Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes (Leiden, 1586)
Emblem 4
Father Time uncovers Truth, a young woman in a cave; personifications of Quarrel (woman with tousled hair and a torch, held upside down), Envy (snakes for hair, eating a heart) and Slander (woman gripping a boy by his hair)
Veritas temporis filiaLatin
Truth, the daughter of the Time
- Interpretation
- Envy and Truth (Truth daughter of Time)
- Interpretation (German)
- 1816
Description of the imageAI-generated
Within a broad ornamental border of foliate and floral printer's flowers, a square woodcut shows a rocky landscape with hills, a walled town and buildings in the left background and clouds above. At the right a large winged old man stoops and reaches into a dark rocky cavern, drawing out a naked female figure who steps forth beside a tall pillar or tree; a small naked child stands at her feet. At the left an aged, haggard figure crowned with foliage strides forward holding a long staff or pole, accompanied by another draped female figure with raised arms behind. At the far right, in the mouth of the cave, a seated woman with bare breasts looks on.
Subscriptio
TranscriptionAI-generated
THREE furies fell, which turne the worlde to ruthe, Both Enuie, Strife, and Slaunder, heare appeare, In dungeon darke they longe inclosed truthe, But Time at lengthe, did loose his daughter deare, And setts alofte, that sacred ladie brighte, Whoe things longe hidd, reueales, and bringes to lighte. Thoughe strife make fier, thoughe Enuie eate hir harte, The innocent though Slaunder rente, and spoile: Yet Time will comme, and take this ladies parte, And breake her bandes, and bring her foes to foile. Dispaire not then, thoughe truthe be hidden ofte, Bycause at lengthe, shee shall bee sett alofte.
TranslationAI-generated
Three cruel furies, which turn the world to misery — Envy, Strife, and Slander — appear here; in a dark dungeon they long shut up Truth, but Time at length set free his dear daughter, and sets on high that sacred, shining lady, who reveals things long hidden and brings them to light. Though Strife make fire, though Envy eat her own heart, though Slander tear and ruin the innocent, yet Time will come and take this lady's part, and break her bonds and bring her foes to defeat. Despair not then, though truth be often hidden, because at length she shall be set on high.
Notes and related emblems
- Related emblem in another book: embmne_jun1565_emblem053
Iconclass
11N32Envy; 'Invidia' (Ripa) ~ personification of one of the Seven Deadly Sins21Cfire (one of the four elements)23A1Father Time, man with wings and scythe23A41Time revealing Truth; Time carrying Truth aloft25G11groups of trees25G13groups of plants (herbs)25H11mountains25H15forest, wood25H119cave, grotto25I3farm or solitary house in landscape31A2221heart31A2321leaning forward31A2331kneeling on both knees31A2512(+933)arm stretched forward (+ holding something)31AA2512(+933)arm stretched forward - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something)31A2513(+933)arm stretched sidewards (+ holding something)31A2515arm held downwards31A2515(+933)arm held downwards (+ holding something)31A2522hands folded31AA2536(+933)hand(s) towards the mouth - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something)31A25432leading someone by the hand or wrist31A2544(+0)gripping someone by the head (+ variant)31A2546gripping someone by the legs31A2621(+52)one leg in front of the other (+ leaning)31AA2723climbing - AA - female human figure31AA274931A45(+42):25F42monsters of mixed human and animal shape; 'Mostri' (Ripa) (+ hair, feathers)❧snakes31AA539tousled hair - AA - ~ women31B6211looking upwards31B6212looking downwards31D11221boy (child between toddler and youth)31D15adult woman31D16(+89)old man (+ nude human being)41B121flame41B131blowing (stirring up a fire)41B1311bellows41B32(+1)torch (+ kindling a light; lit, burning light, lamp, candle)41BB32(+1)torch - BB - torch held upside down (+ kindling a light; lit, burning light, lamp, candle)41C11eating41D211(+82)dress, gown (+ women's clothes)41D2339barefoot41D92woman (showing herself) undressed, quasi-nude47I15(SCYTHE)agricultural implements: scythe52A6(+11)Truth; 'Verità' (Ripa) (+ abstract concept represented by female figure)54EE31(+11)Disagreement, Discord; 'Discordia' (Ripa) (+ abstract concept represented by female figure)57BB25(+11)Calumny, Detraction; 'Biasimo vitioso', 'Calunnia', 'Detrattione', 'Maledicenza' (Ripa) (+ abstract concept represented by female figure)86(VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA)proverbs, sayings, etc. (VERITAS TEMPORIS FILIA)91B111(story of) Saturn (Cronus)
Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated
Additional codes proposed for this emblem, not (yet) part of the indexing.
25H119cave, grottohighThe correlate 'cave, grotto' directly matches the dark rocky cavern in the landscape out of which the naked female figure is drawn.
23timemediumThe correlate 'time' fits the central theme, since the large winged old man drawing a naked figure from the cave is Father Time (Veritas filia Temporis).
31D112childlowThe correlate 'child' corresponds to the small naked child standing at the feet of the emerging female figure.
Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated
Suggested relationships between this emblem and adages in Erasmus’ Adagia.
- II iv 17 Tempus omnia revelat – essay quotemedium
Whitney's motto 'Veritas temporis filia' is the proverbial tag (from Aulus Gellius 12.11, 'veritatem temporis filiam esse') that Erasmus adduces in his adage on Time as the revealer of all hidden things; the subscriptio's 'Whoe things longe hidd, reueales, and bringes to lighte' renders exactly that adage's sense.
- II ix 53 Obsequium amicos, veritas odium parit – thematic inventiolow
The emblem's premise that Truth is hated and imprisoned by Envy, Strife and Slander echoes the proverbial commonplace that truth engenders hatred, though no phrase is quoted.
Sources
Record ID: embstma_1667_emblem004
This emblem on the Iconclass site: https://iconclass.org/view/embstma_1667_emblem004
Copy: University Library, Glasgow, Stirling Maxwell 1667