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

Emblem 81

An eagle pecks at the liver of Prometheus who is chained to a mountain of the Caucasus

Facsimile

Notes and related emblems

• In Alciatus' Emblemata the motto of this emblem is: "Quae supra nos, nihil ad nos"
• Related emblem in another book: embmne_mig1591_emblem102

Iconclass

• 10 (symbolic) representations ~ creation, cosmos, cosmogony, universe, and life (in the broadest sense)
• 25F33(EAGLE)(+544) predatory birds: eagle (+ animal with head bent forward; bowing animal)
• 25F33(EAGLE)(+551) predatory birds: eagle (+ animal with forelegs raised upward)
• 25F33(EAGLE)(+452) predatory birds: eagle (+ animal with prey)
• 25G13 groups of plants (herbs)
• 25H1124 boulder, stone
• 31A236 lying figure
• 31A2422 head turned to the right
• 31A2626(+56) sitting or lying with one leg stretched forward and the other leg drawn up (+ lying)
• 31A461 pain
• 31A534 beard
• 31AA2513(+926) arm stretched sidewards - AA - both arms or hands (+ despairing)
• 31D14(+89) adult man (+ nude human being)
• 34F1 animals threatening man
• 44G312 prisoner; in fetters
• 56BB1(+4) Pain, Sorrow, Sadness; 'Dolore', 'Dolore di Zeusi' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)
• 58B21(+4) Human Life; 'Vita humana', 'Vita inquieta', 'Vita e l'animo' (Ripa) (+ emblematical representation of concept)
• 86(O VITA, MISERO LONGA) proverbs, sayings, etc. (O VITA, MISERO LONGA)
• 91E4611 an eagle tears at Prometheus' liver
• 92B18(EAGLE) attributes of Jupiter: eagle

Sources

Record ID: embstma_1667_emblem081
This emblem on the Iconclass site: https://iconclass.org/view/embstma_1667_emblem081
Copy: University Library, Glasgow, Stirling Maxwell 1667