History of Monsters. 163

PHRENOSCHEMATA

Highly learned men, in designing "phrenoschemata"—those symbolic devices or mental emblems—have used not only parts of the human body but also the full figures of both men and women. I shall offer a few examples of these. Regarding body parts, Percival mentions someone who painted a human hand with the thumb raised, accompanied by the Italian motto: *Vedrem giacciar il foco, arder la neve* ("We shall see fire freeze and snow burn"). This undoubtedly corresponds to Ovid’s verse to the same effect: "Water will give forth flames, and fire will give forth water."

It should be noted that the thumb (*pollex*) is so called because it "prevails" (*polleat*) with great strength; thus, according to Pliny, this finger is often called "the second hand." Indeed, according to the same Pliny, to "press the thumb" is to favor someone. From this we may gather that the author of the emblem perhaps meant to suggest that for one who is willing, nothing is difficult. The same author also depicted two hands joining in the darkness with the motto: *Et in tenebris* ("Even in the dark"). Since it is clear that the hand is a symbol of faith, the author intended to show that faith must be kept always and everywhere.

Regarding male human figures, there is no shortage of examples. Luca Contile, an Italian writer, represents Mercury in a triangular shape, at whose feet the letter R is noted, with the motto: *Gratum fati donum* ("A welcome gift of fate"). As we conjecture, this figure refers to Hermes Trismegistus—the King and wise Priest of Egypt—placed in a triangle because the benign influences of the twelve celestial houses are arranged in a "trine" or "sextile" aspect of the beneficial planets Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury, with a fortunate participation of the Sun. We can therefore guess that this was the author's birth chart, for that letter R signifies Mercury in retrograde. The same author shows a figure of Mercury holding a caduceus in his right hand and watering the roots of a laurel from a vessel full of water in his left, with the Greek motto *eran ourania* ("to love heavenly things"). The author of the emblem was praying for Mercury’s welcome rain upon his own land; since Mercury presides over the sciences, the author desired to achieve not only knowledge but also the laurel of success.

From Russelli, we have a figure of a standing man with the motto: *Excelsae firmitudini* ("For lofty firmness"). By this, the author denotes that from his earliest years he directed his soul toward the splendor of the virtues, from which he suggests he never wishes to depart. Russelli also provides a painting of a youth supporting the world on his head with the motto: *Maius opus* ("A greater task"). This signifies that when the task of serving or commending someone is undertaken, it seems a greater labor than that of Atlas, who was said to support the entire world on his shoulders. Again, from Russelli, there is the figure of Prometheus ascending toward the stars with a torch and the motto: *Altiora* ("Higher things"). It is well known to all that once man was formed, Prometheus—with the help of Minerva—stole fire from the sun's sphere to bestow such a gift upon the human race. Therefore, the author of this emblem should be considered most prudent, as he professes not only to imitate Prometheus but even to wish to surpass him.

Furthermore, in Russelli’s work, one can see the image of a pilgrim with the motto: *Et caetera* ("And the rest"). From this we should conclude that a man born for virtue alone, traveling through its pathless ways, can never be concerned for his own life. The motto seems to suggest this; once the desire of the mind is understood, anyone can infer the rest. From Giovio, a "wild man" is depicted with the motto: *Mitem animum agresti sub tegmine servo* ("I keep a gentle soul under a rustic covering"). Although the author of the emblem had a severe and rigid appearance, he was nonetheless imbued with a gentle mind and mild manners.

There is also no lack of emblems adorned with the image of a woman. Luca Contile presents a figure of Minerva with the motto: *Haud simplex virtutis opus* ("No simple work of virtue"). By this we are taught that no action can be perfect without wisdom. The same author depicts a naked Pallas moving the equinoctial circle; in this way, as with Aristotle, the vigor of the universe is said to flow from wisdom. The title