Here is today's emblem by
Joachim Camerarius, 4:94. This emblem is based on a legend reported in Pliny; supposedly the sting of a wasp was far worse if the wasp had previously stung a viper, the idea being that after having fed (
pasta) on the viper, the wasp would absorb the viper's poison and then pass that along (
transfundit). You can see the wasps feeding on the viper below. So, the emblem warns, you also need to avoid anything that might be passing along a dangerous poison, even if you might not expect it (you expect viper's poison from a viper, after all, but not from a wasp).
Transfundit Pasta Venenum
Vipereum exsugit vesparum turba venenum;
Tu fuge, ne noceant hausta venena tibi.Vocabulary:
transfundo - decant, pour from one to another
pasco - feed, raze
venenum - poison
vipereus - viper (adj.)
exsugo - suck out
vespa - wasp
turba - crowd
venenum - poison
tu - you
fugio - run away, flee
ne - so that not, lest
noceo - hurt, harm, injure
haurio - drain, drink
