Emblem 6

A charioteer is pulled over the edge of a cliff by his bolting team of horses

TemeritasLatin

Rashness

Interpretation: Charioteer and horses (Rashness)
Interpretation (German): Unbessonnenheit

Description of the imageAI-generated

Within an ornamental woodcut border, a charioteer in a two-wheeled cart is flung backwards, one arm raised holding a whip or banner, the other hand still grasping the reins, as two galloping horses rush away over rocky ground; a cloudy sky and distant hills fill the background.

Subscriptio

Facsimile page — Facsimile; click the page to enlarge

TranscriptionAI-generated

THE waggoner, behoulde, is hedlonge throwen, And all in vaine doth take the raine in hande, If he be dwrawen by horses fierce vnknowen, Whose stomacks stowte, no taming vnderstande, They praunce, and yerke, and out of order flinge, Till all they breake, and vnto hauocke bringe. That man, whoe hath affections fowle vntamde, And forwarde runnes neglecting reasons race, Deserues by right, of all men to bee blamde, And headlonge falles at lengthe to his deface, Then bridle will, and reason make thy guide, So maiste thow stande, when others doune doe slide.

TranslationAI-generated

Behold, the waggoner is thrown headlong, and in vain he takes the rein in hand, if he is drawn by fierce, unbroken horses whose stout spirits know no taming: they prance and kick and fling out of order, till they break everything and bring it to ruin. That man who has foul, untamed passions, and runs forward neglecting the course of reason, deserves by right to be blamed by all men, and at length falls headlong to his disgrace. Therefore bridle your will, and make reason your guide, so you may stand when others slide down.

Iconclass

25H113 (high) hill

26A clouds

31A2352 sitting on an elevation

31A2621(+53) one leg in front of the other (+ sitting)

31AA2511(+933) arm raised upward - AA - both arms or hands (+ holding something)

31B6211 looking upwards

31D14 adult man

41D211(+81) dress, gown (+ men's clothes)

41D233(+81) gear for legs and feet (+ men's clothes)

43C21311 charioteer, 'auriga'

46C131613 reins

46C13183 galloping horse

46C1422 two-wheeled vehicle drawn by two animals

46C1463 whip

46C1496 inciting riding-animal or draught-animal ~ accident

52AA21(+4) Rashness, Imprudence, Recklessness (+ emblematical representation of concept)

53C11(+4) Authority, Power; 'Dominio', 'Giurisdittione' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)

86(TEMERITAS) proverbs, sayings, etc. (TEMERITAS)

Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated

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

43C21311 charioteer, 'auriga'high

The correlate 'charioteer, auriga' directly names the central figure driving the two-wheeled cart drawn by galloping horses.

43A421 chariot, triumphal carmedium

The correlate 'chariot, triumphal car' covers the two-wheeled horse-drawn cart that is the main vehicle depicted, though no triumph is shown.

46C131613 reinsmedium

The correlate 'reins' matches the explicitly described reins still grasped in the thrown charioteer's hand.

46C1463 whipmedium

The correlate 'whip' matches the implement raised in the charioteer's other hand.

83(OVID, Metamorphoses II:178-200) Phaethon lets go of the reinslow

The correlate 'Phaethon lets go of the reins' could underlie this image of a driver flung backwards by runaway horses, but no sun-chariot or fire is described and he still holds the reins.

Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated

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

IV v 54 Inscitia confidentiam parit – thematic inventiolow

Both the adage (ignorance breeds rashness, while reasoning/λογισμός breeds restraint) and the emblem oppose headlong impulse to the curb of reason ('bridle will, and reason make thy guide'); the emblem's motto 'Temeritas' matches the adage's Loci Communes heading, though no verbal borrowing is evident.

V ii 3 Cor calidum in re frigida – thematic inventiolow

Erasmus glosses 'calidum facinus' as a bold and precipitate deed, the very 'hot', untamed impulse the emblem pictures in the runaway horses; the connection is only one of shared commonplace on rashness, with no textual link.