Syrach. 7. 2. Richter. axiom. œcon. 168. & seqq.

Guicciardini, in his book which he has called his Hours of Recreation, says that there is a particular and reliable art by which one can certainly know a person's inner nature and proper being, and that (as he there explains) it consists in diligently noting in what company he usually moves; for two of one kind are at once paired, as Cicero once said in the person of Cato, since nature always inclines toward its like. And therefore the Spanish proverb says very aptly on this occasion: 'Tell me with whom you go and I will tell you what you will do' — Tell us with whom you associate, and I have learned your nature. To avoid bad company is therefore one of the most necessary matters in the education of youth; and how harmful it is may among other things be gathered from this, that David, a man after God's heart, and Solomon, the wisest of all princes, both gave this subject the first place in their writings: David in his first Psalm, and Solomon in the first chapter of his Proverbs; with which the proverbs of all nations agree, as may be seen hereafter. Dutch: He who grasps pitch defiles himself with it. French: A mangy sheep makes the other scabby. English: One rotten sheep will mar a whole flock. Spanish: The rotten apple ruins its company. Latin: A single bad beast infects the whole flock. — At the sight of another grape the grape takes on its blemish. Latin, Ovid: While eyes look at injured eyes they are themselves injured. Juvenal: ... the whole flock in the fields dies of the scab of one. Italian: He who keeps company with the wolf learns to howl. German: He who is among wolves must howl with them. — One mangy sheep makes the whole herd mangy. Dutch: One scabby sheep makes many. — He who lives with the lame learns to limp. — Foul ground spoils the cables. — Where one sits by, one gets smeared. — A man is judged by his companions. — With whom one associates, by them one is honoured. Greek: Associating with the bad, you too will turn out bad. Spanish: Join yourself to the good and you will be one of them. French: Keep close to good people and you will be of their number. Spanish: The smith and his money, everything is black. French: The blacksmith and his penny, all is black. Spanish: In the piper's house, all are pipers. French: In the flute-player's house all are flute-players. Italian: He who sleeps with dogs gets up with fleas. French: He who lies down with dogs gets up with fleas. Italian: Tell me with whom you go and I shall know what you know. Latin, Seneca: A malicious companion rubs his own rust even on one who is bright and simple. — He who walks in the sun gets tanned, even though he is doing something else. Cicero: Times and places always sprinkle on something of contagion. Italian: He who goes to the mill gets floured. — He who has a bad neighbour has a bad morning. — He who touches pitch dirties his hands. — Bad company is what leads men to the gallows. St. Chrysostom, to this effect, Latin: The nature of things is such that whenever a good man is joined to a bad one, the bad is not made better by the good, but the good is contaminated by the bad. Thus one bad apple easily corrupts a hundred good ones; but a hundred good ones will never make one rotten one good. See more on this matter in the following: Prov. of Solomon 13:20; Sirach 7:2; Richter, Axiomata oeconomica 168 and following.

D. Chrysostomus, in hanc sententiam. Natura rerum sic est, ut quoties bonus malo conjungitur, non ex bono malus melioretur, sed ex malo bonus contaminetur. Sic unum pomum malum facilè centum bona corrumpit. At centum bona nunquam unum corruptum efficient bonum.

St. Chrysostom, to this effect: The nature of things is such that whenever a good man is joined to a bad one, the bad one is not improved by the good, but the good one is contaminated by the bad. Thus one bad apple easily corrupts a hundred good ones; but a hundred good ones will never make one rotten one good.

Detur. 3. adag. 3. DIt spreeck-woort is by D. Drusium uyt het Hebreeusch genomen / en wort ghepast op de gene die yet sien doen / en sonder oordeel het selve nae-volgen / het welck niemant soo seer als de kinderen eyghen is. Nederl. Alsser een schaep over de post is soo volgender vele. Alsser een koe biest etc. Waer een hont aen ghepist heeft daer volgter meer. Een geck maeckter veel. Spaens. Todos somos locos, los unos de los otros. .i. Franç. Tous sommes fols les vns des autres. Ital. Vn tristo ne fa cento. Hoogd. Ein schalck macht den andern.

Deut. 3, adage 3. This proverb is taken by D. Drusius out of the Hebrew, and is applied to those who see something done and imitate it without judgement, which is proper to no one so much as to children. Dutch: When one sheep is over the post, many follow. When one cow runs wild, etc. Where one dog has pissed, more follow. One fool makes many. Spanish: We are all fools, the one because of the other. French: We are all fools, one because of another. Italian: One bad one makes a hundred. German: One rogue makes another.

Iconclass

11Q712 church (exterior)

25G21(APPLE)(+39)(ROTTING)

25I1451 bridge in city across river, canal, etc.

31A2512(+9321) arm stretched forward (+ speaking)

31A2512(+933) arm stretched forward (+ holding something)

31D13 adolescent, young woman, maiden

31D17 old woman

33A35 conversation, dialogue; conversation piece

41A7112 trestle table

41A775 wooden container: barrel, cask

41A7751 container made of plant material other than wood: basket

47I4222(+893)(ROTTING)

52E3(+4) Counsel; 'Consiglio' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)

57AA6 Viciousness, Naughtiness

86(POMME POURRIE GASTE SA COMPAGNIE) proverbs, sayings, etc. (POMME POURRIE GASTE SA COMPAGNIE)

Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated

Additional codes proposed for this emblem, not (yet) part of the indexing.

86 proverbs, sayings, etc.high

The emblem's entire commentary is a compendium of proverbs and sayings in many languages about bad company, and the banderole carries a proverbial motto, matching 'proverbs, sayings, etc.'

86(...) proverbs, sayings, etc. (with TEXT)medium

The scene illustrates a specific proverb ('one rotten apple spoils the company' / 'tell me with whom you go'), which fits the form 'proverbs, sayings, etc. (with TEXT)' for a named proverb text.

46B111 stall, booth (~ market)medium

The depicted open-air market with a fruit-seller behind baskets and a trestle table heaped with apples corresponds to a market stall or booth.

Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated

Suggested relationships between this emblem and adages in Erasmus’ Adagia.

I x 74 Corrumpunt mores bonos colloquia prava – essay quotehigh

The emblem's whole argument ('keep wicked and wanton folk away from your company') is this adage, and the commentary quotes verbatim the Greek senarius Κακοῖς ὁμιλῶν κ' αὐτὸς ἐκβήσῃ κακός, which Erasmus cites within the essay of this very adage alongside the Pauline/Menandrean line.

I x 73 Si juxta claudum habites, subclaudicare disces – thematic inventiohigh

Among the multilingual proverbs collected in the commentary stands the Dutch 'Die by den kreupelen woont leert hincken' ('He who lives among cripples learns to limp'), a literal rendering of this adage on the contagion of bad company.

III iv 95 Oscitante uno deinde oscitat et alter – thematic inventiomedium

The paired emblem 'Ovis ovem sequitur' — one sheep leaps the fold and the whole flock follows, 'one fool makes many' — expresses exactly Erasmus's point that by a hidden force of nature one man's example (a yawn, a sin) is at once imitated by another.

IV viii 37 A bonis bona disce – thematic inventiomedium

The commentary's positive counterpart proverbs — 'Allegate a los buenos, y seras vno dellos' / 'Accoste toi de gens de bien & tu en seras du nombre' — state the same doctrine as this adage, that virtue is learned from the company of the good.

II iii 63 Furemque fur cognoscit et lupum lupus – thematic inventiolow

Erasmus's adage of likeness ('those who share the same vices commonly love one another') matches the commentary's principle that one may judge a man by his companions because like pairs with like.