Geffrey Whitney, A choice of emblemes (Leiden, 1586)

Emblem 11

The sun is melting the snow; a ship has run aground

The sun is melting the snow; a ship has run aground
Engraving · click to enlarge

Res humanae in summo declinantLatin

At their summit, human affairs decline

Interpretation
Ship, snow and sun (At their summit, human affairs decline)
Interpretation (German)
Vergänglichkeit des Menschen

Description of the imageAI-generated

Within an elaborate ornamental woodcut border, a square scene shows a sailing ship with masts and rigging heeling over and sinking amid rough, billowing waves on the left; at upper right a radiant sun with a human face shines down, its long rays striking a snow-covered mountain slope on the right, from which streams of melted water run down into the sea.

Subscriptio

Facsimile page
Facsimile; click the page to enlarge

TranscriptionAI-generated

THE gallante Shipp, that cutts the azure surge, And hathe both tide, and wisshed windes, at will: Her tackle sure, with shotte her foes to vrge, With Captaines boulde, and marriners of skill, With streamers, flagges, topgallantes, pendantes braue, When Seas do rage, is swallowed in the waue. The snowe, that falles vppon the mountaines greate, Though on the Alpes, which seeme the clowdes to reache. Can not indure the force of Phœbus heate, But wastes awaie, Experience doth vs teache: Which warneth all, on Fortunes wheele that clime To beare in minde how they haue but a time.

TranslationAI-generated

The gallant ship that cuts the blue swell, and has both tide and wished-for winds at will; her tackle sound, with shot to drive off her foes, with bold captains and skilful mariners, with streamers, flags, topgallants and brave pennants, when the seas rage is swallowed in the wave. The snow that falls upon the great mountains, even on the Alps that seem to reach the clouds, cannot endure the force of Phoebus' heat, but wastes away, as experience teaches us: which warns all who climb on Fortune's wheel to bear in mind that they have but a time.

CommentaryAI-generated

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

Periand. per Auson. Si fortuna iuuat, caueto tolli. Si fortuna tonat, caueto mergi.

Periander, through Ausonius. If fortune helps you, beware of being lifted up. If fortune thunders, beware of being sunk.

Ouidius 4. pont. 3. Tu quoque fac timeas, & quæ tibi læta videtur, Dum loqueris, fieri tristia posse puta.

Ovid, Letters from Pontus 4.3. You too, be afraid, and think that what seems joyful to you may, even while you speak, become sorrowful.

Ouidius 5. Trist. 9.

Ovid, Tristia 5.9.

Notes and related emblems

Iconclass

Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated

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

Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated

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

Sources

Record ID: embstma_1667_emblem011
This emblem on the Iconclass site: https://iconclass.org/view/embstma_1667_emblem011
Copy: University Library, Glasgow, Stirling Maxwell 1667