Book Title: Andreae Alciati emblematvm libellvs.

Author: Alciati, Andrea, 1492-1550

Image Title: Sometimes Sweet Things Turn Bitter

Description: Here two emblems by the Italian jurist and writer Andrea Alciati (1492 – 1550 CE) are included on the same page, perhaps due to the close correspondence in their contents. The pictura of the top emblem features the youthful god Amor running into the arms of his mother, the goddess Venus, in order to escape a swarm of bees from whose hive he stole some honey. The subscriptio draws the lesson that, just as bees give stings in exchange for their honey, pleasure always has its corresponding pain. The pictura of the bottom emblem features the youthful god Amor complaining to his mother, the goddess Venus, about how a tiny creature like the bee can inflict such hurtful wounds on him. The subscriptio mentions his mother pointing out that the he himself imitates the bee; even though he is small, he inflicts great suffering.

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