Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes (Leiden, 1586)
Emblem 1
An obelisk (pyramid) overgrown with ivy
Te stante, vireboLatin
With you standing, I shall flourish
- Interpretation
- Ivy and obelisk (Thou standing, I shall flourish)
Description of the imageAI-generated
Within an elaborate ornamental border, a square landscape scene shows a tall slender pillar or obelisk rising from a stepped rectangular pedestal in the centre, its top disappearing into clouds in the sky. An ivy vine with leaves winds and climbs up the shaft of the pillar. Around the base is a landscape with hills, trees, a ruined classical building at left and other buildings at right, and a bushy plant beside the pedestal at the right.
Subscriptio
TranscriptionAI-generated
A MIGHTIE Spyre, whose toppe dothe pierce the skie, An iuie greene imbraceth rounde about, And while it standes, the same doth bloome on highe, But when it shrinkes, the iuie standes in dowt: The Piller great, our gratious Princes is: The braunche, the Churche: whoe speakes vnto hir this. I, that of late with stormes was almoste spent, And brused sore with Tirants bluddie bloes, Whome fire, and sworde, with persecution rent, Am nowe sett free, and ouerlooke my foes, And whiles thow raignst, oh most renowmed Queene By thie supporte my blossome shall bee greene.
TranslationAI-generated
A mighty spire, whose top does pierce the sky, a green ivy embraces round about, and while it stands, the same does bloom on high, but when it shrinks, the ivy stands in doubt: The great pillar is our gracious Prince; the branch is the Church, who speaks unto her this. I, that of late was almost spent with storms, and sorely bruised with tyrants' bloody blows, whom fire and sword with persecution tore, am now set free, and look down upon my foes; and while you reign, O most renowned Queen, by your support my blossom shall be green.
Notes and related emblems
- Related emblem in another book: embmne_jun1565_emblem014
Iconclass
11P15:11P240the Church symbolized❧?25G13groups of plants (herbs)25G3trees25G4(IVY)(+391)25H11mountains25H15forest, wood25I7landscape with monument26Aclouds42E363pyramid (marking grave)42E361(+0)needle, obelisk (marking grave) (+ variant)44B10virtues of the ruler53A22(+4)Stability, Firmness; 'Fermezza', 'Stabilimento', 'Stabilità' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)54E1(+4)Co-operation, Association (+ emblematical representation of concept)54F11(+4)Welfare, Prosperity; 'Felicità publica', 'Prosperità della vita', 'Salute' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)58B1(+4)Vitality, Viability, Vital Force (+ emblematical representation of concept)61BB2(ELISABETH I [of England])3historical person (ELISABETH I [of England]) - BB - woman - other representations to which the NAME of a historical person may be attached (ELISABETH I [of England])86(TE STANTE, VIREBO)proverbs, sayings, etc. (TE STANTE, VIREBO)
Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated
Additional codes proposed for this emblem, not (yet) part of the indexing.
25I153obelisk, needlehighThe correlate 'obelisk, needle' matches the tall slender pillar/obelisk on a stepped pedestal that dominates the landscape scene.
Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated
Suggested relationships between this emblem and adages in Erasmus’ Adagia.
- I iii 42 Columen familiae – thematic inventiomedium
The emblem's central conceit — the prince as a great pillar (columna/columen) on whose standing the dependent Church flourishes — matches Erasmus's adage on the 'pillar' that supports the whole house, with its citations ('On thee the whole house rests though tottering'; Hector as Troy's pillar; Juvenal's 'down come your rafters if the columns crack'), which mirrors Whitney's 'but when it shrinkes, the iuie standes in dowt.'
- IV ix 89 Hedera lascivior – thematic inventiolow
Erasmus's adage treats the proverbial nature of ivy to twine round and cling to what it embraces (Horace's ivy binding the holm-oak), the same botanical image Whitney uses for the ivy 'imbraceth rounde about' the pillar, though Whitney inverts the moral from wanton strangling to loyal dependence.
- IV viii 11 Igni ferroque minari – thematic inventiolow
The subscriptio's account of past persecution, 'Whome fire, and sworde, with persecution rent,' echoes the proverbial pairing of fire and sword as the formula for utter hostility treated in this adage (and its twin 'Ferrum et flamma'), though it is a commonplace rather than a quotation.
Sources
Record ID: embstma_1667_emblem001
This emblem on the Iconclass site: https://iconclass.org/view/embstma_1667_emblem001
Copy: University Library, Glasgow, Stirling Maxwell 1667