Book of Emblems

EMBLEM BOOK

Against the Fraudulent.

The small lizard, the stellio, starred with black spots on its body,
who haunts hiding places and hollow tombs,
is depicted as a symbol of envy and base deceit.
Alas, too well known to jealous wives;
for whoever is covered in unsightly freckles,
let them drink wine in which a stellio has been steeped.
Hence the frequent vengeance taken by a mistress deceived by wine,
whom her lover abandons once the flower of her beauty is lost.