19th century Victorian well made copy of the Cellini shield on display in Windsor Castle England, the shield in brass is decorated with four scenes from the life of Emperor Caesar in raised relief and minus the Latin inscription on the original, below is a transcript of the Latin and translation on the original. Photos show before and after restoration to it's original state. Diameter 60cm, weight approx 3kg, or 6lb #9722yoo
Attributed to Eliseus Libaerts (active 1561-1569) - Parade shield ('The Cellini Shield')
'+ AMBITVS HIC MINIMVZ MAGNAM CAPIT AMBITIONEM / QVAE REGNA EVERTIT DESTRVIT IMPERIA / SVSTVLIT E MEDIO MAGNI VITAMQVE DECVSQVE / POMPEII EVEXIT CAESARIS IMPERIVM / CAESARIS IN COELVM MITIS CLEMENTIA FERTVR / QVAE TAMEN HVIC TANDEM PERNICIOSA FVIT / ANNVLVS EXCIT EI LACHRYMAS CERVIXQUE RESECTA / POMPEII HINC PATVIT QVAM PROBVS ILLE FORET / IN SACRIS DOCVIT VESTIS CONSPERSA CRVORE / HVIC PRAESAGA MALI TALIA FATA FORE / SI VIRES IGITVR SPECTAVENS (sic for SPECTAVERIS) AMBITIONIS / NON GRAVIVS VIDEAS AMBITIONE MALVM +' This tiny boundary holds boundless ambition which overthrows kingdoms and destroys empires. It destroyed both the life and the glory of Pompey the Great. It elevated the power of Caesar. The gentle clemency of Caesar is lauded to the sky, though in the end it was fatal to him. The ring and the severed neck of Pompey brought tears to Caesar’s eyes. From this it was clear how good a man Pompey was. The robe, spattered with blood during sacrifice, presaging evil for him, revealed that such would be Caesar’s fate. If, then, you look at the strength of ambition you would see no more terrible evil than ambition’.)
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