Silent Poetry, Speaking Painting

TO THE READER

...pleasing things; and this most especially because, as Seneca warns, Seneca, Moral Letters to Lucilius, 49. speech which devotes itself to the truth ought to be unpolished and simple. Add to this that a man must be a dullard indeed original: "Cæritum." The Caerites were a people of ancient Italy who were given Roman citizenship without the right to vote; the term became a Roman idiom for someone lacking full judgment or status. who would try to fit the boot of Maximinus Maximinus Thrax (c. 173–238 CE) was a Roman emperor famous for his legendary physical size; his "boot" represents something excessively large or ill-fitting. to a narrow foot.

Now, furthermore, as to why we have given this little book the title Silent Poetry and Speaking Painting: I believe we have done so not without reason. For Plutarch, a Greek author but of genuine honesty, Plutarch, On Hearing the Poets. testifies that even long ago that well-worn saying was on the lips and in common use among men—that trite expression:

The text here refers to the famous aphorism attributed to the poet Simonides of Ceos: "Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is speaking painting." The author uses this to explain his use of emblems or illustrated moral lessons.

original Greek: "ἐκεῖνο τὸ θρυλλόμενον" — literally "that which is whispered/celebrated by everyone."