You are quite right about occasional verse, which survived into the last century, but then died out, as also did the audience for it. I am reading Jonson at the moment, and realising that he wrote a lot of it, and I haven't quite developed an appreciation for it.
Well done for solving the puzzle! Very satisfying. I’d like to suggest a different reading of the four central lines, one that’s indebted to your findings about the James family crest and the liber stemmatum, though it would rob you of the point about direct speech. It’ll be quickest to explain it via a retranslation (though I’m no poet, so this is just prose with line breaks):
Our family is not so vain as to use the “thin image”
and painted likeness of a dolphin to puff ourselves up.
It signifies that we are lovers of humanity, this fish. Bearing this
omen, I complain neither of the shallows nor of the savage rocks.
On this reading, ‘piscis dicit nos [esse] amatores hominum’ is the key point in what is effectively a four-line caption for the accompanying crest, and this explanation of the family emblem as a symbol of love for mankind is sandwiched by the opening and closing lines about its protective power. (I’m guessing that the otherwise surprising “thin image” is a nod to the emaciated bust of Juvenal’s poet.)
This was one of the most entertaining (and thought provoking) pieces of this week. Thank you!
You are quite right about occasional verse, which survived into the last century, but then died out, as also did the audience for it. I am reading Jonson at the moment, and realising that he wrote a lot of it, and I haven't quite developed an appreciation for it.
Brilliant as always, Victoria! I might quibble with your characterization, but I appreciate the criticism! Love to have you back on the show anytime.
Well done for solving the puzzle! Very satisfying. I’d like to suggest a different reading of the four central lines, one that’s indebted to your findings about the James family crest and the liber stemmatum, though it would rob you of the point about direct speech. It’ll be quickest to explain it via a retranslation (though I’m no poet, so this is just prose with line breaks):
Our family is not so vain as to use the “thin image”
and painted likeness of a dolphin to puff ourselves up.
It signifies that we are lovers of humanity, this fish. Bearing this
omen, I complain neither of the shallows nor of the savage rocks.
On this reading, ‘piscis dicit nos [esse] amatores hominum’ is the key point in what is effectively a four-line caption for the accompanying crest, and this explanation of the family emblem as a symbol of love for mankind is sandwiched by the opening and closing lines about its protective power. (I’m guessing that the otherwise surprising “thin image” is a nod to the emaciated bust of Juvenal’s poet.)